by Misty Evans
Sophie scowled, swatting his arm. “And do what, sit around while you guys get to have all the fun? I don’t think so. I may not be able to participate in the training, but I sure as heck can hang out with the girls. The pool and spa are calling my name.”
“Absolutely,” Celina quickly interjected, vigilant as Nelson helped Sophie into a chair before retaking his seat. “You can sit poolside all day tomorrow while we do the training session, then we can hang out tomorrow night.”
“We should go to the spa and get our nails done,” Polly added, which Celina found really sweet considering she knew how much Polly hated doing anything that qualified as too girlie.
Sophie smiled demurely, patting Nelson on the cheek. “See, my love? All taken care of.”
Nelson didn’t look convinced, but he forced a smile for her benefit, brushing a kiss on her temple.
“Have you guys decided on names, yet?” Celina asked as Nelson fussed over Sophie.
“We’ve tossed around a few ideas, but haven’t settled on anything yet,” Sophie smiled. “Since we don’t know the sex of the babies, the possibilities are endless.”
Nelson scowled. “You didn’t want to find out.”
Celina exchanged a look with Cooper, noting the smile curving his mouth. They were thinking the same thing: for a man used to being in control of every situation, not being allowed to know the sex of the babies must have been hard for Nelson to swallow.
“And I appreciate your support with that decision.” Sophie’s droll tone said she knew what a stretch it had been for him to abide by her wishes.
Nelson’s scowl faded and he leaned down to brush her mouth with his. “Hey, I’m a supportive guy. Whatever you need, you get. End of story.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, Agent Cruz.” Sophie smirked, her gaze finding Celina’s. “So, spa time after the training tomorrow?”
“Does anyone else feel their balls shrinking with all this girl talk?” Roman commented, taking a pull from his beer.
“Why don’t you boys move to the end of the table so us girls can talk.” Polly shooed him, already standing to switch seats.
“You don’t have to tell me twice. I could use some manly conversation.” Nelson pressed a smacking kiss to Sophie’s cheek then moved down a couple chairs too, still keeping a watchful eye on his wife.
“You good?” Cooper glanced at her, and Celina smiled at his thoughtfulness. One word from her and he would gladly blow off the guys to stay by her side, but she didn’t want that. Not tonight. Tonight was about reconnecting with friends and forging a new chapter in their lives—even if he didn’t know it yet.
“Go play,” she laughed, returning his kiss when he brushed his mouth over hers before untucking herself from beneath his arm.
“You and I will play more later,” he promised and the desire in his gaze sent a shiver down her spine. She had big plans for him when they got back to the room.
There was a wistfulness in Polly’s gaze when Celina turned back to the girls. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, everything’s fine.” Polly bit her lower lip, fiddling with the straw in her glass. “I’ve just been thinking about things lately.”
“Such as?” Sophie leaned back in her chair, a hand resting on her belly.
“That I’m not getting any younger and maybe it’s time I start a family.”
Celina reeled back, pleasantly stunned by the news. “Are you dating someone we don’t know about?”
Polly laughed, shaking her head. “No, nothing like that. I want a guy with brains and brawn, a tall order, it seems. Someone who challenges my mind while making me drool. Unfortunately, unlike you girls, I can’t seem to find the right mix of nerd and caveman that makes my head spin. Does that make sense?”
Cooper’s burst of laughter drew her gaze and Celina smiled. She knew exactly what Polly was talking about, and she thanked her lucky stars every day she had landed the Beast for her own.
“I totally get that, but I hope that doesn’t mean you’re going to settle for anything less than what you deserve,” Sophie pointed out.
“Oh hell no.” Polly shook her frizzy head. “This girl doesn’t settle for anything. I’m talking about skipping the husband part and just going straight to the kids. There are ways to do that, you know.”
Boisterous laughter erupted from across the room, and the three women turned to see a man dancing around, his fist in the air like he was Rocky Balboa and had just won the main boxing match. The drunken group with him cheered him on.
“Idiots,” Polly murmured, though her eyes were glued to the guy and his dancing moves.
Not bad looking, Celina surmised, taking in the closely shaved head, tawny colored skin and bright Hawaiian shirt. He was tall—she would guess him to be close to Nelson’s height—with a muscled stature that said he wasn’t afraid to work-out on a daily basis.
Polly didn’t take her eyes off the guy, not even when he glanced in their direction. His eyes zeroed in on her, and several seconds ticked by before a full grin curved his generous mouth. He lifted a hand in a wave.
Face flushing, Polly jerked her gaze away and stared at the table.
“Ooh, he’s a cutie,” Sophie murmured, nudging Polly with her elbow. “Looks like he thinks you are too. You should go say ‘Hi’.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so. He looks like he has more brawn than brain.” Polly’s eyes rose to glance in his direction again. Done with his song and dance, he had a hip pressed against the bar as he lifted a beer to his mouth. Celina noticed that he kept sneaking glances at their favorite crime scene tech.
Roman caught the focus of their attention and leaned toward Polly. “That’s Dr. Leo Garand. He’s a well-known physician who left his family practice to work for the emergency response and recovery unit of the CDC.”
