Chapter 26

26

Four butt-numbing hours later, Alex’s jaw dropped as they crested the hill, revealing the picturesque valley that cradled Redemption Creek. The vibrant ranch town nestled against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, its main street lined with charming storefronts that looked like they’d been plucked from a Western movie set.

“Wow,” she breathed, her eyes wide as saucers.

Jason’s lips twitched. “Not what you expected?”

“I thought it’d be more ... I don’t know, secret lair-ish?”

He chuckled, a warm sound that sent an unexpected flutter through her stomach. “Just wait till you see headquarters, but first, I want to stop and see Jane. Her place is on the way.”

Two hours into the drive, Bridger had called back to announce that the labor was a false alarm. Jane was back home, resting comfortably. The news had made Jason visibly brighten, and he’d spent the rest of the drive regailing her with stories of his idyllic-sounding childhood. A world-away from her own. Literally. He learned how to hunt and camp and raise livestock. A life full of rough and tumble play that had obviously instilled a strong faith, and serious self-sufficiency.

She’d been paraded around golf courses, galas and charity balls. Until she got out on her own, her sole set of skills included walking safely in stilettos and knowing the best make up strategies for daytime vs evening events.

Envy might be a sin, but she couldn’t help a tinge of jealousy at the differences in their situations.

As they drove down the main street, Alex’s head swiveled left and right, trying to take in every detail. The smell of fresh-baked bread wafted from a corner bakery, making her mouth water. A group of men seated outside a barn-shaped burger stand tipped their hats as the Mustang rolled by, and she found herself waving back before she could stop herself.

“And there,” Jason pointed, “just past the bakery, that’s the family hardware store.”

Alex blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know you ran a store.”

His expression turned serious. “I don’t. Even since our grandparents aged out, it’s been all Jane. My sister’s kept everything together.” He paused, his voice softening. “I owe her, big time. Probably like what you did for your cousin,” he added, in a surprisingly insightful comment.

Alex nodded, privately thinking that Jane had far more on her shoulders than she ever did. She and Gabe had a set of parents to raise them. Thinking about the weight Jane must have carried added a new layer to her understanding of Jason’s family dynamics.

After winding up into the hills outside of town, they pulled up to a beautiful, big-windowed home. Her nerves jangled. This was it—she was about to meet Jason’s family.

Alex was just climbing out of the vehicle when a very pregnant woman waddled out the front door, her face a mix of joy and exasperation. Behind her, a tall, broad-shouldered man with thick, dark hair followed, his hand protectively at her back. She recognized the team’s defacto leader, Bridger North, from their video conference calls.

Jane waved them toward the door. “Jason Michael Reilly, get your butt over here!”

Jason’s face softened in a way Alex had never seen before. He jogged up to his sister, enveloping her in a gentle hug. “Hey, Janie. How’re my nieces doing?”

Jane swatted his arm. “Kicking up a storm, no thanks to their troublemaker uncle.”

Her gaze shifted to Alex, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Welcome. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Alex felt her cheeks heat. “All good, I hope?”

Jane’s laugh was warm and genuine. “Let’s just say I’m glad you’re here. Maybe now my idiot brother will stop trying to save the world single-handedly.”

The sincerity in Jane’s voice caught Alex off guard. She’d been prepared for suspicion, maybe even hostility. But this ... this felt like being welcomed home.

Bridger stepped forward, extending his hand. “Nice to finally put a face to the name, Alex.”

Once inside, they settled in the cozy living room. Jane eased herself onto the couch with a grateful sigh, while Bridger perched on the armrest next to her, leaving Alex and Jason the love seat across from them.

“So, Alex,” Jane began, her eyes twinkling, “has my brother been behaving himself?”

Before Alex could respond, the patter of small feet announced a new arrival. A young boy, no more than eight or nine, burst into the room.

“Uncle Jason!” he exclaimed, launching himself at Jason.

Jason caught him with practiced ease, ruffling the boy’s hair. “Hey, squirt! Alex, this is my nephew, Kellen.”

