Torin (Hope City #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,49
Chauncey King followed, and he wondered if this was the two families' pattern of greeting new members. New member? As that thought hit him, he glanced toward Erin, hoping it was true.
As the other McBrides and Kings came forward, no introductions were needed. He and Erin were soon greeted warmly by Sean and Harper, Kyle and Kimberly, Rory and Sandy, Tara and Carter, Brock and Kallie, Brody and Amber, Brianna and Ryker, and Bekki and Killian. Hearing a noise behind them, he turned and saw Caitlyn rushing around the corner, a large bowl in her hands with Blay in tow, carrying another bowl.
“Sorry, I’m late! My car wouldn’t start, and I had to call Blay to bring me!” Her gaze swept the crowd and landed on Erin and Torin, and her grin widened as she threw an arm around her sister. “Oh, I’m so glad you invited him!” Caitlyn turned and looked up at Torin. “Are you excited about the marathon? I know you and Erin have been practicing. Bekki and I’ve been running, too, but I have no idea how we're going to do!”
Without giving him a chance to answer, she whirled and headed over to the table, plopping down her contribution to the meal.
With his arm around Erin, he gave a little squeeze. “She’s a whirlwind, isn’t she?”
Erin grinned and nodded. “Mom says Caitlyn came out talking, totally skipping the babbling stage. And she definitely came out running, never crawling or walking!”
It didn’t take long for everyone to carry their plates to the food tables, loading them high. As they settled onto the benches of the picnic tables, he appreciated the way they were arranged. It was possible to hear the conversation from those at your table but also possible to hear if someone had something to say to the whole group.
His parents had been deceased for so long that they no longer were first and foremost on his mind. But looking around at Erin’s family—large, loud, and loving—he felt the sting of loss and regret. While he’d been much younger, he knew how much his mom would’ve loved meeting Erin. While others around him chatted, he glanced across the yard, noticing the well-worn path between the two houses. Both were large, and Erin was the only one still living at home, but he couldn’t imagine these two families not having this gathering place.
Glancing to the side, he was pleased to see Erin had been drawn into a lively conversation with Bekki and Caitlyn, and his attention swung to the conversation of the rest of the group.
“It’s the rumblings I hear that make me nervous,” Colm said.
“We’ve been preparing for the last year for this,” Chauncey said. “As soon as one marathon passes, the planning goes into the next one. We have so much security and yet you can’t have a million spectators lining twenty-six miles of streets in Hope City and be able to keep an eye on everything. I know the kids are excited about the marathon, but I’ll be glad when it’s over.”
“What’s the latest, Dad?” Sean asked. Torin shifted slightly so that he could hear Colm’s response.
“Hell, with domestic terrorists alone, there’s almost too many to keep an eye on. I haven’t heard any specific intel about the large ones, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a smaller group with their eye on destruction.” Colm inclined his head toward Chauncey and added, “The FBI has its ear to the ground, and every lead that comes in is funneled to the Hope City Police Department. Of course, I’m only there part-time and in a consultation capacity so I’m not privy to everything, but I do know a lot of suspicious leads come in that have to be checked out.”
“It doesn’t have to be a group,” Chauncey added. “Throw in someone disgruntled about God knows what or someone who just has a screw loose…”
“It’s gonna be all-hands-on-deck to make sure there’s no fuckin’ nut jobs deciding to fire from a rooftop,” Brock said, a narrow-eyed scowl etched on his face. Kallie elbowed him in the ribs, eliciting a grunt from him while inclining her head toward the kids at one of the other tables. Blushing, he glanced toward Brody. “Sorry, bro.”
Kyle shook his head. “I can’t begin to imagine how to keep an eye on every backpack or plastic bag in the area. We’ve been lucky for the past several marathons, but I think none of us can afford to let our guard down.”
Colm pushed his