CHAPTER FOUR
Ace stood by the hanger with the rest of his team, his arms crossed, watching as Irish’s silver Bugatti sped into the parking lot.
Irish stepped out with his bag on his shoulder and carrying his rifle in one hand. He walked toward the group with an awkward gait, his legs stiff and his expression somewhere between anger and shame.
Ace squinted, concern tugging at him. Irish was usually unshakable—calm, confident, and steady. Today, he looked like a man who had just gone ten rounds with a bull.
“He’s walking like he’s trying to navigate a minefield blindfolded but secretly hoping one might go off just to end the misery,” Diego stated, earning a few chuckles from the team.
“I don’t know. The dude looks like he has a stick up his ass,” Potter chimed in, and Ace almost burst out laughing.
As Irish approached the group, Ace called out. “What the hell’s up with you? You get into a fight with a bear on your way here?”
Irish waved him off but winced as he adjusted his duffle bag over his shoulder. “I don’t want to talk about it,” Irish muttered, not meeting Ace’s eyes.
Ace raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think you have a choice. You’re walking so carefully I half-expect you to pull out fucking tutu as if you were auditioning for ‘Ballet with the SEALs.’ What’s going on, man?”
“Only if I could get my balls in a fucking tutu,” Irish muttered under his breath. But Ace heard him, and so did the others.
The rest of the team—Potter, Frost, Dino, Diego, Skittles, and Stitch—had gathered around, sensing the promise of entertainment. Irish shifted uncomfortably, his face reddening under the weight of their collective stares.
“It’s stupid,” Irish muttered, shaking his head.
“That’s what makes it worth hearing,” Frost chimed in, grinning. “Spill it, man.”
Irish exhaled loudly like a man preparing to confess to a crime. He set his rifle case down and raked his fingers through his hair. “It’s the damn cat.”
“The cat?” Potter echoed, raising an eyebrow.
“ Mr. Whiskers ,” Irish clarified bitterly, as if the name alone carried a curse.
The team collectively perked up. Everyone knew about Irish’s ongoing feud with his daughter’s cat. Mr. Whiskers was a massive, orange tabby with the temperament of a land shark and a weird obsession with humping clothes.
Ace crossed his arms as he tried like hell to hide his smile. “Alright, start from the beginning. What did Mr. Whiskers do this time?”
Irish sighed, dragging a hand over his face. “Bailey and I were watching TV earlier. I was just sitting there, minding my own business. The next thing I know, Mr. Whiskers starts doing these zoomies like he was possessed. The little psycho tore around the living room like a bat out of hell. I swear to God, he was bouncing off walls.”
Skittles snorted. “Zoomies? Big bad sniper taken down by zoomies? Please tell me this gets worse.”
“Oh, it gets worse,” Irish said darkly. “The furry menace suddenly stops, looks right at me— right at me , like he’s been planning this—and he leaps onto the couch. Specifically, onto me. ”
Dino started laughing. “Wait, wait. You’re saying the cat who hates you decided to jump on your lap out of nowhere?”
Irish nodded grimly. “Exactly. And not just jump on me. He sprawls out like some kind of furry emperor, pinning me to the couch. Bailey’s staring like she’s seen a ghost, and I’m sitting there, too stunned to move. We’re both thinking, ‘What fresh hell is this?’”
By now, the guys were grinning, and Frost was already wiping his eyes. “What’d you do?”
“I tried to move him,” Irish said, his voice lowering like he was revealing a deep, personal tragedy. “Because, you know, I had to take a piss. So, I gently— gently —pick him up, and he just snarls at me. Next thing I know, he digs his claws into my…uh…”
Potter’s eyes widened. “Oh, no.”
“Yep,” Irish confirmed, looking solemn. “Right through my pajama bottoms. Thin as tissue paper, and he got me. Clawed me right in the fucking balls.”
The group exploded into laughter, Stitch almost doubling over as tears streamed down his face.
“You’re telling me,” Diego said between wheezing breaths, “that a cat —a Garfield reject took out the team’s number-one sniper? Gotcha where it hurts most?”
“Sniper to sniper,” Frost added, “that’s a precision strike if I’ve ever heard one.”
“Shut up,” Irish groaned, rubbing his forehead.
Potter wasn’t letting it go. “This is the guy who can take out a target from a mile away, and he gets outsmarted by a house cat. Outstanding. ”
“I mean, really,” Dino chimed in, grinning. “What are you gonna do next time we’re under fire? Call Bailey to send in Mr. Whiskers as backup?”
“Enough!” Irish snapped, but there was no heat in his voice. He sighed. “I told Bailey to call the vet and see about getting that fucker declawed.”
Ace chuckled, clapping Irish on the shoulder. “You could always bring Mr. Whiskers along with you. You know, like your sidekick.”
“Whatever,” Irish muttered. “Let’s just get on the damn plane.”
As they boarded, the team continued ribbing Irish, occasionally meowing or offering tactical advice on how to avoid future feline ambushes. Irish endured it with the long-suffering patience of a man who knew he’d never live this down.
