Only Mine (Honey Mountain #5)(58)

Jaqueline looked ready for a break as I kissed her on the cheek. Being a military wife could be a bitch, but all in all, she handled it well.

I hurried her out the door and spent the next few hours playing with the boys until Jaqueline returned, and we took them out door-to-door, collecting enough sugar to keep them going for weeks.

Dylan and I texted several times, and I sent her a photo of the boys all dressed up.

And it hit me as I stared down at my phone, smiling at the picture she’d sent of her and Bee all dressed up—I missed her.

And that, I hadn’t been prepared for.

Not even fucking close.





twenty-three





Dylan





We all took turns going to the door with the kids, and I sent a few pictures to Wolf. He’d sent me one of the boys in their Batman and Spiderman costumes. They were cute as hell, and I had to say, thoughts of Wolf out there, trick-or-treating with two little boys while their dad was away, had my ovaries threatening to detonate.

I wasn’t that girl. You know, the one who sat home planning her fairy-tale wedding and dreaming of her two-point-five kids who had names picked out since she was nine years old. I had sisters who did that. I was the girl who sat at home figuring out how she was going to make the world a better and fairer place. I daydreamed about paying off my father’s house for him someday. About traveling the world and doing whatever the hell it was I wanted to do.

My ovaries had no place in my daydreams.

We’d made it around the entire neighborhood, and Bee had fallen asleep in Niko’s arms, while Jackson was sound asleep in the wagon they’d brought. Hadley and Paisley were finally starting to tire, and we’d all made our way back to Vivi’s house for our traditional spaghetti dinner. This is what we’d done every year of my life on Halloween. Even after our mama passed away, my father and Everly had continued the tradition, and then Vivian took over, and here we are.

Eating yummy noodles smothered in sauce and parmesan cheese and laughing about all the candy we used to hide from our parents.

“Dylan was the ringleader when it came to Operation Candy Hoarding,” Everly said over her laughter.

“Why am I always the ringleader?”

“Well, I think because you always came up with these ideas and then convinced us to go along with you,” Charlotte said as she reached for a piece of garlic bread.

“That’s sort of the definition of a ringleader,” Vivian chimed in.

“Hey, some might call that the childhood genius who guided you well.”

Niko and Hawk barked out a laugh, Jace shook his head and tried to hide his smile, and Ledger raised a brow. “Is this you trying to get us all on board with the childhood genius label?”

“Whatever,” I said as my phone vibrated.

I expected to see a text from Wolf because we’d been talking all day. But instead, it was Lottie, my father’s best friend, big Al’s wife. She was part of our “fire family” and always had been. My heart raced, just like it did every time a text came through about a fire. It never got easier, my father putting his life on the line every time he went to work. And now that Niko and Jace were also firefighters, we were always worrying about all of them. Hell, all the guys were family at this point.

“It’s Lottie. There’s a fire out at the apartment complex on Third Street.”

Niko and Jace quickly reached for their phones and were on their feet.

“Shit. I need to go, baby. It’s a big one.” Niko kissed Vivian’s cheek and grabbed his keys.

“Sorry, Sunshine,” Jace said, doing the same to Ash.

I was already moving. I’d never been good at being patient and waiting around, and I needed to make sure my father was okay.

“I’m coming with you,” I said, grabbing my purse and hugging each of my sisters goodbye. “I’ll text you and let you know. Love you.”

I jumped into Niko’s truck, sitting in between him and Jace, and we were all a little on edge as he hauled ass down the road.

“I can’t believe they didn’t call us in. I just had the one text from Gramps, letting me know they were heading out there,” Niko said. Gramps had been fighting fires longer than my father, and he was one of his closest friends.

“Same.” Jace’s voice was quiet, which made me even more nervous.

“Do they not have enough guys tonight?” I asked as my fingers drummed on my thigh, anxious to get there.

“They’re a little short, but it just depends on how big the fire is. It’s a huge-ass building, so if they contained it quickly, they’ll be okay.” Niko stopped in front of the firehouse, and they both ran inside to change into their gear while I texted more with Lottie.

Me ~ I’m on my way with Niko and Jace. How bad is it?

Lottie ~ It’s just grown faster than they expected. And Brady Townsend has it all taped off already, so they won’t let me in there. I can’t see a damn thing with all the smoke.

Me ~ Brady Townsend used to eat paste in third grade. He will not be keeping us out of that fire. The guys are back. Be there in five minutes.

“Lottie said it’s bad,” I said as they both climbed into the truck.

They gave one another a look, and my head ping-ponged between them. “Oh, hell no. Do not keep a secret from me. Start talking right now or I will twist your earlobes off your head.”