Page 109 of Not Faking it with the Colonel

“I still can’t believe you set up an account.” Megan grinned as she opened the app on her phone. “I found Erin.” It only took her a minute.

“Check for Piper’s account.” She’d be likelier to give them info on her mom than Madison, and he hadn’t told his kids about the underwear video chat incident.

“Isn’t Piper in Spain? With the time difference, she might be asleep.”

“True.”

“Other than being tagged in a friend’s post, I don’t see anything recent for Madison. It could be her privacy settings.”

Graham gave a helpless shrug. “Is there a phone number?”

“I don’t think they let you see phone numbers if you aren’t friends. Let me check Piper’s. No phone number, but she’s been posting. I’ll send them friend requests and a message to call me or you.”

“Give them both numbers.” Depending on how Erin’s daughters felt about the break, they might contact Megan over him. Or not reply to either.

“Done.” Megan set her phone on the table.

“Good. Let’s eat,” Jace said.

Alex smacked him in the gut with the back of her hand.

“It could be hours or days before we hear back.” Jace held up an arm to fend off more strikes.

“He’s right,” Graham admitted. “We can’t sit around and wait.” And the possibility of Erin being back in his life gave him an appetite for the first time in weeks. “Ladies first.” He handed plates to Megan and Alex.

“Is that ringing?” Reece looked around as the girls filled their plates.

“It’s not my ringtone.” Graham checked his phone anyway.

“Mine either,” Megan said, but she picked up her phone too. “It’s a video call from Piper!” She nearly dropped her half-filled plate to swipe the screen. “Piper! Thank you so much for calling.”

Graham moved closer.

“I was about to get in bed, but your message sounded urgent. Is your dad okay? I know he was out of the country.”

“I’m home now.” He moved into view.

“Good.” Piper gave a bashful wave, then tugged her camisole higher and tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I’m so glad you called while we’re all here.” Megan panned the phone screen and introduced Reece, Jace, and Alex. “How’s your mom doing?”

“Honestly, she’s been better.”

“Same for Dad,” Megan stated. “But he now admits the break was a terrible idea, no offense to your mom.”

“She said the general had a problem with her work on the series and would base your dad overseas, and he might even get your husband and brother moved to other bases if they stayed together. She would not let that happen with you being pregnant.”

Graham purposely hadn’t told Erin that McKittrick wouldn’t be on board with them staying together at Fort Liberty. How did Erin know? Sally had to have told her. That’s why Erin let her think they’d ended things. And why she insisted on the break. It actually made sense now.

“There are worse things than being based overseas. Like them both being miserable without each other,” Megan asserted.

“I agree. But you know about the TV series being picked up?” Piper asked.

“From her telling me she’d be in California, I deduced she’d heard good news.” He’d wanted to celebrate this with Erin.

“The announcement was made in the trades Friday morning. There have been several online announcements mentioning the show. Most are about Chris Remington starring and the director, but Mom got some mentions as co-creator.”

“I’m proud of her. We all are. She has to be so excited.” Graham wanted Piper to know that wouldn’t deter him.

---