I have to leave you here so I can go to work, okay? It’ll be a lot of fun. There are other kids for you to play with, and there’s a lot of toys,” I told Hunter as I dropped him off at the daycare.

“You’ll come back, right?”

“Of course,” I said, kissing the top of his head. “I’ll be back in a few hours, okay?”

He rubbed his fingers against the ear of his newest stuffed animal, unsure. “You’ll be back?” he asked again.

“Yes, I promise.” I held out my pinky.

He hooked his with mine and smiled. “You can’t break a pinky promise.”

“Nope,” I agreed, patting him on the head.

The caretaker took him by the hand and guided him toward the play room. Hopefully, Hunter would like it here.

Once outside, I nearly turned back around, feeling bad for the little boy. His mother had just passed away, and now his legal guardian was leaving him in some strange new place.

Ring! Ring!

My phone vibrated against my thigh.

A restricted number flashed across my screen.

“Hello?”

“Cruz?” a gruff voice answered through the line.

“Yes?”

“This is Rodney Robison, your boss.” His voice was firm and level, as if everything he said were being written into stone. “And I was expecting you to report to work a week ago. Where have you been?”

“A week ago? My first day of work was scheduled for the 18^th.”

“No, your first day of work was supposed to be the 10^th. I’ll have you know that I do not tolerate this sort of behavior. Your only saving grace is the good word put in by the Commander. But this is your first and final warning. Any other slip ups from you, and you will no longer be Head of the VanGuard International Division.”

“Yes, sir.” I hadn’t even met my boss, and I already had a feeling I wouldn’t like him.

“Now, I expect you at this office on the double.”

I couldn’t say another word before he hung up. I sighed, shoving the phone back in my pocket. When I’d accepted the promotion, I’d thought I’d be moving up in the world, but from the looks of it, I was just going to be Mr. Robison’s lackey. Great, just great…

The drive to headquarters was slow and uneventful. I was already beginning to miss the empty back roads of my hometown. There was nothing like going sixty in a thirty, the car winding along the dangerous curves. It caused a surge of adrenaline like nothing else.

Feeling a little homesick, I decided to call Martin. After all, VanGuard would pick up the tab of an international call.

Ring… ring… ring…

As I waited for him to pick up, I made a right, following the command of my GPS. Doing so, I momentarily forgot I was in the UK and that everything was backward. The next thing I knew, there was a car driving right toward me. It beeped loudly, causing me to swerve into the correct lane, nearly colliding with another car. Another slew of angry beeping.

I sunk deeper into my seat, trying to hide my embarrassment.

“Hello?” Martin’s deep voice filled the interior of my car.

“Martin! Boy, am I glad to hear you.”

He chuckled. “Already sick of the London rain?” In the background, I could hear little Rosy babbling. She squealed suddenly, followed by a loud clattering sound.

“Everything alright over there?”

“Rosy is just being a little fussy. She doesn’t want to eat her vegetables.”

I laughed. “Takes after her Uncle Cruz.”

“Well, let’s hope that her diet doesn’t consist of only burgers and fries. That would definitely stunt her growth.”

“With a father like you? She’s going to be a hearty girl.”

“That she is. Already up to twenty pounds,” Martin proclaimed proudly. “She’s looking more and more like her mother every day.”

I smiled, hearing the love in my mentor’s voice. Martin had always been my role model. I hoped that one day I could have a family as happy as his. “So, I have some news.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“First, I’m a dad.”

Silence.

I waited, but Martin still didn’t say anything.

“Hello?”

“Did I hear you correctly? You’re a dad? You’ve been in London for a week, and you’ve already managed to get someone pregnant?” Martin had an edge to his voice, like a reprimanding father.

“No. No. Who do you think I am?”

“Then explain.”

I took in a deep breath, trying to figure out where I should begin. “Well… when I touched down in London, I got a phone call that my sister had passed away.”

“Heidi?”

I nodded, even though Martin could not see me. “Yeah…”

“I’m so sorry… you should have called me sooner.”

“Things have just been so crazy…” I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. “Anyway, she had a son. A five-year-old named Hunter. I decided to become his legal guardian.”

“That’s a lot of responsibility. Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Martin asked. “Rosy. No. Don’t do that.” The little girl started to cry.

“She has her mother’s temper tantrums, huh?”

“You can say that again. You should see the amount of white hair on my head.”

“Martin, I hate to tell you this, but you had white hair even before she was born.”

“I did not,” Martin huffed.

“Anyway, there’s so much I want to tell you, but I just got to work, and I need to run. I’m already under heat from the boss…”

“Who is it?”

“Rodney Robison.”

Martin groaned.

“Do you know him?”

“Know him? We were in the same unit when I was a SEAL. When Kirk left, he was my replacement partner. He’s a crook, Cruz; watch out. He only cares about himself. Could never count on him to watch my back.”

“Crook? How so?”

“I don’t know exactly. He never got caught, but I have this gut feeling.”

I nodded. Martin’s gut was often the best judge of character. I would have to tiptoe my way around my new boss.