Page 17 of Snow

He took a seat next to Clover and fell into an easy conversation about her job.

Snow had just reached for his drink when the sharp, synchronized rings of phones sliced through the air, bringing all conversations at the table to a halt. It was like a silent shift in the atmosphere.

Snow didn’t even need to check his phone to know who it was, because that distinct ringtone only meant one thing.

Across the table, Bear swiped his screen, his expression going from neutral to focused in the blink of an eye. “It’s Derek,” he said, his voice steady but carrying just enough weight to confirm what they all felt. “We need to report at eight tomorrow morning.”

A collective breath seemed to release around the room, tension easing just a notch, but it didn’t disappear. Snow leaned back in his chair. His gaze dropped to his phone again. Tomorrow morning meant whatever was going on wasn’t urgent enough to scramble the team immediately.

“Well then,” Clover chimed in, her tone deliberately bright as she glanced around the table, clearly trying to stitch the moment back together, “let’s just enjoy the day. No point ruining Easter early.”

“That was sooo cool,” Amira said, bouncing in her seat as she shoveled another forkful of macaroni and cheese into her mouth.

“What was cool?” Max, her brother, asked.

“The way everyone’s phone rang and Daddy was telling everyone they had to report in. It was like the puppies from Paw Patrol getting called in for a mission.”

Leave it to Amira to turn a tense moment into a comedy, making everyone laugh, though she wasn’t far from the truth. Most likely, their meeting tomorrow would turn into a mission. But instead of puppies, SEALs would be saving the world.

Snow knew that Bear and Aussie, both with kids old enough to feel their absence, had taken the time to explain a little about their jobs, helping them understand why their dads sometimes had to leave at a moment’s notice.

After Amira’s comment, the tension in the air thinned, and conversation slowly tried to pick back up. But Snow barely heard any of it. His focus stayed locked somewhere deeper. Because no matter how normal everyone tried to make it feel, he knew better. Something was already in motion.

CHAPTER SIX

Snow pulled through the gates at the base just before seven-thirty, flashing his credentials to the Marine on duty, who waved him through.

He parked, grabbed his bag, and headed for the team’s building.

The door thudded shut behind Snow as he stepped inside. The place always held a certain energy. It wasn’t loud or chaotic, but thick, like the calm before a storm.

He made his way down the hall, his footsteps light against the concrete floor. A few doors were closed, others open, revealing rooms filled with gear, lockers, and wall-mounted training schedules. He turned the final corner and heard familiar voices coming from behind the cracked door of the briefing room.

He pushed the door open and stepped in. Bear was lounging in one of the chairs, messing with his phone. Joker was pacing with a protein bar in hand, and Aussie was leaning against the whiteboard, spinning a pen between his fingers.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Bear rumbled with a grin.

Snow smirked as he dropped into a chair near the far end of the table.

“You look like shit, man,” Joker added, taking a bite of his protein bar.

“Long night,” Snow responded, wishing this meeting were a quickie.

Aussie snorted. “What happened? Were you amped up on that sugar Amira kept sneaking into your pockets?”

Snow chuckled, shaking his head. “Shit, I wish it was that.”

Bear, who’d been half-listening while scrolling through his phone, looked up and caught the change in Snow’s voice. His expression shifted. “Everything okay?”

Snow ran a hand down his face and sighed. “Yeah. Just that Yvette called last night.”

The room went still for half a second before Joker whistled low. “Damn. That’s a name I didn’t expect to hear out of your mouth.”

Aussie raised a brow. “Out of the blue? I mean, it’s been what, seven or eight years?”

“Something like that. She stopped by my parents’ house a few days ago. Then, when I got home last night, my phone lit up. Next thing I know, I’m neck-deep in a conversation I didn’t ask for and couldn’t escape.”

“How in the hell did she get your number?” Joker asked.