taken Hawk out into the forest for long, long walks. On a later visit, the shrink wanted photographs of the bald eagles—because he’d learned that Hawk loved the big predators.
More long walks. Sneaky bastard.
“It’s good to see you, Hawk,” Grayson said. “You appear well.”
Hawk shook hands and ignored the way the doc studied his face. “And you. This is Aric. Frankie’s godson.”
“Ah.” Zachary nodded at Aric…and didn’t press further. “Join me on Mako’s deck? I could use something cold.”
“Sure.” Hawk hadn’t considered when he made the early morning call that maybe Grayson’s conversations would include him as well as Aric. Fuck.
Still, he wanted Grayson’s opinion. Surely, the doc would say the kid would be better off with women. With someone nice. With anyone but a fucked-up, antisocial vet.
With Aric not venturing more than a few inches from his side, Hawk went into Mako’s kitchen and brought out sodas for all three of them. He took a chair beside Grayson.
Any other kid would crawl up on a chair. Aric remained standing. Yeah, it was a lot easier to flee that way.
With a snort, Hawk lifted the boy onto his lap, opened a can, and handed it to him. “Use both hands.”
Watching Grayson with wary eyes, Aric took a sip.
His shocked expression made the doc chuckle. “I doubt your religious militia allowed carbonated beverages.”
“Seems not.” Amusement roused as Aric took another sip, so very carefully, and blinked. “Like the bubbles, kid?”
Aric looked up with eyes the clear blue of an autumn sky. His lips tilted barely upward as he nodded.
Grayson leaned back in his chair with a tired sigh—and Hawk felt a twinge of guilt. The man must’ve jumped a plane right away to get here so fast. It would help that Rescue was four hours later than Tampa. Still, long fucking flight, long fucking day.
“I spoke with the doctors at Kirsten’s hospital and—”
“Kirsten?” Hawk frowned.
“Kirsten Traeger—Aric’s mother. I believe Frankie calls her Kit.” Grayson disliked nicknames. He could be almost as stubborn as the sarge.
“Got it. What’d the docs say?”
“The brain swelling is coming down adequately, and they’ll let her wake. However, even if there’s no neurological damage, she’ll be in the hospital for a while, then need a stay in rehab after that. Quite simply, she’s taken too much damage and will require treatments she can’t get at home.” Grayson’s gaze darkened.
Hawk grunted. He turned his gaze toward Aric and lifted his eyebrows.
“That’s the question, yes,” Grayson agreed.
For a minute, there was quiet.
Grayson smiled at him. “You know, back when I was Aric’s age, my mother would read to me every night.” The psychologist was watching the lake as he continued, “I remember Goodnight, Moon. And Red Shoe, Blue Shoe and…”
Hawk felt a tiny bounce, and Aric’s wary expression disappeared.
Grayson glanced over and nodded. “Ah, your mom likes to read to you, too.” And he continued with a rambling, easy discussion of things his mother had done with him. The doc never asked a question, just…talked.
With Aric on his lap, Hawk could feel the tension come and go in the little body. The kid reacted to a lot of what Grayson said. But…if Hawk was reading things right, it seemed like Kit was a damned fine mother.
Or she had been before she was sucked into the PZs. What about then, Grayson?
Before Hawk could think of a way to ask that, the doc glanced at him, then Aric. “Now Hawk, his parents could be mean. His dad hit him. So did his momma.”
Aric’s eyes widened, and he gave Hawk a horrified look and patted his chest.
Grayson leaned forward and set a hand on Aric’s shoulder, capturing his attention. “I know the mean man hit you, Aric. Did your momma ever hurt you?”
Aric shook his head vehemently and scowled at the shrink. Then he flinched, obviously remembering that grownups would hit children who glared at them.
Releasing Aric, Grayson leaned back.
Hawk nodded. That was the question he’d worried about. It seemed as if Aric could go back to his mom when she was able to care for him. Good. It would have broken Frankie’s heart if her friend had turned abusive.
But…what the fuck was Aric going to do until Kit was up to caring for her kid?
The sound of garage doors rising came from Caz’s place this time. And Gabe’s.
Hawk glanced at Grayson. “Sounds like everyone’s home.”
A couple of minutes later, Regan walked out of Caz’s house. The girl had grown since coming to live with Caz last fall.
Grown in other ways, too.