Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
JETT
How was it that I already missed her?
I was pretty damn lucky to wake up next to Patience every morning, see Griffin before my day started, and work with the best guys on the planet. But I was also used to going straight home to them; that wouldn’t always be the case if a job took me somewhere or lasted later.
Since we hadn’t spent much time apart—even getting to see her throughout the day since we worked at the same place—I was hesitant about going out for a bite to eat and beers after work with the guys. Still, I could hardly say no.
Harland, the guy Braxton mentioned at the charity event, had flown in from California to check out the facility. They were hoping to bring him on, and after he’d checked everything out, it was looking promising.
He had a quick trip in and out, leaving the next day, but they wanted everyone to spend more time with him. With all the guys being older than me, some may have thought that I’d feel out of place, but nobody in our group treated me any differently.
I’d left at eighteen, only coming home a few times, and returned at twenty-two. I felt older than my years and fit in great with the guys. Harland was chill and seemed like he’d fit right in too.
“I know that look,” Kace said, dragging my attention to where he sat across the table.
We’d headed over to a pub the guys all enjoyed and grabbed appetizers along with beers.
Conversation flowed about the job, the area, and everyone’s families.
I’d heard most of it, including how Harland grew up in California and that it was just his sister, her husband, and a niece there now.
He hadn’t elaborated on family beyond that.
I wondered why he wanted to leave, but sometimes people just needed a change. That made me think of Dusty, and I couldn’t help but feel it was what she needed too. So, while I was listening, I found my mind drifting to my sweet wife who was at home.
And Kace just caught me.
Playing stupid, I asked, “What look?”
He slapped Gyth—who was sitting next to him—on the arm. “Look at the poor bloke, mooning over his girl.”
Gyth shook his head in exasperation. “You all of a sudden British now, man? Because I have to say, that was the worst fake accent I’ve ever heard.”
Kace had tried to play it up, and Gyth was right—it was awful.
Everyone was watching us now, their conversations coming to a halt. Gyth slugged Kace back. “And don’t tell me that you haven’t thought about Teal at least ten times since we got here.”
“You got me there,” Kace said. “But it’s only fair to give the newbie shit.”
The guys all laughed, and the big dude pointed at them. “You dipshits are doing the same thing, so stop laughing. I’m man enough and still head-over-heels in love with my wife to admit that I’d rather be home with her on a Friday night instead of here with you fools.”
Gyth turned to look at Harland. “No offense, man.”
Harland chuckled. “None taken.”
I was a hundred percent in agreement with Gyth on that one.
Braxton jumped on that subject, addressing Harland. “There anyone back home you're thinking of bringing with you if you take the job?”
“Nope,” he answered without elaborating. “But if you guys are sure you want me, I’d like to accept the offer to work with you all.”
Braxton beamed a smile at the guy. “That’s awesome, man. Of course we do.” Then he looked around the table and everyone’s heads were nodding.
Landon and Lance hadn’t made it; they were working on a big case together. That made me think of the custody case Landon was overseeing for Patience, and I was curious when we would hear any news. It had been a week since the mediation, and I knew my wife was going out of her mind.
Bodie also had to dip out because Gemma and his kids were all sick at home, and he was taking care of them. With Gemma being a teacher, I swear that poor woman was lucky she didn’t catch cooties every day of the week all year long after always being around kids.
The rest of the guys were all shaking Harland’s hand, welcoming him into the fold, and I followed suit. After just starting work at No Surrender, I’d seen how much work they turned down because of how busy they were. They’d really created something successful, and I was proud to be a part of it.
“Seriously.” I turned my head to see Gyth talking to Kace. “You give Jett shit, and now you’re texting your woman?”
Kace scowled at him. “Stop looking over my shoulder and reading my texts, jackass.”
Those two were worse than a bunch of girls with their bickering, and it was hilarious.
Patience had always kept me updated on what was happening at home when I got to call.
I swear there were always stories about these two going at it, the ladies’ shenanigans, which usually included Alley’s bats, and how much money Embry managed to collect for her swear jar.
I’d missed home and everyone, which is why I’d already declined to reenlist after that last deployment. I didn’t want to think about that right then, so I focused on the two idiots in front of me still bickering.
Then I glanced around the table at everyone else who was there.
Braxton was talking to Harland about the job.
Lyric, Rowan, and Paxton were in the middle of a conversation about a job they had just finished.
