Ash took a deep breath. “There’s a story you need to hear, and I’m going to tell it to you now. I want you to listen carefully and then tell me how you feel about it. But I want you to be honest. Will you?”
Max nodded. “Yes.”
Ash glanced at Lainey one more time before he began to speak. “I met your mother before you were born. I thought she was the most beautiful and the smartest woman I had ever known. I fell in love with her, and we were engaged to be married. But I messed things up. I decided I had to join Firebrand, and I left her for a long time. When I came back, she’d married my brother and had a baby. That baby was you, Max.”
Max looked at his mother and smiled. “She says I was a cute baby.”
Ash’s heart lurched at the thought that he had missed out on seeing what his son looked like for all those years. He nodded. “You were, and your mother loved you very much. And so did Richard, my brother.”
“I don’t remember him,” Max said. “I have some pictures, but that’s all.”
“I know. He was a good brother, and he took care of you. He loved you, Max, and you must never forget that.”
Max frowned. “Okay.”
Ash swiveled on the bench so that he was facing Max. “Since you’ve seen his pictures, you know you don’t look anything like him.”
“I know. I look like you and my grandfather.”
Now was the moment he’d been building up to, and Ash didn’t know if he could say the words or not. “That’s because. . .” Ash paused and swallowed before he continued. “That’s because I’m your father, Max. My brother Richard took my place in caring for your mom and you while I was away. But now I’m back, and I thought you should know the truth about me. I’m sorry I haven’t been with you before, but if you’ll give me the chance, I’ll be with you for the rest of my life.”
Max didn’t say anything for a moment, just looked at him. Then he nodded. “So Tommy was right.”
“Tommy?” Lainey’s eyebrows arched. “Tommy McFarland, your friend from school? What was he right about?”
Max cast a quick glance at her before he spoke. “One day last summer Tommy was at our house, and I took him to the attic and showed him all the family pictures I’d found. He reached in the box and pulled out one of Uncle Ash and asked me if that was my dad. He said anybody could tell he was because I looked just like him.”
Ash glanced at Lainey. “What did you say?”
“I didn’t say anything. I just showed him another picture, but I got to thinking.” He stared down at his feet for a moment and dug the toe of his shoe in the ground before he looked at Ash. “I’d go back every chance I got and look at your picture, and I started to wish that you were my dad. I made up all kinds of stories in my head about how you couldn’t be here because you were off on some secret mission. Then I got the idea that I needed to pray.”
“And what did you pray for?”
The tips of Max’s ears had turned red, and the muscles in his throat constricted as he swallowed. “Every night I prayed that you were my dad and that you would come home.”
Ash sat in stunned silence for a moment before he looked at Lainey. Her mouth gaped open, and she stared at Max as if she couldn’t believe what he’d just said. “You prayed for Ash to be your father?”
Max nodded. “Yeah.” He turned to Ash, a hopeful expression on his face. “Are you and mom going to get married?”
Ash cleared his throat and smiled. “I’d like that, but I don’t know if she’ll have me or not.”
Max turned to Lainey. “Will you mom?”
Tears filled Lainey’s eyes, and she smiled. “Of course I will.”
Max heaved a sigh of relief, then jumped up and faced them. “Good. Now I’ll have a real family. Dad, can you go with me to the end-of-the-year father/son banquet at school next month?”
Ash was so choked up he couldn’t speak for a moment. “Nothing would make me happier.”
“That’s great! Now I won’t be the only boy there without a dad.” Max glanced over his shoulder. “So can I go now? Colt said he’d play catch with me after I got through talking to you. He’s waiting out front.”
The expression on Max’s face told Ash that this conversation was over, and he laughed. “Sure you can. Go on and have fun,” Ash said as he reached for Lainey’s hand.
Max turned and ran back to the entrance to the garden. Just before he got to the end of the path, he stopped and faced them. A big grin lit his face. “I guess prayer works,” he said.
“I guess so,” Ash answered.
He waved at them and as he turned the corner of the building they heard him yell. “Colt, you’re never going to believe what I just found out.”
Lainey stared at the spot where Max had stood and called out to them. A smile curled the corners of her mouth. “Never underestimate the innocence of children. He was really pleased with the news.”
“Yes, but he’ll have lots of questions as he gets older. I hope he’ll always be open with me about his feelings.”
“He will be.” Ash began to shake, and Lainey scooted closer to him. She put an arm around his waist and laid her head against his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He cleared his throat and stared down at her. “He called me Dad.”
“I know.” She snuggled closer. “He already loves you, Ash. That’s why he took the news so well. Now we have to make sure he’s always happy about it. We have so much to make up for.”
“You’re right,” he said as put his arms around her. “Did you really mean it when you said you’d marry me?”
“I did. That is unless our son coerced you into asking me.”
He touched a finger to the tip of her nose. “I told you once that we share a great love that few people are fortunate to have. I’ve waited eleven years to make you my wife. Now I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life taking care of you and our son.”
“That’s what I want, too,” she murmured.
At that moment a gentle wind blew across the garden and his hair ruffled as if some unseen hand had caressed his head. A peace like he’d never known in his life filled him, and he realized the question he’d asked in this garden when he first came home had just been answered. Yes, there was a God, and He loved him.
Sometimes he’d wondered how he could have survived some of the missions he’d completed, and now he understood. God had been there all those years even when he questioned His existence and had been preparing Ash for the best gift of his life. Through the innocent prayers of a boy he had found his son and the home that had been waiting for him.
Ash stared down in Lainey’s blue eyes that had haunted his dreams for years, and he said his own prayer of thanks for what had just happened in his life. She put her arms around his neck and drew him closer until his lips came down on hers. There was still the problem of Eduardo Diaz’s vendetta, but for now he wanted to enjoy this moment. He had the woman he loved and their son.
