She stretched her neck this way and that to try to catch a glimpse of the man behind the voice. But with his back fully to hers, Logan’s impassable form had blocked her view of the opened doorway.
“Not my fault it’s hurricane season.” Another familiar male voice.
No way that’s—
“You’re the dumbass who decided to move to fucking Florida.”
Okay, nowthatvoice was a voice she’d recognize anywhere.
Deep. Gravelly. Perpetually grumpy…
Unable to wait a second longer, Natalie pushed her way past Logan, squeezing between him and the door jamb to peek her head outside. A wave of emotion she wasn’t prepared for hit as she took in the four men staring back at her.
Archer, Lucky, Chase, and Van.
She hadn’t seen them since the funeral, which probably explained the sudden tears that had threatened to ruin the moment. But even with the passing time, the badass group looked exactly as she’d remembered…
Strong, formidable, and ready to take on the world.
10
“Hey, Nat.”Archer greeted her first.
A light breeze carried a few tips of the man’s dark hair. Longer than before, the thick waves now fell to mid-ear length, curling ever so slightly at the ends.
“Archer!” Natalie flew into the man’s welcoming arms. “Ohmygosh! I can’t believe you’re all here!” She pulled back to meet his chocolate eyes. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Hayes filled us in on your little problem.” His neatly trimmed beard tickled her cheek as he spoke. “Figured we’d see what we could do to help.”
“My problem?” She looked over at Logan who was standing to her left. “You told them about the break-in?”
“Break-in, slashed tires…possible embezzlement scandal involving two of the country’s richest men. You sure have been a busy lady.”
Her gaze swung to the source of the comment, not surprised at all by the source. “Hey, Lucky,” Natalie greeted Jason Lucas with a warm smile.
She barely had time to prepare before he scooped her up into a giant bear hug. With a tight squeeze that was just this side of painful, the brilliant man offered a jovial, “Hey, girlie! How have you been?”
“G-good,” she choked out with a strain.
Kind of hard to talk with your insides getting crushed.
“Yeah?” He released her with a wide, toothy grin. “Well youlookgood.”
Short, dark hair, light blue eyes, and a perpetually wicked flicker in his winking eye, the unapologetic flirt looked almosttoohandsome to be a SEAL. But Natalie knew beneath Lucky’s good looks andhow you doin’grin was a man with lethal aim and a heart of gold.
“So do you.” Natalie chuckled again. Knowing Lucky was an equal-opportunity flirt she’d never once felt uncomfortable by his playful, feigned interest, and always took it in its intended jest.
The next hug came from Chase Boyer, a man Hunter had always seen as his slightly younger brother from another mother. With his long-on-top, light brown hair, turquoise eyes, and boyish smile, he was still as adorably handsome and sweet as ever.
Having gone down the line, Natalie got to the final member of the team.
“Hi, Van.” She offered Donovan Braddock a warm smile. “It’s really good to see you again.”
“Natalie.” The formidable man’s black gaze met hers, his deep, deep voice the same one that had sent her practically running to the door earlier.
Standing well-over six feet, his black hair and matching beard were both as short and neat as she remembered. Though Van had always been the strong and silent type, that black stare of his spoke volumes.
Natalie took a step closer. He opened his arms. And as he wrapped her up in his engulfing embrace, she felt everything he felt but hadn’t said.