Bronson, who helped us sometimes, and Huntley, who was a firefighter contemplating taking on some jobs since Brax wouldn’t stop hounding him, were actually up at the bar grabbing more beers.
It looked like we were staying for a while, so I settled in—a bit reluctantly.
I sensed her before I saw her.
The scent of daisies drifted to my nose, and my skin prickled with awareness.
How is she here?
Kace was smiling like a loon, and Gyth had a dreamy look on his face. That could only mean one thing: he had eyes on his wife.
“You’re welcome,” Kace said smugly.
I snapped my head around to look over my shoulder. There she was, dressed in a pair of black leggings and a peach, short-sleeved, oversized hoodie dress, paired with black Converse shoes, walking toward our table with Ruby, Teal, Brinley, and Summer in tow.
Patience erupted so many feelings inside of me whenever she was close, and even when she wasn’t, my mind was always on her.
She was the most beautiful woman in the room, and she didn’t even realize it, which made her even more so.
Okay, on the whole planet. It was easy to see that my friends felt the same about their significant others by the way their eyes lit up as the women approached.
Before she reached me, I was up out of my seat, closing the last few feet between us. Wrapping my arms around her, I lifted her off her feet and gave her a spin.
“Wow, excited to see me?” she asked breathlessly.
Setting her down, I stared at her, still shocked she was there when I’d been thinking about how much I missed her.
“Always,” I answered.
Then I looked over my shoulder at the table to see the other ladies already in their men’s laps. Kace glanced up, and I mouthed a thank you to him. He gave me a nod before turning his attention back to Teal.
I didn’t know how he pulled it off or how the ladies got the kids settled somewhere so fast, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Entwining my fingers with Patience’s, I pulled her over to the table and dragged her down onto my thighs like the others had their wives.
Braxton introduced the ladies to Harland. “And you met Patience earlier, the one who keeps our place running.”
Pride swelled inside of me. Patience had such a difficult home life and then got pregnant so early; I felt like she never got to dream of what she really wanted to do with her life.
She was a brilliant songwriter and sang like an angel, but that was never something she thought of doing as a career, especially after she had Griffin.
I once asked her what she wanted out of life because I’d have done anything to help her achieve it. She told me that she just wanted to be the best mom she could be, providing for her son and making sure he always felt loved—something her parents never did for her.
She was a kickass mother. Griffin was an amazing little man because of her, and he was so happy. Patience had even started teaching him how to play the guitar, drums, and the kid could sing too.
Watching them create music together was a sight that always stole my breath.
Patience also once told me that she was blessed to find me, my family, and our friends.
That getting the job at No Surrender worked for her because she was surrounded by people who always supported her.
She was damned good at her job; I’d heard the guys say it many times, and Braxton just acknowledged it again.
I looked at my wife, and she was blushing—it was charming.
She was about to protest—I could tell—but a guy tapped a microphone, grabbing everyone’s attention to announce it was karaoke time.
“Who’s the lucky one that gets to go first?” the dude asked as he scanned the room.
It was as if the room froze; the guy was met with silence and shaking heads. Then as fast as a Jack-in-the-Box toy, my sister popped off Lyric’s lap and pointed at Patience and me as she yelled, “They will go first!”
Turning to look at Patience, I raised a brow in question. “Do this with me? Let’s make memories.”
Her face softened, and she gave me a sweet, goofy smile.
All our friends started chanting, “Do it! Do it!”
I stood, taking my girl with me so we were both standing, and held out my hand.
“What do you say?”
Patience put her hand in mine as we started walking toward the stage. The crowd hooted and hollered louder with each step until we made it to the mics.
“What is your song of choice?” the same guy from moments ago asked us.
Turning to my wife, I said, “Your choice.”
There was a twinkle in her eye, and I knew exactly what she was going to say. My wife was a romantic when it came to music, but also when it came to movies, and Dirty Dancing was one of her favorites.
I leaned closer to the man waiting for our answer and quietly gave it to him without her even saying a word.
When the music started playing “The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, Patience threw back her head and laughed with pure joy, reminding me of the final scene in the movie where Jennifer Grey, who played Frances, did the same thing.
Our friends were screaming; hell, the whole room was. Moving back to Patience’s side, just before we began to sing, I whispered in her ear, “Don’t forget the lift at the end.”
Her musical laugh drifted through the mic, making everyone smile, and my heart soared with love.