Page 82 of Forever Fickle

“Hot Cakes was helping me pop my back,” Vapor said quietly, extending a hand towards Jace. “… And I was helping him with his.”

“I see,” Reilly uttered, shaking his head. “Lice check…? Clean this mess up and we are debriefing at oh-seven-hundred. Am I clear?”

“Sir! Yes, sir!” they shouted, snapping to attention.

The second the door closed, Jace looked at Vapor.

“I’m going to pee blood for a few days, dude…”

“Next time, I get Thanksgiving and you can have Christmas,” Vapor grimaced, shaking his hand. “Deal?”

“Yep.”

“Are we good fellas?”

“Let’s clean up this mess before Reilly checks on us again – and then we should huddle up, like old times,” Reaper said bluntly. “Tried and true methods work, and we are lacking the glue we desperately need right now.”

“Agreed…” Caboose said quietly and Jace nodded, looking at Houdini and then X-Ray, before meeting Vapor’s eyes.

“They are part of our team, our squadron, and maybe it’s past time we get to know a little about each other.”

“Like your girlfriend?” Handsy grinned.

“Like my girlfriend,” Jace chuckled. “I can’t believe you blabbed that…”

“We’re all very happy for you, brother. Just like we are thrilled that Reaper is going to be a daddy.”

“He is?” Vapor, Houdini, Ghost, and X-Ray all exclaimed at once as Jace’s own mouth dropped open to see the warm, proud smile on the cold man’s face.

“He’sbreeding?” Caboose grinned.

“Sophie is beyond thrilled,” Reaper acknowledged, chuckling. “I was more than happy to help out, too.”

“I bet you were, brother,” Caboose laughed easily, walking across the room to shake Reaper’s hand as they all quickly stepped forward. Jace hugged him, just like Handsy, and he quickly put his hands up.

“We need to pick up our bedroom, boys,” Reaper taunted. “I don’t need any trouble from Reilly when the baby comes. I want my time off, too.”

“Spoken like a true dad…”

CHAPTER23

KAREN

* * *

Hey Handsome,

I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. I’ll be waiting at the gate with my heart on my sleeve…

Love you,

Karen

* * *

Karen was wearingher favorite red sweater, black slacks, and had her hair curled softly, pulled back with a comb, allowing it to fall onto her shoulders yet revealing her little enamel apple earrings she’d bought for herself the first year she began teaching.

“Coming through!” she heard a voice hollering loudly – a voice she recognized. “Coming through!”

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