Sarah stepped in, still in uniform, badge catching the light as she shrugged out of her jacket.
“Long shift?” Caleb asked.
Ryder tipped his beer toward her. “Or were you out busting teenagers again?”
Sarah eyed them both. “Amazing. Two grown men and you still think I spend my evenings chasing kids in lifted trucks.”
Caleb grinned. “Just checking you haven’t mellowed.”
“Dream on,” she said. “Scoot up. I’m starving.”
Sophie was already moving toward the kitchen. “I’ll get you a plate, honey.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Sarah dropped into the empty chair next to Caleb and met Jen’s gaze. “Hi. You must be Jen.”
“Hi. Yes.”
Sarah’s eyes were sharp. “Heard a lot about you.”
Wyatt stiffened.
Sarah’s mouth twitched. “Relax, big brother. All good things.” She turned back to Jen. “Are you doing okay? After everything?”
Jen bobbed her head. “Getting there.”
Wyatt leaned back in his chair, but his arm slid across the back of Jen’s chair.
“Good.” Sarah reached for the water jug and poured herself a glass. “Akilov’s at County. There’s Feds everywhere, he’s under close watch.” She paused, something behind her professional calm. “His people are still being rounded up.”
The table went quiet for half a second.
Caro’s fork stalled midway to her mouth, and Jen’s fingers tightened around her glass. Her gaze connected with Caro’s across the table.
She didn’t regret what she’d done. The flare gun. The burns to Akilov’s face.
“Well,” Ivy said lightly, “that’s something.”
“Yeah.” Sarah sipped her water. “He’s not going anywhere.”
Caleb looked at Wyatt. The way younger brothers looked at the oldest when the room got heavy.
Wyatt gave a barely perceptible shake of his head.Not now.
Caleb picked up his wine.
Conversation resumed, slower at first. Ryder launched back into his snowmobile argument, and Ellie demanded more spaghetti.
Under the table, Wyatt’s hand found her knee and held on.I’m here.
She wasn’t used to someone watching for her like this—not just with words, but with every small touch.
As if he already knew how easily everything could be taken away.
37
His mom’schocolate fudge cake hit the table, and Ellie’s face lit up like someone handed her a grenade launcher—which, in his family, counted as a reasonable escalation.
“Wyatt." Ty pushed back from the table. “Come take a look at the new sled. Finally got her dialed in.”
