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CHAPTER19
RICOCHET
Killian dialedDestiny’s phone number and winced at the time. It was probably six-thirty in the morning back home, and as she answered it? He knew without a doubt he had woken her up. She was groggy, and for a second he was afraid that she’d fallen back asleep, hearing a faint little snore. He’d heard pregnant women were exhausted all the time, and could only imagine how she was doing.
“Merry Christmas, my favorite elf!” he said brightly.
“Oh, my goodness, you are much too chipper…” Destiny whispered, and he could hear her moving around. “Merry Christmas, my love. What are you doing?”
“Well,” Killian grinned mischievously, realizing he was taking full advantage of the chance to call his wife while Reaper was out of town. He had privacy. It was a holiday, which meant no excursions today. He had the day to himself and wanted to hear her voice.
“I’m in Reaper’s office since he is in Yonder with Sophie… and I have three calling cards in front of me, all for you. Do you think you can handle approximately twenty-seven minutes of adoration and mushiness?”
“Oh goshyessss– bring it, Flyboy…” she whispered emphatically, and he could practically hear the smile in her voice, as he closed his eyes picturing it. “I can take everything you can give me.”
“Now that’s what a man who’s in love wants to hear from his wife,” he said huskily, grinning as he leaned back in the desk chair and put his feet on Reaper’s desk. “Tell me you are wearing something sexy and still lying in our bed.”
“Is this twenty-seven minutes of dirty talk, you filthy elf?”
“No, of course not,” Killian chuckled. “It’stwenty-sixminutes…”
“Killian!” she laughed nervously, quickly changing the subject. “Did you guys do anything special for Christmas?”
“Well, Santa’s favorite elf came through for him…” he whispered happily, teasing her. He truly was grateful for every second since that first moment that he looked in her eyes, taking the payphone from her shaking hands.
He would bronze that stupid car once it finally kicked the bucket, simply for bringing them together – and giving them so many incredible memories. Maybe he would have the back seat removed and make a bench for their bedroom, maybe something soft to sit on at the foot of their bed?
Killian was already smiling at just hearing her voice – but thinking of the back seat of her car, those wild kisses in the rain, and the thought of keeping that ugly back seat had him grinning wildly… so much that his cheeks hurt and his heart felt like it was about to explode.
Heck, if that nitwit Tomas was here – he might just shake his hand.
…Might.
“Oh?” she said, interrupting his train of thought.
“Yeah, thank you for the box of treats, sweetheart. You are a miracle and a lifesaver. I got to pass out cookies and all the treats to the guys – and you should have seen their faces. I think this was the breakthrough you mentioned that I needed… because they each came and hugged me, wishing me a Merry Christmas.”
He hoped she understood what a gift it was to him.
The last few weeks had been so hard.
Paradox was seething and had even butted up against him, looking to start a fight. Riptide was bored and trying to cause anything to liven up the calm atmosphere, creating havoc.
Sparky, who was already a mess… was even more so now – but in a way he never imagined. The man sat there, staring off into nothing, not even smiling. He was hard at work trying to figure out how to handle the new twist in his personal life.
Copperhead was snapping at everyone, and Inferno was no better. Cajun was out of town on some wild goose chase…
Outfield was a goofball, and just didn’t fit in. You could ask him anything about baseball, hence the name, and the man knew the stats, scores, or some nugget of information… but flying? He was dependable and quirky.
To say things were ‘strained’was calling a glacier an ice cube… maybe one of the little pellet ice cubes, at that – or crushed ice. Killian felt like a failure, trying to find a way to reach everyone, and Destiny’s box helped him.
“Hey guys?”
“Yes, sir…” was the response but nobody moved, it was like they were testing him – again. No salute, no acknowledgement, no friendly camaraderie…
Killian looked at the box of things Destiny sent him, picked up an individually wrapped cookie that had thankfully been cushioned by Styrofoam peanuts and the bags filled with air containing razors to help insulate it.
He slung the cookie like a frisbee at Outfield across the room – and shockingly – the man caught it like it was nothing. His stunned gaze looked up at him as he stared at the cookie, then back at Killian.
