Chapter 12

 

The doorbell rang a second time as they were finishing dinner, and Rebecca glanced at Abby and Logan as she crossed the kitchen toward the foyer.

“Maybe it’s Patrick!” Abby shouted, a huge smile on her face.

“No, sweetie, he’s in the hospital.”

“And he wouldn’t ring the doorbell,” Logan chimed in, taking another bite of his chicken nuggets. Abby’s food sat mostly untouched on her plate, and Rebecca sighed. Nothing like trying to explain to the kids that Patrick was injured while they were in the middle of eating. She’d tried to make it as casual and non-scary as possible when she told them he was in the hospital.

But now?

She wondered if she’d played it down a little too much.

Although she hadn’t wanted to frighten them, they also needed to understand he wouldn’t be back immediately. Or running around with them the second he got home.

When he finally made it home.

Nausea roiled through her, and she took a deep breath.

Between nerves with everything that had been happening and her morning sickness, she’d already lost a few pounds.

She hurried into the foyer, pulling open the front door, and did a double-take as she saw a couple of the men from Patrick’s SEAL team. Christopher was standing there in aviators and was holding a couple of bags of groceries, Mike had three huge “to-go” ice cream sundaes in a carry-out tray, and Brent had a football in one hand and his motorcycle helmet in the other.

Her gaze slid to the driveway, where Lexi waved from the passenger seat of Christopher’s pick-up truck, and she noticed Mike’s SUV and Brent’s motorcycle parked on the street in front of her house.

“What are you guys doing here?” Rebecca asked in surprise. “Didn’t you just get back?”

“I’m dropping off groceries,” Christopher said. “Lexi did some shopping for you, but we’ve got to get back to base. Computer emergency came up.”

“But we’re here for the evening,” Mike said, his normally teasing expression looking at her with concern. “Can I give these sundaes to the kids?”

“But what? How?” Rebecca asked in confusion as the three men crowded on her front porch.

Christopher ducked down, giving her a quick hug. “We just landed an hour ago. I’m sorry about Patrick,” he said in a low voice. “I wish Lexi and I could stay to help out, but she’s got some hacking issues to deal with. We’ll all be on base bright and early to debrief, so we thought we’d stop by now.”

“I’ve got sundaes for you and the kids and can fill you in somewhat more on the situation,” Mike said.

“I came by to toss a football around with Logan,” Brent said, his dark eyes meeting hers. “Since Patrick’s injured, I thought he might appreciate it.”

“All right,” Rebecca said, feeling somewhat dazed. “Wow. Come in, of course. I just wasn’t expecting anyone.”

Christopher moved by her with the groceries and was striding back across the foyer a second later. “I left the bags on the kitchen counter. Sorry I have to rush out.”

“Mommy! Can we have ice cream?” Abby shrieked from the kitchen.

“Yes, go ahead!” she called out.

Mike’s head popped out the kitchen door. “There’s one here for you, too.”

“Oh, you go ahead and have it,” she said.

He shrugged, his eyes twinkling. “Can’t say no to ice cream, right kids?”

Rebecca’s eyes met Brent’s as they stood in the foyer. “Wow. I can’t believe you guys are here. Where’s Ella?”

“Finishing up a paper. She’s taking two summer classes and has something due this week. She insisted I come by while she finishes up. I figure the kids will be in bed anyway by the time she’s done. Of course, if you need us to stick around longer, Mike and I are here as long as you need.”

Tears filled her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Brent asked, looking alarmed. Brent was one of the biggest, toughest guys on the team—the resident “bad boy” until he’d met Ella. But he seemed to have a soft spot for a woman in distress.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just been so overwhelmed with everything. It all happened so fast, and even now that I know he’s okay and coming home, I’ve just been kind of a mess.”

“Patrick will be back on his feet in no time,” Brent said. “He’s tough. The toughest. And hell, I know he’d want us looking out for you while he’s not here. One of us can come by every night if you want.”

