Chapter 11
Less than twenty-four hours later, the team was back outside Max’s house.
After loading up and heading out on the first leg of their trip, diplomacy had triumphed.
Their commander canceled the mission and sent them home.
That didn’t happen often, but Max had let out a “Hell, yes!” shout when the text had come through.
When the guys had discovered all the women had chosen to spend the night together at Max’s house, the team chose to surprise them together.
Hank had insisted they text from the yard instead of going inside unannounced.
Something had happened to his last team under similar circumstances.
Once Hank warned them, everyone agreed. They didn’t wish to scare their little girls.
“On the count of three,” Jerico said before counting for them.
Everyone but Hank sent a picture of the group standing outside on Max’s lawn. They waited quietly. Who would appear first in the doorway?
“Daddy!” Pippa raced out the door.
Something inside crashed and Rexy led Aspen out a couple of seconds later. Aspen jumped into Jerico’s arms and clung to him as the massive dog bounced around, greeting each team member with the energy of a chihuahua before darting away from everyone to pee on a bush and running back.
“Daddy?” Giana rubbed her eyes, her long hair tousled around her face. Koa walked to her and hugged her close, moving Giana out of the doorway as Brooklyn peeked around her.
“You’re back?” Brooklyn asked in disbelief, as Caden stepped forward.
“Hey, little girl. Can I get a welcome home kiss?” her daddy asked.
“Daddy!” Brooklyn burst into tears and rushed forward to scatter kisses all over his face. He hugged her close as he whirled her around in a happy circle.
Max spotted Saylor hovering just inside. She wore one of his T-shirts, just like the others. The scamps had raided his T-shirt collection. While they were used to all the other men, Saylor had hesitated to appear wrapped only in thin cotton. He walked inside.
“Hi, baby. They canceled our mission. Oof!” Max stabilized them as she smashed into him. He cupped her pretty face and kissed her hard.
“I missed you,” she whispered. “All the girls came over. I hope that’s okay? They wanted to stay with me, and we were having so much fun.”
“Of course you can have company. I’m glad you made yourself at home. Everyone will tromp in here for breakfast. Shall we go put some other clothes on you? You’re perfect the way you are, but I want you to be comfortable.”
She hesitated a minute before asking, “Everyone else is in their T-shirt. Is it okay for me too?”
“Of course, baby. No one is going to bother you in this group. Welcome to a big family of uncles.”
“I like that idea,” she whispered. “The girls were so much fun last night.”
“Can I show my daddy your picture, Saylor?” Aspen asked from the doorway.
“Of course!” Saylor said, clinging to her daddy as if she wasn’t ready to let go of him yet.
“Everyone get in here. I’m starving. Who wants pancakes?” Max shouted through the doorway.
A flood of chattering Littles and their daddies piled in the door.
With no directions, Koa grabbed a couple of lawn chairs from the garage and set those up at the table.
Hank raided the pantry for the flour, sugar, and baking powder while Max grabbed a bowl, milk, and eggs.
Jerico searched the freezer for a package of bacon and emerged triumphant.
“I knew you had to have some hidden! Shall we eat Max’s secret bacon stash?” Jerico asked the room.
Cheers and yeses filled the space. Saylor stepped into the kitchen, but Max pointed to a chair at the table. “No Littles allowed in the kitchen. With all these daddies tromping around, you’ll get stepped on.”
Saylor took one look at their military boots and followed his instructions. She joined the others already seated at the table. “Don’t we do anything?” she whispered.
“No way. Do not mess with the daddy zone!” Pippa told her.
Max winked at her when Saylor looked back at him to double-check. “We’ve got this, Saylor. I’ll be there soon.”
“Rexy isn’t bothering them at all? Doesn’t he like people food?” Max heard Saylor ask Aspen. He didn’t hear Aspen’s answer, but saw Saylor blink hard. She had such a tender heart.
“Max, three bi…”
Koa whirled to stare at Giana. She stopped in the middle of the word as the room suddenly hushed.
Giana swallowed hard and corrected herself. “Three women came over and were pounding on your door when we got here yesterday.”
“What?” Max roared.