And Ace, despite his best efforts to stay serious, couldn’t help but grin. This was his team—professionals in the field, absolute clowns off-duty. It was just the way he liked it.
Right before they closed the door to the plane, he took out his phone and sent a text to Alex.
Ace: “Getting ready to take off. I love you.”
Within seconds, he got a reply.
Alex: “I love you, too. Be safe.”
Ace: “Always.”
◆◆◆
Alex stepped out of the shower and dried off before pulling on her pajamas. As she walked into the bedroom, she heard her phone buzz with an incoming text.
She picked it up from the nightstand and smiled, seeing that it was from Ace.
Ace: “Getting ready to take off. I love you.”
She quickly typed back her reply.
Alex: “I love you, too. Be safe.”
Ace: “Always.”
With a bit of a heavy heart, she put the phone down, pulled the blanket back, and slid into bed. She sank back against the plush pillows and let out a sigh of relief.
The little one inside her seemed to have settled after what felt like hours of practicing kickboxing against her ribs. She smirked to herself, blaming the ice cream she’d devoured earlier.
“Next time, maybe I’ll settle for a few bites instead of the whole pint,” she muttered, though she knew full well she’d cave the next time she got her hands on the Christmas Cake ice cream.
Even though her body was tired, her mind wasn’t. She decided to go over the list of struggling military families who would be receiving presents that her foundation purchased on Christmas Eve.
As she reached for the green folder on the nightstand, she suddenly realized something was off. Zuma wasn’t sprawled on the bed like he usually was when Ace wasn’t home. She whistled softly, expecting to hear the familiar click of his paws on the hardwood floor. But instead, she got nothing but silence.
“Zuma?” she called, her voice cutting through the quiet house. When silence greeted her again, Alex frowned and pushed herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Getting up was a feat these days, and she let out a grunt as she finally stood. She picked her phone up and slid it into the pocket of her pajama pants.
Padding down the hallway, she opened each bedroom door, peeking inside. “Not here…not here either,” she mumbled, growing more puzzled by the second.
After making her way downstairs, she checked all the rooms, including the bathrooms and Ace’s and her offices. When she still came up empty, a thought struck her, and her heart sank.
Oh, shit. Did I leave him outside?
She rushed into the kitchen and hit the switch to the outside light. She flipped the lock and pushed open the French doors that led to the backyard. As soon as she stepped out onto the patio, she wrapped her arms around her belly for warmth. It was freaking freezing outside.
The chilly night air bit at her cheeks as she scanned the big yard. Just as she was about to step down to the next level of the deck, her eyes shifted to the left and landed on a peculiar sight, making her stop dead in her tracks.
There was Zuma, sprawled out in one of the lounge chairs like he owned the place. His chocolate-brown fur shone under the patio lights, and his head rested lazily on the throw blanket she must’ve left out there.
“Oh my gosh, Zuma,” Alex whispered, both relieved and horrified. I’m the worst dog mom ever, she thought to herself.
She shuffled carefully across the patio, her belly leading the way. “Hey, buddy,” she cooed as she reached out to pet him. Her touch startled him, and Zuma jolted upright, barking once before realizing it was her.
His tail wagged furiously as he leaped off the chair, his excitement sending him barreling into her legs. “Whoa, whoa—Zuma!” Alex cried out, trying to steady herself, but it was no use. Between the dog and her off-center balance, she tipped backward.
In the blink of an eye, the world tilted, and the next thing she knew, she was flat on her back in the bushes that lined the patio.
For a moment, panic bubbled up as she wrapped her arms protectively around her belly. She waited for a moment, afraid to move. But then she felt it, a swift, reassuring kick. “Well, at least someone’s having fun,” she mumbled, smiling despite lying in a bush.
As she glanced around, she couldn’t help but laugh.Of all the places to land, it had to be in the fake bushes she’d insisted on putting in last summer. Ace hated them, calling them “plastic excuses for plants,” but she’d stood her ground. Now, she had to admit they’d come in handy as they cushioned her fall, and she wasn’t all scratched up like she would’ve been had they been real bushes.
“The only problem is, how in the hell do I get up?” she muttered to herself as she tried to roll to the side and get to her knees. But between the tight space and her enormous belly, it made it a bit of a challenge.
Suddenly, Zuma hovered over her, tail wagging like this was the best game ever. He leaned down and started licking her face enthusiastically.
“Zuma, stop!” she laughed, squirming.
The dog, of course, did no such thing. His slobbery tongue made contact with every inch of her face.
Shivering as the cold seeped through her pajamas, Alex remembered her phone tucked in her pocket. With some effort, she pulled it out and dialed the one person she knew would answer.
Tenley picked up on the second ring, her voice groggy but teasing. “If this isn’t life or death, I’m sending you a bill for waking me up.”
Alex couldn’t help but giggle. “How about life or bushes?”
There was a pause. “What?”
“I fell into the bushes, Ten. I need you to come rescue me.”
Tenley’s laugh burst through the line. “Nice one. Seriously, what’s up?”
“I’m not kidding. I’m out back laying in the bushes lining the patio, and I can’t get up.”
Tenley was quiet for a moment before she answered. “Are you being serious right now?”
