“Whatever you wanna do. Aquarium, beach, whatever.”
“That sounds like a full day.”
“It can be.”
“Okay.”
Baz cupped her face, smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. But one day at a time.”
“As promised.”
When she let out a giggle as he was lifting her into his arms, Baz knew this time would be different. It would require effort, but the one thing he knew with absolute certainty was that JJ was worth it.
So very worth it.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Friday, March 12, 2021
Brantley ran along the water’s edge, Teshakeeping stride beside him. He focused on the feel of the sand beneath his feet, the salty breeze on his face, his body having found its natural rhythm, giving him the ability to focus his mind.
He’d come out this morning before anyone had woken in an attempt to get some perspective. He knew the coming weeks were going to put pressure on the team. The change alone was going to cause some tension, and he would have to deal with all that plus the challenge of proving their worth to Sniper 1 Security.
They had spent the past six months on the hunt for Juliet Prince, and while it hadn’t been their sole focus, it had taken a significant amount of their time. That was over. Done. There was nothing to fall back on, no excuses to be made. It was time for the next chapter in their story to be written. Was he ready? Absolutely.
Yet there was still the matter of the choice he and Reese had made in that motel parking lot in Port Isabel. They had left Juliet Prince to die, and while he didn’t regret that she was dead, it wasn’t a decision he’d ever seen himself making. At some point, along with all his other demons, Brantley figured it would rear its ugly head and he would have to deal with it, too.
Brantley ran through the wet sand until his thighs screamed and his lungs burned, but he couldn’t seem to outrun his thoughts.
Tesha let out a bark then took off at a sprint, leaving Brantley behind.
Up ahead, he saw Reese walking toward them at a leisurely pace. Brantley closed the gap quickly, slowing as he approached, wanting to catch his breath before he said good morning to his man.
As he walked, his muscles cooling, he had another thought. Brantley wondered what the next chapter intheirstory would entail. He smiled to himself, realizing he didn’t know the answer, but he was looking forward to seeing where it took them.
“You didn’t wake me,” Reese said, squatting down to pet Tesha.
“I didn’t,” he agreed, continuing to move so his muscles didn’t lock up. “Thought maybe you’d sleep in.”
“I tried, then JJ waltzed right into our room, tryin’ to talk me into goin’ to the aquarium with them. Figured I better hightail it before I did somethin’ stupid.” Reese smirked. “Like say yes.”
“What? You don’t wanna go check out the sea turtles and dolphins?”
“Prefer not to, thanks.” Reese stood tall. “But she did manage to wrangle everyone else into makin’ the trip.”
“Everyone? Even Luca?”
Reese fell into step with him. “I think he’s lookin’ forward to it. Big bad Luca Switzer’s got a soft spot for sea life.”
“When’re they leavin’?” Brantley asked.
“She didn’t say. They were startin’ breakfast.”
“Please tell me they’re makin’ eggs and bacon.”
“What is it with you and eggs and bacon?”
