Hard Knox - Riley Hart Page 0,6

okay that I’m here? At Sunrise, I mean?” I’d come because I’d wanted to share the news about my job with her. I didn’t know why that was so hard for me to say. Why I couldn’t tell her how important it was for me to talk to her about it.

“Yes! Of course. I’m glad you’re here. I love Sunrise. It…makes me happy, and Law is great.”

I could see it in the sparkle in her eyes, how happy she was here—not just at Sunrise, but in Havenwood. My dad would have lost his shit if they were married and she wanted to be a waitress in a café, but it worked for her. It fit. “I can see that. That you’re happy, I mean. And I’m glad for you, Mom. Seriously.” Her eyes misted a bit, but she shook it off. “Just water,” I added. I hated that I struggled to show my emotions with her. I wanted to get over it, but I didn’t know how.

“I’ll be right back.”

By the time Mom returned, I’d already settled on a chicken Caesar salad for lunch. She gave me my water before disappearing to do her job again. Every few minutes, I’d find myself watching her as she hurried around the restaurant. She laughed and chatted with customers and the other employees. Everyone seemed to know and like her, and it hit me that I’d never seen this side of my mom. She had never been this confident and settled with my dad. It was incredible to witness.

She brought my salad not long later, and I wanted to tell her she looked more at ease than I’d ever seen her. That Havenwood fit her, that I felt a little uncomfortable in my own skin too, and that I hoped Havenwood would fit me as well. The words didn’t come out, so I thanked her instead and devoured my salad because it was good as hell.

I was about done when Blond Curls came out—I really needed to stop calling him that. He talked to customers and joked with my mom, before the two of them ended up at my table together.

“Lawson, I’d like you to meet my son, Callum. Cal, I mean, Callum—I know you don’t like that—this is Lawson,” Mom said. My eyes caught his, and I nodded, somehow reading his question.

Lawson said, “We actually met the other night at Griff’s. I didn’t tell you because he said you didn’t know he was home yet. I apologize about that.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. That’s fine, Lawson Grant,” Mom replied, and he smiled, giving her a one-arm hug. Jealousy wrapped a fist around my heart. It was stupid. I knew it was. She was my mom, and she loved me, but again, I saw that she and Lawson had a relationship we didn’t have anymore, one I desperately wanted back but was afraid of at the same time.

“That, um…salad was good. Are you sure you don’t want me to pay? I should probably head out.” I wiped my face with my napkin before setting it down.

Mom frowned. “No, not at all. You’re not paying.”

“Okay. Dinner, then,” I said again.

“The restaurant closes at two, and then after we clean up around here, I have to run to the hardware store to pick up a few things. Knox has put them aside for me. I’m going to build some new flower boxes.”

“I’ll pick it up for you,” I told her, and it really had nothing to do with the lumberjack, even though it wouldn’t be bad on the eyes to see him again.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Things were obviously slightly stilted between us.

“Absolutely.”

Lawson nodded at me weirdly, and then Mom and I said this awkward goodbye where we almost hugged but didn’t. It wasn’t until I was outside that I realized I had no fucking clue where the hardware store was or what it was called.

One Google search later, I had my answer. Knox’s Hardware. I jumped into my car and put my sunglasses on, for what turned out to literally be a three-minute drive. Small towns were weird. I parked along the side of the natural-wood building that looked like it belonged in a Wild West movie. Ugh. It was cute. I didn’t know why I thought it was cute. Maybe because I knew there was a bearded lumberjack inside.

I headed in, and the second I did, I spotted Knox saying goodbye to a customer. There was another worker stocking shelves.

“Do you wear