Page 30 of Lahaina Noon

She sat and wrapped her arms around him before kissing his temple. “Thank you. You saved my baby for me. I can never repay you.”

Liam jerked his head up, “But Bridget, they almost got him right under my nose!”

She shook her head, “No, Liam, had you not been there at all, they absolutely would have him now, and I’d be a complete wreck. Because of you, he’s here safe and whole. I kind of love you right now!” She kissed him again, hugging him tightly.

He rested his hand on her arms and leaned into the hug, making a low purring sound.

Vaughn studied Bridget, hugging Liam and heard her declare she loved him. He knew it was a motherly kind of love, but the growl seeped out of him regardless. He was jealous.

Liam, knowing what it meant, jumped up as if he’d been scalded.

Gabriel looked around in confusion and said, “Was that thunder?”

Bridget, who knew where the sound came from, stared at Vaughn with a cold expression he couldn’t quite figure out. She cut her eyes over to Gabe, and he understood. She was telling him to cut the dragon crap in front of the kid. He was already freaked out.

“Hey buddy,” he patted him on the knee. “I know you like games, but how do you like swimming?” he asked.

Gabriel’s face lit up. “I love it! This building has a pool?”

Vaughn chuckled, “Even better, my man, I have my own pool. It has a water slide, a hot tub, and an overhead screen for watching movies or letting in some sunlight.”

“Wicked!” Gabriel said, jumping up. “Um, that’s, if it’s okay with my mom. Is that cool, Mom?” he turned to her with his best pleading face, batting his eyelashes and pursing his lips like a fish.

Bridget smiled, glad to see the trauma being pushed behind him through the resilience of youth. “I’m cool buddy, oh, but he doesn’t have a suit.” She turned to Vaughn.

He smiled. “I’m sure Liam has something that would fit him.”

Liam nodded enthusiastically.

“Liam, why don’t you get Gabe suited up and take him in there while Bridget and I talk next steps.”

Gabriel ran after Liam like a rocket, peppering him with a million questions about the pool.

Bridget was pretty sure she heard something about cannonballs and shook her head. When they were safely out of earshot, she collapsed in Vaughn’s outstretched arms, grateful to have someone to hold onto for the first time in years while she fell apart. “Vaughn,” she cried, burying her face in his shirt.

“Shh, Bridget, love,” he comforted her. “I know. I know.” He rocked her back and forth.

When the tears subsided, and the fear had worked its way from her, she sat up and wiped her face. “I’m sorry about that. I keep crying in front of you. I’m afraid I’m not a pretty crier.”

Vaughn simply held her face between his hands and kissed her tenderly. “It’s okay, my sweet Bridget, no one cries pretty, but you are still beautiful, and a little red nose can’t change that,” he said, tapping her on said nose.

She laughed and rubbed it, “Well thank you for lying to me kindly at least.”

He smiled. “You okay?”

She nodded yes, and then her face went cold. “But those bastards who tried to hurt my baby won’t be. It’s time we turned the tables and began the hunt for them. No one touches my child and gets away with it.” Her eyes lit up with their own kind of fire.

He was mesmerized by this side of her and was about to promise her the world when she started laughing. He joined her as they both heard Gabe yelling the time-old phrase of all teenage boys, “Mom!Come watch this!”

After watching the requisite number of tricks and splashes that Vaughn had joined in on, Bridget called a halt to the hilarity. She looked at Vaughn and caught him staring at the hot tub. The memory of their night there made her flush a little and she knew by the look on his face he was remembering it too. She nudged him with her elbow while the other boys were drying off. “Hey, I need to get my things from my house,” she reminded him. “I need to feed my cats too.”

He smiled, “Already taken care of.”

Bridget lifted an eyebrow and shook her head. He was being high-handed again, but she knew he was worried about their safety outside of his home or office. “Okay, so what can I do?” she asked, “How about I cook dinner?”

Liam’s face lit up; he liked that idea, she could tell. He was probably ready for a break from playing butler, babysitter, chauffeur, and whatever other chores Vaughn set him to.

“Mom,” Gabe called, “We had lasagna on the menu at home, I was looking forward to it, any chance of that still happening?”

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