“You’re just jealous I don’t have sand up my ass, princess.”
“Do you really want to go there?” Even though Logan didn’t want to admit it, Alex was right. His team had been out all day on maneuvers and were on their way back to base when the haboob hit. Less than four clicks from camp when the billowy wall of dust coated them in hot grit. It sucked donkey balls.
“By the way, the captain wants to see you.”
Logan cocked an eyebrow. “Did he say why?”
“Nope. Not a word.”
“Well, fuck. This day just keeps getting better and better.”
“Have you been up to shit I don’t know about?”
“How would that be possible? Besides, you’re the troublemaker. But c’mon, ‘he wants to see me?’ That’s never good.” It had to be a problem or he’d have caught up with him at mess. “Wanna bet?” Logan asked as he stowed his gear and sat on his bunk to pull off his boots.
“Sure. Fifty bucks.”
“You’re betting fifty bucks, and he didn’t say a word about why he wanted to see me?”
“Yup. And no, he didn’t. I’ve got one of those feelings.”
“Are you sure it’s not your lunch?” Alex flipped him the bird as Logan went to grab a shower. There was no ‘asap’ with the message, and he’d rather not be covered in sand when he saw the captain. He needed water and lots of it.
The shower took care of most of the grit, but enough stayed behind to make his skin feel like he’d rubbed it raw with sandpaper. They’d been wearing full gear, but the sand managed to find a way inside of everything anyway.
Twenty minutes later he saluted the captain in his office. Captain Durant was career military, third generation, and did everything by the book. It could have made things rough, but he was a decent man. Rules were rules, but when it came down to it, he’d always put the men first.
“At ease, lieutenant.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Anything to report?”
“No, sir. Just another haboob.”
“I’m glad to hear the only issue was a little sand.” Easy for him to say, he wasn’t caught in it.
“Is there a problem, sir?”
“Not at all. I’ve got an assignment for you. You’ll have to go stateside for a few days.”
“Stateside? What’s up, sir?
“The colonel needs someone to give a briefing at MacDill. Word around camp is that your anniversary is coming up, and I don’t want to deal with the colonel so you can do it for me, and spend a little quality time with Chloe.” Alex strikes again. No wonder he wanted to make the bet. He’s been flapping his dick beaters again.
“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate the opportunity.”
“You won’t be thanking me when you give the briefing, trust me. But at least you’ll have a few days with your family.” The captain handed him a thick envelope. “Your presentation material. The colonel was his usual pompous self, but then when isn’t he? This should have you covered. Basically, you just need to tell them what we’re up against, be blunt, anything else won’t fly.”
“I understand. I’ll do what I can.”
“Get your gear together, your transport leaves at eighteen hundred hours. See you in four days, Logan and give my best to Chloe.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” He couldn’t wait to let her know he was coming home. Or he should just show up at the house? It would be one hell of a surprise that’s for sure. Logan didn’t know whether to shit or go blind. It took all of his years of service to maintain his demeanor until he got out of the captain’s office. He had to find Alex and let him know, although he’d bet another fifty he already did.
Chapter Two
“Let me get this straight. You’re almost four months pregnant, and you had no idea? How is that even possible?” Chloe couldn’t believe it either. How had she missed all the signs? It’s not like it was her first rodeo, but her periods had never been regular, and it made it harder to keep track.
“Yup, apparently. Holy crap. A baby…” Her voice trailed off as the magnitude of the situation hit her. Would Logan be happy about another baby? They had never talked about it, and after Bella, she pretty much figured they were done. Maybe this one would be a boy. Oh man. She’d have more kids than hands; things were going to get really complicated.
“You okay?”
“I think so. Wait. Of course, I am. In shock, but totally good. Uh huh. Yup. Oh my God, a baby.”
Lily snorted. “No shit? It’s just dawning on you now? Just wait until you’re huge and have to pee every ten minutes. We’ve been down this road. I didn’t think we were traveling it again.”
