“I know, man,” Alex replied. “And believe me, I feel like shit tossing a grenade in your lap.”
“It’s not your fault. As you said, you’ve been trying to manage the situation, but the thing got out of hand. This one is on Al-Awadi. But I’ll tell you what. I’ll be having a little chat with my DoJ contacts and do what I can to make sure there’s a severe government-style DFP at the end of this. Something special for him.”
Alex drawled, “Good. If anyone needs a disciplinary fudge packing, it’s the Cowboy Prince. Dumbass shithead.”
“Hey, listen. Angie’s in the shower, and I just heard the water turn off. I’d better go.”
“Call Sawyer and tell him what time to expect you. I need you here by lunchtime so figure accordingly. Some things are on hold that need your input.”
“Right. Understood. My love to Red. See you tomorrow.”
He quickly ended the call and tossed the phone aside as the sound of his wife’s footsteps signaled her approach.
She was naked and had a playful expression that quickly vanished when she saw him.
He grimaced when her searching eyes found his discarded cell phone. Her shoulders slumped, and a furious case of lip biting broke out.
“I’ll get dressed,” she murmured before running into the suite’s bedroom.
“Handled that real well,” he muttered out loud.
His wife gave him ten minutes to work on his story before she rejoined him and wasted no time.
“The honeymoon’s over, isn’t it?”
Idly picking at her steak salad, Angie went through the motions of pretending to eat under her husband’s watchful, concerned eyes. She knew the second he glimpsed an opening, he would start talking again, and right now, she wanted him and his stupid man-logic to shut up. She needed time to think, so they sat in awkward silence in a busy LA restaurant.
How exactly was she supposed to react to finding out the husband she’d known her entire life had a secret spy thing or something like that going on? And she’d never known or suspected even though they’d been together for some of the time.
Angie wasn’t sure whether to feel stupid or admire the fuck out of her new husband for honoring the constraints of government confidentiality.
She pushed some of the greens on her plate to one side and set about cutting a thin slice of rare steak into minuscule bites. Busy hands to hide the furious analysis inside her head.
Did his parents know about their son’s secret life?
And if they did, would that mean her parents also knew?
Escalating anxiety was gnawing in her gut. It didn’t matter one bit that his involvement was in the past tense. For her, even the slightest suggestion that Parker was in danger or at risk was something she couldn’t handle.
The fork and knife clattered against the china plate when she dropped them to wring her hands beneath the table. She was barely able to breathe and was feeling lightheaded.
“Honey? Are you okay?”
Knowing she’d never live it down if she fainted and face planted into her dish at a swank Los Angeles five star, Angie willed her fear to back off.
She could do this. Maybe.
He got up and calmly slid into the empty chair next to hers. “Easy, love. I’ve got you, Angie.”
Her hand was in his firm, reassuring grasp. Angling into him, she murmured against his shoulder, “I need some air. Can we go for a walk? A slow walk?”
He took care of everything, and before she knew it, they were on a park bench along a bike and walking path with a view of the ocean. Producing two small bags from the Starbucks drive-thru, he broke a big chocolate chip cookie in half and handed her a piece. The other bag contained a thick slice of banana walnut bread. Her husband was a clever man. Both were her favorites, and they would often share the guilty pleasure—each of them getting half of the two treats.
“Feeling any better?” he asked after brushing the cookie crumbs off her chest.
She nodded but quietly added, “It’s a lot to take on.”
“I’m sorry, baby girl.”
“No, no. Don’t do that, okay? I’m not a baby and being sorry for keeping an oath and doing the right thing can’t be part of this.”
“But I’m upset that you’re affected.”
“That’s different,” she told him. “Please don’t be sorry, Parker. I understand more than you think.”
He looked at her with a question in his eyes.
“Alexander. Remember? This isn’t my first patriotic rodeo.”
“The timing couldn’t be worse.”
She nodded with a deep sigh and held his arm. “Meghan. Oh, my. Lacey and Victoria!”
“Oh, right,” Parker murmured. “I forgot.”
“Forgot?”
“The details are murky because well, whatever, but the tale in the middle involves Lacey.”
She looked him in the eye.
“She went into labor at the reception.”