Kellen turned curious eyes to Alex. “Are you Uncle Jason’s girlfriend?”

Alex felt her face flush as Jason sputtered, “No, buddy, she’s my partner. We work together.”

Alex bit her lip, trying hard not to pay any attention to the sharp twinge of wishfulness that hit just below her ribs.

Jane caught Alex’s eye and smiled softly. “Speaking of work, Kellen, why don’t you tell Alex about that time Uncle Jason tried to help out at the hardware store?”

Jason groaned. “Oh, come on, not that story.”

Kellen’s face lit up. “It was so funny! Uncle Jason tried to organize all the nails and screws, but he mixed them all up instead. Grandpa was so mad!”

Bridger joined in, clearly enjoying Jason’s discomfort. “Didn’t he also try to rewire the store’s lighting and ended up shorting out half the block?”

Jason’s ears turned red. “In my defense, I was trying to help.”

“Help?” Jane snorted. “You caused more chaos in one afternoon than we’d had all year!”

Alex couldn’t help but laugh at the image of a young Jason, probably thinking he knew better than everyone else, wreaking havoc in the family store.

“I bet you were a handful as a kid,” she said, nudging Jason with her elbow.

“Oh, you have no idea,” Jane replied. “There was this one time he decided to ‘upgrade’ Dad’s truck ...”

As Jane launched into another embarrassing tale, Alex watched Jason’s face. Despite his obvious embarrassment, there was a warmth in his eyes, a contentment she’d never seen before. This was a side of him she never expected—the goofy uncle, the sometimes-hapless brother, so far removed from the skilled operative she knew.

As laughter filled the room, Alex felt a strange mix of emotions. There was joy at being included in this family moment, but also a twinge of something else. Envy? Longing? She pushed the feeling aside, focusing instead on the story Jane was telling.

For now, she’d enjoy this glimpse into Jason’s world, storing away these moments to examine later. They still had a mission to complete, after all. But as she caught Jason’s eye and saw his sheepish grin, she couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted between them, adding yet another layer to their complicated partnership.

A few minutes later, it became obvious that Jane was tiring quickly. Jason and Alex said quick goodbyes, and following a round of rib-cracking hugs, headed out for his headquarters.

Less than twenty minutes later, they’d climbed the other, steeper side of the valley. The electronic gates were already open. Jason gunned the engine, heading straight for a cluster of newly-painted buildings.

He bypassed the main house. “I’ll show you the barn, then we’ll head to the main house.”

The massive, converted barn loomed before them, its weathered wood exterior belying the cutting-edge technology she knew it housed.

“Welcome to the nerve center,” Jason said, a hint of pride in his voice.

They stepped inside, and Alex’s senses went into overdrive. The scent of polished wood mixed with the faint odor of gun oil. To her left, a state-of-the-art gym buzzed with activity. Through an open door, she glimpsed an armory that would make any special ops team drool.

“Impressive,” she murmured, trying to keep her voice neutral.

Jason’s lips quirked. “Wait till you see the house.”

The well-weathered farmhouse couldn’t have been more different than the high-tech barn. Warm and inviting, it exuded a sense of home that made Alex’s chest tighten unexpectedly.

As they entered, a cacophony of voices washed over them.

“Look what the cat dragged in!”

“Reilly! Thought you’d gone AWOL on us.”

Jason’s team descended upon them like a friendly whirlwind. Alex found herself caught up in introductions, trying to match names to faces. Tai, with his easy grin. Mason, quiet but watchful. Kate, her eyes sharp and assessing. Paige, who’s pink-highlighted hair and sweet smile clearly camouflaged a brilliant mind. Graham, built like a linebacker but with a gentle handshake. Quiet, watchful, Cody. And Fenn, whose smirk reminded her eerily of Jason.

They settled into the living room, the banter flying fast and furious. Alex watched as they teased Jason mercilessly, their words barbed but underlined with genuine affection.

