Code Name: Kayla's Fire (42 page)

* * * *

He was going to owe Cobbs big time for this. Dwelling on telling Kayla
the whole truth about his new position, and where it might lead made his
stomach churn. She would have let him have it with both barrels, but Cobbs said
he’d pull him out of the hot coals. There was no doubt he was still going to do
a lot of ass kissing with his fiancée, but
that
he was prepared to do, literally.

Cobbs and Marg had earned a change, just as much as Kayla and he did.
Cobbs had a new posting as well; in his office. Marg’s relief was so profound
she burst into tears. She was one wife he would never hand a folded flag.

He turned, and Kayla almost severed one of his arteries searing him
with her stare. Reaching out his hand, she took it. “Admiral Michaels and his
wife want to meet you, sweetheart,” he said, pulling her next to him.

“You are done like dinner, Captain” she hissed.

“It’s Admiral, dear.” If she could have hauled off and belted him, he
was pretty sure she would have, but the best she could do was practically grind
his fingers to pulp. He figured he’d get it all out now while she couldn’t
attack him, but she had his baby finger at the breaking point. He and the President
had talked about options. Not that he would ever go after the White House, but
Kayla didn’t know that. Tormenting her into a fiery rage was one of his
favorite pastimes, because she always tried to get even, and the chase always
ended up in bed, his second favorite pastime. Proving that he loved her more
than life itself was his first.

He looked down at her with his brow rippling in amusement. “First Lady
Kayla Austen, sounds pretty good, huh? I think it has a nice ring to it.” Her
eyes flashed, and she bit down on whatever was about to come hurtling out of
her mouth. Kayla’s hands flew to her stomach and she leaned over, a gust of air
escaping. “Sweetheart?” He turned sharply and gripped her shoulders. This
morning he’d seen her do the same thing, she’d said it was nothing, but this
time the pain hit her too hard.

“I’m okay,” she said squeezing her eyes together tightly.

“Ahhh, ahhh,” He looked to Pat.

Admiral Timmons was greeting Admiral Michaels and his wife, then
stopped mid-handshake as they all looked in their direction.

“Just a goddamn minute,” he said sharply. “Kayla—” Drops of liquid
tinged with red, spotted the platform beneath her dress. “Sweetheart, I think
your water just broke.”

Kayla groaned. “No shit, Sherlock,” and her fingers dug into his
forearms. “Oh damn, that smarts.”

“Okay, sweetheart…ahhhh.” Christ, he couldn’t think straight.

Kayla straightened up and blew out a big breath. “I gotta get off this
dais. I’m not having this baby in front of the entire base.”

Admiral Michaels’ wife stepped up to them, her husband following suit.
“Thane, I think someone better get moving,” Admiral Michaels said with a grin.
“That look of terror on your face, says it’s your first time.”

“Ahhh.”

Nina pushed her way onto the podium with Mace close behind. “Well,
don’t just stand there,” she said, her eyes sharpening. “I thought SEALs moved
quick and thought quicker. Kayla, how long have you been in labor?”

Another groan left her mouth and Kayla’s knees gave out. Thane caught
her in his arms before she fell. “I should have known, dammit.” Kayla was a
master at hiding pain. “It’s been happening since last night. Kayla, why the
hell didn’t you say something?”

The contraction ended, and Kayla’s head fell back against his arm.
“I…I thought it was just a false alarm. It’s a little early.”

Caleb appeared out of nowhere with Dr. Plymouth beside him. They’d
kept in touch and the doc had taken the opportunity to visit his cousin and
come for the ceremony. He didn’t stall and checked Kayla. “We’re not going to
make it to the hospital, but I need an ambulance here yesterday. Kayla needs an
episiotomy. Crown is pushing out, and she’s not fully dilated.”

“The hospital is only three minutes away,” Mace said.

“Thane, get behind her.” Dr. Plymouth ordered. “Kayla, don’t push.”

“But…” she growled out another contraction.

“Not yet,” Dr. Plymouth said sternly.

With quaking legs, Thane knelt down, and drew Kayla against his chest.
“Now, our son’s coming now?” he said, air sticking like lint in his throat, his
tongue dry. His heart stopped when Kayla’s lungs let go of a healthy scream.
“Oh Christ, it must be awful.”

Nina punched him hard in the shoulder. “Get a grip, SEAL.”

“Right,” shaking his head he remembered the videos and the Lamaze
classes and…and…

Everyone backed away accept the Admiral’s wife, Nina, Mace and Dr. Plymouth.
The women prompted Kayla, giving her reassurance, coaching her.

Mace kneeled down beside him. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing
something, sir?” He bit his lip, and shook his head at him. “I sure as hell
hope I’m not a lost cause like you.”

“What?” he said blinking. “You too?”

“Not yet, but I won’t be far behind, and I sure as hell ain’t asking
you for any pointers, sir.”

The ambulance arrived, and he sighed with relief, but it was short-lived
when Kayla howled in pain, sending his heart nearly crashing through his chest.
Something kicked over in his mind, and he gripped his nerves, and took command.
“Doc?”

