Hawke

by Trent, Emily Jane

  Emilia fingered a silver pendant dangling from a thin chain. “Hey.”

  “Hey, yourself. You look beautiful.”

  Hawke could swear that she blushed. “You said dinner, so I assumed jeans wouldn’t work.” She grabbed a small purse from a table by the door. “I like the leather jacket on you,” she said. “We match.”

  On the way to the Jeep, a scent of roses wafted up, further captivating Hawke’s senses. It was the perfume she loved, and it was endearing that she wore it after all these years. “You smell nice.” He hoped that wasn’t too far over the line.

  “You recognize it? I still wear the same perfume.” She reached for the door, but Hawke beat her to it.

  “Allow me.” Once she was inside, he jogged around to hop in. With the way Emilia looked, it was going to be difficult to keep the evening on track. Business didn’t have the right ring to it. And friendship? He had a feeling the relationship was edging into new territory.

  It was his fault. He’d asked her to dinner, but he couldn’t mess this up. He was her friend, and he sure as hell was going to behave that way. “Pick songs you’d like to listen to,” he said, handing her his phone. Music would give him a chance to get it together, and avoid talking until they got to the restaurant.

  When he turned onto Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Emilia said, “Where are we going?”

  “I tried to recall what places you liked, where you used to go with your friends,” Hawke said. “I thought it would be nice to go to that rooftop bar.”

  “At the Logan Hotel?” Emilia’s eyes lit up. “The view is amazing. We used to go there at night just to look down at the city lights.”

  Hawke cruised down the tree-lined street, past art museums, and remembered that the long parkway had been compared to the Champs Élysées in Paris. He didn’t know about that, but the area did have many cultural sites along the way.

  “The skyline from the rooftop was something to look at,” Hawke said. “But you can’t beat standing face to teeth with that giant T-Rex skeleton at the natural sciences place.”

  Emilia laughed, and her face lit up, warming his heart. “Boys,” she said, then playfully shoved his shoulder.

  Hawke parked in the lot, then took her up to the patio to lean against the railing and look out. It was dusk, and sweeping views of the city glimmered in the fading light.

  “I enjoy this part of the day,” Emilia said, “when the sun is disappearing. The fall leaves seem to glow with gold and orange.”

  The last of the daylight disappeared, replaced by the sparkling city below. Hawke flagged a waiter and ordered two glasses of prosecco. Emilia talked about some of the things she’d done in the city since he’d been away. He enjoyed listening to her and admired her while she talked.

  When a place on the sofas by the firepit opened up, Hawke put his arm around her to guide her over to the seats. It seemed so natural, how he’d behave with any date. Only Emilia wasn’t any date; she was a friend. He was more conscious of his behavior, careful not to violate the boundaries of their relationship.

  Emilia grabbed a menu. “Do they still have those braised beef tacos?” She ran her finger down the list. “These,” she said. “with red cabbage, jalapeño, lime crema.”

  “Best thing on the menu,” Hawke said, then placed the orders.

  “This place was a good pick,” Emilia said. “I haven’t been here in a while.”

  The tacos arrived, and Hawke devoured his, while Emilia did the same. “Mmm, these are delicious,” she said around a mouthful.

  Hawke had cleaned his plate, barely taking a breath. “No arguments.” The patio was crowded and noisy. It occurred to him that the food was good, but it wasn’t such a great place to have a serious discussion.

  “Coffee and dessert?”

  Emilia smiled. “Sounds good.”

  Hawke suggested the café at lobby level, since the place had some of the best coffee in the city. The greeter found a quiet table for them. While sipping espressos and eating cannoli, Emilia brought up the subject they’d come to discuss.

  “It’s all very upsetting. I just don’t understand what’s going on.”

  “I’d like to tell you that it will all go away,” Hawke said, “but I don’t believe that.”

  “What makes you think so?”

  “The situation isn’t about an employee getting fired. It centers on the project,” Hawke said. “Someone is very adamant that you give it up. That’s what we have to get to the bottom of.”

