Page 62 of Easton’s Claim

Giving him a little smile, she bowed her head and spotted Grits lying beneath the table at Wyatt’s feet, Sarge sprawled on his side a few feet away. Both were awake and alert, ready to gobble up anything that fell from the table.

Piper closed her eyes. They said a short prayer, then toasted both Mrs. C and Piper’s dad. Every year the same, and it touched her deeply that they still included her that way.

“They’re always in our hearts, and their love is always with us,” Mr. C finished, raising his glass in a toast.

“Amen,” everyone responded, then took a sip of their drink and began the feast.

The table and sideboard were overflowing with platters and bowls of food. Everyone had pitched in with the prep, and then left the cooking to her and Austen. The best part was, that meant the guys, Charlie and Trinity were on cleanup duty, so after she’d stuffed herself silly, Piper could go lounge on the couch in the family room with Austen and put her feet up.

She loaded her plate with roasted turkey and homemade cranberry sauce, Mrs. C’s cream cheese mashed potatoes, stuffing, veggies and gravy. She had seconds of the turkey and potatoes, laughed at Easton, who helped himself to thirds before leaning back and groaning in pleasure/pain.

Free to relax while everyone handled the dishes, she sprawled on the buttery leather sofa opposite the fireplace in the family room and sipped at a mug of apple cinnamon cider while she chatted with Austen. She and Wyatt had officially finished up the renovations on their Victorian house a month ago and were all moved in. They’d invited everyone over last night for a big dinner starring Austen’s mama’s famous mac ‘n cheese, and Piper had brought lemon squares for dessert.

“Hey, and guess what? Wyatt’s finally decided to start a therapy dog program for vets, using rescue dogs, and possibly a riding program here too,” Austen said.

“That’s so great! He’ll be amazing at it.”

She pushed a dark spiral of hair away from her face. “It’ll keep him out of my hair, and out of trouble. How are things in Alexandria, by the way?”

“Good. I’ve got a teaching job lined up for early January.”

Austen’s face brightened. “That’s great!”

“Yeah, and it’ll keep me busy while Easton’s overseas. I’m super excited about it. By the time he gets back, I’ll only have a month or so left of the school year.”

Austen’s smile disappeared. “When’s he leave again?”

Way too soon.“Next week.” She hated him going over there again, but his job meant so much to him and he’d already promised her he wouldn’t do it forever. She loved him and wanted him to be happy, so she had to suck it up and be brave.

“You gonna be okay?”

“I’ll just take it one day at a time. At least with living in Alexandria I’ve got Charlie nearby, and I’ve been spending a little time with Trinity lately too.”

Austen’s eyes twinkled silver in the firelight. “She’s so freaking awesome.”

“I know,” she said excitedly, sitting up and tucking her feet beneath her. “She’s like a female James Bond.”

“Am not.”

They turned their heads as Trinity strode toward them from the kitchen, glass of red wine in hand, the deep ruby merlot matching the color of the sweater that hugged her pinup body to perfection.

“I’m retired,” Trinity went on, taking the armchair in the corner of the room and draping her legs over one overstuffed arm. “But when Iwasin that line of work, I was much more discreet than 007 ever was.” Her red lips curved in a sexy, mysterious smile that had Piper grinning.

“I told her she needs to write a book. And then make it into a screenplay,” Charlie said, entering the room with a highball in one hand and one of Piper’s pumpkin cheesecake squares in the other. “Would blow the Bond franchise right out of the water.”

“Ah, the things I could put on the page,” Trinity said with a secret smile.

Piper sipped at her cider as the female conversation flowed around her, comfortable with these women who had become her family as well. Her heart was as full as her belly, and she’d never felt more content. The only thing that dampened her happiness was knowing Easton was going back into harm’s way for the next four months.

After the guys cleaned up the dishes, everyone gathered around the fire to visit. Piper curled up in Easton’s lap, her head on his solid shoulder, the heat of the fire and the love of the people in the room surrounding her like a warm hug.

“Ready to go to the cabin yet?” he murmured next to her ear.

Longing stirred deep in her belly. She was more than ready for some alone time with him. Their life together was everything she’d ever hoped for and more.

He’d stood next to her at Greg’s funeral with a solid arm around her and a sturdy shoulder for her to cry on. He’d helped her pack up and moved her into his place in Alexandria after her house sold, then put out calls to all his contacts to help find her a dream teaching job that started in the New Year.

“If you are,” she answered.

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