“We scared them off, Max,” Aspen said proudly. “And Giana was right the first time. They totally were being Bs.”
“The same trio who followed me home?” Max asked Saylor as he walked toward her. Once at her side, he lifted Saylor onto his lap and hugged her close.
She nodded. “I was scared until Aspen, Brooklyn, Pippa, and Giana showed up. Those awful flirts decided you were an ass wipe with too many women.”
Silence filled the room for two full seconds before Caden announced, “Guess who has a new official nickname now?”
“Ass wipe? Did they really call Max that?” Koa hooted.
“And look who has a harem,” Jerico said.
“Uh-oh,” Saylor whispered. “I should have told you that later?”
He shook his head and smiled at her. “Nah. All these little ears heard all of that. If you didn’t share that information, someone would have. By the way, ass wipe is now on the official do not say curse word list,” Max said firmly.
“You wish,” Koa said.
Everyone laughed. As chatter refilled the room, Max checked quietly on Saylor. “Are you okay now, baby girl?”
“Yes. I was so glad my friends came over.”
“Your friends, huh? I’m glad you got to know everyone. We hang out a lot,” Max told her.
“They knew where you hid stuff in the house. We drank all the watermelon drink mix.”
“I’m glad, Saylor. We’ll get some more.”
Pippa leaned close and said, “Add bacon to the grocery list. They’re going to eat that entire package. And by they, I mean us.” She pointed at all the women at the table who nodded, confirming Pippa’s statement.
“I’ll get more bacon too,” he promised.
“Max? Did you hide your spatulas?” Hank called.
“Koa torched the last one when he tried to make s’mores for the Littles on that rainy day,” Max told him. “Look in the junk drawer. I stashed the replacements there.”
“Does Koa really burn a lot of things?” Saylor whispered.
“Oh, yeah,” Giana answered for Max, making everyone laugh—including Koa. He scooped Giana out of her chair and sat back down with her on his lap.
“I’ll just keep the Littles company,” Koa said, completely unfazed by their teasing.
Used to hanging out at each other’s houses, the men worked together in the kitchen like a finely tuned machine. They bantered back and forth between each other and those at the table. Koa set the table and entertained the women as he held Giana. Saylor smiled and chatted with everyone.
By the time the guys joined them at the table with the stacks of golden-brown pancakes and a pile of bacon, Saylor looked at ease with the team. The men all claimed their little girl’s chair and held them close. Only Hank sat alone.
As the men buttered pancakes and debated the value of pure maple syrup, Saylor looked from one couple to the next.
Max could hear her reciting their names as she memorized each of the men who went with her new friends.
He guessed that being a teacher had some advantages.
Her recall was excellent. Since she’d already mastered the women’s names last night, matching them with their daddies had come easily.
When she relaxed against him, Max kissed her temple before asking, “Are you okay, baby?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, calling him by that name in front of others for the first time. When all the Littles gave her a thumbs up, Saylor’s face turned bright pink. Max hugged her tight to reassure her that everything was perfect.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to take care of the problem, but I’ll admit I’m glad to be home,” Max said.
The others echoed his statement.
“You won’t even miss your class, Max,” Hank reminded him.
“Oh, my God! What time is it?” Saylor panicked, looking around to find a clock.
“It’s eight-thirty, Saylor. When do you have to be at the university today?” Max asked. Instantly on alert, he was ready to help her if she needed to leave immediately, however he could.
“Ten. I thought I’d missed a class,” she said, slumping against him in relief.
“Then you have some time to eat a few more bites,” Max told her and offered her a forkful of the delicious treat.
“Why do these taste so good?” Saylor asked.
“Daddies have superpowers,” Aspen answered, and all the Littles agreed. A minute later, Aspen coughed into the crook of her elbow. “Sorry. The pancake tickled my throat.” The group laughed with her as the merits of Daddy-made pancakes gained huge praise.
Soon, everyone had eaten their fill, and the couples headed home. Each little girl hugged Saylor and promised they’d get together again soon. Max nodded at each of his team as they corralled the woman they loved from Max’s home. He understood their silent congratulations perfectly.