Page 119

Possum was Odin’s wife’s bird that she’d saved when he was just a baby.

The two couldn’t look any different as they flew.

Peter, a shock of red that stuck out like a sore thumb. Meanwhile, Possum blended in with the cloudy sky, so close that you could barely make him out.

The two flew hard, and I drove a little over the speed limit to get home.

As I rounded the corner, a left taking me to Denver’s place and a right taking us to our home, I saw a familiar horse trotting along.

I rolled the window down and said, “Hey, what’s going on?”

Denver shrugged. “I don’t know.”

My belly twisting in worry—first Odin and now Denver on my way to my house could only mean not good things—I took the turn that would lead me down my driveway.

Denver took the shortcut that would get him there a few minutes faster than me since I was forced to stay on the path.

When I pulled up, it was to find not just Odin’s car there, but almost all of the Dixie Wardens.

I opened the car door and the entire crew of people on my front lawn looked my way.

All of them were very used to Abbett’s screaming.

But it was the gorgeous six-foot-three man who came down the front walk toward me that had me breathing a sigh of relief.

Court didn’t look upset.

In fact, he looked really damn happy.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Mama! I unbuckled Abbett!”

Court went for the car door at my back and opened it up, picking his one-year-old terror out of her car seat.

The minute she’d seen Court, she’d stopped crying.

As was per usual.

The door slammed closed, and he wrapped her blanket around her tight to keep her covered from the cold.

“What’s going on?” I repeated.

Court tilted his head. “Baby…what day is today?”

I thought about it and shrugged. “I don’t actually know.”

Then there were more people coming out from around the side of the house.

My parents.

Missy and Zinnia.

Jessa.

Some of my Marine buddies.

I shrieked and ran at them all, handing out hugs and kisses to everyone.