Dr. Plymouth, assisted by the paramedics, snipped Kayla. “Okay,
Marie,” he said grinning at her. “It’s time to push.”

Kayla laughed, but an agonizing cry trailed behind. Was it just him or
did the doc get a glint in his eye every friggin’ time he looked at her. Jesus
Christ, he had to marry this woman and quick.

It didn’t take long. In the next few minutes, his son slipped into the
world. Tinman and Ed leaped onto the podium at the pivotal moment. “Ho,” Tinman
groaned, and covered his face with his hands. “That’s not something I needed to
see.”

Ed laughed at him, and slapped him on the back. “Never known a SEAL
squeamish of blood.”

“Not the blood, man, that’s, that’s, Snow White, and that area’s not
supposed to look like…damn.” Tinman paled, and slapped his hand across his eyes
again, and shuffled beside Mace.

The doc cleaned their son, suctioning his mouth and nostrils. Then his
son let go of his first command to the world, and it wasn’t meek. “Whoa,
sweetheart, he’s perfect,” he whispered into her ear. Kayla’s hand wrapped
around his neck, and he kissed her deeply. Any doubt that he was the father or
that Kayla was the love of his life was now gone for the hundreds of people
milling around.

The doc wrapped their son in a blanket and gently laid him on Kayla’s
stomach. “Your son, Mr. and Mrs. Adams,” teasing them with the false name
they’d used the first time they’d seen him.

“Hi there, little SEAL pup,” she said weakly, cradling his body.

His son’s eyes were open, and although Thane knew he couldn’t smile
yet, he looked like he was. Big blue eyes stared up at them, and the earth
stood still. It was instant love, deep, unmovable—fathomless. The crowd mumbled
in conversation, turning to look toward the stage, wondering what was going on.
“Be right back, sweetheart.” He nodded to Mace who took his place and gave
Kayla a big hug.

Taking a couple steps toward the mic, he tapped on it, and every head
turned. “Snow White is fine, and my son, Adam, has ten fingers, ten toes, and
he’s one helluva good-lookin’ boy. I’m a father! Hooyah,” he roared. No man had
a right to feel this good, and he held onto it, because today was the best damn
day of his life.

The paramedics transferred Kayla and their son to the stretcher. The
crowd was still calling out to them as Kayla waved. He followed, forgetting all
about why they were there, then remembered at the last second and grabbed the
mic again. “Captain Harrington, job’s yours. Good luck,” and then he jumped to
the ground and caught up to Kayla who had an entourage of SEALs, wives and
girlfriends surrounding her.

Epilogue

The wedding ceremony was over, and the party was in full swing. They’d
both agreed there was nowhere more apropos to be married than the base.
Everyone who wanted to come—could. Service personnel and officers mingled with
friends and family. Captain Redding didn’t hesitate when she asked him to give
her away.

She’d only had three months to plan and execute the wedding before her
and Adam’s extraction to Hawaii. She couldn’t have done it without the help of
Marg Cobbs, who had become a very good friend. Nina, Captain Redding’s wife,
Lydia, and the rest of the team wives had all pitched in to help.

When she’d been getting ready for the wedding, someone knocked on the
door. Lydia opened it, and then ushered the rest of the women out.

Greg stood in his ceremonial uniform, filling the doorway with broad
shoulders gazing at her. “You are so beautiful,” he said, stepping into the
room.

“I didn’t think you’d come.” A rush of tears threatened. Her heart
literally exploded seeing him standing there.

“No tears, Angel.” He leaned forward, placing a long, warm kiss on her
lips. “I’ve missed you.” His finger traced a gentle line down her cheek. “I
don’t think I’ll ever not love you, but we both needed to start again, and we
never would have if we’d held onto each other. I hope you don’t mind, but I
brought someone with me.”

“Really?” She didn’t know how she would feel when she heard those
words from him for the first time, but she was happy. She forked her fingers
through his, and rested them against her chest. “She’s so lucky, and I can’t
wait to meet her.”

“Her name is Diana. She’s a nurse. I met her a few years ago, and I
guess there was a spark, I just…”

She palmed his jaw, and breathed a sigh of relief, looking into his
beautiful green eyes. “You don’t have to explain.”

“She knows everything, even how deeply I feel for you. I can’t believe
her patience, but maybe we both managed to find someone wonderful to share the
end of our days.” He stepped back and pulled something from his pocket. “You
don’t have to wear it, but I want you to have it.”

Greg opened his palm, and a bracelet lay coiled in it. A small silver
heart dangled from the links. She held her wrist out and he fastened it. “It’s
beautiful.” Their fingers bumped into each other as they skimmed it, and rested
over the heart. They both raised their eyes at the same time, hers brimming
with tears. “You were my everything since I was a young girl. I have no way to
show you how grateful I am.”

He brushed away the tear. “Promise me next time around, it will be you
and I against the world.”

“Eh-hem.” They both turned, and the Admiral loomed in the doorway.

“Admiral,” she said with a sigh. Leave it to him to break tradition.

“Lapierre,” he said his gaze sharp and inquiring.