Angie snapped upright and barked, “Ex-squeeze me?”
“Yep, yep. Everyone knew, which is how we got hustled away from the party so efficiently. Miss Lily Rose Cameron entered the world the next day.”
Gasping with delight, Angie nearly exploded from the joy racing through her body.
“Are mom and baby okay?”
He smiled and kissed her nose. “Yes, my angel. I think she’s a tiny little thing, but Alex said Cam is in love and Lacey’s current address is cloud nine.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. And Meghan? Is she okay?”
“To be honest, Angie … I think she’s going to need you. She’ll need all the ladies to help her get through. Alex has far too much worry for someone whose head has to be on straight. Meghan, their babies, everyone else.” He ended with a shrug.
Angie thought about her big brother and the everybody else Parker referred to. The resurrection of Team Justice affected so many people that she couldn’t wrap her mind around it.
Her whirling emotions began to calm, and the thoughts acting like bumper cars in her head started to slow down. The twinkling rings on her left hand caught Angie’s attention. She reached for the delicate gold chain and diamond heart that hung around her neck and touched it where it lay on her skin.
She was a friend, a daughter, a sister, a daughter-in-law, almost an aunt, and most importantly, a wife. And she had an important role to play in what was unfolding back home in Arizona.
With Alex heading back into the danger zone, their parents would need watching. So would a very pregnant Sophie.
Meghan and the twins had a category all their own. It would fall to Angie to keep an eye on things at the Villa.
Stephanie and Calder would probably take care of Tori, who would, in turn, focus on Red and Lacey.
And then there were Parker’s parents. Aunt Wendy and Uncle Matt. She’d have to work overtime to convince them she was all right while simultaneously ensuring they also hung in there.
Recalling her impassioned honeymoon speech about needing to be a wife who took care of her husband, she knew how to proceed. Her mom always told Angie and Sophie to pull up their big girl knickers and get on with things—and that was exactly what she intended to do.
Alex needed to keep his wits. Shit. The whole team did. And the best way to ensure that happened was for the home front situation to be under control.
She knew what to do, starting with no more serious talk. They still had tonight. Tomorrow would have to wait.
“Hey,” she teased. “Are you planning to bogart the banana bread? ‘Cause I’m prepared to wrestle you for it.”
Parker’s amused snort broke the heaviness that ten seconds ago had hovered around them.
“Wrestling you say?” He nodded and smirked. “I could do wrestling.”
“Tell you what,” she purred in a tone Angie knew he found sexy. “Let’s make a new game. Strip poker and naked wrestling. Combine the two and call it Strip Wrestling.”
“Winner decides?” he teased.
He laughed and put an arm around her for a squeeze-a-licious hug.
“Mrs. Sullivan, I do believe you’re trying to seduce me.”
What could she do except laugh and hug him back?
THE END
Other Books by Suzanne Halliday
The Justice Brothers
Broken Justice
Fixing Justice
Redeeming Justice
Original Justice (novella)
Family Justice
Always
Desert Angel
Sanctuary
Unchained
Dear Bella (novella)
Unforgettable
Everlasting
Wilde Women
Wilde Forever
Wilde Heart
Wilde Magic
Bishop’s Pawn
Checkmate
The Gideon Affair
The Wedding Affair
To the usual suspects ~ thanks as always
Jenny Sims
Editor
Ashley Baumann
Cover Design
Stacey Blake
Queen of Formatting
Ella Fox
Best Daughter in the Universe
Team Halliday
Vegas bound ~Fall 2017!
Suzanne Halliday writes what she knows and what she loves – sexy contemporary romance featuring strong men and spirited women. Her love of creating short stories for friends and family developed into a passion for writing romantic fiction with a sensual edge. She finds the world of digital, self-publishing to be the perfect platform for sharing her stories and also for what she enjoys most of all – reading. When she’s not on a deadline you’ll find her loading up on books to devour.
No longer wandering because the desert southwest finally claimed her, these days instead of digging out from a snowstorm you can still find Suzanne with 80’s hair band music playing in the background, kids running in and out, laptop on with way too many screens open, something awesome in the oven, and a mug of hot tea clutched in one hand.
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Honeymoon Angel: A Family Justice Novella Page 14