Page 33 of Clay

There was silence for a long moment, then Cali spoke. “You’re right. I’ll tag along and take the first shift of surveillance while I'm still on leave, and Tate can relieve me tonight.” She cocked her head at Devin and he gave a short dip of his head in acquiescence.

“Warren, you and Jordan keep looking for Hamilton,” Dev said. “I don’t like that he slipped us. Tate, rest up for the nightshift. I’ll keep searching for McAlister and working the HQ incursion.”

They stood, each heading off to their assignments. Cali preceded Ivy out the door and Clay took the rear, ensuring absolutely nothing and no one could get to her.

The valet brought around one of the team's SUVs. Clay bundled Ivy into the back seat while Cali took shotgun, then slid behind the wheel and pulled into Vegas traffic.

“I’m going to text my mom,” Ivy said. “Let her know I’m bringing some friends over for her to meet.”

She sat back in her seat, and in the rearview mirror Clay could see doubts and fear starting to set in, now that the adrenaline had worn off. He understood it all too well and wished he could comfort her, but he needed to keep all of his attention on driving, on getting them there safely.

Cali leaned in. “What’s up with you two?”

Clay lasered a glare her way. “None of your business. Just like you and Devin’s on-again-off-again thing is none of mine.”

She started to protest when Ivy stuck her head between the seats. “What are we plotting?” she asked.

Cali glanced over her shoulder, let a half smile kick up on her face. “Security measures. Mostly shift scheduling to keep an eye on your mom, and how we’re going to leverage Tate when we find that asshole.”

Clay watched Ivy in the rearview while she thought about Cali’s words. “I can see how Tate would scare the shit out of people.”

Cali barked out a laugh, “He certainly can, even though he’s the most gentle guy I’ve ever met. Which is totally at odds with what he did when he was on active duty.”

“What did all of you do in the military?”

Clay could tell Ivy was trying to downplay her curiosity, but it came through loud and clear. He smothered a grin that wastotally inappropriate, given their current circumstances. Cali answered her without hesitation.

“Clay explained his job as a loadmaster?”

At Ivy’s nod, Cali continued. “I was pararescue. Warren was TACP, which means Tactical Air Control Party. They’re the guys who go into areas of interest before anyone else, usually to call in airstrikes. You probably figured Jordan was a cop, right? Tate was munitions specialist on loan to the Army. He can tell you more if he’s in the mood. Let’s just say that he saw more action than the rest of us. Combined. We’re a mixed bag, for sure.”

“What about Devin?” Ivy asked after a long pause.

“Dev is… complicated. He was never active duty like the rest of us, but you could say that he was intrinsic to the event that shaped our lives.”

~

Ivy could tell by the set of Cali’s mouth that the line of questioning wasn’t going any further. While she hadn’t known her or Devin for any more than a few minutes, it had been enough for her to see something underlying between them. It wasn't business-related, because they hadn't disagreed on any course of action and both seemed utterly confident in the other. No, this was personal, and it wasn't any of her business, not really. But it was intriguing.

Traffic to her mother’s house was light and in just a few moments they were pulling in front of the mid-century modern home with xeriscape landscaping and a Saguaro cactus decorated with Christmas balls.

The decorations had been her idea, and her mother had been so tickled by them that she left them up after the holiday. Ivy was sure it mortified the neighbors and knew that gave her mother a little charge. Agnes Foster had just enough of a mean streak to like to poke at convention...and rules.

Cali turned in her seat once again and addressed Ivy. “The reason I wanted to come along with you and Clay is that sometimes it's easier taking news like this from another woman,” she said quietly. “You're her daughter and so everything she thinks about is going to be for your safety, not her own. And Clay is a stranger. Also, she’s going to take one look at the two of you and know you’ve got the hots for each other.”

Ivy smiled a little bit as she saw Clay getting ready to refute the words and then Cali’s shaking head.

“Don’t even, Clay,” Cali said. “You guys throw enough sparks to light the world on fire. What you do with that is your business, but it’s blatantly obvious. And if Ivy’s mom is anything like her daughter, the woman is no fool.”

“She is not,” Ivy agreed as she opened the door and slid out of the SUV. Her mother was just opening the front door. Ivy heard Clay and Cali step out of the SUV as she walked up the driveway and into her mom’s embrace. She pecked her cheek and then stood at arm’s length, just looking at the woman who had raised her.

Agnes was still a beautiful woman in her early fifties, slight like Ivy, and much more refined. It was why her mean streak was so amusing. Her hair was just starting going gray and she wore it in a bouncy cap of curls that appeared effortless. Because of Ivy’s advance warning, she’d taken the time to put on minimal makeup to welcome her guests.

Her gaze went sharp as it moved past Ivy and lit on the big SUV, and then the two people standing behind Ivy. “Come in, come in.” she said, shooing them inside.

The home was magnificently mid-century modern, complete with a sunken living room and decorative scroll work. Ivy sank onto her favorite part of the couch and gestured for Clay and Cali to do the same while her mom brought a tray of iced tea and some of Ivy’s favorite sugar cookies.

She placed the tray just so on the coffee table then leaned forward and held out her hand. “Agnes Foster. So who are you and why are you protecting my daughter?”

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