Page 18 of Rescuing Carolyn

“You’d better go,” she said, her voice husky and cheeks flushed. I wanted to argue, but I bit my lip instead. I’d told her that we’d do this at her pace, and I tended to keep my word. Besides, there was no rush. We had all the time in the world.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” I pressed one last quick kiss on her lips and let myself out the door. I’d return later to watch over the house, but in the meantime, our kiss gave me plenty to think about. I was still in love with her. That had become clear to me over the past few days.

I wanted Carolyn and Austin as my family, not just to visit or watch over from the street. I wanted to live with them and share everything. But I’d learned my lesson about assuming that she’d want the same things I did. I still couldn’t be sure that she saw a future for us together…but I was starting to get more optimistic. Hell, her kiss would be enough to have any man feel like he was on cloud nine. Hard not to be optimistic after that.

I couldn’t stop grinning as I drove home. Honestly, it was a good thing Carolyn had kicked me out when she did. I hadn’t wanted to leave…but if I’d stuck around any longer, I’d have been late for my weekly poker game. And that’s pretty bad form when you’re the host. Chance was the one who had started up the game a while back, before I came back to town, but when I returned, he immediately invited me to join in. His old house—my house now—was actually the perfect place to host, from its central location to its table that was big enough to hold everyone, to its carpets that had—to be perfectly honest—seen better days. Ray McCallister had kept up his house pretty well, even after his boys were grown and gone and he was on his own, but he hadn’t bothered updating anything in years. The worn carpets were the same ones from Chance’s childhood…which meant that a little spilled beer really wasn’t going to do them that much harm.

I arrived at the house right as another car pulled up behind me, and my grin widened when my brother Colin flashed his lights. I could see our youngest brother, Alex, in the passenger seat. It was great having the two of them home on leave—a rare chance for all of us to spend time together. We stayed in contact as much as possible, connecting in between missions over the years—but it wasn’t the same as getting to see each other any time we wanted. Now that I was settled, maybe it wouldn’t be as hard to coordinate time together. It also helped that the house was big enough for all of us.

Colin and Alex got out of their car, and the three of us met in the street, taking a few minutes to talk before going inside.

“How’s Austin?” Colin asked.

“He’s great,” I replied. When they’d arrived in town a couple of days earlier, both my brothers had gotten the chance to meet Austin at Carolyn’s house.

“Can’t believe you produced such a cute kid,” Alex teased me. “Must all be from Carolyn.”

“She’s a good mom,” I said sincerely. She was a good woman and the one I wanted in my life permanently. I’d made that decision once before about her, but I wondered now if I’d really been willing to commit to her. I’d thought other things were more important. Now I could see that nothing was. I just needed to play it right with her and Austin.

“You’ll make a good father,” Colin said, realizing my worry, “even if you’re coming to it a little late.”

“The Admiral would have been one hell of a grandpa,” Alex commented, showing a surprising streak of sentimentality. Maybe because he was the youngest, Alex had always felt like he had to be the toughest, to keep up with me and Colin and then some. But family was his big soft spot—and the Admiral had been a central part of our family.

“He was a hell of a father,” Colin agreed.

He’d instilled discipline in the three of us, brought order to our chaotic existence, and taught us that we were worth something. It hadn’t been easy. By the time we were placed with him through a program for at-risk teens, we’d committed misdemeanors, skipped school, and honed our skills at writing off anyone who told us what to do. Through a combination of tough love and a rigid schedule, the Admiral had gotten us back on track. We owed him our lives, and we all knew it.

“Still miss the old cuss,” Alex admitted.

“We all do,” Colin declared, “but he’d be proud of us.”

“I stopped down at the center,” I said, not having to clarify what I meant. The organization that had saved us still existed. We all donated money to it in the hopes that other kids would find someone like the Admiral.

“Yeah?” Alex asked.

“I plan to volunteer my time if I can, maybe mentor some kids. You guys want to join me?”

I got nods from each as headlights cut across us. Moments later, Chance stepped up to join us. “So!” he said, clapping his hands together. “You guys ready to lose? I’ve got a kid on the way who’s gonna need a college fund, you know.”

“Don’t count your college funds before they’re hatched,” Alex shot back. “You may end the night contributing to Austin’s instead. Or to my personal favorite, the ‘big sendoff’ fund to make sure Colin and I have a good time on leave.”

Chance just laughed good-naturedly. “Ah, to be young again,” he joked. “I don’t know where you whippersnappers find the energy.”

“If you figure it out, let me know,” I added. “Chasing after a toddler is exhausting, guys.”

“Probably doesn’t help that you’re getting shit sleep every night,” Colin pointed out. “You’re still in your car, watching her house, aren’t you?”

“Can’t get an invite in?” Alex goaded me again. My younger brother could be a smart-ass, but there was no one I trusted more.

“Haven’t tried.” After tonight’s kiss, though, I was getting more hopeful that it wouldn’t be long before she let me back into her house as more than a presence in Austin’s life.

“You want one of us to take a night?” Chance offered. “You could do with some real sleep.”

“No, they’re mine to keep safe.”

Identical stubborn looks appeared on all three faces.

“Not how it works,” Colin said. We’d survived our childhood because of the tight bond between us. Colin and I had protected Alex at first. By the time Alex was eight, he was as tough as us and never let us forget it. We’d needed each other to survive our dad’s abuse. Even after the Admiral took us in and life was so much better, we continued to stick together. And now there was Chance, standing shoulder to shoulder with my brothers and proving that I had even more family to count on than I’d ever expected.

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