Greg shrugged, and a guilty little smile crowned his features. “Hey,
what can I say?”

“Hello, for one,” Thane said, stepping up to them, shaking Greg’s
hand. “Good to see you came. Kayla really wanted you here today,” He paused.
“And so did I.”

“Thank you, Capt…Admiral, but I didn’t come alone.”

“I noticed,” he said, and raised a brow.

“Hmm.” She did her best Marge Simpson growl. “Now, I have to meet
her.” She turned to check her makeup in the large oval standing mirror
positioned in the middle of the room.

She saw Thane and Greg fist each other, while her husband-to-be
mouthed, “Hot.” Greg showed his wolf smile for a quick second, and popped his
brows. She turned slowly, and both of them swooped an innocent expression on
their faces.

“Out,” she barked.

When she walked up the aisle she saw Diana for the first time. Thane
was right. She was a stunning beauty, with a warm smile and honest eyes. She
nodded to her, and Diana nodded back regally.

Finally, the galley crew rolled the cake out. She’d fretted over the
top of that stupid thing for two months until she finally found something that
wasn’t a tacky plastic couple standing rigidly beside each other. She’d settled
on a nautical theme, two beautiful glass dolphins entwined.

Thane stood
 
surrounded by some
of the ranking officers from the base, with Adam bundled in his arms sleeping
soundly. Carefully, the cake was set on a table draped in fine, white linen and
covered with petals. Her eyes widened with a slow burning heat sizzling up her
spine. “What—the—hell—is—that?”

“What’s the matter, Kayla?”

Words stuttered in her throat. Instead, she thrust her finger as more
people gathered around to watch them cut the cake. The chuckles and out and out
laughter began to ripple through the crowd. Her head jerked around to glare at
Thane.

Sitting on top of the cake wasn’t the glass dolphins she’d sweated
over. On top of the most extraordinarily beautiful four-layered piece of
artwork were two very large, gaudy, plastic statues. One of a ghost with huge
black eyes and a billowing sheet and the other had to have come from
Disneyland, because it was Snow White and seven little, fat, laughing dwarves
scattered on every level.

At the same time, and loud enough to make people squint they both
shouted, “Goddamnit, Mace!”

It wasn’t only him laughing. The entire squad stood together, and
clutched their stomachs.

Nothing but trouble, all of them, but there was no denying she loved
them all, and then she broke out in gales of laughter herself. The guys ran up
and threw their arms around them, begging for forgiveness and blaming Mace.
Everyone jostled to snap a picture of the tasteless masterpiece. Mace
approached carefully with his palms together, pleading for mercy. She motioned
with her finger, and he trapped her in his arms for a big hug.

“Love ya, Kayla,” he said, giving her a handsome smile.

She prayed every night for them, especially Mace. She gazed into the
eyes of her friend, reaching up to palm his strong jaw. “Always come home with
this,” she whispered, squeezing his cheeks.

“I will, Kayla.” He leaned over and kissed her, then squeezed her
tight. “Nina and I’ll come visit. I need to work on my tan, and Hawaii’s pretty
hot.”

“A lot hotter than where I’m posting you, Petty Officer Callahan,”
they heard Thane say. “I hear it drops to minus sixty in the winter.”

Mace backed away with a warm expression in his eyes. Nina reached for
Adam, and Thane placed their son in her arms. Mace grinned down at his godson,
and then leaned over and hoisted Gabby onto his hip. She threw her little arms
around his neck, and rested her mop of red curls against his head.

“I love you both,” Mace said, giving them a quick salute.

They all laughed when Gabby imitated him, and Mace gave her a huge wet
kiss on her cheek. Greg wandered up and wrapped an arm around Nina while Diana
threaded her arm around Greg’s.

The Admiral stretched out his hand, and she laid hers on top. Mace, as
did the rest of the squad, gathered round them in a tight circle, and piled
their hands atop of one another. “You were always there, men. Keep doing what
you do best, because you are the best. I never want to come back here to hammer
my trident in a wooden box, you hear me loud and clear?” he said, giving them
their final order.

“Hooyah,” sang out through the air, across the sea, and into the blue
of an ebbing California sunset.

More echoed from the mouths of the SEALs, and the men and women who
served as if a great pack were calling out to each other. The resonance of
their voices was better than hearing church bells. Remembering Thane’s words to
a graduating class of recruits, they curled around Kayla’s heart.

Living—comes with a price, as does freedom. The
sons and daughters, friends and soul mates surrounding us today, offer their
lives as a shield against dark things, giving peace a fighting chance. There is
no greater irony, and only those who protect a nation can understand the
paradox. Whether by some crinkle of fate or man’s eternal flaws, struggle is a
part of life, but so is hope.

There are things crushingly certain in this
world. The warmth of blood and tears will always chill as it blankets soil and
gravestones. In the silent but healing breath seized between war and peace,
there will always be memorable moments. The ones that keep life worth living.
You just need to recognize them, and hold onto them as long as you can.
Today—belongs to all of us.

“Hooyah,” she whispered as the Admiral kissed her cheek. “Hooyah.”

*The End*