“Gunny?” she asked and Garrett looked at Wes. She felt her belly tighten. He was alive. She saw him standing over the body. Over Valdere.
“He’s being interviewed by the investigators.”
“Valdere?”
“Dead.”
She closed her eyes and tried to get rid of the images in her head. The door to the room opened and Gunny walked in. When he saw th
at she was awake he went to her side immediately and took her hand into his own.
“How are you, darling? Are you feeling okay? What hurts?”
She looked at Wes and then Garrett before locking gazes with Gunny. “Hug,” she whispered in a hoarse voice and Gunny hugged her as Garrett and Wes smiled.
* * * *
Sammy stood in Garrett’s kitchen and helped Gia with pouring chips into a bowl. The Cowboys were playing the Giants and the house was filled with friends and family.
“So, are you making any progress?” Gia asked Sammy in her hoarse voice.
“My God, woman, it just isn’t fair. I wish I had your voice right now. It seems a sex call operator might get those guys’ attention. Neither one will look at me,” Sammy complained.
Gia chuckled.
“They’re looking, just not while you’re watching,” Gia said, her voice still raw and husky. She knew what Sammy meant about her sounding like some sex call operator. The men had been carrying on about how turned on they were. The doctor said she might never fully recover her normal voice or it could heal completely. She thought they were trying to make her feel better about the possibility. But, after a few of the other guys made some comments, her men weren’t too happy about her talking aloud to anyone but them.
“Are they really looking when I’m not watching?” Sammy asked, sounding excited.
“Yes. Now let’s move. I want to see the Giants win.”
“What? How could you?” Gia smiled. “I’m messing with the guys.”
Gia walked into the room with Sammy and caught sight of Lee and Shane checking out Sammy. This time Sammy noticed but acted cool and unknowing as she took a seat next to two friends of Duke’s in SWAT. Oh yeah, she was trying to get Shane and Lee jealous. As she walked by Lee spoke to her.
“I’ll take those, honey.”
“Sure, sugar,” she replied and they all looked at her.
“What?” she asked.
“Lucky bastards,” Shane stated as he shook his head and the other guys laughed. She felt the arm wrap around her waist and then Gunny’s lips against her ear.
“Watch who you call sugar in that voice, baby.”
She smiled as she reached back and touched his cheek.
“Okay, sugar.”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard on the mouth.
“Will you two cut that out? We’re trying to watch the game,” Lee yelled as Gunny released her only for Garrett to pull her into an embrace.
“We can’t help but keep kissing her and hugging her. We nearly lost Gia,” Garrett said aloud.
Gia hugged him tight.
“It’s kind of nice having things back to normal and sharing good times with friends,” Wes said.