Rising Storm (Westin Force #2) - Julie Trettel Page 0,66
spent the first few minutes of the kids’ nap straightening the house back up. It just made me feel better to have everything tidy. Truthfully, after only four days with them, the triplets were already getting better about putting things back in place after playing with something. It wasn’t perfect, but they were improving so much even Shelby had noticed.
At four o’clock on the dot, I gave the kids my warning that I’d be leaving soon. They pouted and climbed up onto my lap with a book as Shelby’s phone rang.
She stared down at it almost frozen and took a deep breath before answering it.
“Hello? Ben? Thank God. How are you? You are? That’s great.” Shelby looked so relieved and happy to hear from her mate. If Painter was trying to call me, it would be at the apartment and I’d never know it. A part of me felt guilty for not being there waiting. “Yeah. She’s right here. Okay, hold on.”
Grinning, Shelby passed me her cell phone. “Somebody wants to talk to you.”
“Hello?”
“God it’s good to hear your voice. How are you?”
I couldn’t stop smiling. “I’m fine. I got a job.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I’m going to babysit Shelby and Ben’s triplets.”
Shelby’s eyes went wide as she waved me off. “I haven’t told Ben about that yet.”
“Oops. Uh, don’t mention that to Ben yet.” I felt horrible for betraying her trust.
She laughed. “It’s okay, Emma. I’m not keeping it a secret. He knew I was considering it, but didn’t want to put the kids in daycare. I just haven’t talked to him since we made our arrangement.”
“Sorry, Shelby. I didn’t think.”
“It’s fine.”
Painter laughed in my ear. “I’ll let you guys work all that out, but it sounds great. Are you happy?”
“Yes, very. I love kids.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Are you coming home?”
“We’ll be leaving here soon, but we have to stop on the way back that could be a few more days. I hope not though. I’m kicking myself for not getting you a cell phone of your own before I left.”
“Oh, is that something I can do?”
“Um, yeah, actually. I can call and set it up while we’re on free time here and then you can just pick it up. Would that work? I could have it ready tomorrow.”
“I’m sure I can work that out with Cal.”
I looked at the clock. “Ten minutes,” I warned the babies.
“Ten minutes until what?”
“Until Cal arrives to pick me up.”
He laughed. He sounded tired. “You have that scheduled?”
I smiled proudly. “You know it.”
“That’s my girl. I miss you.”
“I miss you too.”
“It’s beautiful here. One of these days I’m going to bring you back here for a vacation.”
“Can you tell me where you are?”
“Iceland. I’m staring up at the aurora borealis, the northern lights. It’s magical, Emma. I wish you were here with me.”
“You sound tired. Are you okay?”
“I’m eight hours ahead of you, so it’s late here. I’m fine though. It’s been a long week, but I’ll be home soon.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, sweetheart.”
I hung up the phone and hugged it to my chest.
“Did he tell you where they are? I never ask anymore because they can’t usually say.”
“Iceland,” I said. “They’re watching the northern lights.”
“Wow. I can’t even imagine what led them there.”
“Will we ever know?”
“Not usually if I’m being honest. Some missions are less classified than others. But mostly it’s just best not to ask. Comes with the job, you know?”
I nodded. I understood what she was saying. Not their job, but ours as their mates. We were being asked to blindly support them. I didn’t like it, but I could accept it.
“They’ll be coming home soon, and they’re safe. That’s all that really matters,” Shelby said.
I nodded happily in agreement.
There was a knock on the door and the kids looked at me like I betrayed them.
“Sorry babies. Your daddy and Painter distracted us,” Shelby told them. “Say bye to Emma.”
Mary Alice had a single tear roll down her cheek.
“None of that sweet girl. I’ll see you again soon.”
I hugged each of them and left with Cal.
“Do you think tomorrow you could take me to town to the cell phone store? I’m supposed to pick something up there.”
“You got it.”
With a plan in place, we headed back to the Lodge. Back home.
Painter
Chapter 21
I had taken the info for the missing candlestick back to Tarron and T. They traced the anomaly they’d found in the camera system to the exact time someone came into the vault and retrieved the artifact. There was absolutely