Page 48 of Bossy Hero

“I didn’t hear anything.” Lionheart stands, stretching over his head. “I’ll go check while you tell Big Al your joke. Who needs another drink while I’m up?”

A few hands raise.

As Leo brushes by me, he bends down and whispers, “Are you sure you want him to join us in Florida? It’s gonna be like this all the time.”

See? I told you Leo’s in.

“Absolutely,” I answer without hesitation.

Can’t leave one of my kids behind.

“Oh! Craig’s here,” Sammy squeals, jumping off her chair. “Have a good night, everyone.”

“Where are you going?” Sawyer asks her, using the distraction to studiously avoid me.

Pausing, she tucks her hair behind her ear. “Turns out, you did hear something. But not a doorbell. My date just pulled into the driveway.”

She catches her eldest brother at the edge of the yard. Rising to her toes, she kisses him on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Have fun with your little friends. I’m glad you’re home.”

“Where are you going?” he asks, one arm flinging to the side. His other arm holds a cooler. Guess he got tired of making beer runs into the kitchen.

“I have a date,” Sammy sing-songs, shoulders shimmying.

“Tonight, sis? It’s my fucking welcome home party,” Leo protests.

“Sorry.” She shrugs, already walking backward away from him. “When the vice president of the company asks you out for drinks, you say yes.”

Then she’s gone.

My eyes fall to the group gathered around the fire. Sawyer watches her depart like a lost puppy dog. His earlier fear of me catching him doing a Sarge impression has been replaced with something far more painful for him.

Interesting.

I fucking knew it.

Wonder if Lionheart has noticed.

To help shake Sawyer out of his funk, I recapture his attention. “Have you thought about where you’re going to live if you move to Clearwater? I know some nice areas. In fact, Tomer bought a duplex.”

Over the next hour, shit-talking, laughs, and slightly exaggerated stories fill the crisp night air.

A meek voice calls out, “Is this seat taken?”

I glance to my left, my eyes happily landing on a rosy-cheeked Maddie. “Please join me. I’d love nothing more.” I wave my palm to the open chair beside me.

Once she’s seated, she raises her wineglass toward me. “Will you hold this for a second?”

“Sure.”

With both hands free, she wraps herself in a fluffy blanket, tucking it under her legs on each side.

I hadn’t even noticed how chilly the evening had gotten. Haven’t been in Florida long enough for my blood to thin. My body’s still used to the temporal extremes of my former profession. Even with the fire, it’s cold out tonight. Especially as the hours have ticked by.

Perhaps the drinks have made it hard for me to notice the plunging temps.

Before Maddie takes the glass back, she reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a plastic zip bag.

I point my chin at it. “What do you have there?”

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