“Such as?” Coop shot their boss a pointed look.
“For one, I’m over forty, now.” Jake’s voice was steady and sure. “As much as I hate to admit it, y’all know as well as I do, field work isn’t a forever-type job.”
Derek’s face fell into a deep scowl. “Bullshit. You can still kick ass with the best of them.”
“Now, sure.” Jake shrugged. “But in a few years, I won’t be able to. And that’s assuming I’d be lucky enough to make it home after every op between now and then.”
With a tilt of his head, Mac studied their boss closely. “Liv didn’t say a word to me about any of this. And she tells me pretty much everything.”
Liv.That would be Olivia McQueen, Jake’s wife. Apparently, she and Mac were close friends.
“I just recently made the decision. I asked Liv not to say anything toanyone. Especially not you.”
Mac recoiled back in her chair, hurt falling over her pretty face. “Why especially not me?”
“Probably because you’d tell your soon-to-be-hubby over there,” Derek chimed in. “And we all know Coop can’t keep a secret for shit.”
Snorting, Grant nodded his head in agreement.
“Look.” Jake sighed. “The truth is, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, now.”
“So what made you decide to step away from the team now?” Mac appeared genuinely sad as she waited for the man’s answer.
A slow grin spread across McQueen’s face. “Liv’s pregnant again.”
The room erupted in words of joy and congratulations.
“Thanks.” Their beaming boss nodded. “We’re really happy about it. But a second baby means more work for Liv at home. And with the two new teams going active in a couple of months, my time is going to be split between Texas, Chicago, and Richmond. At least, until we work out all the kinks and Charlie and Delta become completely self-sufficient. With so many changes happening, both personally and professionally, it just seemed like a good time to make the change.”
“Well, good for you, Boss.” Derek smiled wide, clearly approving of the man’s reasons for leaving the team.
Coop spoke up again. “So what does that mean for us?”
“The natural shift is for Trevor to become your new team leader. We’ve spoken about it, and he’s agreed to take the helm, for now.”
All eyes went to the good-looking man sitting near where Jake was standing.
“For now?” Grant’s deep voice filled the room.
Trevor nodded. “Lexi and I talked it over. She fully supports my taking on the new role, but she’s due to deliver soon, too. We agreed to re-evaluate things once the baby comes. And like Jake, we’re not getting any younger. I want to be around to see my kid grow up, too.”
The room was quiet while everyone processed the new changes. It was big news for Alpha Team, but nothing that directly affected Trace or his future with R.I.S.C.
Thank fuck.
Ending the stretch of silence, Grant spoke up again. “You know, two years ago, I would’ve been asking you all if you’d lost your damn minds. But now that I’m a dad, I get it.”
With a laugh, Derek said, “I still think it’s funny as fuck that you, of all people, had a littlegirl.”
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.” Grant waved the other man away. “I’m sure you assholes find it hilarious that I have a house full of pink shit, now. But you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Neither will you, once you and Charlie decide to start having kids.”
Though he tried to hide it, Trace noticed a flash behind Derek’s eyes. He wasn’t sure what it was, but the man was definitely keeping something from the others on his team.
“Of course, you wouldn’t trade her, Grant.” Mac backed up Grant’s claim. “Little Scarlett is absolutely adorable.”
“Thanks, Mac.” The man softened at the mention of whom Trace assumed was his daughter. “But that’s only because she’s the spitting image of her mother.”
“Thank God for that,” Coop quipped.