“So, Alex,” Paige leaned in, her eyes sparkling, “I have to tell you, your cousin, Gabriel’s work … I’m a huge fan. His holographic imaging is revolutionary! His idea to combine a spatial light modulator with a diffuser to reduce the separation between multiple image planes without being constrained by the properties of the light modulator is amazing. Seriously.”

Alex grinned. “I’m glad someone besides Gabe understands this stuff. All I know is the projections he’s creating now are truly life-like.” She’d always known her cousin was a genius, but it was nice to hear his name was getting out in serious circles.

“He’ll be getting offers from every multi-national and every government on the planet,” Paige said.

As the cyber genius launched into a detailed discussion of Gabe’s tech, Alex found her attention drifting. She watched the team interact, the easy camaraderie, the inside jokes, the way they anticipated each other’s needs without a word.

A lump formed in her throat. This was more than a team. It was a family. The kind of family she’d never had, never even dared to dream of. Her tiny team back home was close, sure, but this ... this was something else entirely.

Her mind drifted back to Jane, radiant despite her exhaustion. Bridger’s hand never far from her back. The love between them was palpable, their excitement for their upcoming arrivals infectious. Alex couldn’t even imagine that kind of connection, that sense of creating a future together.

A sharp pang of longing hit her, catching her off guard. She’d always prided herself on her independence, her ability to stand alone. But watching this ... she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to truly belong.

“Earth to Alex,” Jason’s voice cut through her reverie. “You okay there?”

She blinked, realizing the room had gone quiet. All eyes were on her, concern evident in their faces. Even after knowing her for mere minutes, they were ready to rally around her.

Alex swallowed hard, pasting on a smile. “All good. Paige was telling me about Gabe’s latest project. It’s fascinating stuff.”

As the conversation picked back up, Alex forced herself to engage. But a small part of her couldn’t help but wonder—would she ever find a place where she fit like this? Or was she destined to always be on the outside, looking in?

Shoving aside the morose thoughts, she followed Paige down the hallway to a cozy guest room. Paige hung in the doorway while Alex looked around. “There are extra clothes in the closet, every size imaginable, and a full set of toiletries in the bathroom. Let me know if there’s anything else you need,” Paige said and left her to freshen up.

Dinner was amazing, literally gourmet-quality, thanks to Mason. She ate and laughed way too much. As the evening wound down, Alex found herself genuinely enjoying the company of Jason’s team. Their easy banter and shared camaraderie reminded her of nights spent with Mac, Liv, and Gabe, huddled around takeout containers, dissecting their latest case.

The pang of longing hit her again, sharper this time. She itched to reach for her phone, to send a quick text or make a call. Just to hear their voices, to know they were okay. But she knew better. Radio silence was the protocol until the threat was neutralized or an emergency arose. No sense in risking interception.

As the team began to disperse, heading to their respective quarters, Jason hung back. He studied her face, his brow furrowing slightly.

“You okay there, Mendoza? You’ve got that thousand-yard stare going on.”

Alex blinked, realizing she’d been lost in thought. “Yeah, I’m good. Just ... missing my team, I guess.”

Jason’s expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes. “It’s tough being cut off like this. But hey, we’ll wrap this up quick, and you’ll be back to annoying them in no time.”

His attempt at levity drew a small smile from her. “Thanks, Army. Your optimism is almost endearing.”

He chuckled, the sound warm and rich. “Don’t go spreading that around. I’ve got a reputation to maintain.”

As they walked towards the guest quarters, Jason paused. “You sure you’ll be okay here? I know it’s not exactly what you signed up for.”

Alex nodded, surprising herself with her sincerity. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Your team ... they’re something special.”

“They do grow on you,” he agreed, a hint of pride in his voice.

Looking at him, surrounded by the warmth and strength of his chosen family, Alex felt a shift inside her. She had no doubt now that they could take down Seven-Five. This team, with their mix of skills and unwavering loyalty, was a force to be reckoned with.

But as she bid Jason goodnight and closed the door to her temporary room, Alex realized something else. This mission might not leave her with physical scars, but what about her heart?

She was in danger of caring far more than she’d ever intended, about this place, these people, and especially one former Delta Force Major.