Matt’s backyard was packed with Lassiters. The entire family was in town for the Memorial Day weekend. All of them decided it was the best time to celebrate Matt’s housewarming. And a chance for them all to meet Leah.
Leah’s family gatherings consisted of five people and not so much laughter. The multitude of adults and offspring in attendance could constitute a small country. Even with that, as the hostess, Leah looked around the tables that lined the yard on all three sides with still too much food. When Matt told her the number of people who would be attending the cookout, she started cooking three days earlier to ensure there was plenty of food. But now she really thought she may have overdone it.
“I think I cooked too much,” she said to Sally.
“Do you see all those containers over there?”
Leah looked at the long table near the patio door covered with containers of all colors. “Yes.”
“Do any of them look familiar to you?”
“No, they don’t,” Leah realized.
“That’s because everyone brought containers to take food back with them,” Sally laughed. “Believe me everything you see here now will be no more.”
“She’s right,” Cynthia said as she put a fork of potato salad in her mouth, “relax. Matt has declared you are here to stay. Samantha, stop spraying Franklin with that thing.”
“Who gave that girl a water gun?” Diamond asked.
“I did,” Joshua said. “I gave all of the kids one.”
“Of course you did,” Ruby chastised him. “You don’t have to clean up the mess.”
“What mess? It’s water,” her husband Devin said just as King Arthur pointed his gun at the grill, knocking over the barbecue sauce that was now in the fire. “That mess,” Jade laughed as she ran to catch the bottle before it exploded.
“Joshua,” Diamond cried out, “why do you always have to bring disruptive toys?”
“Hey, at least he did not bring fireworks,” Denise laughed. “Timothy said he almost burned down the President’s pool house once.”
Roc reached behind Joshua to slide the container of fireworks away before anyone could see them.
“Matt is going to be sorry he decided to do this cookout here,” Grant laughed as he chased Amethyst and Aaron with the toy dog.
“Next year we’re at your house,” Pearl declared.
Grant stopped running. “Opal,” he yelled out.
The ladies laughed at the expression on his face. Sally could not help but notice Theo was not laughing.
“Theo, is everything okay?” Sally asked.
“Your daughter is being stubborn,” he replied.
“Don’t try to bring my mother into this argument,” Pearl laughed as she continued to eat. “This is good, Leah. I need the recipe to this.”
“What is she being stubborn about?”
“He wants me to quit my job, because I’m pregnant.”
“You worked when you carried Gabe.”
“Exactly,” Pearl replied.
Not wanting to get caught in the middle of what seemed to be a family disagreement, Leah decided to go to safer grounds. “I’m going to check in on Matt.”
“He’s with the numbers geeks in the corner,” Samantha said as she turned to her mother. “Mommy tell King to stop spraying that water gun. He’s messing up my hair.”
“He is just playing with you, Samantha,” Zoey said. “You really need to learn how to play well with others.”
“I wasn’t talking to you!” Samantha shouted.
“Don’t yell at my sister.” King held the gun over his shoulder.
“I think Joshua has turned our son into a defender of the universe,” Zack said.
“Mom.” Zoey turned to Diamond. “You see what I mean, Samantha isn’t being a good cousin.”
“Don’t worry,” Samuel said as he stood. “I can handle her for you.” He took the water gun from King, pumped it up, then began to spray Samantha. The water reached Cynthia, knocking her plate of potato salad out of her hand.
“Ooooh, you’re in trouble now, Daddy,” Samantha cried out.
Leah was laughing at the antics of the family. Never in a million years would her brother’s children be that carefree. She loved the atmosphere and the man who exposed her to it.
The thought smacked her dead in the face as she stopped to gaze at Matt. She was in love with the man. Taking a deep breath as she watched him in those shorts that really showed the muscles in his thighs, she realized this was the life she wanted. Matt Lassiter, with his quiet ways had changed her outlook on men. They were certainly not all created equal, that’s for damn sure.
Leah smiled as she walked up, gently running her hands across Matt’s shoulders. Matt smiled up at her as he wrapped his arm around her.