  “That’s true.” Emilia leaned her fork against the dessert plate. “It doesn’t mean I’ll give in to the demand. I’m sure whoever it is will quit when I don’t comply.”

  Hawke didn’t know how to tell her that was unlikely.

  “I’m overreacting,” Emilia said. “I’m letting this situation scare me, and I shouldn’t. I’m tougher than that.”

  “I disagree.” Hawke leaned forward. “You should be leery. It’s not about being tough.” He paused. “I’m not satisfied with your security.”

  “The police were nearby last night.”

  “But that was only for one night,” Hawke said. “Lonnie can’t assign an officer permanently. I’m going to protect you, Emilia. I don’t intend to let these idiots get to you.”

  Hawke reached over to touch her hand. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  “I do trust you,” Emilia said. “I just can’t believe this is happening. I’m a scientist. I work in biotechnology, creating pharmaceutical products. Since when is that dangerous?”

  “What’s the project about? Tell me more details, and the history of what you’ve been developing. It might shed light on the situation.”

  “That’s the thing,” Emilia said. “It’s a mystery why anyone would try to block this project. It’s a lifesaving activity, the development of a new medicine. I’ve struggled to think of a motive for forcing me to abandon my work.”

  “Has anything come to mind? Any person who has been an adversary?”

  Emilia shook her head. “We work as a team. Grigori is the technician who is my assistant. The other technicians have been with us for years. If anyone had wanted to block our progress, they would have done so earlier.”

  “Except for Ray. How long had he been in the department?”

  “Less than five months, so he didn’t have a track record with us,” Emilia said. “During the period he was there, many issues arose. Firing him was the only option.”

  “How long have you been with this project?”

  “More years than you can imagine,” Emilia said. “I’ve run other experimental programs too, but this one has been my priority. It’s over ten years in the making, and finally I have the end in sight.”

  “Tell me more about it.”

  “This concerns a six-year-old girl,” Emilia said. “I named the project Asha. It’s a Sanskrit word for hope. The girl’s real name is kept private. She’s at home with special care. There are periods when she goes to the hospital, but there is no cure for her. All the doctors can do is give support or make her more comfortable.”

  “Do you feel that you’ll be able to provide a medicine that will work?”

  “That is my mission,” Emilia said. “Do you know there are more than six thousand rare diseases? Such a disease often goes undiagnosed for years, while the patient struggles. Even when the condition is known, most currently have no therapy that cures the disease.”

  “That must be devastating.”

  “My focus is on children,” Emilia said. “Only about five percent of rare childhood diseases have a treatment. There is so much work to be done.”

  Hawke wasn’t sure what to say. Those statistics were difficult to get his head around. While in the service, he’d fought enemies, but they were ones he could see. And he had weapons for defense. But the type of disease Emilia described was an enemy that attacked unrestrained.

  “I had no idea there were that many rare diseases, especially in children,” Hawke said.

&
nbsp; “It’s heartbreaking. It’s the reason I went into my field, so I could do something about it.” Emilia sighed. “Yet even with all the work we do, there’s still so much untouched. But what’s important here is the life of a young girl.”

  “And others like her,” Hawke said. “If you find the cure, she will be the first of many to benefit.”

  “Yes, very true.” Emilia’s expression revealed her strength of purpose. “Our test results show that we have a cure, at least for this one disease. We’re close to providing the medicine to Asha.”

  Hawke drained his espresso, then lifted his cup to let the waitress know he wanted a refill. Emilia put a hand over hers. “I’m fine.”

  For a couple of minutes, Hawke mentally processed the scope of what Emilia was involved in. Getting the medicine to Asha was her focus, and he intended to make sure she succeeded. “What kind of disease does Asha have?

  “It’s a pediatric blood disorder, and in her case it’s life-threatening,” Emilia said. “The child’s bone marrow is unable to produce certain blood cells.”

  “Any idea how she got the disease?”

