“Hey, boys, what’s going on?” she asked.
“We got good news,” Specs said, beaming.
“Oh yeah?” she said, careful to be believable.
“They’re gone. It’s over, Hil,” Gadget said.
“Oh my God.” She placed a hand over her chest. “Are you serious?”
Hawk smiled. “Yeah, babe, you don’t have to look over your shoulder anymore.”
“I can finally go back to my condo then and get back to normal.”
His smile faded. “What?”
“All this being cloistered and playing a role has worn on me. What happens next?”
“Right now I have church. Then we’ll talk.”
“But it’s safe now, right?” she asked, playing dumb.
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll just grab a prospect. You like Magic. I’ll hunt him down. I want to see how my place looks.”
“The prospects cleaned it up.”
“You know that’s not the same thing,” she said.
He sighed. “All right, I’ll come by later.”
“Mmm hmm,” she said, desperate to put space between them so she could think. For too long she’d been trapped in a bubble with her head stuck in the sand.
“Oh, I’ll tell the girls before I go too. They deserve to know.”
“Yes they do,” he said. His voice softened and her anger waned. He’s a good man. Doesn’t change the fact that he lied. “I’ll see you soon, babe. Be careful out there,” he said kissing her forehead. His gentleness nearly undid her. Who is this man really? He has so many facets, he could be a diamond. She watched him walk away wondering what the future held for them now that the danger no longer existed. She had lost herself to her career, she’d be damned if she lost herself to a man. Her mother taught her mistakes were really lessons unless you repeated them. No rash decisions. She took a deep breath and focused her attention on the girls. Delivering this information would free them.
Unable to remain in the dumps, she hunted down Magic.
“Hey Magic, you hear the news?” she said.
“I did. Your old man told me I’m taking you back to your place?”
“Yeah, I want to see what I lost and make a few calls.”
“You let me know when you’re ready.”
“I will. Right now, I w
ant to tell the girls the good news.”
He grinned and his green eyes twinkled with mirth. He had a boyish charm about him that made him irresistible. “They’re going to lose their shit.”
“They’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. I’d say they’re allowed,” she said as she walked outside. The fresh air invigorated her and cleared her cluttered head. The backdrop was beautiful. Tall pine trees rose up to meet a crystal-blue sky dotted with plump fluffy clouds. The sun shone down, warming her skin, and she tilted her head to soak up the rays. It was like coming out of an underground tunnel after a harsh winter. There would be no more looking over her shoulder or sneaking around like a criminal in trouble with a mob boss.
Peace swept over her, carried in on the gentle breeze. She made it to their cabin and climbed the steps feeling like she was Ed McMahon delivering a check. She knocked on the door and grinned at Tex.
“Hey, Tex.”