Free Resonance (Marauders #4) by Lina Andersson Page B

Marines there’s a lot less.”
    Billie stayed out of the way for the rest of the time, and when he went with Dawg to find her and the kids, she was on the floor in the TV room with Felix, Travis, Adam, and Jacob during what seemed to be a traffic jam.
    “Who’s got the ‘copter?” Billie yelled, and when Travis held it up she continued. “Get it up there! We need to get a bird’s eye on the situation, soldier!”
    “Aye-aye, captain!” Travis yelled and started hovering the helicopter over the traffic jam, while Adam arranged the cars on the floor.
    “Oh, no!” Felix said as he came running holding a train. “There’s a train on the way.”
    “Sergeant Barlow,” she pointed at Jacob, who was picking his nose with a concerned expression. “Stop digging for gold and get us that tow truck, so we can get the cars from the tracks—stat!”
    He came back with a tow truck, and the rescue operation began. Once all the cars were off the tracks, just in time to avoid the train, they all hugged and cheered.
    “It’s late,” Dawg said. “Think it’s time for the Barlow part of the rescue team to get home.”
    “Aww,” Travis muttered.
    Billie got up. “Let’s clean all this up.” She looked at Travis. “I bet none of you can carry more than five cars at the same time.”
    All four kids immediately tried to carry more than five cars at the time, and they were done impressively fast.
    “I’m gonna have to remember that one,” Dawg mumbled.
    “Actually, any kind of competition works,” Billie told him in a low voice. “Think it’s a penis thing.”
    “You work with kids?” Dawg asked with a laugh.
    “No. I work at a center for female veterans.”
    Tommy realized he hadn’t known that. He’d never asked her where she worked or what she did.
    “You should work with kids,” Dawg said. “Kids, say goodbye to Billie, Felix, and Adam.”
    He watched as both the Barlow kids gave Billie a big hug and Felix a careful one. When Bucket came to collect Adam, he looked at Billie carefully. Adam was a pretty shy kid compared to the others. Possibly because he hadn’t been around as much as Dawg’s sons. It wasn’t until Bucket’s separation that he’d started bringing Adam to the family dinners and the clubhouse. When Billie gave him an encouraging smile, Adam finally gave her a hug before taking his dad’s hand and holding it firmly as they left.
    “Guess we should be going, too,” Tommy said once the others were gone.
    “You wanna go and say goodbye to everyone?” she asked Felix, who nodded. “Go with your dad, I’ll wait by the car.”
    He did notice her saying goodbye to Mel and Eliza in the kitchen, though. They were quiet on the ride home, but once he stopped at their driveway, she turned to him.
    “Wanna come inside and tuck him into bed?”
    “Yeah.”
    He didn’t really have anywhere to be. He’d told the others he might come back, but they wouldn’t care if he didn’t show up until later. He knew them; they’d be on Brick’s deck drinking beer for hours once the kids were gone. So he followed them inside, watched as they got ready for bed, and Billie told Felix they could skip the feeding, since he’d eaten so well at the dinner—which he had. When he leaned down to give Felix a hug, he got a kiss on his cheek.
    “I had fun today. Can I come with you to another dinner?”
    “Absolutely. As often as you’d like.”
    Billie followed him outside to the car.
    “I’m sorry I freaked out today,” she said. “It’s actually the first time I’ve tried to send him off with anyone but Mom or Dad. I didn’t handle it very well.”
    “No, you didn’t,” he chuckled. He was really pleased to hear that, though. She’d at least been prepared to give him a shot, and that meant something. After seeing her with Felix earlier, he had to give it to her: she was an awesome mom. “It’s okay, though. I get it.”
    “It’s more that I don’t like panicking in front of Felix. It