“Not gonna lie,” Dante said. “I wish he was still here.”
The guys nodded in agreement.
“We all do,” Mac stated. “But we also know he’s doing what he was meant to do.”
Absolutely.
It had been evident yesterday when Dante and Noah had joined Holden and Emily for dinner before touring their sanctuary. Watching his buddy talk about the animals and the programs they planned to put in place all while Braddock walked with his body flush to Holden’s leg had been truly awesome. It brought back many memories of active duty, most of them good.
The peace radiating off his brother had been infectious. Even Noah had soaked it in because when it had come time forbed later that night, his son had gone out like a light instead of insisting on three stories and two glasses of water.
“Hooah,” Dex muttered.
Dante echoed the battle cry with Hunter and Mac while Cooper let out the Navy equivalent.
“It’s like I told these guys, everyone transitions at their own speed,” Mac said. “I don’t want you to think you need to force it.”
Dante nodded. “I appreciate that, Mac. I adjusted to life outside the military a long time ago. It’s the lack of daily…actionthat will take a bit to get used to.”
“Not every day is slack, trust me,” his boss said. “There will be times when you’ll need all your wits and training, and jobs where you need your eyes or ears and lots of patience.”
He snickered. “I’m raising a two-year-old. Patience is a must.”
Hunter laughed. “Roger that.”
Cooper snorted. “Truer words.”
Their other two buddies both nodded.
“Think Mac and I have a little time to store some up,” Dex said. “But I can’t imagine little Sophia testing my patience or Rylee’s.”
Cooper laughed and set a hand on Dex’s shoulder. “Then you’d be wrong, my friend.”
“Sophia is starting daycare next week,” Dex said. “I think Rylee will find the adjustment harder than the baby.”
She was still an infant and sleeping more during the day than at night. Dante hadn’t had to work through that problem with Noah because he’d been on the east coast at that time in his son’s life.
“Come on, Coop.” Mac cocked his head. “You can’t tell me sweet little Mindy acts up?”
The cute, tiny blonde was a little shy but always pleasant and smiling. But it was that behavior that could lull a person into a false sense.
“I can, but I won’t,” Cooper said with a shrug. “Although she does, but it’s mostly when she’s overtired, teething, hungry, or sick.”
Mac blinked. “So, basically, daily.”
“Exactly.” Cooper nodded.
“Damn,” Dex muttered. “Not looking forward to that.”
Dante slapped his buddy on the back. “Yeah, but you’ll get through it. And it’s all worth it.”
Hunter, Cooper, and the new fathers nodded.
“Okay, then.” Mac grinned. “What do you say we go get our kids?”
He glanced around, noting the eagerness on his friends’ faces and he couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips.
Hunter raised a brow. “What’s the smile for?”