Alex rolled her eyes. “Yes! If you don’t believe me, look out your laundry room window that faces our patio, and you should see Zuma standing by the bushes. You won’t see me because I’m literally in the bushes.”
Alex could hear Tenley shuffling around and knew she was going to check. Alex couldn’t fault her, though, because they were known to play pranks on each other.
“Holy shit!” Tenley’s voice shouted, and Alex pulled the phone away from her ear. “What? How? Shit, are you okay?” Tenley fired off questions.
Alex couldn’t help but laugh. “I think I’m okay. I’ll explain when you get here.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t go anywhere.”
Alex snorted. “Well, if I could move, I wouldn’t have called you,” Alex teased and heard Tenley laughing before disconnecting the call.
A few minutes later, Tenley appeared, flashlight in hand, as she walked through the gate that connected their backyards. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted Alex sprawled in the bushes, with Zuma happily licking her face. She covered her to try and hide her laughter, but she was doing a horrible job because the whole neighborhood could hear her.
Once she calmed down, she stood up straight, wiping her eyes. “Do you miss those secret government missions so much you had to start rolling around in the bushes for old times’ sake?” Tenley teased, her hands resting on her hips. “
Alex laughed, swatting at Zuma. “Ha, ha. Very funny. Are you going to help me, or just stand there making jokes?”
Tenley grinned, setting the flashlight down and pulling out her phone. “A little bit of both, obviously.”
Alex looked at her friend. “Why are you getting your phone out?” she asked.
Tenley laughed. “What? Did you think I wasn’t going to get a picture of this?”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Alex growled, giving her bestie a playful glare.
“Oh, yes, I am,” she replied as she held up her phone and smiled. “Say cheese!”
“Tenley!” she shouted, but it was too late as the flash from the phone blinded her.
Tenley was laughing as she tucked her phone into her pocket.
“I can’t wait to show everyone that.”
“Just grab my hands,” Alex told her, trying not to laugh at herself.
“I think we should call for backup. Maybe the guy down at the end of the street who has the forklift?” Tenley said as she doubled over in laughter.
Alex’s mouth hung open, but then she burst out laughing, making Tenley laugh even harder.
“Alright, give me your hands,” Tenley said, laughter still evident in her eyes.
As soon as their hands met, Tenley started to gently pull as Alex rolled a little bit to the side to get her legs under her.
“This better count as my workout for the day because I’m working up a sweat here,” Tenley commented, and Alex almost lost it.
“Tenley, please stop before we both start laughing again, and you drop me. And that won’t be good because I have to pee, and I don’t want to pee my pants.”
With one last good pull, Alex found herself back on her feet. As soon as they let go of each other, they burst into a fit of giggles as the absurdity of the situation was too much to contain.
“Only you, Alex,” Tenley said, shaking her head as she picked up her flashlight and the baby monitor. “Now explain. How in the world did you end up in the bush to begin with?”
Alex grinned before explaining how she had left Zuma outside and then how, when she found him, he was so excited that he bumped into her and made her lose her balance.
“This is definitely one moment to add to our list,” Tenley said, giving Alex a hug.
“I think this one is going straight to the top of the list,” Alex replied, still giggling.
“I can’t wait to get back to the house, pull up the security camera, and watch it all unfold,” Tenley said with a shit-eating grin on her face. “In fact, between our cameras and yours,” she said pointing to the camera attached to the house and aimed at the patio, “I’m sure we will have some pretty good angles of your gracefulness.”
Alex completely forgot about the cameras. But the thought of watching it made her laugh again, knowing that it had to look hilarious.
“I’ll never live this down,” Alex muttered to herself, and Tenley laughed.
“Not a chance in hell.” Tenley then sobered, and her nurse persona came to the forefront. “In all seriousness, you’re okay, right? Nothing hurts or feels weird?”
Alex smiled. “I’m good. I promise. I can feel the baby moving around.”
“Alright. Well, I better get back over to the house. I’ll see you tomorrow for our baking day.” She hugged Alex. “Call me if you need anything else.”
“Will do. And thanks for saving me,” Alex said with a grin.
“Finally! I get to be the hero,” Tenley joked before saying goodnight and walking back over to her house.
Alex looked down and shook her head at Zuma, who was prancing around the deck. “Now that you’ve had your fun, are you ready to go to bed now?”
Zuma looked up at her, his head tilted to the side, and barked as if answering her question.
She reached down and patted his head. “Come on, boy. Let’s try and get some rest. We got a big day of baking tomorrow.”
As the two of them walked into the house, Alex locked the door and headed upstairs. The first thing she did was go pee. Then she gave herself a quick look over to make sure she wasn’t bleeding anywhere or anything before she changed her pajamas since she had been lying on the ground.
When she walked out of the closet, she found Zuma already curled up in Ace’s spot on the spot and half asleep. When Ace was home, Zuma either slept at the foot of the bed or on the floor.
All the excitement made her sleepy. She hit the button on her sound machine and hit the light next to the bed. As soon as she slid into the bed and wrapped her body around her body pillow, she found herself quickly falling asleep as the sound of rain echoed in the room.