EPILOGUE
“Hey, bro. Happy Thanksgiving.”
At the sound of the familiar voice behind him, Thom turned. “Hey. Happy Thanksgiving to you too.”
Rocky smiled. “Look at us. Two married men doing a little grocery shopping at the commissary the day before Thanksgiving.”
Thom tossed the bag of groceries Ginny had sent him out to buy into the back of the SUV and turned back to Rocky. “Yup. Looks like we’ve been domesticated.” He laughed.
“Completely,” Rocky agreed. “So uh, hey, I heard from my father. It looks like our friends in Pennsylvania are going to have a court battle on their hands. He said the DA is looking to throw everything she can at them.”
“Good.” Thom couldn’t say he felt bad about that, considering.
“More and more shit is coming out about the group. Apparently Ray had been a member of the state militia—which is a legal recognized group—but he was a little too extreme in his ideas for them. When they suggested he wasn’t a good fit for the group, he went off and started his own.”
“The one who took us.”
Rocky nodded. “Yup.”
That group seemed extreme all right. It all made sense.
“The Pennsylvania State Militia is pretty pissed that Ray’s group is giving them a bad reputation so they’re happy to testify against him.”
“Good. Thanks for the update.”
“Sure. So how’s things going over at your place?” Rocky’s grin told Thom his friend was amused at his expense.
“You mean with my parents and my in-laws there now and my ex-wife and kids all coming tomorrow for Thanksgiving dinner? Yeah, it’s just been a ton of fun. Thanks.” Thom rolled his eyes, which only had Rocky laughing aloud.
“You’re married to one helluva special woman there. She got everyone to agree to spend the day together. I’d say it’s the next biggest accomplishment to brokering peace in the Middle East.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” Thom sighed.
Meanwhile, their house on base was full to overflowing since both sets of parents had arrived that afternoon. One reason why he’d been more than happy to go shopping for the last minute things Ginny needed for tomorrow’s dinner.
Rocky shook his head. “Better you than me, man. I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it. I mean the ex-wife and the wife, together. Maybe even becoming friends.”
Thom shook his head. “I’m not too worried about it.”
Rocky lifted a brow. “You should be. What do you think the topic of conversation is going to be when those two are together tomorrow? You.”
“Let’s hope you’re wrong. I’m just happy to have my kids and my parents with me for the holiday.”
It didn’t happen often enough he got to be home and with family on a holiday and not off in some other part of the world. Given all that, he had plenty to be thankful for—even with Debbie as his and Ginny’s dinner guest.
“All right. I guess I’d better get back. Izzy’s waiting on me.” Rocky extended his right hand and shook Thom’s. “Hey, we’ll see you this weekend.”
Thom nodded. “You will.”
Ginny had orchestrated some gathering for Sunday night after their parents all left for home.
Friendsgiving, she called it. Apparently it was a thing. All the guys who were in town for the weekend and their wives or girlfriends were coming over to his place to eat turkey leftovers. It might actually be fun so he didn’t fight her on it.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Rocky said one more time. “And if you need to escape for a few minutes, or for a few beers, give me a call.”
Thom smiled. “I might do that. Thanks.”
As Rocky headed for his truck, Thom climbed into the driver’s seat of his SUV.
Three quarters of a mile away, he pulled behind his parents’ car in the driveway of the house he and Ginny had made a home.
She opened the front door and smiled as he climbed the front stairs, grocery bag in hand. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He leaned low and kissed her, still not used to her being there to greet him when he arrived home.
Every time he saw her there, he got a thrill. He hoped the feeling never went away.
“Was the store very crowded?” she asked.
“Nope. Not too bad. Not as crowded as our house, anyway.” He smiled, closing the door behind him.
Ginny cringed as she took the bag from his hand. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I like having the whole family here.” And if the surgery he and Ginny had discussed, the one to reverse his vasectomy, was successful, perhaps next Thanksgiving the house would be a little more crowded.
A baby of their own. A little brother or sister for Jason and Juliette. Thom couldn’t wait.
He pulled Ginny close. “I love you.”
“And I love you.” She tipped her head to one side. “Wanna help me make the cranberry sauce while the parents are busy in the living room looking at the wedding album?”
Smiling, he said, “There’s nothing I’d like more.”
In case you missed it . . .
Read how it all began! You can find the story of how Thom and Ginny first met in
Next up in the . . .
Don’t miss computer genius Will Weber in
A SEAL’s life isn’t all deadly missions. Commandos need love too. But when Naval Special Warfare computer guru Will Weber puts the fate of his love life in the combined hands of a dating app and his teammates, he learns what real terror feels like.
Sign up at for new release alerts.