“I know who he is,” Polly said, gaze once more locked on the table. “I’ve read some of his articles.”
“So he is a brainy guy,” Celina surmised. “He must be here for the training session.”
“So?” Polly shrugged as if she didn’t care.
Celina wasn’t fooled in the least. Polly was definitely interested, even if she wouldn’t admit it out loud. Maybe all she needed was a little friendly push.
“So…” Sophie nudged her friend again. “Maybe you should invite him to join you some place more quiet—like your hotel room—to talk about the training session tomorrow.”
“Yeah, and get started on that baby making plan of yours,” Celina chimed in with a wide grin.
Roman looked slightly confused and went back to the boys’ discussion when Polly waved him off.
“No teasing allowed,” she sneered, but Celina could hear the lightness in her voice and tell the wheels were turning in her head. “At least not about my love life, or lack thereof, or about the baby thing. Especially around Roman or the others in the DTT. I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Sophie and Celina shared a grin, one that said nothing was off limits.
Polly hesitated for a second, then pulled out her trusty tablet and began typing, and Celina chuckled, amazed it had taken their friend this long to keep her tablet hidden. Her proclaimed security blanket, Polly rarely went anywhere without it, sometimes spending more time on the thing than she did in the real world.
While Polly searched for whatever escape she needed, Celina’s eyes wandered over the bar, landing on a rough looking guy alone in the corner. He wore a leather jacket, riding boots, and a baseball cap done in camo. His unkempt, scruffy beard hid the lower portion of his face. He definitely stood out in a room full of suits, and looked like he felt quite awkward.
As she watched, he shifted in his seat to glance around the room, eyeing each of the exits before letting his attention drift over the crowd. He took out a cell phone and started covertly snapping pictures, no one paying any attention to him.
Weird. What was that about?
Another man moseyed up to him and they exchanged words. Basebal
l Cap handed the man the phone.
She continued to watch as they talked, their faces slightly strained, until the second guy left with the phone. It didn’t sit well with her, but for all she knew, the two of them might be undercover agents. Baseball Cap stayed and drank more beer.
“Everything all right?” Cooper asked.
Startled he’d moved to the seat next to her again, Celina jerked her gaze away from the odd biker to smile and nod at him. When she glanced back, Baseball Cap was gone.
She leaned back in her seat, chewing it over. The worry in her stomach eased, and she suddenly felt silly for having been worried in the first place. Maybe she was just missing Via, but for some reason her overprotective instincts were on high alert.
“Hey, what is it?” Cooper asked, a frown creasing his forehead.
“Nothing, everything’s good,” she lied, not wanting Cooper to worry. This was stupid. In this light, it was hard to tell what anyone was doing, let alone a guy across the room. It wasn’t fair to judge a book by its cover, either, and she had done just that. She’d taken one look at his gruff appearance and instantly felt uneasy.
Cooper didn’t look convinced by her blasé answer, but thankfully he didn’t press for more. Celina slipped her hand beneath the table to find his and gave it a squeeze. She would tell him about it later. For now, she just wanted to enjoy the rest of their evening worry-free.
2
The walls of the Aztec Sports Arena were used to the sounds of screaming fans as they cheered their teams on to victory. Today, they were filled with the sounds of crews who were busy turning the facility into a mock fallout shelter.
The large basketball court was acting as an operating base after a hypothetical 6.5 magnitude earthquake rocked downtown San Diego, injuring hundreds of people. Cots had been brought in for the displaced and injured citizens, and first responders and FEMA agents had set up medical triage areas and water stations around the perimeter.
Hidden somewhere in the northeast quadrant of the building where the food stands and retail shop enticed fans to part with their money, Cooper had been informed there was a backpack containing a fake dirty bomb. Today’s scenario included a terrorist sleeper cell taking advantage of the earthquake to inflict more chaos, and harm first responders and federal personnel.
While the medics concentrated on helping those injured in the quake, the bomb was Cooper’s focus, and he was ready to get to it.
Broken up into multiple teams, members from each law enforcement agency present for the training would be hunting down the bomb and collecting evidence, while other experts observed the detonation and response times in an effort to formulate policies and procedures to better help victims. It was a large, well-orchestrated training session, and Cooper was glad he and Nelson were participating. Everything they learned would be shared with the rest of the SCVC Taskforce.
“Looks like I’ll be photographing the bomb once ground zero is located.” Celina appeared at his side, a folded piece of paper in hand. They had arrived early to get their assignments, though Cooper wished they’d spent more time rolling around in bed.
“Were you expecting to do something else?” he teased.
“Smartass.” Her mouth twitched with a grin. “No, being the main crime scene photographer is right where I need to be. What are you doing?”
Cooper held his paper up, tucked between two fingers. “I’ll be tracking the bomb and collecting evidence before you get called in. I figured as much.”
“That makes two of us.” Nelson held up his own paper before stuffing it in his pocket. “We gotta play nice with the local boys for this one.”
Cooper grinned. Nelson wasn’t the type of guy who liked others on his turf. “We’re all on the same team here, Cruz. Better get used to it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Nelson grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“You have got to be kidding me.” Polly hurried towards them, her face scrunched in disbelief. She waved her piece of paper under Celina’s nose, eyes wide. “I’m teamed up with him.”
