as Gabriel went to order food and Frank and Amanda went in search of the cards. It occurred to her that life was a wonderful tapestry woven with colors of trial, friendship, love, and loss. Her tapestry was majestic and rich beyond her wildest dreams, but the brilliant threads she treasured most in that sweeping brocade were those of family and friends.
Chapter 10
“Wow.” Jillian gasped as Drake walked with her out to the pool area of Joseph’s massive estate in Aruba. Twinkle lights wrapped around palm trees and draped artfully overhead. The ocean rolled onto the beach beyond the pool area, highlighted by sweeping colors of rose, copper, and peach of the setting sun. “Have you ever seen anything this beautiful?”
Drake turned to her and folded her into his arms. “Every time I look at you.”
She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss him. “That earned you brownie points.”
“Oh, there’s Christian. I wanted to ask him about possibly installing solar panels on the shelter and the community center to help eliminate some recurring monthly costs. Be right back.” She pulled him down and kissed him quickly before she zeroed in on Christian and made a beeline in his direction.
Drake wandered over to the bar and watched as the bartender poured him a bourbon. Joseph had gone overboard tonight. He glanced to his right. A massive, thirty-foot-long table adorned in white linen and dotted with flowers, place settings, and yup, even name cards stood waiting for dinner. There was music playing softly through speakers camouflaged with landscaping around the pool. He wandered with his drink to the edge of the deck and glanced out to the ocean. So much had changed since he’d last been here. He glanced up at the massive residence. This was where Jason had asked Dixon to take on the assignment that separated them—in more ways than one. He’d left his brother and found Jillian. Dixon had found Joy. They’d come back together, yet the dynamics had shifted. Not worse or better, just different. He had his priorities and Dixon had his own. Children. Wow.
“Remember the last time we were here?” Mike stepped up beside him, his snifter of uber-expensive cognac in his hand.
“I do. It was a turning point.” Drake took a drink of his bourbon.
“A curve on life’s path. It took you to Jillian and Dixon to Joy.” Mike swirled the amber liquid and stared at the waves.
“Makes you wonder what’s next, doesn’t it? Where we’ll be the next time we’re here?”
Chief chuckled. “That supposes we’ll be invited again. I believe that our host was hoodwinked into the invitation.”
Drake snorted. “Yeah, but two weeks in paradise. When was the last time we spent two weeks together? All of us?”
“Well… for the five of us on the old Alpha team, I believe it was at the ranch before that mission that went to hell.”
“Damn, that’s right.” They’d reunited for other missions. The Maldives, where Mike and Taty were working undercover, then to D.C. when Dixon needed extraction.
Zane meandered over. “The last time I was here, I got married.” He smiled. “Best fucking day of my life.”
A waiter swooped by with a tray of appetizers. “Damn, Joseph went all out, didn’t he?” Zane grabbed a napkin and two of the small offerings.
“Which raises a question.” Jacob walked up with his drink.
“What’s that?” Zane popped a shrimp-topped cracker into his mouth.
“How’s he going to make us pay for this?”
“Hmm?” Zane’s mouth was full, but he got his question across.
“Joseph has a plan.” Jacob swung his eyes over to where his oldest brother was talking with Frank and their mom.
“You know that for a fact?” Mike took a sip of his cognac and sent a covert glance Joseph’s way.
Jacob nodded. “You can bet on it.”
Zane chuckled. “Well, we’re fortunate that he has retired from his previous career. So, between the men and women who are here, everything else is manageable, right?”
Drake snorted. “You’d hope. But it seems he’s fallen into his role as host.” He nodded at Ember and Joseph as they moved from group to group and visited.
“I don’t trust it. When was the last time you saw him this happy and this social?” Jacob glanced at Drake. “Be on your guard. He’ll spring it when we least expect it.”
“Roger that, Skipper.”
Mike nodded and glanced around the growing gathering. “I concur. Where are Dixon and Doc? We need to advise them, too.”
Zane tossed his napkin into a trash bin at the edge of the deck. “He’s working