“Yes, sweetheart?”
“I brought you a biscuit. The Aunt Owees are here. Mama said you should get your butt out of bed.”
“You owe me a dollar, Miss Thing.” Drake took the biscuit and ate it in one bite.
“I’m not a thing.”
“You owe me a dollar, you said ‘butt.’”
“Mama did. I just ‘peated it.” Bella’s eyes sparkled at him, knowing she had found a loophole. The kid was good. So was Trenda, she had figured out that he would need Bella this morning.
“Come on, kid, you can watch me shave.”
“You shave your legs?”
“No, my face.”
He picked her up, and they walked out the door and into his bedroom.
Evie was in the hallway. “The twins are here. Better make it fast, don’t forget the Feds will be here before noon.”
“Thanks, I can tell time.” Drake scowled at Evie.
“Me too!” Bella chimed in.
Evie smirked. “You can’t be all growlie with Bella in your arms. Karen was smart sending her in to you.”
Drake melted when he realized it was Karen who had sent his niece in. “Oh my God, you have the goofy face going on. You are sooooo in love.” Evie laughed.
“Go away, Evalyn Lavender. Bella and I have to shave.”
“He shaves his face.” Bella smeared jelly on Drake’s jaw.
***
Karen waited downstairs in the dining room, pretending to get to know Chloe and Zoe. They were nice girls, and normally she would really care about their classes and Zoe’s boyfriend. She really couldn’t care less at the moment. Trenda and Mason seemed to understand, they were just as uptight.
“There better be food left over for me. I know how you two eat, and I’ll be lucky if there is even one biscuit left.”
“Drake!” The twins cried in unison. Trenda must have known what to expect because she grabbed her daughter out of Drake’s arms just as two identical black-haired girls threw themselves at their big brother, and he caught them in mid-air. One laughed gleefully while the other burst into tears. Drake sank down in one of the dining room chairs and took Zoe into his lap.
“Hey now, none of that.”
Karen followed the other SEALs into the living room, while Evie, Trenda, Piper, and Bella went into the kitchen.
“I can’t believe how much they all look alike,” Darius said.
“The twins?” Aiden asked.
“No, all of them. Hell, those girls could be clones, but you’d know Drake is one of them too.”
“It must have killed him to be away for so long,” Darius said speculatively.
“He’ll never let that happen again,” Mason said with confidence.
All eyes turned towards Karen.
“What?” she asked.
“So, what’s on your agenda?” Darius asked.
“I expect I’ll be going to my house today, then teaching school on Monday.”
Darius snorted. “That wasn’t quite what I meant. I was asking about your long-term plans.”
“Mr. Stanton, that’s still to be decided. And if it had been discussed, you would have to ask Mr. Avery, not me.”
“He has to love that schoolteacher voice.” Aiden grinned.
Karen levelled a steely glance his way and his grin faded.
Good.
“Hey you guys, I think we’re ready for the family and team meeting.”
Karen looked over at Drake. He had a sister on each arm. They looked happy. He looked calm.
Karen got up from the couch, feeling her face warm under his appreciative glance. “Did you get something to eat?” she asked.
“Chloe actually saved me something, she had to fight Zoe for it.” Both of the girls laughed at his nonsense. She could see that they were ecstatic to have their big brother back.
When they got into the dining room, Karen saw Piper’s paperwork piled on a chair in the corner, with Piper standing beside it, she was beaming. She gestured for her to come over. She went, and Aiden went with her.
“I can’t wait to tell him,” she said to Aiden.
“Tell me what?” Drake asked
“I figured it out!” she exclaimed.
Everyone around the table looked at Piper who was flanked by Karen and Aiden. Piper was holding a book. Karen peered closer, it was Othello, and it looked old. Maybe it was one of the rare books she’d been talking about.
“Baby Girl, what did you figure out?” Drake asked as he walked over to her.
“I think I know why Dad was looking for me. Granny’s land is worth something after all.” She put her book in her right hand, then put her left hand on her hip and struck a pose. “There’s gas in them there hills,” she said in an exaggerated accent.