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Gideon was about to head over to the podium again when his friend Zach put his hand on his arm. “Let me take care of this, buddy.”
Zach took command of the microphone. “I don’t need an introduction. This guy—” he hooked a thumb at Gideon. “—might have trouble finding nice things to say about me. And none of them would have been true anyway. My name’s Zach Smith, and once we shipped over there, me and Gid were Alias Smith and Jones.” Laughter rose up. Zach laughed too. “Yeah, at least some of you are old enough to remember that TV show. Good on you. But that was us. Alias Smith and Jones. And let me tell you, Gid was the biggest prankster over there. Why, I remember the time he put—”
“Wrong audience,” Gideon called out.
Zach grinned. “Well, maybe I better not tell you that one. At least not until later tonight.” Laughter filled the room. “What I will tell you is that Gideon Jones helped make all our lives bearable. So it doesn’t surprise me that now he’s working to make life bearable for soldiers coming back. Gideon sees a need, and he jumps in—now all we need is for the full lot of you to jump in with him. Soldiers need you, veterans need you, families need you, foster kids need you. Let’s get cracking.” He raised a fist in the air and belted out a resounding, “Huzzah.” All the Mavericks joined him, until the room took up the cheer.
In that moment, Lyssa understood that the foundation had truly come to life. They were going to help so many people.
She turned, wrapping her arms around Cal, wanting to share the moment with him.
“I knew there were some sparks flying between you two.” Dane was grinning as they drew apart. “Even if you tried to deny it that day in the office, Lyssa.” Then he shook Cal’s hand. “Great job with the speeches. They were short and sweet, and the donations are already pouring in.”
“We can’t thank you enough.” Cal’s words were heartfelt.
Then it became a melee of Mavericks and Harringtons, a chorus of great and fabulous and amazing and well done.
Lyssa had met all the family and talked a bit with Dane’s sister Ava. She was a compelling combination of sweet and sharp, with a ready smile and a keen intelligence in her eyes, her hair a glossy red. The two brothers were Troy and Clay, who were a bit like Dane with the same short dark hair, blue eyes, and handsome, bad-boy looks. Gabby was the youngest, her long blond hair falling like silk to the middle of her back.
Then Matt grabbed Gideon with an arm around his shoulders and said in a loud voice to their gathering of friends and family, “We’ve got an announcement.”
Lyssa spied Rosie and Ari holding hands. And she absolutely knew, her heart about to burst.
Her mom knew, too, her hands already to her mouth and tears of joy filling her eyes as Lyssa’s dad wrapped an arm around her, his share of tears blurring his eyes too.
Then Gideon and Matt shouted out together, “We’re pregnant!”
Dane said, laughing, “Isn’t that an anatomical impossibility?”
But everyone knew what they meant, and it became the world’s biggest hugfest. There weren’t enough tissues to go round.
But there was certainly more than enough love.
Finally, Lyssa found herself enveloped in the arms of Ari and Rosie and Paige. “This is so great! All of our babies will be the same age.”
“Noah and Jorge can babysit them like big brothers should,” Ari said.
It was the most wonderful thing she could ever imagine.
Except for Cal.
When she turned, he was right there. He would always be right there. Supporting her. Making her laugh. Inspiring her.
Loving her.
She threw her arms around him, tears blurring her vision. “I love you so much.”
“I love you just as much.” His kiss tasted of joy and family.
Soldiers and veterans and foster kids would always have Lean on Us.
And she and Cal would always have each other.
* * *
“Four pregnant women,” Dane’s brother Troy said as the Harrington siblings gathered. “Am I the only one who finds that terrifying?”
“I heard someone say Paige Collins is having twins,” Clay put in.
Ava’s eyes went wide. “That makes five!” Then she smiled as she looked over at the Maverick matriarch. “I bet Susan Spencer is in heaven.”
“She is,” Dane said softly, watching Susan hug and kiss the cheeks of each family member.
The gala was a rousing fundraising success. Each person had spoken straight from the heart, especially Gideon. Dane had respect for the man and what he wanted to accomplish. He had respect for Cal, who he knew damn well was running the foundation without a cent of recompense.
This spirit seemed to be what the Mavericks were all about. They weren’t just brilliant billionaires who worked together, they were a true family.
