Page 14 of Homecoming

Aiden tipped back his head and laughed. “Definitely.”

Once they’d checked out the cabin and the upstairs loft, which could be a perfect office/guest room, Aiden went back out on the deck. Black explained to him how to switch from main power to solar power if they had a glitch. And he showed him the mechanicals of the cabin. They had an immediate hot water heater, so they didn’t have to worry about running out.

“We’ve been here a solid year, and the main spring we get our water from never stops. It wells up from the earth and is so fresh and cold. It goes through a filter, of course, but it barely needs it.”

They were in the kitchen now. Black ran him a glass of tap water and held it out. Aiden took a big drink.

“Okay,” he said, looking at the water swirling in the glass. “I don’t think I’ve ever tasted water that crisp.”

Black nodded knowingly. “The septic drains down through several leach beds, and we’ve been using some of the dirt in the greenhouse. Sounds gross, but as soon as you taste the tomatoes that grow fresh literally all the time, you won’t care. We appreciate you sending us Evan. He’s really made a fantastic change in our diets.”

“Yeah,” Aiden said, frowning. “Actually, he was missed in the Dog Pound as soon as he left,” he laughed.

Black leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. “Well, I figure more people will be down here eventually, anyway.”

“Yes. We’d like to just keep the Omega Team up there in the Elton building. But we’ll see how everything flies. For now, Ang and I just want to raise our baby in peace for a while.”

Black nodded, frowning. “I get it. We run regular sweeps through the town, and no one has expressed an inordinate amount of curiosity about the group. I cycle men down through occasionally to pick up deliveries and that, just to feel for interlopers. The town isn’t very big, so we would notice. Hardy Yates has all sorts of programs running, scanning for mention of us. No one knows we’re here. Your trucks were scanned as soon as you pulled through the lower gate, and we would have been pinged if you’d had a tracker on board.”

Aiden was aware of the extensive security measures. They all took part in the meetings, but it was nice to hear that everything they’d planned seemed to be working as intended. Yates was better than Krammer in certain respects, so he had to have faith that the men were doing everything they could to keep the men, and his family, safe.

“Angela is ecstatic with the cabin. Thank you for everything you did to get it ready.”

Black tipped his dark head. “It was a lot of us. And a woman from town who did all the decorating.”

“That was what really put her over the edge,” he said, smiling. “The decorations. It made it feel like a home.”

“Well, it is a home,” Black said, pushing to his feet and slapping Aiden on the shoulder. “You just weren’t here yet.”

Aiden nodded, his throat tightening again. He’d come a long way in just a few years, but this was the first time he felt like he had found a place that could be his own.

He didn’t know how long he was going to be here. No one did. But for now, they were flying under the radar, and he was going to make the most of it.

“So, tell me about this winter wonderland thing.”

SIX

Angela was giddy with excitement. As if the past few days hadn’t already been perfect.

They settled into their new home quickly. It was the perfect size for them, and without even having an idea of the size, she’d brought the perfect amount of household goods. Somehow she’d forgotten some pans, but they could be replaced. It didn’t matter too much because they took dinner in the main lodge. Every night, the entire group got together for dinner in the dining hall, and she was impressed with the sense of family that they’d created. The food was incredible, so that certainly made it easy to be there.

Fallon loved her little space. Angela had brought most of her toys, but the room had a basket of toys already, and she loved the stuffed giraffe she’d found. It went with her everywhere, and had even started sleeping with the baby in the beautiful, handmade oak crib. Their bed was handmade as well, and she wanted to know who had made them.

Black hadn’t known, but he’d promised to introduce her to the designer who had set up her cabin. Angela was eager to meet the woman, because she’d done an excellent job. Angela loved the cabin and everything in it.

It was just a few days until Christmas, and they were finally heading down the mountain on an excursion. Aiden and his team had been scouring the area, checking to see if they’d been found. So far, they hadn’t, so her neurotic husband finally felt comfortable letting her go to the Christmas Festival happening tonight. And, even more importantly, he felt comfortable letting Fallon go.

Angela’s throat tightened at the thought of her little girl getting another piece of normal life. She loved Aiden with every fiber of her heart, but they led a life unlike anything she could have ever expected. It was more militarized, and so very unconventional.

They were leaving in just a few minutes, and she was almost dancing in her boots. It was early afternoon, and she was looking forward to seeing the town in the light of day. Fallon seemed to sense her excitement, because she was giggling and playing, her bright blue eyes shining.

Black had already left with a few men and would meet them down there. Angela wondered if he realized the pensive look he got in his eyes when he talked about the designer, Grace. She may not be enhanced like the other men, but even she could see the woman meant something to him.

Aiden came in through the front door, pulling his hat off and shaking snow from his shoulders. “It’s definitely Christmas-y out there. Are you ready?”

Angela grabbed up the backpack with Fallon’s snacks and diapers, and her own insulated aluminum drink cup filled with hot tea. Fallon was already heading toward her father, arms up to be held, and he picked her up, laughing. The baby was bundled in an adorable pink snowsuit, with a fluffy cap on her head. Little puffs of red hair peeked out from the edges, and she looked so stinking cute.

“Let’s go, then.”

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