“That reminds me.” I braced myself for his answer. “Have the drones uncovered anything yet?”
Not that Liam required an excuse to play with his drone collection, but he had dispatched several to search for hints of where Carmichael had gone as soon as we heard the news that Mercer let him go.
“We’ve narrowed down his likely hidey-holes, but we haven’t caught movement coming or going from them yet. There’s one on tougher terrain with thick cover from the forest with thirty percent visibility. I’m betting that’s the area where we’ll find him.”
“Text me if you spot him.”
“You’ll be the first to know.”
“Behind the operator, you, Rían, and…?”
“You’ll be top five, okay?” Thumb frozen above the screen, he hesitated a moment to stare me down. “Just swear to me you and Rían won’t be one of those couples who converse only in emojis.”
“I make no such promises.”
This would be my first opportunity to do mushy couple texty stuff, and I wasn’t missing out on the fun.
“Ugh.” Typing away, he wrinkled his nose with less rancor than usual. “Keep me out of it.”
“It’s Sloane you have to worry about.” I rubbed my hands together. “Now that I know your kryptonite.”
One word from me, and she would flood his inbox with enough emojis to drown him.
“It would be a pity if something were to happen to her phone.”
“It would be a pity if I walked two blocks to Horizon and got her a new one on my lunch break.”
“It would be a pity if?—”
“—I bought insurance so every time it broke the carrier had to replace it for free?”
A growl tickled the back of his throat, but he didn’t have a comeback handy for that eventuality.
“Ana?” Sloane galloped over on her faithful, furry steed. “Everything okay over here?”
“Fine.” I waved her on then called out, “Ten minutes left.”
Gratitude burned in Jess’s dark eyes even as Sloane draped over her neck in a dramatic pout.
“Here.” Liam sighed, long and loud. “I added all the other important numbers you’ll need too.”
“Thanks.” I pocketed my phone. “See you at the party?”
“As long as things go according to plan, yeah.” He saluted me then pivoted on his heel. “Later, Coz.”
The fact Liam deployed Goldie’s newest favorite trick, though she called meBig Sis, made me suspicious. She wielded the heartwarming endearment like a blade when she wanted something from me. Liam had yet to weaponize his nickname for me, but I sensed it coming the way a rising storm lifted your hackles.
With my phone an odd weight in my pocket, I hadn’t thought to snap any photos of Sloane living her dream, so I commemorated her final victory lap then whistled through my teeth to snag Jess’s attention.
The great bear’s shoulders slumped at the signal, and she smacked the dirt hard on her stomach.
Sloane vaulted off Jess’s back, twirling her way toward me with her arms held out to her sides.
“This was the best day of my life,” she panted, breathless. “Nothing will ever top this moment.”
“Glad to hear it.” I rose, cracking open the cooler, and tossed her two bottles of water. “For Jess.”
The state of her valiant steed kicked her into high gear as she raced to twist off the lids and pour the water down Jess’s parched throat. As soon as those ran dry, Sloane secured two more from me.
