Page 138 of Spies Don’t Fall for Their Best Friend

She slips her hand in mine, and as we head back to the living room, she says, “You know, I think I’m going to have to get you a new trophy now. Maybe one that says, For Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Internal Geology. Or For Surviving the Smallest Adversary of His Career.”

I laugh pretty heartily, and this time it doesn’t hurt nearly as much.

I’m about to ask if she’s interested in watching an episode of The Village Detective when my agency phone buzzes on the coffee table. When I look at it, I realize I don’t feel quite so trapped by my own body. I kiss Reese’s forehead, then I kiss her lips, and I can feel her relief in her kiss. When I pull away, she smiles.

I pick up my phone and see that a secure message from Emerson waits on the screen.

Bid model ready. Needs Maxwell’s review.

I look at Reese, and she points upstairs, toward my office. “Go do mysterious government things.”

I smile and head to my office. Operation Tiny Rock is now complete. And Maxwell Shaw has a bid to win.

CHAPTER 24

THE BUN LEAVES THE OVEN

REESE

At 6:17 on Wednesday morning, there’s a way-too-enthusiastic knock on my bedroom door, and I jerk awake. “What? Who?” I fumble for my glasses on the nightstand and put them on.

Charlie opens my door enough to poke her head in. “The baby is coming.” She looks like she’s barely able to contain the explosion of excitement that’s filling her. “Mackenzie’s water broke twenty minutes ago, and they’re headed to the hospital.”

I throw off my blankets. “I’m coming.”

I send a quick text to Marjorie. I knew there was a good chance the baby would come during a school day, so I already have everything approved and lined up for Marjorie to sub for me when the day came.

By seven thirty, I’m at the hospital with enough Lancaster and MacNeil family members to make the waiting area feel like it’s Jace and Mackenzie’s baby shower, part two. Except, this time, we’re indoors, and so far, the pregnant woman is the only one experiencing labor-like pain.

Mackenzie has been admitted, and Jace is with her. The rest of us are sitting, off in search of our caffeine of choice, or getting breakfast from vending machines, while trying not to ask for updates every two minutes.

Miles arrives and gives me a hello kiss—something I know I’ll never tire of in a million years. His hair is still a little messy, and there’s the faintest shadow of stubble along his jaw. Apparently, “recently recovered from a kidney stone” is still an extremely good look on him. I have to remind myself that staring at my boyfriend after he kisses me hello is probably allowed now.

He looks so much better than he did on Saturday! A bit tired, maybe, but he’s moving normally and is no longer at the mercy of Chuck.

“Any lingering trauma from your recently liberated urinary tract?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Only from the trophy you ordered.”

“Oh, come on. You know you’ll be displaying that thing proudly. You earned it.”

He gives me a smile that says, “You make my life better.” I give him my own version of that smile right back.

Jace comes into the waiting room, his hair looking like he’s run his hands through it a dozen times. He spots us and walks quickly over. “We have a problem.”

Miles and I both straighten, and my mind starts running through a list of possible problems.

“Our birth doula isn’t coming.”

“Oh.” That wasn’t what I was expecting at all.

Jace rubs a hand over his face. “Her daughter has some kind of stomach virus. And her backup is stuck behind a major accident on the interstate that might not be cleared for hours.”

Jace looks between us, and Miles immediately says, “No.”

“You don’t even know what he’s asking.”

Miles doesn’t take his eyes off Jace as he says, “Oh, I know exactly what he’s asking.”