Hawk's Haven (6 page)

The full impact of his words hit her after he’d made a timely exit. "You conceited snake," she yelled to him.

"Please, you flatter me," he said. "Pay it back when you get a job."

"You better believe I will."

"It never occurred to me that you wouldn't." Hawk leaned against his car and grinned. "Don't take any wooden nickels.”  

"You're the only around here who would give me one."

Hawk started the engine.  A man would have to be crazy to offer her an imitation. Gillian was the kind of woman who always got the real thing. Strangely, she didn't seem to want what she
had
. When he was younger, he would have sold his soul for the chance to be part of the world she’d come from. His deal with Aaron meant he
had
.

In theory, the current arrangement should benefit everyone. Aaron got his daughter away from her wild friends for the summer, Hawk got his foot in the door of the Governor's office and the reservation got a much needed teacher. He glanced in his rear view mirror. Gillian sat on the landing, with her arms wrapped around her bent knees. She looked way beyond lonely, and half way to lost. As he drove away, he couldn't shake the feeling that she was the one paying for what everyone else got.

Chapter Five

Gillian switched off the computer terminal and leaned back in the chair. Her first few days in front of her class had been a unique experience for both student and teacher, but she soon fell into a routine that left her feeling like she'd been teaching for years. The days passed quickly but the nights were too long. Thankfully, she
only
had
tomorrow to get through before she would see Elena and Aunt June again.

The six women involved in the pilot program were twice her age, but they showed her the respect due
to
a tribal clan mother. The class schedule, from ten a.m. through two p.m. seemed to be poor planning but Gillian kept her opinion to herself. As her students filed out of the room she saw Martha standing by the exit.

The older woman bowed her head in admiration. "I don't know what you were so afraid of. You're a natural teacher."

"You're just being kind.” She dismissed the compliment with a bashful wave.

"Not me," Martha denied. "Anyone around here will tell you I haven't got time to coddle and patronize."

Gillian smiled. "I do enjoy myself. Perhaps when I finish here I'll find a new career path."

"Or, perhaps, you already knew the path but were afraid to travel down the road."

Gillian would swear that Martha possessed a mystical insight into the human psyche. She’d considered teaching when she first thought about college but her father wouldn't hear of it. Girls from her social background majored in Art History with the goal of finding a suitable husband from a fine, upstanding family like her own.

"May I speak with you about something?"

Martha's face froze into a mask. Although she wasn't as obvious as Hawk, she too seemed to be waiting for a defection. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, it seems a waste to have rented all this equipment and not get more use out of it. I thought I would like to try teaching some of the children."

"But the software for the children would cost..."

"I already have it," Gillian said. She’d prepared an answer for any argument. Four hours of work a day left her with too many lonely hours to fill.

Martha gave the matter a moment's thought, but her frown didn't look promising. "I'm going to need you for the full two hundred hours to complete the course. If you finish the community service early what will we do for a teacher then?"

"I'll volunteer the time. Not attached to the community service. Oh, please, Martha. I'll go out of my mind if I don't have something more to do. If they're against me using the computers for the children, I'll teach something else."

"Like what?"

"Anything. Tap dance or even judo. I have a black belt.”  Growing up in the privileged class, she’d acquired a number of useless hobbies in her father's endeavors to find ways to keep her occupied.

"I'll speak to the chief about it, but I don't imagine there will be a problem."

Gillian let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"You know, you're not at all what I expected."

"I can imagine," Gillian said dryly. "Hawk and I didn't get off to a very good start."

"Well, that's understandable."

Of course. To anyone who only got one side of the story. "I don't want to be here anymore than he wants me...” Gillian cut off her thoughtless words too late. "That didn't come out the way I meant it."

"Are you so unhappy here?" Martha asked sadly.

"I love it here but I really need to get a job that pays.” Her plan had been to find work and contribute to Elena’s college fund. Her cousin deserved the same opportunities that she'd had.

Martha hooked her arm though Gillian's and guided her out the door. "If you'd like to change the schedule, talk to Thomas. It's not our intention to make you a prisoner."

Hawk Carter was the last person she would confide in. "I'll take care of my own problems."

"You said Thomas had the wrong impression of you, Gillian but I think you might be underestimating him too. Forget the outward appearance. He still cares very deeply for his people and he does whatever is necessary to see to their best interests even if that means dealing with people like your father."

"My father?" she squeaked out. "What does he have to do with the people here? I thought reservation land had sovereignty."

"It does, unless we choose to build a casino on the reservation. Then we have to negotiate a compact with the state and barring satisfaction there, the federal government."

"A casino?" Gillian repeated. "Why would they want to put a casino on the reservation? All that crime, corruption..."

"And revenue,” Martha reminded her. "Don't get me wrong. I'm opposed to this. If the state has their way we would lose some of our sovereign rights, but right now it's being considered and your father has the connections with the governor's office that can cut through months, possibly years of red tape."

"But a casino?” She pushed her fists into the slash pockets of her dress. “What a waste of a beautiful mountain.”

They parted company at the dirt road that led to the house. Being in no hurry to return to four empty walls, she kept a leisurely pace as she strolled along the road. Tall pines rustled with the spring breeze. Wild flowers covered the ground in the gentle pastels of a Monet painting. The contrast to the meticulously manicured gardens of Butler Square was a welcomed relief. A perfect haven that rivaled paradise.

