“We walk here sometimes just to get out of the house, and we saw all the action.You’ve probably got to go.”She gestured toward the store.
“Nah.This entire situation had worked itself out before Omega even got here.We set up camp, but the locals didn’t need us.”
Chloe began to squirm and fuss now that the stroller wasn’t moving anymore.Summer unhooked her and picked her up, but she just wanted down to walk.Summer set her down, keeping a tight hold on her hand and walking her back and forth.
“I’m glad no one was hurt.I guess sometimes it’s nice for you not to be needed.”
Joe smiled.“For sure.I would much rather a situation resolve itself than for me to need to go in.”
Chloe walked her in circles around the stroller.
“But it’s hard,” Joe continued, “for the entire team to get wound up, game faces on, then nothing.The SWAT team will be more cranky than that one—” he pointed at Chloe “—at her most nap-ready worst.”
Summer laughed.“I can imagine.Although I doubt anyone could be as bad as this little terror at her worst.”
The little terror was babbling and trying to pull Summer toward the store.
“Okay, I better get back to the paperwork.Which is less than if I’d had to go in there, but still enough to make me cry.”He hugged Summer again.
“Give Laura my love.We’ll get together soon.Hopefully not when you’re working.”
“Yeah.”Joe grinned a little sheepishly.“Laura might have a little news to be sharing soon.”
Summer’s eyes got wide.She knew instantly what news Joe meant.“Oh my gosh, are you serious?”She let go of Chloe to clap her hands.“I’m so excited!”
“It’s early, so Laura doesn’t want to tell anyone.And practice your surprised face in the mirror so she doesn’t kill me when she tells you.”
“I promise.”Summer laughed and hugged Joe again, keeping an eye on Chloe who was still circling the stroller.“I’m so excited for you guys.”
Joe grinned and jogged off toward all the action.
Summer smiled.Joe and Laura would make such good parents.And after what they’d been though, she was thrilled they were starting a family.
But now it was probably time to get her little family away from this chaos.She picked Chloe up to put her back in the stroller.But both Chloe’s arms reached over her shoulder and she began to yell and strain away from Summer.
“Ah-ta!Ah-ta!”
“Honey, Ashton isn’t here.It’s time for us to go home.Maybe we’ll see him later.”
“Ah-ta!Ah-ta!”Chloe was all but climbing over Summer’s shoulder.
“Chloe Marie, Ashton is not here.”Summer spun around, knowing reasoning with an almost-two-year-old was pointless, but willing to try.“He—”
But Chloe was right.Ashton was here.He was walking toward the law enforcement van Joe had gotten out of a few minutes before.
He was dressed in black from neck to toe, holsters of some kind on both hips and wrapped around both thighs.His vest had multiple pockets holding gun clips and other items Summer didn’t recognize.Full tactical gear.He held some scary-looking rifle in his hands.
And blazing across the middle of his chest was the wordSWAT.
He was talking to someone else dressed almost exactly the same, but about a foot shorter than him.A woman, Summer realized, although her hair was pulled back in such a tight braid it was hard to identify her as such at first glance.
“Ah-ta!Ah-ta!”
Summer stood holding her daughter, staring at the man she thought she’d known so much about but obviously hadn’t.
SWAT.
She saw the exact moment Ashton heard Chloe.A smile brightened his face as he looked over at them.
