He waggled his brows. “Winner’s choice.”
She stepped back to shake his hand. “You’ve got yourself a bet, my friend.”
* * *
Tracy had ushered Ethan and Abby through dinner, homework and showers and was sitting on the sofa with them watching KPop Demonhunters for what had to be the fiftieth time. Abby was obsessed with it, while Ethan finished some homework.
Ethan was keeping up with assignments while hoping to go back to school for half days starting next week. He swore he was ready, and his therapist concurred. Tracy was terrified the other kids would be cruel to him or unfeeling about what he’d been through, but Ethan had assured her he could handle whatever the other kids had to say.
Tracy hadn’t told them that their father was coming home, because she didn’t want to get their hopes up in case something happened to delay his arrival. Tracy appreciated his dedication to their nephew Jack, who needed Mike every bit as much as his own kids did. That poor kid had suffered terribly over the sudden loss of his dad, who’d also been his best pal.
She’d felt a thousand times better after their session with Dr. Trulo and the conversation at the coffee shop. The blinding anger she’d been carrying since Ethan’s abduction had given way to a spark of hope that they might be able to put their marriage back together. However, she was under no illusions that the path forward would be easy, but at least they’d be working on it together.
When the door to the kitchen opened, both kids looked to her for an explanation. “Go see,” she said.
They got up and ran for the kitchen, where they greeted their dad with hugs and kisses.
Abby squealed when she saw Mike’s suitcase. “You’re back to stay?”
“I’m back to stay.”
“That’s great news,” Ethan said in the stoic tone he’d adopted since his ordeal.
Abby took Mike by the hand and led him to the living room. “We’re watching KPop.”
“Again?” Mike asked with a sympathetic look for Tracy.
“We love it,” Abby said.
“You don’t say.” Mike took a seat on the sofa next to Tracy, and Abby crawled into his lap.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said as she laid her head on her dad’s chest. “Even though I saw you all the time, I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you, too, sweetheart.”
Mike glanced at Tracy in the same second she looked at him.
When he smiled, she felt a sense of calm come over her that had been sorely lacking since the first minute she’d realized their son had gone missing. She hated that it’d taken such a traumatic incident to shake her and Mike out of the apathy that had overtaken their marriage and hoped this fresh start would put them back on track.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After kids had been tucked into bed and lunches made for the next day, Sam showered and then checked on Joe and Jeannie.
Marti reported that Joe was resting comfortably and hoping to be released the next day after the surgery on his broken wrist.
Sam wondered how long he’d be out of work and whether Malone could do the jobs of two chiefs, while also managing his diagnosis.
Michael texted to say Jeannie and Ava were both doing well. Jeannie was getting the hang of pumping breast milk for her daughter, and they’d visited Ava in the NICU twice so far.
Nick got into bed as she was texting with Gonzo, confirming all was well at Ninth Street after hearing from Carlucci that she and Dominguez had gotten the assumed name Sergei Ivanov had operated under from the Secret Service and were making some progress on learning his movements since he’d landed in the U.S. Will have more for you in the AM.
That news ended Sam’s day on a higher note.
Nick curled up to her and put his arm around her. “How’s everything?”
She put her phone on the charger, relaxed into his embrace and passed along the updates from the others.
“Glad to hear our new tenants are settling in.”
