Page 85 of Embedded
“We are.” She handed him to me, and we headed outside to join the others. Cole had decided to add a few more guys from the safe house for extra eyes. With how bad things were getting, we couldn’t be too careful. Travis was a good friend of Keith’s, and he was leading the new team assigned to us. “How was the meeting?”
“Good. I’ll fill you in tonight.”
We joined the others as they piled into the vehicles that would take us to Redstone. I shot Cole a look in the mirror when Olivia finally stopped talking and took her first breath on the way there.
The place was full of balloons and streamers. Kids ran around like it was a frickin’ Chuck E. Cheese. Thank God, Zack had closed down part of the restaurant for us because no one would want to sit through this if they didn’t love the kids to death.
I caught Mark’s smile as he spotted Liza. She’d shown up. She was still making an effort with Keith, and that meant a lot to us.
“So, this is a kid’s birthday?” Nicole laughed and rubbed my back. “I think I need a drink.”
I wrapped an arm around her waist. “Let’s get doubles.”
My ears rang from all the yelling and from some of the topics of boys I wished I’d never heard as I held the door open. The silence that blanketed us thanks to the snow was just what I needed. Nicole held Chase by the hand as she carefully walked him down the steps.
Easton yelled as he ran with Liam right on his heels. “Uncle Paul, help!” He laughed. “He’s trying to eat me!”
Mia huffed as she went by me down the steps. She had a tight hold on the hood of Tabby’s jacket. “I get why they say only have two kids. I’ve only got two hands!”
I scooped up Tabby and flung her over my shoulder. “That’s why there’s uncles.” I grinned and raced down the stairs as she shrieked with laughter. Keith grinned at me as the two little beasts, Easton and Reagan, both grabbed an ankle and sat on my feet when I stopped for a breath. They wanted a ride, too.
“You little monsters, get off!” I pretended to struggle as I hauled them toward the vehicles.
Easton yanked on my pants. “Faster!” I kicked my foot out to try to send him into the air, but the hyena stayed on like glue. “Again!”
“Hey, Tabs?” I whispered in her ear. “Ready for your next mission?”
“Yes, sir!” Her tongue slipped through the space where her two front teeth had been.
“I’m going to toss the ankle biters in the snow, so when I lean down you jump off and run to your dad as fast as you can.” She giggled with excitement.
“Okay!”
“Okay, one,” I swung Easton so he wouldn’t predict my motive, “two,” I swung Reagan next, “three!” I dipped down, Tabby jumped off, and I plowed the two little buggers into a giant drift. The snow from the night before had left enough soft powder for them to shoot through the other side like the Kool-Aid man coming through a wall.
“We got you!” Tabby screamed from the protection of her father. Easton wiggled out of his jacket with a laugh, and Reagan just sat there spitting out snow. I grabbed them both by their waists and pulled them over to their parents.
“Your children fell into a snowbank. They really need to be more careful.” I dropped Easton next to Cole’s feet in another pile of snow. I really did love my role as an uncle. “Oh, buddy, did you slip?” I grinned at him.
“Just wait!” he yelped, and Cole grabbed him by the shoulder with a laugh.
“You want to ride with Grandpa or Mom and me?”
“Grandpa!” He jumped with excitement, and I saw Daniel step out of the vehicle and scoop the kid up in his arms.
“No, Dad, it was Uncle Paul who tossed us in.” Reagan outed me, and I shot her an innocent look.
I put my hands on my face. “I tripped, Reagan.” I pretended to be hurt. “Do you think I’d ever toss you in the snow like that?”
“Lies!” She pointed her mitten hand at me. “Dad!” He lifted her into the car as she kept talking. “I think I need a hot cocoa to get over this.”
“You do, do you?” He buckled her in as she added things to her hot cocoa order.
I looked for Nicole and saw her with Chase in her arms as she bent to get into the SUV at the front of the convoy. Sue was in the passenger seat. I could hear her calling to Daniel to put Easton down. He ignored her and kept swinging him around. He probably was trying to wear off a little of the kid’s endless energy before the car ride. Abby tapped her boots together and climbed in behind Sue.
Okay, that was it for that vehicle. I did a quick scan of the others. Savannah was helping Cat get little Gabby settled as John and Sloane packed the trunk with all the leftovers.
“Uncle Paul?” Olivia called, “Can you come here?” I spotted her by the snowbank where I’d tossed the boys. I chuckled darkly at the cutouts from where they’d gone through the drift and was excited to plan my next attack on the littles.
