Grover parked his Jeep Grand Cherokee along the road, as Lucky’s driveway was already full with the cars of his teammates.
“Shoot, are we the last to arrive?” Sierra asked. “I thought the others planned on getting here around four. It’s only three-thirty.”
Grover shut off the engine and turned to look at her. “They’re sneaky,” he said simply.
Sierra eyed him warily. “They planned to get here first? Why?”
“Probably because they love any excuse for a party,” Grover said. “Come on, let’s go see what’s up.”
Sierra climbed out of the car and grabbed the bag that held the cookies she’d baked that morning, with Grover’s help. He took the bag from her and held her hand as they walked up to the sidewalk to the house.
“I love my friends, but I know they can be overwhelming. Especially when we’re all together. When it was just us guys, we could have a laid-back gathering where we all sat around and shot the shit. But now that everyone’s married and there are kids in the mix…our small group of seven has become eighteen, including you. And if Brain and Aspen invited their ninety-something-year-old neighbor, and her granddaughter and grandson-in-law, it’ll be even more. I’m serious when I tell you if you need to go, we’ll go.”
Sierra couldn’t deny that she was nervous to hang out with that many people, but these weren’t just random strangers. They were Grover’s best friends. And all the women had been so kind to her over the last month, she was more than ready to meet them in person. “Thanks,” she told him. “I’ll see how things go. And the same goes for you. If you get overwhelmed, I’m more than happy to go back to your house and chill.”
Grover leaned down and Sierra tilted her head up to meet him halfway. He kissed her hard, then pulled back and gazed at her. She couldn’t read his expression, but after a moment, he simply nodded and said, “Let’s do this.”
He didn’t knock on the door, just reached for the knob and walked inside the smallish house.
Sierra caught a glimpse of people everywhere before they were noticed.
“They’re here!” a blonde woman called out.
Grover and Sierra were immediately surrounded by women, all talking at the same time.
“It’s so good to meet you in person!”
“You’re so tiny!”
“You look really good, Sierra!”
“Thank God you’re here!”
“How’s the apartment?”
Everyone was speaking at once, and Sierra couldn’t help but laugh a little. “I’m here,” she agreed. “Do you all always talk at once?”
Trigger came over and hooked an arm around the blonde, who Sierra assumed was his wife, Gillian. “They’re a little jazzed. They’ve worked hard to keep this a surprise for you.”
He gestured behind him, and Sierra saw a homemade paper sign strung along the wall in the dining area. It said, WELCOME HOME, SIERRA.
“We figured it had a dual meaning,” Gillian said. “Welcome back to the United States, and hopefully to your new home here in Killeen with us.”
That damn tickle in the back of her throat was back. Sierra smiled at everyone. “Thank you.”
“Come on,” said a woman only a couple inches taller than Sierra, gesturing toward a sliding glass door. “The kids are playing out back, and we’ve set up a seating area for us to hang out. The guys put up two canopies so we can all sit in the shade and not have to be jammed under the deck as they grill stuff.”
“She might want to chill inside for a second, Kinley,” another woman said.
“How about we all introduce ourselves before we do anything else?” Ember added.
Sierra knew it was Ember because…duh…huge celebrity. She was as beautiful as she was in her pictures on the internet. Her skin was smooth and flawless. Her curly black hair barely held under control by a scrunchie at the nape of her neck. She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but Sierra decided she liked how she looked better this way, relaxed and casual, rather than all decked out, as she was in her social media pictures.
“I’m Ember,” the dark-skinned woman said.
“I know,” Sierra responded somewhat shyly. “I can’t thank you enough for the apartment. Seriously. As soon as I figure out what to do with my life, I’ll pay you back.”
Ember waved her hand in the air and shrugged. “Whatever. It’s just been sitting there empty, so I’m glad you can use it. And I’m hoping after you see my gym, you’ll decide to help me out.”
“Not so fast!” Devyn complained. Sierra knew who she was, too, since Grover had pictures of his family all over his house. “She might decide she wants to come work part-time with me at the vet clinic.”
Sierra frowned. “But I don’t know anything about animals.”
“We always need receptionists,” Devyn said, seemingly unconcerned.
“I’m Gillian, and I’d love help with my events, if you’re interested in that sort of thing.”
Grover held up a hand. “Easy, ladies. First off…Sierra, this is Gillian, Ember, Devyn, Kinley, Aspen, and Riley.” He pointed to each woman as he introduced them, and Sierra decided it was a good thing she already knew who three of them were, otherwise she had a feeling it would be a long time before she kept them all straight.
“And secondly, I’m sure Sierra is happy to hang out with you guys and see what you do for a living, but she’s not just up for grabs, as you all seem to think she is,” Grover said wryly.
Sierra smiled up at him. “It’s okay.”
“No, he’s right,” Kinley said with a smile. “We’re all acting like a pack of jackals ready to pounce on the newest member of the tribe. We’re just very glad you’re here and all right. And of course, we want to help you get settled in. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”
“Absolutely,” Riley said with a wide smile. She was holding a baby on her chest and Sierra couldn’t help but notice how content and happy she looked.
Aspen nodded. “You’re always welcome to do a ride-along with me in the ambulance, but it’s not the most exciting job…until it is.”
“What does that even mean?” Devyn asked with a frown.
“Just that it can be super boring, until we get a call for an unconscious person who needs CPR. Then it gets exciting really fast,” Aspen explained.
“All right, you ladies need to move this party out of the foyer,” Brain grumbled. He was holding his and Aspen’s son in a baby carrier on his chest—and the sight of the man with an infant in his arms, after Sierra had seen him killing terrorists, was a bit startling.
He must’ve noticed her staring, because Brain winked at her and said, “Anytime you want to hold this monster, just let me know.”
“He’s not a monster!” Aspen protested. She turned to Sierra. “He just wants what he wants as soon as he wants it,” she explained. “And can get a bit loud about it.”
Everyone chuckled, indicating they were well aware of the baby’s quirks.
She loved that. How everyone knew each other so well, and how comfortable they all were together. Even the talking over each other didn’t bother her. It was…homey.