As Luck Would Have It

“Not a chance. You like this girl though? Felicity?”

Hawk sighed. “Yes, I like this girl.” He’d been trying to get a date with her for so long now, although he’d been too much of a wimp to ask her. So when this situation presented itself, he hadn’t hesitated. It drove him insane just thinking about her, but he wanted her so very badly. They hadn’t really gotten on well, and he couldn’t figure out why.

“So much, you’re putting a tie on all wrong.” His father entered the office and took over. “Well, I didn’t think I’d have to dress you as a grown-ass man.”

“I’m fine.”

He went to remove the tie but his father slapped his hands. Hawk laughed.

“You’re nervous.”

“I’m nervous.”

“Well, don’t say anything stupid like her ass looks big or she picked the wrong color, and also don’t try and plan your life out in five years. Take your time. You’re still young, and you don’t need all that crap along with it. Just be yourself.”

Hawk didn’t want to tell his dad he’d been himself since the beginning but Felicity hadn’t seemed to like him at all.

Man, this was driving him crazy.

Running his fingers through his hair, he stepped back the moment his father finished his tie.

He had a plan for the next five years. An easy plan. Get Felicity to fall in love with him, marry her, have babies, merge their two businesses together, and live happily ever after.

It was a work in progress and so far in the past few months, he’d only been able to get this one date with her. He was an optimist.

“She’s the one, isn’t she?” his father asked.

“She’s certainly something.” Hawk was always very careful about what he said. He was oddly superstitious and he tried to avoid jinxing himself. “I better go.”

He had twenty minutes until he picked her up, but he didn’t want to be late. As per her request, Hawk was picking her up at the bakery.

“Go and get her, son. She’s waiting for you.”

Shoving his wallet into the back pocket of his pants, he took a deep breath and finally made his way out of the room.

He could do this.

It was no biggie.

Leaving the café, he waited for his father to lock the door before turning around to face Felicity, and when he did, his heart started to pound.

She looked so beautiful.

Stepping across the road, he noticed Rebecca was nowhere in sight. Her friend seemed to have this knack of reading people.

“Hey,” Felicity said.

“Hey. You look stunning.”

She glanced down at herself. “Thanks. I didn’t know how to dress for the occasion. I honestly didn’t know.”

“You look perfect.” He held out his arm for her to take. “Come on.” The date in question wasn’t something elaborate or even fancy. It was simple and he hoped she’d consider it sweet. He had spent all afternoon working on it at his place.

“Where are we going?”

“Well, I didn’t have time to book any reservations. With the parade, all of the restaurants are full and so I figured now was as good a time as any to show you my mad skills.”

Felicity paused. “You’re cooking for me?”

“Yes.”

“At your place?”

He nodded. “You can text Rebecca. Tell her where you’re going to be. I won’t be offended. I believe in women taking care of their safety.” He let go of her arm and watched her.

She didn’t reach for her cell phone.

“I trust you. I just, am I overdressed?”

“You look perfect.” The way his voice shook had him feeling like a teenager unsure of himself. He’d even dressed up and worn a tie despite the fact they would be at his place.

“You’re nervous?” she asked with a hint of a smile in her eyes.

“A little bit.”

“Wow, I never thought you could be nervous.” She pressed her lips together, taking hold of his arm, and they walked toward his apartment. His hands were sweaty.

He was normally self-assured, and never nervous.

Hawk couldn’t remember a single time in his life when he’d been like this. Felicity, though, she did things to him. She made him want to settle down, start a family. Coming home alone to his apartment every night was no longer fun.

He wanted a family with her.

He’d not only fallen in love with her baking, he’d fallen in love with her, and now he hoped luck was on his side so she’d fall in love with him, too.

6

The smell of tomatoes roasting had her stomach growling. Felicity took that time to look around Hawk’s small but cozy apartment, modern with accented decorations. She hadn’t really paid attention the last time she was here, but now she took her time, realizing how nice his place was.

She didn’t know why she’d assume differently. Maybe because he was such a big guy with brute strength that she pictured a more rustic feel. But then again, he owned a café and baked.