Chapter 16
Lainey drained the last drop of coffee from her cup and glanced around the Firebrand Center dining room. It had begun to empty out as the men drifted off to their work assignments in preparation for opening day that was only a few weeks away. Ash, seated beside her, reached over and grasped her hand as she set the cup back in the saucer.
“Are you okay with seeing Sam this afternoon?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded. “I’m fine. What time will he be here?”
Ash exhaled. “Any minute now. He said he’d get here right after lunch. He’s really eager to get his SWAT team trained on our course, so Colt and I are going to show him around. Reese thought about delaying the opening of the facility, but we’ve decided to open two weeks from now as we’d planned.”
“And Sam’s officers will be the first?”
“Yeah.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I hope we’re doing the right thing in not postponing things.”
Lainey squeezed his hand. “It’s been over a week since you got back from Mexico, and there haven’t been any new attempts against us. Maybe the danger’s over.”
Ash shook his head. “Don’t count on it. Men like Eduardo Diaz don’t give up. That’s why we can’t let our guard down. He’s just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to strike. He hopes we won’t see it coming. So we have to be extra careful now.”
“We will be.”
Ash picked up his water glass, drained it, then looked at her as he set it down. “What are you doing this afternoon?”
“William is coming over with some papers to sign. We’re about ready to release this new tablet and software we’ve been developing, and there are some loose ends to be tied up.”
He glanced around the room and frowned. “I just noticed that Max isn’t here. Where is he?”
“He’s already gone upstairs to do his schoolwork. Tex Daniels went with him.”
Ash smiled and nodded. “Good. Tex and Max seem to have taken a liking to each other.”
“Yeah. When I first met Tex after the bomb scare, I thought he was a no-nonsense kind of guy and had him pegged as a cowboy who’d be more comfortable on a horse than being a soldier, but I’ve come to realize he’s committed to Firebrand. And he seems content to sit and watch while Max does his online schoolwork.”
Ash smiled. “And that’s good, because I don’t want either of you left without a guard. Everybody who works in this building is going to be out this afternoon. Even Pete is driving into St. Claire for supplies for the kitchen. I don’t want you to be alone either. I asked Reese at lunch who was free this afternoon, and Phillip spoke up. He said he’d be glad to stay with you. He can sit in the hall outside the conference room while you and William are working.”
Lainey frowned at the tired look in Ash’s eyes, and she wondered if he had been sleeping since they got back to the training center. He looked so tired, but she doubted if he would rest until this situation with the cartel was settled. She had no idea how that would be done.
She sighed as they rose from the table and walked hand in hand from the dining room. When they reached the lobby of the building, Ash turned to her and pulled her close before he bent and pressed his lips to hers. She reached up and looped her arms around his neck and felt again the weight of years of unhappiness slip from her shoulders.
Ash nuzzled her ear. “Happy?”
She hugged him tighter. “The most I’ve been in years.”
“Well, if this isn’t a touching scene,” a familiar voice stated in a flat tone.
They pulled apart, and Lainey turned to see Sam standing just inside the door. Ash put his arm around Lainey’s shoulders and pulled her against him. “Hi, Sam. I didn’t expect you this early.”
Lainey felt her face grow warm, and she squirmed under his intense gaze. “Sam, it’s good to see you. I haven’t heard from you since you came to the hospital.”
Sam didn’t say anything for a moment, and then he swallowed and nodded at Lainey. “I knew when you turned down my proposal that it was just a matter of time before you and Ash got back together. And I was right.” He took a deep breath and stared at Ash. “Congratulations, buddy. You always managed to get everything I wanted.”
Tears stung Lainey’s eyes, and she started to speak but Ash did first. “Sam, you know Lainey and I have a history, and our feelings are just as strong as they were when I left. I’m sorry if you’ve been hurt. We didn’t set out to do that.”
Sam stared at Ash and glanced at Lainey. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a moment he opened his eyes, and a wobbly smile pulled at his lips. “I guess you can’t help who you love. You two are some of my oldest friends, and I wish you the best.”
Lainey felt Ash’s body relax, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Sam,” she said.
“So,” Sam said, “are you ready to show me the new firing range where my county SWAT team is going to train?”
Ash nodded. “I’ll take you over just as soon as William gets here. He and Lainey. . .”
Before he could finish speaking, the front door opened, and William walked in. He gave a nod to Ash and Lainey and glanced at Sam. “Hi, Sam. What brings the sheriff out here today?”
Sam chuckled. “Checking on some training for my officers. I guess we’re about the luckiest department in the country to be this close to a high tech training center. I’m looking forward to taking advantage of all the opportunities offered here.”
The front door opened again, and Phillip Tyler walked inside. “Right on time,” Ash said before he bent and kissed Lainey’s cheek. Then he released her and headed toward the door with Sam. “I’ll see you later. Let Phillip know if you need anything.”
She nodded. “I will.” When Ash and Sam had left, she turned to William and Phillip. “Okay, shall we go to the conference room.”
“Lead the way,” William said.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor conference room, and Lainey opened the door for her and William to enter. A chair sat in the hall, and Phillip pulled it beside the door. “I’ll make myself comfortable here while you two work. Let me know if I can do anything for you.”
“Thank you, Phillip,” she said. “I will.”
An hour later Lainey propped her elbows on the arms of her chair and exhaled. “This has turned into quite a project, hasn’t it?”
William nodded as he gathered up papers and began to stuff them into his briefcase. “When we were first approached by Operation Tablet, I thought they were crazy. I didn’t see how we could do this, but it’s about to come together very nicely.”