“That’s sweet,” Rebecca said, “but we’ll be okay. The kids are in summer camp, the nanny will be back next week to watch the kids when I’m working, and hopefully we’ll be able to visit Patrick up in Walter Reed after that.”

“And a man on the team will be here every night,” Brent said. “Whatever you need, one of us will help out until Ice is back.”

“He’s lucky to have all of you. We’re lucky to have you.”

“Damn straight,” Brent said, and she laughed despite herself. “Walter Reed is a good place,” he said. “If he can’t be discharged from the hospital yet, that’s the best place for him to be. The doctors just need to make sure he’s stable enough to fly back. You’ve spoken with him?”

“Yes, he called earlier. He actually sounded better than I thought, all things considered. I was half-tempted to fly over there right away to see him, but I’ve got the kids and have been feeling a little sick lately.”

“Hell. I never told you congratulations,” Brent said, running a hand over the dark stubble on his jaw.

“Patrick told you I’m pregnant?”

Brent chuffed out a laugh. “At the barbeque. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting that. But you’ll have one lucky kid.”

Rebecca smiled. “It was a surprise, I’ll admit. The best kind of surprise. We haven’t told our kids yet. Once Patrick is back, we’ll tell them together.”

“I won’t say anything,” Brent assured her.

Happy shrieks coming from the kitchen caught her attention. “I better see what they’re up to. Or if Mike needs rescuing,” she added with a laugh. “With those huge ice cream sundaes he brought over, I’ll never get the kids in bed tonight.”

“That’s where we come in,” Brent said. “I’ll toss around a football with Logan. I’m sure Mike can play hopscotch or something with Abby,” he said, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement as he sauntered into the kitchen.

“Hopscotch?” Mike asked, looking mock-chagrined. He polished off the rest of his sundae and tossed the empty container into the trash.

“I love hopscotch!” Abby said. “We can use chalk to draw a picture in the driveway.”

Mike shot Brent a look. “I’m getting you back for that one. After Abby and I play, it’s all you. And I’m taking pictures of it to send to Ella and every single guy on the team. Maybe I’ll even upload a video to YouTube for the entire world to witness.”

Brent smirked. “In your dreams, Patch.”

“Why are you calling him Patch?” Abby asked. “His name is Mike.”

“It’s his SEAL name. My dad’s name is Ice!” Logan said. “That’s cooler than Patch.”

Brent chuckled as Rebecca began to clear the table, collecting the remains of the melting ice cream sundaes.

“Kid, I’m wounded,” Mike said, sinking down into a chair. He crossed his legs and leaned back, looking amused.

“Do you have a nickname, too?” Logan asked Brent.

“Yep. It’s Cobra.”

“Wow. That’s cooler than Patch, too.”

Brent smirked as Mike clutched his hands to his heart in mock-agony. “Tough crowd tonight. Next time I’m bringing Kenley,” he said, referring to his fiancée. “Maybe she can up my cool points or something.”

“Can I get you guys a drink?” Rebecca asked, glancing at the two men sitting at her kitchen table. It wasn’t the same as having Patrick here, but it was amazing how all the guys on the team came together and looked out for one another. Kind of like having one big extended family. They’d been watching her last year when she had a stalker after her.

And now?

She appreciated their support even more.

Plus the kids seemed to adore all the men on the team.

“Do you have school tomorrow?” Mike asked with a grin, glancing between Abby and Logan.

“No!” they chorused. “It’s summer!”

“Then let’s go outside and play. Brent brought over a football, but Abby and I are going to play an epic game of hopscotch.”

“What’s epic?” Abby asked as the kids followed the men to the front door.

Rebecca watched them in astonishment as she heard Mike explaining it to Abby while Brent ribbed him some more. At this rate, the kids would barely notice Patrick was gone. Not if they had the undivided attention of a guy from the SEAL team every night.

She smiled, watching them from the front door for a moment. It wasn’t the same as having Patrick around, but they were lucky nonetheless.