Epilogue
Kade
“Hey,” I greeted Huntley when I pulled open the front door. We shook hands, and then I smiled warmly at the woman with him. “Cora.”
“Kade!” She gave me a quick one-armed hug, then hurried past me and called, “Annalise! I brought ginger pops!”
“Bless you!” my wife exclaimed as she padded out of the kitchen, rubbing her slightly swollen belly.
“Those were a life saver for Cora,” Huntley said as he walked in with a diaper bag over one shoulder and a baby carrier in the other hand.
I led him into the living room, where Cora and Annalise sat on the couch, deep in discussion. Tucker lay curled up on the ground at my wife’s feet. He was never very far from her.
After we rescued him, he couldn’t return to training. The trauma he’d experienced, plus that he’d bitten someone—even in defense of Annalise—disqualified him. But I would be forever grateful to the pup for trying to protect my woman. And Annalise had grown overly attached to him, so we were more than happy to have him become a permanent member of our family.
He’d also given me peace of mind, making it just a little easier to leave on my first assignment after the doctor gave me the all clear.
“How are West and Kambria?” I asked Huntley about their five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter as we settled into oversized leather recliners.
Huntley unstrapped Logan, their one-month-old infant, from his seat and cradled him in his arms. “Too smart for their own good,” he grumbled playfully. “Hopefully, they’ll get all their energy out at the birthday party and will pass out when they get home.”
I laughed as Annalise hopped up from her seat and hurried over with outstretched arms. “My turn!” she demanded with a grin.
Tucker followed her, and I kept a close eye on him since he’d never been around a baby. He was a gentle soul, but we’d been a little worried about whether he’d be jealous of the new baby.
Annalise picked up Logan and returned to her seat, cooing and making funny faces. We were both ecstatic when we realized I’d knocked her up the week we met, which gave me the perfect excuse to get her to the courthouse immediately.
When she sat down, Tucker resumed his post at her feet, but his eyes locked on the infant in her arms. Even though he didn’t look the least bit menacing—if I had sensed anything but curiosity, I would have immediately sent him outside—I observed him closely. After a few minutes, he sat up and laid his head on Annalise’s lap, still focused on Logan.
When he let out a little whine, we all stopped talking and waited to see what he would do next.
“What is it, boy?” Annalise asked softly.
His ears popped up, and he raised his head, then leaned in and licked her arm, the one holding Logan.
Cora smiled and reached out to scratch his head. “Did you find a new friend?”
Tucker licked Annalise’s arm again, then laid his head on her lap once more and closed his eyes. “Aw,” Annalise sighed. “Such a sweet boy.”
We talked for a little longer, then Huntley and I got up to fire up the grill.
When I came back in from the patio a bit later, Logan slept in his carrier on the dining room table with Tucker curled up right underneath him.
Annalise laughed at my look of surprise. Usually, when she cooked, he lay on the bed we’d put in the kitchen so she’d stop tripping over him. “Tucker won’t leave Logan’s side.”
I shook my head with a smile and teased, “I think you may have lost your shadow once the baby comes.”
“If Tucker protects our children the way he’s protected me, I’ll gladly give him up to them,” she said as she looked at the dog with soft eyes.
I moved across the room and pulled my wife into my arms. “Look on the bright side. You’ll only have to deal with one hovering male.”
Annalise giggled and pecked my lips before wiggling out of my arms to check whatever was simmering on the stove.
My cell rang from the other room, and I went to grab it, surprised to see the name Arrow Hamlin on the caller ID. Master Chief Hamlin was one of the OICs over our SEAL troop. He worked in the HQ on base. We knew each other well, and I trusted him as much as any of my other teammates, but because I respected his rank and position, I addressed him formally.
“Chief Hamlin,” I answered. “What can I do for you?”
The chief cleared his throat, then spoke in a low, serious tone. “I need a favor, Truett. To be clear, what I’m asking of you is not an order. It’s…off the books.”