Page 39 of Securing Samantha
“You’ve got it from here. Hang on to Hope and don’t let her go. You might not find her again.” Kassie smiled as she turned and walked to a waiting Chase. He gave Whiskey a chin lift before pulling away.
Whiskey turned in the direction of the kitchen. He heard the excitement in LJ’s voice as he spoke animatedly with his friends. When he made it to the bar, LJ stopped and took in Whiskey and his furry bundle. He ran over and stopped directly in front of him.
“May I pet your dog, sir? My mom says you never pet an animal without asking for permission first,” he told Whiskey.
He kneeled to eye level and allowed his son to gently pluck the fluffy animal from his arms. Samantha did a damn good job raising his son. “We’ve met. I’m sorry I scared you. My name’s Whiskey,” he introduced himself to his son.
“You fixed my airplane. My mom said you couldn’t help it. You’re a brave man who saved good people and sometimes it makes you sad. When my mom gets sad, I give her a hug and she feels better. Aunt Kassie says my hugs are some of the best she’s ever gotten. I miss her. Uncle Chase says I’ll get to play with Ladybug, June Bug, and Nugget soon.”
“It sounds like a great idea; don’t you have a nickname?” Whiskey inquired.
“No. I’m working on a call sign like my dad. His name was Whiskey too. My mom says nobody can replace him. You might need to change your name. I’ll have to ask my mom.” Distracted by the puppy, LJ put Hope down and began to play.
Saint patted him on the shoulder as he walked past. “I gotta pick up Nugget and take my mom back to the airport. I thought it might be nice for him to have a playmate. Ladybug and June Bug’s staying at Chase and Kassie’s. Ladybug’s having issues with her tummy, they felt it best if they stayed at home. If she’s better tomorrow we’ll have the gang.”
Whiskey nodded and Shadow began to pull pans from the cabinet and Taco laid down puppy pee pads. Luckily Kassie didn’t put carpet in any of the rooms. He almost laughed as he watched his son roll on the floor playing with the dog. Shadow slid a list of puppy instructions in his direction from the new trainer and a schedule to meet her to discuss Hope’s training. Maybe he’d hang on to Hope for a little while.
Whiskey sat on one of the bar stools in the kitchen of the team’s facility. He read through the bedtime routine a second time to make sure he did everything correctly. The only thing he didn’t manage to complete on the list was reading the bedtime story. He asked his son to change into his pajamas and he checked his teeth after he brushed. When LJ pulled out a book telling a story of a daddy coming home with something called PTSD, he choked up.
His tender-hearted son rolled over, shuffled through his backpack and pulled out a tissue and handed it to him. “Here ya go. My mom cries when she reads it too.”
Whiskey nearly came undone. LJ fell asleep before he made it to page six. He closed the book, kissed his son, and tucked him in. He left the door cracked open in case he woke before Whiskey came to bed. He opened the book and finished reading the story with tears in his eyes. Samantha read to their son for him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Samantha rolled over in the bed. She checked the clock for the tenth time. Free of her parenting responsibilities for at least a couple of days, she dreamed of sleeping in. She spent the entire night tossing and turning, worried over Whiskey and wondering how LJ faired with the guys. She rose from the bed and enjoyed a long hot shower. She carefully planned her outfits for the weekend. Today, Bryan planned a visit to the lab to answer some of her questions. Tonight, they agreed to dinner and a play.
She picked up her phone, missing her son. Her fingers hovered over the names to text Whiskey and ask how her son handled their first night together. No. The team promised to stay on standby. If a problem popped up, they knew how to reach out.
She finished dressing when there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find Bryan waiting for her. He scooped her in his arms and gave her a lingering morning kiss. “Did you sleep well?”
“Not really, but the uninterrupted shower helped. Let me grab my list and phone then I’ll be ready,” she told him as she walked back to her room.
“Did you eat?” he called out.
“No, I didn’t get a chance. Can we grab something before heading to the lab?” She placed her phone in her purse and placed her coat on the couch.
“Of course, if we wait a bit, there’s a lovely Italian place around the corner. We can take a stroll and grab a bite to eat,” he offered. “Do you want me to call room service and order some coffee and tea?”
“Oh, yes please.” She waited while he placed the order and hung up the phone.
He took a seat next to her on the couch. “How did the hand off go with your son? Is LJ enjoying his time with Whiskey?”
Since they didn’t plan on leaving soon, she pulled out her phone and checked it again. She frowned. “I don’t know. I’ve left LJ with his uncles before, but for some reason, it’s messing with my nerves.”
“You’re a great mom. Of course, you’re worried. You said these men took care of LJ before and everything worked out. They’ll contact you if an emergency occurs,” he assured her.
She sighed as she glanced at the phone.
“Why don’t you call and check on him?” he suggested.
“Because I don’t want Whiskey to feel as if I don’t trust him. This is important to him. This weekend will set the tone for other visits, and I don’t want to give him the impression I don’t trust him with our son,” she confessed.
“Do you think it’s too soon for him to stay with him?” Bryan pressed.
“Oh no. They both need it. I’m overreacting.” She smiled.
Bryan answered the door took the tray from the server and tipped him. He set the tray in front of Samantha and waited for her to pour the tea. She picked up the tea bags to place in the teapot full of hot water. She gasped as she picked up the wrapper and turned toward Bryan. She held up the wrapper and smiled.