Chloe giggled. She hadn’t planned on it either. So much for trusting condoms. But it’s not like she was upset, she was thrilled. But the prospect of being almost thirty-two and raising another child on her own was daunting. “Sorry, brat. Looks like you’re in for a third go ‘round.”
Chloe was sorry, too, especially after she caught the wistful gaze Lily tried to hide. She and Alex had tried for years to have a baby with no luck. They’d been married about eight years but with Alex away like Logan, it wasn’t like she could try infertility treatments. Somehow, Chloe had managed to get pregnant at Christmas when Logan was home. What were the odds? It was time to buy a lottery ticket.
“It’s okay. You know how much I love the whole birth thing. Maybe we’ll be lucky, and Logan will be home this time.”
Rolling her eyes, she dug her keys out of her purse and opened the door of Lily’s car. “Want to come in for a while? I don’t have to pick up the kids for a couple of hours.”
“I can’t. I have a deadline on the ad campaign for El Tucan. Remember? I told you about it, remember? The new Mexican restaurant opening next month. They need the presentation by the end of the week, and I’m only about half done…unless you need me?”
“No, I’m good. Maybe Henry will show up early to fix the sink.”
“Don’t count on it, but if he does be careful of the crack, it’s deep.” She snorted at her own joke. “Call or text if you need anything,” Lily yelled through her open window as she backed out of the driveway.
Chloe stepped into the peaceful house. A glance at the clock on the stove told her there were about two hours before it would be time to get the girls. Not sure what to do, she’d turned on the Keurig and grabbed her favorite mug, the one the kids had made for Mother’s Day last year with Lily’s help. She owed Lily a lot. She’d been so worried the doctor was going to tell her something horrible she’d been afraid to go alone. Stupid. She should have known she was pregnant. Even with all the Zumba classes, her pants were tighter than ever, and the scale had been going in the wrong direction. She’d been hoping to lose another ten pounds before Logan came home, now she’d be huge if this pregnancy was like the other two. Logan…damn how was she going tell him? On Facetime? It should have been an in-person discussion.
By the time the Keurig was ready she’d remembered the rule. No coffee while I’m pregnant. Shit. It was almost the worst part, no coffee for months was absolute torture. She’d done it twice before and survived, she reminded herself. With a shrug, she grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the fridge. It would be her drink for the rest of the pregnancy and as long as she breastfed—six or seven months at least.
A yawn convinced her that a nap would be the perfect way to spend the next couple of hours. She grabbed a blanket from the back of the recliner and curled up on the couch. Yawning again as she put her head on the pillow, she was asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes.
Next thing she knew her phone was screaming. The alarm dragged her out of her dream and back to reality. Thank God she had the alarm set for daily reminders, or she’d have slept through the pickup. Disaster averted. She ran upstairs to brush her teeth and change her T-shirt. When she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she groaned. She looked like crap. Tangled hair, pale skin, and dark circles. Welcome to pregnancy, when would the ‘
glowing’ start? Brushing out the tangles, she pulled it back into a ponytail, ran downstairs, and grabbed a water bottle on her way out the door.
The carpool lane was backed up as usual, but at least she wasn’t late. Pulling up to the curb, Bella’s teacher opened the passenger door and leaned in as the girls climbed into the back seat.
“Hi, Mrs. Mitchell. Have a great afternoon. Bye, girls. See you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Swain, you too.”
She closed the door and backed away as Chloe checked the rearview mirror. She pulled into to traffic and the afternoon marathon was on, gymnastics for Lexie, ballet for Bella and then home for dinner and homework. She was exhausted just thinking about it.
***
Not only had Alex known about the assignment, but he’d given him a brochure for the Casa Blanca resort at Barefoot Bay. After he had found out Logan was going home, he and Lily made reservations for their anniversary gift. Sneaky bastard. What surprised him, even more, was Lily hadn’t slipped and told Chloe he was coming home. If everything went according to plan, it would be one helluva surprise.
