Craving Hawk (The Aces' Sons 3)

“True,” I sighed.

“So Tommy went to see you, huh?” she asked, just as my sister came down the hallway.

“What did that douchebag want?” Mel asked, ruffling my hair as she passed me.

“He got the papers,” I told them as Molly set a cup of coffee on the table in front of me.

“Did he sign them?” Mel asked.

“Uh, no,” I mumbled, blowing on my coffee to cool it. “He told me he was in love with me.”

“That motherfucker!” Mel shouted.

“Melanie, watch your mouth!” Molly snapped, glancing at Rebel, who was currently lacing and unlacing a pair of shoes and didn’t give a shit what we were talking about.

“That motherbear,” Melanie spat. “Please tell me you nut punched him.”

“Mel,” I sighed, shaking my head.

“You can’t be serious,” she barked incredulously.

“He’s doing so much better,” I said into my mug, ignoring the way she scoffed.

“It’s actually true,” Molly said quietly, sitting down at the table. “I’ve been around him a lot. You can actually see the difference.”

“He wants to try again,” I said. “Without rushing this time.”

“The horses have already left the effing barn!” my sister said, rolling her eyes.

“Wait.” I lifted my hand and looked at her in confusion. “What?”

“Shutting the barn door after the horses are already out,” she said impatiently, like I was supposed to understand what the hell she was trying to say.

“Huh?” Molly asked.

“They’re already married,” Mel snapped.

“Oh,” Molly replied, drawing the word out. “Right. But they’re not living together. Tommy’s living with his parents—”

“Loser,” my sister mumbled.

“He has a house,” I pointed out with a shrug. “It’s just not livable yet.”

My sister looked at me, her mouth gaping open. “You’re actually considering it.”

“I love him, Mel,” I said softly, shrugging.

“Just take your time, sisterbeast,” Molly said, reaching out to pat my back. “You don’t have to decide anything right away.”

“Are you sure?” Mel asked. “Because my insults have been getting pretty good, and I haven’t even used all of them yet.”

“I’m not sure about any of it.” I laughed. “But if I don’t try, I think I’ll regret it.”

“So, no divorce then,” Molly said, tapping the table.

Rebel chose that moment to try a new word, and a quiet, raspy, “Diborsss, diborce, div, divorce,” floated up from her place on the floor.

“Oh, thank God it wasn’t motherfucker,” Molly whispered to the ceiling, raising her hands in the air and shaking them side to side like she was praising the Lord.

I dropped my head to the table and laughed until I felt tears running down my face.

* * *

An hour later I walked out of Molly’s trailer and straight into Tommy.

“What are you doing here?” I asked in surprise as I stopped at the top of the porch steps.

“Will said you were here,” he replied with a grin, moving up the steps until he was standing right below me.

His hands slid up my thighs until they rested on my hips.

“Told you I’d be back in the morning,” he murmured, his thumbs smoothing over my hipbones.

“You did say that,” I whispered back, a smile pulling at the edges of my mouth.

I leaned down slightly, and the minute his lips met mine I was sure.

For as long as he kept working on getting better, I was sure.

If he kept looking at me like I was the best present he’d ever received, and my heart continued to race every time he entered a room, I was sure.

He was it for me.