Page 222 of Wrecked
“Isn’t that a security risk?”
Stoni tucked her hair behind her ear. “I write fiction. No one thinks my stories are true.”
“Does my dad know?”
Stoni smiled. “He’s the one feeding me the information. We’d lost touch, but several years ago, my husband met him while playing golf. The two struck up a friendship, then we had Z over for dinner. He was so surprised to see me, and I was just as shocked that Z was my friend Philip Skye. We had a big laugh over it. Anyway, I know you and Nicholas have been through a lot these past few months. It’s going to make the best story.”
“No way.”
Stoni nodded. “I’ve met a lot of Operatives over the years, but you’re definitely the bravest.” She leaned over. “Leaping off a building? That took so much courage. Writing your love story will be a lot of fun.”
Addison felt like she was in a dream. She was talking to Stoni Alexander about ALPHA missions.
Sin and Evangeline moseyed over.
“Congratulations on your engagement,” Evangeline said to Addison. “Sin and I have been hoping you and Hawk would figure out you’re perfect together.”
Addison beamed. “Thank you. Do you know—”
“We know Stoni,” Sin replied before regarding Stoni. “Anton’s waiting outside, whenever you’re ready.”
After acknowledging Sin with a nod, Stoni addressed Addison. “I’m so glad we got the chance to meet.”
“Me, too,” Addison replied.
“My husband, Johnny, and I are taking Sin’s jet to Florida in the morning and we’ve got a million things to do before we leave.”
“What’s in Florida?”
“Sin’s condo,” Stoni replied. “Whenever I finish writing a novel, Sin lets us use his vacation home for a week, so I can chill and let my imagination refuel.” She slid a check across the table. “For the Kase Foundation.”
“You don’t—”
“I insist.” Stoni rose.
Addison stood and Stoni hugged her goodbye. “I hope you take the BLACK OPS position.”
Addison smiled. “I can’t wait to read my own love story.”
“I can’t wait to write it.” Flanked by Sin and Evangeline, Stoni made her way through the salon, pausing to say goodbye to Cooper and Danielle, Stryker and Emerson, Jericho, Livy, and a kiss on the forehead for Liam. A hug for Hawk before she left.
Grinning, Addison made her way over to him. “I cannot believe you did that for me. That was crazy. I just met my favorite author… and she knows my dad.”
“Like I promised you on the farmhouse rooftop, I will always put you first,” Hawk replied. “When I found out that Z knew her, I set it up. She’s pretty cool.”
“She’s going to write our love story,” Addison murmured.
Hawk clasped her hands, stared into her eyes. “And we’re gonna live it, baby, one day at a time.”
“Every day for the rest of our lives,” she replied with a smile.
Early April, the following year
Addison and her friend, Becky Jenning, stepped onto the back porch of the farmhouse as Hawk rode past on a closed-cab tractor. Becky’s children sat beside him, big smiles filling their young faces.
“Seeing them this happy is the best gift,” Becky said. “Thank you so much for this weekend.”
Addison set the tray of glasses and pitcher of lemonade on the table, then sat facing the back of the spacious property. “We love having you all here.”