He’d made the transport with a half hour to spare and settled in for the long flight to Germany, then on to Florida and home. He worked on the presentation during the trip so he wouldn’t have to deal with it when he was with Chloe. Just thinking about holding her in his arms put a grin on his face and a lightness in his heart he hadn’t felt since he’d left after Christmas. It had been difficult—more than ever—to leave and go back to the desert. He wasn’t getting any younger, and the girls were growing like weeds without him there to see it. With a shake of his head to get rid of his morose thoughts, he pulled out the glossy brochure of the Moroccan-inspired Casa Blanca resort. Alex and Lily had spent way too much. He’d said as much to Alex, who’d responded with his usual smirk and standard, “what are friends for?” It would be a great way to celebrate, and Chloe would love it.
The only hitch in the whole trip was MacDill. The Air Force Base would be about a three-hour drive from the resort, and he’d spend all of Monday away from Chloe while he made the presentation. But it was worth it to have the rest of the weekend with the love of his life. Ten years of marriage. And he loved her more than the day he spoke his vows while staring into her sky-blue eyes, swimming with unshed tears.
After checking out all the amenities available, he called and set up a day at the Eucalyptus Spa for Chloe. It would be perfect, she’d be pampered and relaxed. Then when he returned from MacDill they’d have a romantic dinner at Junonia, the resort’s upscale restaurant. Perfect. Now if he could concentrate on the damn presentation and get it done and out of the way.
The flight stretched on for what seemed like forever, and he’d crossed more time zones than he wanted to remember. Frustration sucked at his pleasure, he’d never been one to wait for anything, and age had done nothing to mellow his disposition. It took all of his willpower not to text Chloe and see how she and the girls were doing. But it would have sent off flares, and she would have known something was going on. He needed to suck it up—another ‘Alex-ism.’ Sun glinted on the plane’s window and drew his attention. As it made the final approach, Logan watched as the gentle waves of the Atlantic Ocean broke against the sand. He was home—finally.
It had been arranged for Lily to be waiting for him at Fitzsimmons AFB and drive him home. Being Lily, it was debatable whether or not she’d be on time. Her lack of punctuality was a standing joke with all of them, especially her husband, who complained she would be late to her own funeral.
It turned out he didn’t have to worry; she was waiting for him as he climbed down the steps, and she was in regular clothes. “Holy shit, girl. You didn’t have to get dressed up for me,” he said, pulling her into a bear hug.
“It wasn’t for you, jerk. Alex told me the captain didn’t appreciate my lack of decorum when I came on base. I wanted to tell him to go take a flying…”
Logan saluted as the colonel approached and he was thankful Lily stopped short before she said what he figured was coming next. That’s all he would have needed.
“Colonel. Nice to see you, sir.”
““Lieutenant Mitchell. That’s right, Captain Durant said he was sending you to give the briefing. He assured me you’d be able to handle whatever we throw at you.”
“Yes, sir. No problem. The briefing is over ninety percent complete. I’ll double check with the captain for any updates and be ready on Monday.”
“Excellent. Don’t enjoy your R&R too much. I expect you to be on time. You know it’s at MacDill, correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, well then I’ll see you Monday. Carry on.” With a nod at Lily, he continued on to the helicopter waiting on the pad.
“Damn, woman, that was close. You need to watch your tongue.”
“Don’t tell Alex, please.”
Logan grinned. “No problem, kiddo. I need to check in and make sure everything is set. I’ll meet you out front. I want to get out of here before someone else comes along.”
“You got it. I can’t wait to see the look on Chloe’s face when she sees you. She’s going to shit a brick.”
“I kind of hope she doesn’t, I’d really rather get a little different reaction.”
Lily winked at him and walked around to the front of the building to wait for him. Logan was already counting down the minutes until he could pull his wife into his arms. It had been almost five months since he’d seen her, not as long as most times, but damn if it didn’t feel like forever.
