Angel's Peak (Virgin River #10)(52)

Sean was quiet for a long moment. Finally he said, “They’ve been right here all along and I didn’t know it until last week.”

“I’m sorry about that but, Jesus, Sean, you do your next assignment right and you’ve got stars in your pockets. But you can’t sit here any longer. Get in touch with the flesh peddlers who make assignments at the Military Personnel Center and find out what they’re trying to fill. Get the jump on ’em before they send you remote. All I can do is give you a heads-up, Sean.”

“Yeah,” he said.

Jake stood. “Listen, be honest with the woman. Tell her the situation, ask for her input. Maybe if she feels involved in the decision…”

“Yeah, right,” Sean said. But he was thinking, She barely got her life together the way she wants it and here I come, showing up unannounced, and before I can even get checked out on spending the night, the air force is ready to ship me out. “She’ll probably think I did this on purpose.”

“You knew this was coming, Major. No one sits in the same assignment for this long. You should have come up with a better plan.”

Sean stood. “Until a week ago, I thought I had a plan. I was going to do a couple of years of hard time in the sandbox and ACSC, and then take your job right out from under you. I just wanted to fly, then take command of a flying squadron. Until now, there wasn’t anything to keep me in one place.”

Under any other circumstances, Sean would be really grateful for that kind of a heads-up from his boss. It was real tough to get into Air Command and Staff in a residence program; making the waiting list alone was a good showing. He had an itch to get on the phone to MPC, but no one would be at the office on a Saturday night, so instead he took his mom and Rosie to Denny’s for dinner, and afterward they headed back to Eureka.

Once again the girls settled in the backseat and, while there was still light, they looked at books together. When the sun lowered in the sky and Rosie had fallen asleep, Sean called Franci’s cell. “Reporting in,” he said, when she answered. “She had mac and cheese and fish sticks for dinner and a little bit of salad. A glass of milk, too. And she loved the planes.”

“Did she have a good time?” Franci asked. “Did she mind her manners?”

“She was perfect and she had a blast. She’s asleep in the backseat, and yes, she has her belt on. I’m not supposed to talk and drive in this state, so I’m going to sign off. Want me to check in when she’s home?”

“Yes. And Sean? Is Maureen very angry with me?”

“Near as I can tell, she’s not even mad at me anymore,” he said with a laugh. “Am I invited to dinner tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’m going to need a nap to sleep off my twenty-four-hour shift. Why don’t you entertain Rosie and…and why don’t you cook.”

“Be happy to,” he said. “Any special requests?”

“Anything, but remember the food groups—Rosie’s growing.”

“How about Stroganoff, fat noodles, peas and salad? I’m good at Stroganoff. I’ll make it with chicken instead of beef—for Rose. She’s partial to chicken.”

“That would be awesome,” she said.

“You got it. And some nice snacks and a good white wine.”

When they were back at Vivian’s, he parked and lifted Rosie out of the backseat. He asked his mother to carry Rosie’s books and toys to the house while he helped get his daughter in her pajamas.

Rosie had her own room at Viv’s house, as well. This room was all little girl, too, but was yellow in color. She had her arms locked around his neck so tight, he’d have to peel her off. “We’re home, short-cake. Let’s find your jammies.” She squirmed and murmured, not letting go of his neck. He laughed at her and said, “I can’t help you change clothes if you don’t let go.”

With her face buried in his neck, she asked, “Are you still my daddy?”

Sean felt his heart catch. All at once he was filled up with so much emotion he was sure he wouldn’t be able to swallow if he tried. And he suddenly couldn’t focus his vision. He turned his head and kissed her cheek. “I’ll always be your daddy, pumpkin.”

“You’re a silly daddy,” she said.

“You’re a silly Wide Iwish Rose. I’m so glad I found you.”

Ten

While Sean was helping Rosie into her pajamas, Maureen was handing toys over to Viv. The two women had never met before today and had spent a whole ten minutes together in the entirety of their acquaintance, and that was when Maureen and Sean had picked up Rosie earlier in the day. “I want to thank you,” Maureen said. “Rosie is an incredible, brilliant, wonderful child and I bet some of that had to do with what a fantastic grandmother you are.”

Viv put a hand on Maureen’s forearm. “I have things to tell you,” she said quietly. “Important things about Rosie—what she likes, what she hates, momentous moments in her little life…about her temper, her giggles, her ear infections and her love for animals. And also, I want you to know that I argued hard for Franci to find Sean and let him know about his daughter. Maureen, there is only so much we, as mothers, can do when our adult children have relationship issues. In fact, in most cases, the more we do, the worse it’s bound to get.”