Chapter Thirty-One

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

SETH CLOSED HIS eyes, heart clenching at the sound of his mother's crying. "Mom, everything will work out. You'll see."

"Baby, it's not that. I know you're hurting over the job. You're a cop to your core, son. The news that you won't be able to return to your job must be devastating."

"Sweetheart," Frank Dixon said. "He's a grown man, well used to dealing with disappointments. Law enforcement isn't the only job where Seth can use his skills."

He sighed. "Thanks, Dad. I'm sorry I disappointed you."

"Never think that, Seth. I'm upset with your fellow cops. They shouldn't want a dirty cop in their house. You had no choice. If you and your team had hesitated to do your jobs, innocent lives would have been lost today. I'm proud of you, son."

His eyes stung. "I appreciate that more than you know. Hey, I want you both to meet Teagan."

Silence, then, "Is there something you want to tell us, Seth?" Audra Dixon asked.

"I love Teagan and want to marry her as soon as possible."

"Yes!" His mother laughed. "I've been waiting months for you to admit you love your running partner. We'd love to meet her, the sooner the better. Right, Frank?"

"Can't think of anything better than to meet the woman who stole your heart."

"Good. We're on our way home now. Is tomorrow night too soon?"

"That's perfect," Audra said. "We should leave Otter Creek soon, so we'll be home sometime tonight. Do you want to call your brothers about dinner tomorrow night, or shall I?"

He grinned. "I'll take care of it. See you tomorrow. Love you both."

When the call ended, Noah said, "Marriage, huh? Never thought I'd hear you say that word, partner."

Seth lifted Teagan's hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "With a woman as special as Teagan, I don't want to wait. Besides, I've been courting her for months on the running trail. If anything, I'd say I'm slow to seal the deal."

Violet glanced at Noah. "For future reference, I don't consider running on a trail to be a date."

He chuckled. "I'll make a note."

"You do that."

Smiling, Seth called Sebastian. "It's Seth."

"Tell me you weren't involved in that debacle in D.C."

"Can't. We were on the right side of the fight, though."

"Of course. I never thought otherwise, although you gave us a scare before you left Ardmore. Are you okay?"

"A few stitches, but otherwise unscathed."

"Good. And Teagan?"

"Unhurt."

"What about the rest of your team?"

"One other injury. Another slice with a knife. It wasn't bad."

"Uh huh. Tell me more about your injury. How many stitches are we talking, bro?"

"Fifty."

Sebastian whistled. "Holy cow, Seth."

"I'll be fine in a few days."

"More like weeks with that many stitches."

"Listen, I'm introducing Teagan to Mom and Dad tomorrow night. We're having dinner at their house. Think you and your family can come?"

"We'll be there. Have you talked to Oliver yet?"

"He's next on the list."

"I'll call him. We'll be there and expect every detail once the kids are occupied with a movie. Hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you."

"Just tell me one thing."

"What?"

"Who took out the sniper?"

He glanced at Teagan. She wrinkled her nose, but nodded. "Teagan. That information is not to leave the family for any reason, bro."

"I understand. Is she listening?"

"I'm here," Teagan said.

"Excellent shot, lady. Too bad you're not a cop. You'd be a shoe in for SWAT. Whoever your instructor was must be a world-class trainer."

She laughed. "He is. I'll pass along the compliment next time I talk to him."

"Watch your back in town, Seth. Word is the cops in your house are hot under the collar."

"Burnett inferred as much."

"Love you, Seth. See you tomorrow." Sebastian ended the call.

At the four-hour mark, Teagan pulled into a gas station. After buying coffee, Seth slid behind the wheel and drove the next leg of the journey. Noah took the third leg and Violet the last hours of the drive. Although Seth hadn't expected his injury to hinder his driving, he was glad Noah and Violet insisted on letting Riley drive Violet's SUV back to Tennessee.

At 5:00 the next morning, they unloaded Teagan's SUV after Riley dropped off Violet's vehicle. Seth turned to Noah and Violet. "I know you're exhausted. Stay here and catch some sleep." The corner of his lips curved upward. "You can go home in a few hours."

"Fine with me." Noah looked at Violet. "You game?"

"Point me to a bed."

At noon, the four of them woke to the sound of someone puttering in the kitchen. A moment later, the door closed, and all was quiet again.

Seth shoved his feet into his tactical boots, palmed his weapon, and silently made his way to the kitchen with Noah a step behind him.

He stared at the abundance of food waiting on the kitchen counter. Seth holstered his weapon and picked up the note on the stove. He glanced at Noah. "Mom. She knew we'd still be asleep after driving all night."

"God bless your mother. Everything smells wonderful."

When the four of them ate their fill, Noah and Violet left. Teagan glanced at Seth. "What do you want to do? We have a few hours before we need to go to your parents' home."

"Jewelry store. I want my ring on your finger."

"Not in Ardmore. I don't want to deal with cranky cops."

He chuckled. "Neither do I. We'll go to Willow Grove. It's near where my parents live. When we finish at the jewelers, we can go to their home or find something else to do until it's time for dinner."

"I think your mother would appreciate seeing you sooner."

"Do you mind?"

"Of course not. She's your mom."

The look on her face said otherwise. "Sweetheart, my parents are nothing like yours. They'll love you."

Despite her worries, Seth was right. By the time dinner was over that night, his parents and his brothers and their families adored Teagan. Their simple acceptance of a stranger to their family puzzled his woman.

"Told you," he said as he held her in his arms after they returned to his home. "I knew my family would love you."

"I don't get it, Seth. Do they understand what I do for a living?"

"They know you protect the innocent. We're a family of protectors. You're one of us." He brushed a light kiss over her mouth. "I have a question for you."

"What's that?"

"We're alone for the first time in days. Do you want to watch a movie with me?"

"Is this an actual date?"

He nodded.

"I'd love to watch a movie with you, but only if you have snacks. No snacks, no date."

Seth chuckled. "I've got you covered. I'll have the popcorn and soft drinks ready in a few minutes." He handed her the remote. "Find something for us to watch."

"Anything?" Teagan's eyes twinkled.

"Within reason. No sappy love story without an actual plot. Other than that, whatever you want to watch is fine."

In the kitchen, he tossed a bag of popcorn into the microwave and poured a soft drink over ice into two glasses. Once the microwave finished the heating cycle, he poured the contents into a bowl, placed everything on a tray along with napkins and returned to the living room.

When he saw the title of the movie Teagan chose, Seth laughed. "Twister?"

"I love natural disaster movies."

"So do I." He set the tray on the coffee table and sat beside her on the couch. "My brothers shake their heads at my obsession with these movies."

"They don't know what they're missing."

Her movie choice reinforced what he already knew. Teagan Paloni was the perfect woman for him.