“Then don’t tell him,” he finally said. “Just head to Pet and let him think it’s for regular training right now.”
“He probably won’t even notice I’m gone.”
Shit. Dean wanted to tell his kid brother that he was wrong, but he wasn’t sure about that. “I’ll miss you.”
“Nah. I hear you’re maybe going on tour with that hot country singer.”
Dean swallowed a growl and turned it into an acknowledging grunt instead. “Doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you. I can multitask.”
“Ah, shut up. I’ll be fine. Nail a groupie for me.”
“Jesus.”
“That’s what she’ll say.” Sean laughed and ducked to the side as Dean punched his arm, then wrapped his arm around his brother’s head and pulled him close for a rough hug.
“Stay safe, kid. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
Fuck. Iraq. Dean had known it was coming, but he wasn’t ready. Not by a long shot.
Chapter Seven
LIANA was horrifiedwhen Dean showed up at seven the next morning with enough grease to kill the entire Howard-Creswell household.
She couldn’t control her expression as he carried in the takeout bags.
“From the diner in town,” he said with a far-too-awake bounce in his voice for so early in the day.
“Stop laughing at me,” she muttered at Hope, whose entire body was shaking next to her.
Dean overheard and flashed a quick grin. “You should see the look on your face.”
“I can feel it.” She cleared her throat and edged closer. “What sort of evil temptations have you brought with you?”
“Frank’s breakfast sandwiches. I don’t know where he gets these English muffins, but they’re soft and big, and he makes the sausage patties himself—”
She groaned and went to the stairs, calling for the kids to come and save her from the junk food.
“Bodyguard misstep number one?” he asked when she came back. He looked like he didn’t quite care if it was a celebrity no-no to love a greasy egg sandwich.
She shrugged and shook her head. So what if they smelled amazing? So what if she’d already had a kale smoothie and had been about to do an hour of yoga, and now that sounded totally horrid? “Nope. Totally fine. Might even have one myself.” Part of one. A quarter. Without the cheese or the bread. And she’d do an extra hour of yoga.
“You’re being strangely agreeable this morning.”
She laughed. “Was this a test? See how much of a diva I would be about the scent of grease?”
He snorted. “No. But that would be a good one. I’m going to have Zander put that in the contracts going forward. Because me and big breakfasts are inseparable.”
“Good to know.”
“What did you have for breakfast?”
“A smoothie.”
“Delicious,” he deadpanned, and she snorted. He bumped her arm with his, gently, and winked at her as he moved further into the kitchen.
It turned out that Maya only liked cheese and bread today, so Liana shared an egg and ham and tomato sandwich with the littlest Howard—she got the egg and ham and tomato, and Maya saved her by eating the English muffin, which did in fact look extra-soft and extra-big.
