Chapter Eighteen #2
Willow moved toward her and scooped Lily into her arms.
Lily squealed and immediately wrapped both arms around her neck.
“You swim, Mommy!”
“I did.”
Willow kissed her wet cheek. She relaxed into the moment, laughing and playing with Lily as though nothing else in the world mattered. It wasn’t until later that she realized she hadn’t thought about her scars even once.
Looking down at her daughter, Willow smiled.
Maybe Alex was right. Maybe the scars weren’t reminders of everything Chen had done to her, but proof that he hadn’t won. He had taken so much from her, but he hadn’t taken her life, her strength, or her freedom.
Jay Bird had been pretending to listen to Joker for the better part of five minutes, but it wasn’t working.
“You’re not listening to a damn word I’m saying, are you?” Joker finally asked.
Jay Bird took a drink of his water without looking away from the pool. “Nope.”
Bear laughed.
Playboy followed Jay Bird’s line of sight. “You know she’s not going anywhere, right?”
“Yep.”
Bear leaned back in his chair. “Leave him alone.”
“I’m not doing anything,” Playboy protested.
“That’s because you enjoy breathing,” Aussie said, which earned several laughs.
Jay Bird finally dragged his attention away from Willow long enough to glare at them.
Nobody looked particularly concerned. He had known this was coming eventually. His teammates had shown remarkable restraint over the past month, probably because they understood Willow’s situation and because they knew him well enough not to push.
But the grace period seemed to have expired.
Snow grinned. “So, how’s domestic life?”
Jay Bird stared at him.
Snow’s grin widened. “You’ve got a woman living in your house, a toddler who apparently owns you, flowers in your yard, and rumor has it you have a playset being delivered.”
Jay Bird looked at Bear. “Who told them about the playset?”
Bear raised both hands. “Wasn’t me.”
“Amira,” Joker said.
That explained everything.
Jay Bird shook his head. The funny thing was, none of it bothered him. A month ago, his house had been quiet.
Now there were toys scattered across the living room, flowers blooming outside, toddler cups filling his cabinets, and tiny shoes he nearly killed himself tripping over every day.
Willow cooked while Lily colored at the kitchen table, and this morning Jay Bird woke with a toddler’s foot pressed against his face. Somehow, he loved every bit of it.
“Well?” Snow asked.
Jay Bird looked around the table. “I’m happy. What more do you want me to say?”
Bear studied him for a moment before smiling. “Good.”
Jay Bird nodded. Nothing else needed to be said.
His attention drifted back toward the pool, where Willow sat on the edge with her feet dangling in the water.
He knew exactly why she hadn’t gotten in. He had thought about them several times since that morning, and each time he had to remind himself that Chen wasn’t standing in front of him because the rage that went through him was unlike anything he had felt in years.
Then Alex sat beside Willow, and Jay Bird watched them talk.
He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but when Alex turned and showed Willow her back, he knew.
His chest tightened as he thought about Alex’s story.
Bravo team had been part of the operation that brought her home. Jay Bird remembered the condition she had been in and the injuries covering her body.
He would remember to thank her later for talking to Willow.
Alex stood and removed her cover-up. Then Willow looked toward him, and their eyes met across the yard. Jay Bird didn’t move.
This was hers to decide, so he just smiled.
Willow stood and slipped off her cover-up, and pride hit him square in the chest.
“Damn,” Bear murmured beside him.
Jay Bird glanced at him and realized Bear wasn’t looking at Willow’s body at all. He was looking straight at Jay Bird.
“Go be with your girls.”
Jay Bird didn’t need to be told twice, and he immediately pushed away from the table.
“Where you going?” Joker called.
“Pool.”
There was a pause. Then Joker looked around the table. “Does anybody else remember when this guy hated pool parties?”
Jay Bird flipped him off without turning around, and their laughter followed him.
By the time he reached the pool, Willow was holding Lily while Alex floated nearby.
Lily spotted him immediately. “Jay!” She nearly launched herself out of Willow’s arms.
Jay Bird laughed and eased his way into the pool.
“Easy, Peanut.”
“Swim Jay!”
Willow released her, and Lily began kicking furiously toward him.
Jay Bird held his arms out. “Come on.”
Lily kicked harder, but nothing happened, and Jay Bird had to fight back a laugh. “Arms too, Peanut.”
She started wildly moving her arms, but somehow only managed to propel herself backward.
Willow burst out laughing. “She’s trying.”
“She’s swimming in reverse.”
“Jay!”
He took pity on her and swam the rest of the way, scooping her into his arms. Lily immediately wrapped herself around his neck, clinging to him as if she’d been waiting for him to rescue her.
“Swim!”
“Yeah, we’re gonna work on that.”
Willow smiled at him.
Jay Bird's gaze briefly moved toward the chair where her cover-up rested before returning to her face.
“Having fun?”
She knew what he was really asking, and her smile softened. “I am.”
“Good.”
Lily slapped both hands against the water, sending a wave straight into Jay Bird’s face.
He slowly turned his head toward her, and Lily’s eyes widened.
Willow covered her mouth.
“Did you just splash me?” He shifted her into one arm.
Lily squealed.
“Oh, you’re in trouble now.”
“No!”
He splashed her, and Lily shrieked with laughter.
Willow joined in, and within seconds, Jay Bird was being splashed from both sides. He didn’t care, because hearing Willow and Lily laugh made it worth every drop of water.
At some point Willow moved closer, and beneath the water, her fingers slipped into his.
Jay Bird looked down at their joined hands and then at the little girl clinging to his other arm.
Without a doubt, they were absolutely his girls.