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“Blllllppppppp!!!”
Leave it to Clover to blow raspberries as a greeting. Peach chunks dribbled down her chin as she waved her arms, immediately wanting to be picked up. Logan was happy to oblige her, leaving his packages abandoned on the counter so he could scoop her up.
“Miss me, sweet girl?” he asked as he rubbed noses with her.
“Da-DAAAAAAA!”
Right now, they were all Dada, which was the pups’ official first word. Logan wouldn’t mind in the slightest if that never changed.
“We all missed you,” Charlie said, moving in for a hug just as soon as he could lay his spoon aside.
“It was a good shift. Long as I don’t know what, but good.”
“I’m glad, but I’m happier that you’re home and the others will be crossing onto pack lands soon.”
Emari quickly got in on the hugging too, and Logan found himself engulfed in a circle of warmth. He could feel their relief echoing his own as Clover babbled between them, thrilled to be the center of attention as they replaced the scent of Central Command with that of their home.
“Have they all behaved themselves?” Logan asked.
“Like tiny angels,” Emari replied. “Want me to take her so you can greet the others?”
“Thanks. I can’t wait to hold them all.”
Logan couldn’t care less about sticky hands or messy faces. He lifted them from their highchairs and cuddled them one after the other before putting them back.
“I put the sandwiches away,” Charlie said. “There’s spaghetti and peach cobbler if you’re hungry? We’ve got garlic bread too.”
“I’d love a plate,” Logan replied, veering toward the stove only to have Charlie cut him off.
“Sit down, let me get it,” Charlie said. “I doubt you’ve gotten any sleep since you left out of here.”
“Five hours, mandated,” Logan explained. “They sent half of us into the bunkroom to nap while the other half kept working. Em said it was only the fourth time they’ve had to use it, but we were all grateful for a place to crash for a while.”
“I bet.”
“Thanks for dropping in to help Charlie,” Logan said as he joined Emari at the table.
“Like I’d pass up pup time,” Emari replied.
“He was here in time to help with breakfast yesterday morning and see Wren off to school,” Charlie said. “Crashed on the pullout last night after we got everyone down.”
“Talk about cuteness overload,” Emari said. “They fell asleep in a puppy pile with Wren in the middle, so we let them sleep that way and had ourselves an old-fashioned slumber party.”
“We’ll have to do it again once everyone is home,” Logan said. “It sounds like you had an amazing time.”
“I did, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to do it again,” Emari said. “I’ll even bring the snacks and stop off for sparkling soda.”
“Soon as we can work out a date, we’ll let you know,” Charlie said.
Moments later he set Logan’s plate in front of him along with one of the very sodas they’d been discussing.
“Thanks,” Logan said.
“Not a problem.”
We just crossed the border onto Comet Lake. Can’t wait to see you. Rusty’s asleep on my shoulder. Pretty sure Baz is passed out too, so let Charlie know. We should be at the garage in about forty minutes.
Perfect. I haven’t been here that long myself.