Celina tried to hide her grin, failing miserably while Cooper arched an eyebrow, glancing between the two women in confusion. “Him who?”
“Dr. Garand,” Celina explained, finally giving in and releasing her grin. “Polly’s new beau.”
“The hell he is,” Polly growled, crumpling her paper and tossing it into a nearby trashcan. “Did you set this up? You did, didn’t you? I should be on the crime scene investigation unit with you, Celina. Not running around with some CDC physician.”
Celina burst out laughing, shaking her head. “I wish I could take credit, Polly, but I didn’t have anything to do with your assignment. Maybe this is the universe’s way of saying you two are meant for each other.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Polly snorted derisively, rolling her eyes. “The man may be smart, but he’s got too much caveman in him for my taste.”
“Ahh.” Understanding dawned as last night’s conversation came back to Cooper. He had only caught bits and pieces, but he’d noticed them checking the doctor out. “You don’t think he’s your type?”
“My tablet is my type.” Polly waved her gadget around. “Dr. Leo Garand? Big, fat no.”
“Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” Celina mused, bursting out laughing when Polly swatted her arm.
“Not funny, Celina.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?” a loud voice boomed over the microphone system, drawing their focus to the middle of the arena’s gymnasium where a stage had been erected. “I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for coming. This weekend’s training session has been a long time in the making. We hope with the data we collect today we will gain much needed insight on how to handle an explosive device containing radioactive materials in conjunction with a natural disaster. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Director Alejandro Vance, and I’m with the San Diego Anti-terrorist Unit.”
“Dude’s a real badass,” Nelson mumbled from the corner of his mouth. “Last month his unit hit the Hands of Columbia group with three consecutive strikes and shut them down for good.”
Cooper whistled low. The Hands of Columbia was a terrorist group responsible for multiple mass public bombings scattered throughout the western United States. Their members were self-proclaimed martyrs who went into large crowds of people strapped with C4 with the single goal of taking out as many bystanders as possible. Up until recently, no one had been able to track them, but it sounded like Vance’s crew had figured it out. Being able to take down not one, but all three of their core operations in a single blow took calculated precision and demanded respect.
“By now, each of you should have gotten your assignments. Head to your post and check in with your team leader, they will direct you on what to do. Remember not to go into the restricted areas marked by the fluorescent pink tape across the entrances and exits.” He pointed to several nearby. Those doorways led to “contaminated” areas or ones declared unstable from the earthquake—more problems to compound the main issues, but important to the training exercise to ensure teams followed procedures and instructions during a real crisis. “Good luck everyone!” Vance dropped down from the stage and faded into the crowd as it dispersed.
“Guess that’s our cue. Good luck, guys.” Polly turned on her heel, gave a fortifying sigh, and headed toward one of the medic areas.
Cooper faced Celina, drinking in the excitement dancing in her dark eyes. Sexy. As. Hell. Who would have thought a little training exercise would bring on so much anticipation? Then again, when was the last time his wife had any real excitement that didn’t involve changing Via’s mystery diapers?
“You ready for this?” he brushed his knuckles over her cheek, reveling in the feel of the silky skin beneath his touch.
She grinned, rising on tip-toe to press a kiss to his lips. “You bet your ass I am.”
“Just be careful,” he growled, slipping an arm around
her waist to hold her close for a second longer. “I know it’s a training exercise, not the real deal, but I want you sharp and focused. Take in as much information as you can so we can share details later and bring everything we learn back to our respective teams.”
“If you wanted me sharp and focused, you shouldn’t have worn those tight fitting jeans,” she purred in his ear, stepping out of his embrace before he could tighten it. “Catch you later, hot stuff. Good luck.” With a final saucy wink, she hurried away, disappearing into the crowd.
That woman is going to be the death of me.
But damn, what a way to go.
“If you’re done drooling over your wife, can you join me in finding our group leader?” Nelson’s tone was droll, but there was a hint of laughter in his eyes.
Never, the answer rose readily to his lips, but Cooper curtailed it. “Don’t be a dick because your girl isn’t here.” He fell into step beside Nelson, heading towards the far end of the courts. “How is Sophie feeling this morning?” It was late by the time they’d left the bar last night, and even though she didn’t complain, Cooper could tell that Sophie wasn’t feeling the greatest. Even Celina had mentioned it to him before bed—she was worried that Sophie was taking on too much with this trip.
Nelson raked a hand over his face, the lines around his mouth deepening. “She was still in bed when I left this morning, said her back was sore. I don’t know man, maybe this weekend wasn’t such a good idea. She was so excited to get out, but now I think it’s just too much for her. I should have made her stay home. What if something happens?”
“Then we’ll deal with it,” Cooper easily replied, clapping a hand on Nelson’s shoulder. “It’s what we do, Cruz. We deal with shit when it happens, but for now, think positive. Besides, we’ve got dozens of ambulances, medical personnel, and EMTs here today. If she needs help, I can’t think of a better place for her to be.”
“Right,” Nelson grumbled, looking unconvinced. “Since when do you think positive?”
