Chapter 23 Noah
Chapter Twenty-Three
NOAH
The investigation into Everly’s stalker was taking longer than I expected it to. In between all of that we needed to fit in preparing for the mission we were being paid for.
Things were not much different with Everly.
She started rehearsal for both vocal and choreography for the upcoming tour.
We were both exhausted by the time we got home each night.
Then of course we needed cart Skylar where she needed to go, watch her rehearse, help with homework. Adulting was not fun.
It wasn't an excuse for our attitudes. We both had demanding jobs, I would always be planning missions for the foreseeable future and Everly would be on tour. We needed to make time for one another or we would crumble before we had the chance to properly begin again.
One thing we didn’t make time for was speaking to Skylar. Instead, we slept in separate beds and had to be satisfied with stolen kisses. And while I didn’t want to force things, I didn’t want to lie to my kid either. With that in mind I sent Everly a text.
Noah: Tonight. You, me and Skylar. Dinner at Waite’s
I didn’t have to wait long for her to respond.
Everly: Okay. Sure. I’ve never been there for dinner. Is this because you want to talk to Sky about us?
Noah: Yes. And because I believe it’s the best steak in a 100 mile radius and I want to try it.
Everly: Okay. But be warned, kiddo expressed an inclination to be vegetarian last week. I don't know if it will stick, but rather be prepared.
I frowned down at the phone. A vegetarian? Really? The kid scarfed down bacon like nobody’s business regularly.
Noah: Well as long as she hasn’t made that decision between breakfast this morning and when we get to the restaurant, we should be fine.
I put my phone on my desk as Bex and Trey walked into my office. They were the only two sureties on the team I was taking on the op. I needed two more. Jared and Oliver looked to be the most likely with Nick as backup.
Nick had a policy that no one, whether they had kids or not, would do more than four out of every five missions. It was the whole point of hiring Trey and I, as well as Jack Moss as soon as his contract with the Navy was up.
Lilly also insisted that as soon as the op was over that I take some paternity leave. Even if it was just for a few weeks, she wanted me to take the time to get to know my daughter. Sort of like an intense daddy-daughter workshop. Her words, not mine.
I had to admit that I liked the idea of doing that. But maybe over the summer I could take the time off. That way, Sky wouldn’t be going to school every day. Though, I could think of ways for Everly and I to spend our time while she was out of the house.
But that was something for a different day. I had two teammates in front of me who were hoping I had news for when we would be leaving on our mission.
Bex sat in the office chair on the other side of my desk, while Trey leaned against the wall. “Please tell me we can get this one off the books?”
“Looks like we will be going in the next few weeks.” I pushed the report Jared had compiled toward her. “Something is coming up from Argentina. DEA wants our help, and the FBI is aware that we’re involved. Lilly had to smooth over a few feathers there.”
Trey crossed over his arms and gave me a bored look. “Do we know who else is going with us? I mean we need to finalize the team before we go.”
I frowned. “I agree that it would be good to know exactly who was going but that’s why all of us are training. So we know who does what, no matter the combination.”
I didn’t understand why he was questioning it.
Even Jake, Mason, and Anna had been training with us.
All of us were replaceable and all of us could slot in anywhere.
Yeah, having Mason as the designated sniper was always preferred, but all of us were pretty good shots.
If anything happened to me, pretty much anyone else could lead the team.
We were that good. Nick made sure that everyone went through extensive training once they were employed that complimented most of our military training.
We were the best at what we did, there was no need to question which teammate would be doing what on any given mission.
Not moving from his spot against the wall, he just shrugged. “I was just curious, that is all.”
I continued to go through all the information that Jared had given us and we all agreed that we needed to be in place when the shipment arrived from Argentina.
We’d already been in contact with the SEAL team down there, and they would be ready to apprehend anyone before they had a chance to alert their counterparts in the United States.
I would contact them and fill them in on our final plans. It really did help to have contacts all everywhere. If only I could use those resources to keep my family safe.
My family? I let the idea roll around in my head.
Sky and Everly were my family. Sky was my blood, and Everly was her mother.
But besides that, Everly was the woman I wanted.
The one I wanted in my bed and in my home.
She was already in my heart, and I wanted her to stay there with everything I had.
Obviously, she wouldn’t take my name, but I was okay with that.
One of the things I planned on discussing with both of them was changing Sky’s last name.
But Everly would have my ring and, if and when she was ready, she would have more of my babies.
The idea of her being pregnant brought a smile to my face.
Bex clicked her fingers a few times. “Earth to lovesick puppy.” I gave her my full attention and she smiled at me. “I had a thought about the stalker.”
“I’m listening.” I sat up straight and pushed all thoughts of a pregnant Everly to the back of my mind. “Trey, if you want to bring another chair in, do so. But I understand if you’d rather not be here.”
It was approaching five o’clock, and the Everly case was not part of our normal case load. While Trey had installed her alarm system, there was no way I would make him work overtime on a personal issue.
Trey shook his head. “I’m good. I want to help as well. And I don’t need a chair.”
I nodded and gestured for Bex to continue.
She took a deep breath before she spoke. “Lilly said the guy probably had a record that was why he wiped down every surface in her house.”
“Yes. Jared couldn’t find anyone with a record. Even though that asshole Ricky was in town, there’s no way to prove that he was in Everly’s house.”
“That’s just it.” Bex waved her hands as she spoke. “What if he had been in her house before. What if there was a perfectly good reason for his prints to be in her house.”
“Bex, I’m not following.” At least I hoped I wasn’t following. She was taking the case in a very disturbing direction.
“What if, by leaving his fingerprints, he basically narrowed the pool down to just the people that had been in her house recently. So, that Ricky guy has a record for a DUI over a decade ago. But he’s not the only person in Everly’s life with fingerprints on record.
All three of us have been fingerprinted.
In fact, everyone who works here except for Sue.
Even Everly’s work colleagues who’ve been overseas have been printed. ”
I narrowed my eyes at her feeling increasingly uncomfortable. “It’s a stretch.”
Trey moved forward and leaned against my desk. “He’s right. According to the forensics some of those pictures were from magazines dated from when she released her album. The man has been around for a while. Surely, she would’ve noticed something was off, if it was someone she knew.”
Bex shook her head. “I think we need to give everyone on her list a second look and investigate from there.”
We each threw out some more ideas before I called time for the night. “We’re not going to solve this now and I have a date with my two favorite ladies.”
Twenty minutes later I was at the bottom of the stairs at the B&B waiting for said favorite ladies. I didn’t quite understand what was taking each of them so long. I had texted Everly over an hour ago and surely she would’ve texted Sky immediately.
I figured since I was waiting for them, I might as well change from my gray pants into dark jeans. I stepped into my bedroom and the sight before me was one to behold.
Everly was completely naked with one leg on the bed, rubbing lotion into her silky skin. My breath caught in my throat and inhaling was a thing of the past. Never had I seen anything so incredibly erotic and intimate at the same time.
“Oh.” She looked over at me and smiled. “I hope you don’t mind me using your room to get done, Sky was using the shower in mine, and I figured we’d save some time if I used yours.”
I nodded and swallowed. “That makes sense.”
Though, I was pretty sure that anything she said, at that moment, I would have agreed to.
“Good.” Her smile still lit up the room. “Then give me a few more minutes and I will be downstairs.”
I nodded and walked out the door, hard as rock and counting the ways I could convince her to give me the opportunity to put lotion all over her body.