  Emilia furrowed her brow. “This type of disease is acquired, as opposed to inherited. It can be caused from exposure to radiation, chemicals, or drugs. It can even be caused by a virus. In most children, the cause is unknown. I can’t tell you how Asha was unlucky enough to get this deadly disease.”

  “Is the child suffering?”

  “She’s too young to fully realize what’s happening,” Emilia said. “Her parents adore her, and keep her spirits up as much as they can. When Asha has an attack, she can experience fatigue, weakness, dizziness, infections, or excessive bleeding.”

  “That sounds awful.”

  “One day Asha might feel decent, and the next, she might experience bruising, bleeding, or fever.” Emilia clasped her hands. “And there is no way to determine how fast it’s progressing. I just know that there is no time to waste.”

  Hawke was glad he’d asked. He realized what was at stake. Emilia’s project meant life or death, and he admired her for taking on the fight. “How about if I take you home?”

  Emilia stood, and he escorted her back to the Jeep. His world had shifted, as he had a sense of what kind of enemy she was up against. It boggled the mind that a person would thwart the effort to save a child.

  The ride back to the condo was quiet. Emilia was pensive and didn’t offer any conversation. She didn’t even turn on the music. Hawke was lost in thought, grappling for a key to the threats.

  He wasn’t distracted to the point of being unobservant. He remained on guard, alert to any signs of trouble. At the condo, he escorted Emilia to her door, and was glad she asked him to come in. “I can make more coffee.”

  Emilia went to the kitchen, while Hawke lingered in the living room. The furniture and the décor were in a modern style, with chrome and leather. There was a large window that looked out to the river. It was a nice place. He could see Emilia living there comfortably.

  “I made cappuccinos.” Emilia set a tray on the coffee table. “I got this new machine, so thought you might want to try one.”

  There were cookies next to the coffee cups, so Hawke grabbed one and took a bite. “Shortbread? I see they’re still your favorite.”

  Hawke sat in an armchair, then sipped the foamy drink. Emilia sat across from him on the sofa. She looked lovely in the low light, so desirable. He wished the circumstances were different, that he’d taken her on a date without danger lurking outside.

  “Thank you for dinner,” Emilia said. “I have to admit that I didn’t really want to be alone tonight.”

  Those were magic words. Hawke would like nothing better than to scoop her up and take her to the bedroom. But he steeled himself not to think that way. He was her friend, and though tempted to cross the line, he dared not.

  “It was good to have a chance to talk,” Hawke said. “While I was away, you were doing important work. I didn’t know. I mean, I’d heard you were at the lab. But until tonight, I didn’t get the full impact.”

  Emilia held her cup in both hands. “It’s my life.”

  It occurred to Hawke that she hadn’t mentioned dating since the breaking of the engagement. He wondered if there was any room in her life for a man. Her career had to be demanding. Another reason he should watch it. He didn’t want to come between Emilia and her work.

  What was Hawke thinking, anyway? He was a friend and offered support, that was all. Yet looking at her, within reaching distance, his feelings drew him in a different direction. There was no reason she should feel the same, though, so he’d keep a lid on it.

  Emilia reached for a cookie, then broke it in half to nibble. She looked over at him, those brown eyes touching his heart.

  Then something occurred to him. “What’s the disease called that Asha has?”

  Emilia’s expression darkened, and she put the cookie back on the plate. She swallowed. “It’s acquired bone marrow failure.”

  Hawke had to ask, didn’t he? Tears formed in Emilia’s eyes, making him wish that he could take it back.

  “The same disease Arabella died from.”

  Emilia had choked out the words. Her younger sister had died before reaching her teens. Hawke remembered it clearly, as if it was yesterday. The grief had been unbearable.

  Through watery eyes, Emilia looked at him. “That’s why I went into my field. I vowed to do my part to stop deadly diseases. And my purpose was to find a cure for the one that killed my sister.”

  Hawke went over to the sofa and put his arms around her. She leaned into him, then he hugged her tighter. He shouldn’t have brought it up. He should have known, should have remembered.

