Huh.
Gabe set his free hand on his shoulder. “Just think about it. But right now, your dad comes first.”
He nodded. Definitely.
Dean, RJ, Cooper, and Carter quickly joined them, each taking turns shaking Dale’s hand. He’d served on the teams with Dean, RJ, and Cooper, and worked a few joint ops with the Delta guys, Mac and Carter, as well as Sinjin, Hunter, Dex, and Dante, who weren’t there.
“Dale, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Dean said.
“Yeah, good to see you,Delta.” RJ grinned.
Cooper slapped his shoulder. “Great to have you in town. Any chance we can add another SEAL to our team? These Delta guys kind of got us outnumbered.”
Dale shrugged. “Not sure what I’m going to do yet,” he answered honestly.
“With his call signDelta, I don’t think it would count.” Carter laughed.
“Give the poor guy a chance to get settled,” Rylee said, walking up to kiss his cheek. “Nice to see you, Dale.”
“You too, Rylee.” He smiled.
“Let’s take this reunion to the breakroom where we can enjoy the donuts, and I’ll put on a pot of coffee,” she said, turning to walk toward a door on his left.
“They’re all Boston Cream,” he informed. “Except for a cinnamon bun Loni added for Dean.”
Dean grinned. “I’ll be sure to thank her later.”
Everyone laughed as they followed Rylee down a hall and into a room with two large round tables in the middle and a kitchenette on the back wall. She walked over to the counter and got to work on their coffee while he and the guys all settled around one table.
“So, how’s your dad holding up?” Mac asked.
His smile faded slightly, and he sat back in his seat. “He’s hanging in there. Concussion and a broken shoulder, arm, and ribs. It’s going to be a long recovery.”
“Damn.” Mac shook his head.
RJ frowned. “That must’ve been some fall.”
“We hadn’t realized it was that serious,” Cooper said.
“Yeah.” Dean nodded, settling down next to him. “Sorry, man. Shoulder recovery is a bitch.”
Dale nodded.
The former SEAL was speaking from experience. Dean and RJ had been in a helicopter crash that claimed three lives. Dale’s chest tightened, remembering the scene when the rest of the team had gone in to rescue them. The pilot, copilot, and Troy, their newest member, had died. Dean had nearly lost an arm, and RJ had broken his back. Both were so damn lucky, although those injuries had ended their Navy careers.
He noted none of his buddies appeared to miss the military. They’d adjusted well. He wondered what the secret was.
Working at ESI?
“Despite it all, he’s in good spirits,” Gabe said, taking the chair on his right.
Carter, ever the practical one, waited for the coffee to finish so he could fill a cup. “Good to hear. We were worried when we heard.”
Mac clapped a hand on Dale’s shoulder when the rest of them got up to grab coffee. “Anything you need, you know we’re here for you.”
“Thanks,” he said, appreciating the support. “Actually, that’s part of why I’m here.” He settled back down, coffee in hand. “Gabe and I went out to the ranch this morning to check out the field where the accident happened.”
Gabe reached for a donut. “And we had the distinct feeling we were being watched. Saw movement in the woods, so weinvestigated. It spooked whoever was there. He or she ran, and we couldn’t follow because the damn brush was too thick.”