Grabbing his paperwork, he was outside in no time and climbing into the passenger seat. “How Alex doing?”
“Same as always, I know he misses you. We’re both pretty much over Afghanistan at this point. This tour has sucked the life out of both of us.”
“I wish he’d ask to be stationed here. You guys are always gone.” Her words echoed what he’d been thinking on the plane. But the fastest way up the chain of command was to be in the field. He still had over ten years before he could think about retiring. The army was all he knew.
“I know it’s hard for you. For Chloe too, especially with the kids.” He saw her grimace and realized he’d put his size thirteen foot right in it. Damn. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’ve kind of given up on the whole idea of kids. Besides with Alex gone all the time…” Her words trailed off as she turned onto their street. He could see the house and his heart sped up in anticipation.
“Ready, soldier?”
“Oh hell yeah.” As she pulled the car into the driveway, she blew the horn. Her usual arrival announcement. He followed her to the kitchen door.
“Hey guys, I brought a surprise,” Lily announced as she opened the door. Lexie asked if it was doughnuts, and he had to stifle his laugh as he stepped through the door. Chloe looked up and dropped the glass she was washing into the sink, and the sound of glass shattering echoed in the instant silence.
“Surprise!”
Chapter Three
“Logan? How the…?” She stopped herself before the “curse patrol” could jump all over her. The girls charged her husband as he attempted to step into the kitchen. They wrapped their little arms around his waist, and he lifted them into his arms. It never ceased to surprise her how strong he was.
“Daddy!”
“How are my little princesses?” Logan kissed them on their foreheads, but his gaze was locked on Chloe.
Heat crawled up her cheeks as she remembered how she looked—hair in a ponytail, dark circles, no makeup—he was not catching her at her best or even semi-best. Oh well, that’s what no warning got him. Emotions raced through her mind as she tried to pin one down. Stunned. Confused. Elated. She didn’t know how it happened but she sure as shit wasn’t complaining. Then she caught Lily’s knowing smile and realized it’s why she’d been avoiding her since yesterday. She’d never have been able to keep the secret if she’d been around.
A dishtowel was thrust into her hands, whi
ch were still in the hot soapy water along with the shattered glass. She blinked and smiled at Lily, who said with her usual snarkiness, “Are you just going to stand there? Shit, woman!” Lily was lucky the girls were busy with Logan, or they’d have jumped all over her about her cursing.
As she snapped out of her momentary stupor, she dried her hands and tossed the towel on the counter, and she ran toward Logan, throwing herself into his arms. He had just enough time to put the girls down and catch her. Their lips met in a scorching kiss, heating her from the inside out. It might have only been almost five months, but it felt more like forever. Chloe melted into his arms, wrapped hers around his neck, and pressed her body against his hard chest. As she searched his face, she saw he looked tired too, and there were new little lines near his sapphire blue eyes. He must have seen her concern, and he smiled.
“A special assignment came up. I wasn’t going to turn down a chance to see my girls.” He lowered her to the floor but kept his arm around her waist, keeping her tight against his side. She’d missed the sound of his voice and his smile, but not being able to touch him or hold him had left a gaping hole in her chest. But as with every other time he’d come home, it was always as magical as the first.
The girls were jumping up and down in front of him and talking over each other while trying to get his attention. From experience, it would last a couple of hours before the household settled down again. It was okay, she didn’t care how crazy his homecomings were as long he returned to them.
Chloe kissed Logan’s neck and whispered, “Welcome home, sexy.” His eyes twinkled, and he winked.
“I have a bigger surprise for you.”
“Better than you coming home?”
“Yup.” The girls were still chattering, and Chloe didn’t want to keep him from them even though she was dying to know what the additional surprise could be.
Barefoot Bay: A Soldier's Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Beyond Valor Book 2) Page 2