  Emilia lifted her head to wipe away her tears. “It’s been so long. You’d think I’d be over it. But somehow, I don’t think I ever will. She was my sister, sweet and innocent. She didn’t deserve to die so young.”

  There was no way that he would leave Emilia alone while she was feeling this way. “I’m staying…all night. I can sleep on the sofa.”

  Emilia touched his shoulder, sending heat through his body. “You are…” It seemed she was going to say “a good friend,” but she didn’t complete the sentence.

  “I just don’t want to leave you alone,” Hawke said.

  After staring into his eyes, Emilia gave him a tiny smile. “The sofa is out of the question. I have a guest room, so you can have a comfortable bed.”

  Yet Hawke didn’t want to part from her, so made no move to go. He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Then Emilia stood, so he followed her. The bedroom was so feminine, with pink and lace. Pillows were mounded on the bed, and the ivory carpet was thick. His feet sank into it.

  Without a word, she kicked off her shoes then stretched out on her bed. When she motioned to him, Hawke took his shoes off too, then nestled behind her in a spoon position. He held her close, wanting to make her feel safe. Emilia snuggled against him and closed her eyes.

  Hawke brushed her hair away from her face and watched her rest, content to just be there. He breathed in the scent of her rose perfume. In his heart, he wanted more. His feelings for Emilia were deeper than he’d expected. But he had his reasons for not making a move. Besides, she was in a vulnerable emotional state, so he respected that. All he wanted to do was hold her through the night, so that was what he did.

  Chapter 5

  The next morning, Emilia showered alone. Hawke had left early, before he’d even had coffee. A call from Ryker had alerted him to a crisis that demanded his attention, so he’d raced off to handle it. “I’ll call you later,” he’d said.

  Those weren’t the words Emilia had wanted to hear. It would have been better if Hawke had stayed for breakfast, or better, spent the day with her. But she was being greedy.

  As the hot water beat down on Emilia’s shoulders, she thought of sleeping with him. During the night, they’d shed more clothes—although kept it respectable. Then snuggled close under the comforter.<
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  Hawke was so sexy that it drove her crazy. His muscled chest pressed against her and his strong arms wrapped around her had made her feel things she shouldn’t have. It went way beyond safe. Desire had consumed her, so it was surprising that she’d slept at all.

  He’d smelled so masculine; she wanted more. He was all male and the ultimate gentleman. Emilia almost wished that he hadn’t been. Her resistance had been nonexistent once she’d crawled into bed beside him.

  She was disappointed in herself for not making a move. But there had been no way she would do that and embarrass herself. She wasn’t Hawke’s type, not even close. She’d seen the women he’d been attracted to.

  Emilia had to be satisfied with having him as a friend—a sexy, awesome one, but still a friend. He cared, and that meant so much. It touched her that he’d stayed the night to comfort her. She hadn’t expected to get emotional, yet talking about her sister tended to do that.

  She hadn’t known a man like Hawke, who was so supportive. Her trust in him had gone up a notch, and it had already been high. She could count on him, and that meant so much. Lying beside her and holding her in his arms all night meant more than if he’d tried to take things further.

  Hawke didn’t want that anyway. He was protecting her, which was more than enough—it had to be. He was special, and she couldn’t imagine another man like him. But he wasn’t hers, and she had to face that he wasn’t going to be.

  After the shower, Emilia dressed for her jog. She needed to exercise, hoping it would dispel her sexual frustration. Somehow, being alone with no date on the horizon wasn’t as difficult to endure as having the right man in your arms—with no satisfaction possible.

  She took her photo album out to the terrace to have her coffee. It wasn’t often that she looked at old pictures, but Arabella was on her mind. She’d been four years younger, and never made it out of elementary school.

  When Emilia had been a junior in high school, her sister had gotten sicker. She hadn’t been well since she’d been an infant, but the symptoms worsened. The doctors had no idea what to do for her. They’d tried all available medicines, even knowing that there wasn’t one that could cure the disease.