“I’ve got it.” Megan went toanswer.
She returned with Kat, whom Mia had met at the newspaper, and her husband Gabe, together with their two preschoolers and their three-month-old baby girl, who had been born during the holiday party hostagecrisis.
“She’s tiny!” Mia peeked at the precious face poking out of the blanket. “What’s hername?”
“Noelle Yanaha. We call her Yana.Yanahameans brave in Navajo. Everyone was very brave for us the night she was born. Joaquin stayed beside me and held my hand the whole time. He tried to get me out, tried to get the terrorists to release me. I couldn’t have gotten through that night withouthim.”
Then Kat introduced Mia to her husband, Gabe Rossiter. A tall, dark-haired man with the raccoon tan of a skier, he kissed Mia on the cheek. “It’s good to meet you, Mia. I’ve heard so much about you. Hunter and Darcangelo won’t shut up aboutyou.”
Mia recognized Gabe from the series of photos Joaquin had taken of the cartel shootout. He’d been giving Zach CPR. “I’m a member of their fan club,too.”
Gabe turned to Joaquin. “So, I leave for eight weeks, and you go and get yourself shot? What thehell?”
“Did you miss the part where I took out the badguy?”
“I heard that. Thank God.” Gabe hugged Joaquin. “I’m just glad you’re okay, man. It saves me having to kick yourass.”
Mia could tell Gabe was moved by what had happened to Joaquin, even if he tried to hide his feelings behindhumor.
“I’m glad those two clowns were able to help.” Gabe motioned with a jerk of his head toward Julian and Marc. “I think they’re having a maritalspat.”
The two stood out on the deck drinking beer and pretending to argue about something. The door was closed, so she couldn’t hear, but they looked angry as hell, and yet she knew they were enjoyingthemselves.
Men.
“It’s about to start,” Javier said, beer in hand. “Mia, you’re the guest ofhonor.”
Tessa went to get Julian and Marc, while Mia followed the others down the hallway. Kat and Sophie took the children into the playroom, while the adults found seats down the hall in the hometheater.
“Sophie just can’t handle this right now,” Marc said for Mia’s earsalone.
“You don’t need to explain. I understand.” Since meeting Joaquin, Mia had read about the terrorist attack on the Palace Hotel and knew what Sophie had gone through. If that had been Mia, and terrorists had taken Joaquin out to executehim…
Mia sat between Laura and Joaquin, her pulse pickingup.
Joaquin took her hand, whispered in her ear. “Relax. It’s going to beokay.”
A car commercial. A beer commercial. A soft drinkcommercial.
The program started, the introductory music quitedramatic.
Laura leaned over. “I’ve asked them to remake that, to make it more newsy and less like the Olympics, but no. They want trumpets andfanfare.”
Then Laura appeared on the screen, looking polished and beautiful. “Tonight, we bring you the disturbing story of a military officer who was harassed, abused, and almost murdered for daring to report crimes committed by members of her own company, including her commanding officer. This is the first time Mia Starr has shared her story in its entirety, and what she told us will shock you. This story includes graphic images of injury and violence. Viewers are urged to exercisediscretion.”
Mia watched, listening to herself speak, seeing the photographs of stolen artifacts and skin blistered by mustard agent, watching some of the worst memories of her life unfold on the screen. Images of shattered glass and bloodshed. Footage of Powell’s arraignment. Andy’s sister standing at his graveside, intears.
As the program came to a close, Joaquin beside her, her new friends surrounding her, Mia realized those memories no longer owned her. They were the past. Joaquin and his big family and his crazy group of friends—they were her lifenow.
* * *
In the secondweek of April, Joaquin and Mia closed on their new home—part of the urban redevelopment of Denver’s old airport. Antonio and his crew had built the house and let Joaquin know about it so that he and Mia could put an offer on it before anyone else did. The place had four bedrooms, an unfinished basement, a study, a big kitchen, a wrap-around front porch, and lots of room for friends and family. Joaquin loved the modern feel of it and all the space. But Mia loved the yard—if you could call a half-acre of mud and weeds ayard.
They pulled into their driveway, he in his truck, she in her Mazda, and met on the front steps. Joaquin unlocked the door, then scooped Mia into his arms, laughing at her surprised shriek as he carried her across thethreshold.
“Welcome home,mi amor.” He kissed her on that luscious mouth, then glanced at his watch. “José-Luis will be here in about thirty minutes with the movingvan.”
That didn’t give him muchtime.