Page 34 of Believe
“Hi. I’m Gideon,” he said. Hawke cleared his throat, tearing his gaze from Tara and shook the boys hand. “You have a cool name.”
“So do you,” smiled Hawke. “Did you know that it means a military leader from the old testament?”
“I did. Mom told me,” he smiled.
“Hawke, do you mind showing Tara and Gideon to cabin fifty-two?”
“Uh, sure. It’s really close to mine so if you need anything, I could be there right away. I mean, I would never just show up or anything but I could help out. If you needed it. Not that you’ll need it.”
“Hawke,” grinned Angel, “just show her the cabin to be sure she’ll like it. You’ll get to take a little boat ride every morning and every night, Gideon. It’s the absolute best.”
“This place is the coolest ever.”
Angel and Miller watched as they walked away, Hawke with his hand gently guiding Tara toward the docks. He gave her his jacket to keep her warm and Gideon ran ahead to the boat dock. When they were out of sight, Miller turned to his wife, Angel smiling at her.
“That was well planned, I have to say,” he smiled.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Hawke just happened to be here when I needed him.”
“Hey, Kari,” called Tanner. “Did you ever find Hawke?”
“Showed up when you need him, huh?” smirked Miller. Kari playfully smacked his chest and walked away.
“Oh, hush. It’s the season for happily ever after.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Beau, I can’t tell you when I’ve had so much fun,” laughed Esta. She tossed some more tinsel on the tree and stepped back to admire her work.
“Me too, Miss Esta,” he smiled. “In fact, I can’t believe you sit in that house all day long and do nothing with as much energy as you have.”
“Well, I don’t do nothing,” she frowned. Beau just stared at her, waiting. “I guess that is what I’m doing. Nothing. I think when the kids deserted me I sort of folded up on myself. That’s pathetic, isn’t it?”
“No, ma’am. It makes me want to take your son and daughter out back and teach ‘em a lesson but it’s not pathetic.”
“I don’t think I knew how much they truly hated me,” she said playing with the tinsel on the tree.
“I think they hate themselves, Miss Esta. Not you. I think you’re just easy to pin the blame on. I think their lives aren’t what they hoped and they’re miserable.”
“That’s a lot of insight for a young man,” she smiled.
“Don’t get mad at me but I had the boys do a little research on Eddie and Sheila. Things aren’t going well for either one of them. They’re in trouble with the IRS, their spouses have been cheating on them for years, their kids are a mess and they want to blame you for not giving them what they wanted.
“It seems to me that their problems are because they’ve given to their own children whatever they wanted. It’s sad to me but they’ve made their beds.”
“Thank you for telling me that. I always suspected as much. Well, this place is looking wonderful.”
“It is,” nodded Beau. “You know, Miss Esta, my brother Bridge, he’s going back to college after the break and I’m gonna need some help in here.”
“Aren’t you going back to school?” she asked.
“Miss Esta, I graduated five years ago and spent the next four years in the Army. I’m happy helping the family when I can but I could use some help here a few days a week. You got a lot of energy, Miss Esta. And you’ve got the right touch with the displays.”
“What are you asking me, Beau Couvillion?” she said with a side-eye.
“I’m asking if you’d come in for a few hours a day, a few days a week. Your pick. Your schedule. It would help me and let me pay attention to inventory and such.”
“And this would pay me a wage?” she asked.