As they zoomed off down the street, Rowan thought of Lars and Aimee. She thought of Isabel, Emily, Samuel, Amara, and the others.
Rowan vowed that she’d live every day for them and for herself. She’d live, laugh, and love with her man.
*
Lachlan flipped the burger patty on the grill. The sun was shining, he had a beer in his hand, his friends around him, and his woman was close by.
And they all had a weekend off. Bliss.
He looked up, watching his team eating and laughing. They had staked out a part of Sunset Park, enjoying the sunshine.
Rowan walked over, holding a tray of marinated chicken for him to cook. She smiled.
Damn. He felt warmth in his chest. He’d never felt this…content. Happy. Complete.
She’d moved into his condo, adding splashes of color and life. He was also pretty sure he was going to gain a few pounds from the endless chocolate creations she made for him. Not that he cared, because her baking was awesome. She was also loving her work and studies at the university. Last week, he’d even taken a few days off and they’d flown to New York so they could get the last of her things and meet her mother. That had been…interesting.
Dr. Kathleen Schafer had been arctic, and made it clear she was unimpressed with her daughter’s choice of partner.
Lachlan hadn’t given a shit. He’d hated seeing Rowan so on edge, though. Not that she cared any longer what her mother said to her, but she’d worried about what her mother would say to him.
“She’ll be rude,” Rowan had warned.
“Sweetheart, I love you. As long as you love me, I don’t care what your mother thinks.”
Rowan had relaxed after that. At the end of a tense dinner, Rowan had left to use the restroom.
Kathleen Schafer had leaned forward. “You’re not what I would have chosen for my daughter.”
He stayed silent.
“But I see the way you look at her.” The woman sipped her drink. “I’m not an emotional woman. I know Rowan thinks I don’t care about her…but I do want her to be happy.”
“I don’t really care what you think, Dr. Schafer. But I will tell you that I love Rowan. I’d die for her.”
“And kill for her.” The older woman tilted her head. “I know there’s more to your work, and more to what happened in Canada and Las Vegas than either of you have let on.”
He knew the woman was a genius, and again, he stayed silent.
“Take care of her,” Dr. Schafer said.
“Always.”
“Hey.” Rowan leaned into him, bringing him from the past to the present. He flipped another burger.
“Hey.”
She set the tray of chicken down. “Happy?”
“More than you know.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips.
“God, you two.” Seth tipped his beer back. “Enough with the mushy stuff.”
Nearby, Axel snatched up a frisbee. “Who wants to take me on?”
Blair jumped off the picnic table where she’d been sitting. “Prepare to go down, Diaz.”
Axel snorted. “Bring it, Mason.” Then he turned his head, his sharp gaze landing on Natalie’s date. A lean, handsome professor from the university. A man that had made Axel scowl the minute he’d joined them.
“What about you, Prof? Up for it?”
The man blinked. “Uh, sure.”
“Axel.” Nat’s tone held a thread of warning.
Axel held up his hands and shot her grin. “I’ll be gentle with him.”
Nat glared at him. But before the frisbee could go anywhere, everyone’s cellphones beeped.
Fuck. Lachlan pulled his cell out and watched concern cross Rowan’s face.
He pressed the phone to his ear. “Brooks?” He listened as the man spoke. Damn. “We’re on our way.”
As he tucked the phone away, he leaned down and kissed Rowan. “Sorry to leave you with the cleanup.”
“Don’t worry, Nat and I will take care of it.”
“I’ll let you know when I’ll be back.”
She went up on her toes and kissed him again. “Don’t worry. I’ll be here.”
And he knew she would be. Waiting for him. “Love you.”
She smiled. “Right back at you.”
“Stay out of trouble.”
She pulled a face and he kissed her again. Then he nodded to his team and they headed toward the SUVs.
“What have we got?” Blair asked.
“Problem at January James’ dig in Guatemala.”
His team snapped to attention.
“January sent word that she found something else. She was planning to fly out of the site today.”
“And?” Seth asked, face tense.
“The plane crashed in dense jungle. The authorities think it’ll take days to reach the crash site.” His gut hardened. “They said no one could have survived the crash.”
“Damn,” Blair murmured. “I liked her.”
Lachlan had as well. Seth just stared, something indefinable radiating off him.
“Brooks said there’s more.” Lachlan paused beside the Suburban. “He said the plane didn’t crash. It was brought down.”
“By?” Seth demanded.
“Don’t know. But we have to assume whoever was responsible was after January’s artifact.”
Seth yanked open the driver’s side door. “Let’s get moving, then.”
Lachlan nodded, sliding into the car. Time for his team to do what they did best.
Across the grass, he caught sight of Rowan. She raised her hand in farewell.
He lifted his chin and smiled. He loved his job, but even more than that, he loved knowing he’d be coming home to his woman. A woman who loved him, just as he was, and a woman who made everything worthwhile. He’d wade through the muck every day for Rowan.
She blew him a kiss and inside him, he only felt the light. Best damn feeling in the world.