Even the Garden of Eden had its beasts, and one was sprinting toward her now. Although she’d seen the dog several times, Shadow didn't normally show up without his two little sidekicks. As the animal got closer she instinctively went onto the tips of her toes as if the added two inches would discourage the playful mutt.

Shadow lunged into her, sending her tumbling onto her backside and glowering with indignation. Her new, diminutive size left her at a disadvantage as the over grown lap dog decided to make a pillow out of her. She gave up on the idea of getting rid of Shadow and lay back into the cool green grass.

"I don't care if that is your idea of a wet kiss, lick me and it's over between us," she warned the dog as she scratched the thick fur behind his ear.

"Don't you like being kissed?"

At the sound of the deep voice, Gillian let out a yelp. She tilted her chin back to see the towering figure hovering over her. Hawk moved slightly to block the sun from her face.

"What are you doing here?" she barely managed to croak out.

"That is my house behind me."

That isn't what she meant, and he knew it. What was he doing here now, bare chested and glistening with water as if he'd just stepped out of the shower?  His arm muscles rippled as he raked his fingers through his thick, dark hair. Martha might claim that Hawk was not comfortable in his own skin, but his skin certainly fit him well.

"I thought you weren't coming until tomorrow."

* * * *

"I never told you that.”

Hawk extended his hand and pulled her effortlessly to her feet.  Shadow stood faithfully at her side, one more convert won over by Gillian Hughes. She’d shown a sympathetic interest in the daily struggles of life that impressed the elders, who were often treated as oddities by the local people.  Her thirst for any knowledge on the ancient myths and legends was evident by the many books she’d borrowed from the school library.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked again.

"I had a meeting about the casino with some of the council members today and another tomorrow.  Hopefully, they won't kill each other before coming to some kind of compromise."

"Where am I supposed to stay?"

"Here?"

She arched her eyebrow. "With you?"

"Would you consider it?"

"No," she said flatly.

He laughed. "I didn't think so, but you can't blame a guy for trying. I'm staying with my father, but the shower in his trailer isn't working so..."

Gillian shrugged and lowered her head. At first he thought she was avoiding his gaze in anger but there was no tension in her stance. She looked relaxed and amused. His ego might be way out of control, but he got the feeling that she was fascinated by his chest.

He raised his hand and waved it in front of her face.

"What?" she asked as she continued her intense visual exploration.

"How would you like it if I stared at your chest like that?"

"Since you made an appearance before dressing, I assume you intended to have me stare at your chest. So why are you complaining? Isn't it every man's fantasy to be seen as a sex object?"

If that weren't so close to the way her rich clique of friends treated him, it would be laughable.

"Every man's fantasy is to be treated with respect and equality regardless of where he came from. A half-breed might be good for a fling but not exactly the kind of man you'd invite to the country club for dinner with the family, I'd bet.”  He placed his thumb under her chin and tilted her head back. "And for the record, Gillian. I came out without my shirt because I saw Shadow running toward you and thought you might be afraid."

"Well, I guess you told me, huh?  Did it occur to you that I might be teasing you?” She jerked her head to the side to free herself from his hold. "I better get going before I do something else that offends you, as that seems to be the only thing I do lately."

"Would you like to go somewhere this evening?" he blurted out.

Her eyes rounded into two gleaming spheres, and he could easily understand her surprise. He’d just insulted her and asked her out in less than two minutes. She looked over her shoulder and then back to him. "Were you asking me?"

"I wasn't asking the dog."

"Go where?"

"Dinner?"

She shook her head. "No. I already owe you money."

"Forget about that."

"I can't," she whispered with a trace of regret.

"You can't forget about the money or you can't go out with me."

"Maybe both. Think about it, Hawk. If we went out I might be inclined to stare at your chest. You'd get all defensive and we'd have a big scene in a public restaurant. Next thing you know it's all over the society pages. Imagine the headlines. 'Fallen Society Princess Tosses Escargot at Legal Beau, Shells and All.'  No, I think it's better for your reputation that we maintain the status quo."

Hawk coughed to cover a laugh. She could be amusing when she tried. If he hadn't been so ready to expect the worst from her, he would have realized she was teasing him. "We could compromise. Pack a picnic and take a hike up the mountain. That way, if you feel inclined to toss dinner over my head, no photographer will be there to witness this fall from the pedestal."

"Haven't you heard? I didn't fall from the pedestal. I dove off, head first."

Hawk met and held her gaze. "Why?"

"Because I got lonely up there by myself."

He wanted to demand an explanation for her radical personality change that wasn't shrouded in mystery. Like a jigsaw puzzle missing the all-important center piece, he couldn't help but wonder what he was missing about Gillian, and why she seemed so determined to keep it from him.

She started skipping down the road to the house with the playful mutt following behind, living up to his name.

"Gillian?"

"What?" she called out, but kept up her pace.

"About this evening?"

She turned back and narrowly avoided a collision with Shadow. "What time?"

"Seven?"

She bit her bottom lip as if she was giving the matter serious thought. "You better make it seven
-
thirty."