degree straight to officer training for the Army. It was the mid-sixties when the conflict in Southeast Asia was raging. Their dad, Howard Warren, was born a year before First Lieutenant Warren shipped off to Vietnam. Eventually making the rank of captain, he was killed in action, saving two of his men during an ambush not long before the war officially ended.
What she didn’t realize was how deeply Reed was affected by their granddad’s service. His sacrifice for the country made an impression. Her eyes were opened, hearing the respect and admiration in Reed’s voice. Now she understood why he clung to a military career.
Soon enough, though, her brother’s speechifying turned to sibling matters. She rolled her eyes when he unloaded a highlight reel of their time growing up in Sacramento.
“Excuse me,” she snippily drawled, “but I most certainly did not cry and hide my face because of the Fourth of July fireworks.”
“Did so.” Reed smirked. “You might have even peed your pants.”
She scowled. “Are you familiar with the expression fuck off?”
“Let the record show that my niece heard the ‘F’ word for the first time when it came from her mother’s mouth. Make sure you note it in her baby book.”
Busted.
An uncomfortable cramp forced her to moan. Reed’s face turned ashen.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Thank god for that birthing class, or I’d probably be freaking out. Apparently, hours of labor and a grueling birth aren’t enough. Small contractions can continue for a day or so. Nature’s snarky way of reminding new moms the fun isn’t over just because the baby is here.”
“I don’t know what you mean and won’t be asking for clarification. Chick things,” he grumbled with a shudder.
“You know, Reed, it’s not exactly comforting when a testosterone badass responsible for my country’s security gets squeamish about lady things. How’re you ever going to handle a girlfriend if you’re gagging into a trash can once a month?”
“Gurl,” Reed answered in an exaggerated drawl, “you don’t even know how right you are. One time, I saw this dumb shmuck in the commissary staring at the display of feminine products with an expression of absolute terror on his face. He was holding a piece of paper, which I can only assume was a shopping list. He looked so baffled I felt sorry for him. Men should never be expected to buy tampons. What the hell do we know about sizes and shit like that?”
“A little like women buying condoms,” she murmured.
“What?”
Banishing the memory, she shook her head to let him know she wasn’t going to repeat herself.
“Grow a set, Captain Warren. Then grab ’em with both hands and go find a woman. One who will laugh at your bullshit and make you want to buy tampons.”
She expected him to keep going. After all, wasn’t earning a trophy in sibling verbal badminton part of their charm? Ordinarily, she’d lob one in his direction, and they’d he’d come back with more. On and on it would go.
When Reed went silent, she swatted a half-assed word bomb into his lap and smiled.
“Do it for me, bro. For us,” she said with a nod at Ari. “You’re the oldest, which makes your wife the family matriarch. I don’t have a mom to help me navigate all this parenting stuff, so it would be nice to have a sister-in-law.”
“Wife? Excuse me?” He frowned and looked at the nugget of love wrapped in pink. Summer could swear she watched the moment he realized life wasn’t just about him anymore. He had a family already and all the requisite responsibilities of a brother and uncle.
“Ah, Jesus. It never occurred to me how with Dad gone, I’d be the patriarch.”
“Come to the light,” she joked. “Leave the dark side behind. Do not sign on for more, Reed. It’s time to get reacquainted with civilian life. You can do it,” she cheered him on with a chuckle.
“And what about you?”
Well, damn. She started it, and it looked like Reed intended to finish.
Pushing hair behind one ear, she slapped on a determined expression. “My priority is Arianne. Motherhood is not just my day job. This is who I am now.”
“Uh-huh. So what you’re saying is you’ve decided to martyr yourself in the name of all single moms. Seems legit.”
Scowling, she snapped, “Cover the baby’s ears.”
“What?” He blinked.
“Cover. The. Baby’s. Ears.”
He looked at Summer as if she lost a screw but did what she demanded by placing his fingers over Ari’s tiny ears.