Damn, he had strong arms, she thought as he held her safe and secure next to him.
“So when is Leah moving in?” Amber asked smiling at the couple.
“I’m going to be around for a long time.” Leah smiled and kissed Matt. “I don’t have to move in,” she said hoping the question did not put Matt in a bad spot. What if he wasn’t ready for her to be a permanent fixture in his life? It’d only been a month since they met. It really was not that long of a…the thought ended when Matt spoke.
“I think that’s a fair question.” Matt pulled her into his arms. “When are you moving in?”
Now, she wanted to scream out loud, but she tried to remain unaffected by the fact that he asked in front of his family.
“Well, you know I like to calculate this in my mind so, I ran the numbers on this relationship.”
“The probability of short-term vs long-term relationship?” Adam questioned. “What equation did you use?”
Phire glared at Matt in exasperation. “Really? You had to bring another computer brain who runs numbers into this family?”
“Hey, numbers rule the world,” L.T. said as he bit into a burger.
“True,” Timothy added. “Everything we do, somewhere in the process you need a numbers man.”
“Or woman,” Opal added.
“I use numbers all the time,” Matt laughed as he pulled Leah close. “You can’t control who you fall in love with.”
Leah’s head jerked to look up at him.
“First time he’s said he love you, hmm?” Amber inhaled deeply as she smiled at Adam. “Lassiter men find the strangest ways and times to express themselves.”
“It’s not just Lassiter men,” Phire laughed. “I think it’s men in general.”
L.T. took her hand and began pulling her away from the group. “Yes, we men are so unschooled in the ways of love. Come on militant woman of mine. I think these two could use a minute of privacy.”
Adam kissed Amber’s hand as they stood. “Yes, I think he rendered her speechless with that one.”
Once they were in a semi-private space, Leah gazed into Matt’s eyes. “Are you sure this is what you want?”
“I knew it the day I walked into Terry’s conference room. You did too. Neither of us are going anywhere, so what is there to wait for. You’ve been here every night since the first time we made love. Here,” he looked around the yard, “with me and my family is where you belong.”
“I love you, Matthew.” Leah smiled.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He kissed her gently.
“What about my father?”
“He can’t live with us.” Matt shook his head.
Leah laughed as Joshua’s voice boomed across the yard.
“May I have everyone’s attention?”
Matt noticed that Joshua was standing next to Joe as he spoke. He took Leah by the hand then stood next to Adam and Amber.
He tapped Adam with his elbow. “What’s happening?”
Adam sighed. “I’ll let Joshua tell you.”
Matt glanced at him. “Everything all right?”
“We are about to find out,” Adam replied.
“Shhh,” Pearl ordered. “Everyone quiet down.”
Joshua reached out for Roc’s hand.
“Is it something about Teddi?” Sally asked.
“No, Teddi is fine and yes she will still be visiting us every year. I-”
“We,” Roc corrected him.
“We have an announcement to make.” Joshua smiled.
“You’re pregnant,” Phire shouted out.
All eyes turned to Phire, then back to Joshua, anticipating his next words.
“L.T., will you control your woman,” Joshua laughed.
“I’m trying.” L.T. shook his head. “But it’s hard. I’m just saying, it’s hard.”
“Oh lord, she has rubbed off on him,” Ruby chuckled.
“That’s what love will do to a brother,” Devin laughed.
“Back over here,” Joshua ordered. “Announcement.” He exhaled. “Yes, we are pregnant, again. Teddi and Lil Joe will have a little brother….”
“Or sister.” Roc frowned at him.
“Or sister.” Joshua smirked. “Thank you for allowing us to make the announcement, Phire.”
Everyone laughed and shouted congratulations.
Sally ran over and hugged Roc, as did Diamond, Jade and Opal.
Denise stomped her foot. “I want one.”
Timothy kissed her. “It’s coming, baby. It’s coming.”
Samuel laughed. “Be careful what you ask for. Once they start dropping there is no stopping them.”
“You make us sound like rabbits.” Adam smirked.
Samuel pointed around at all the children in the yard. “My point exactly.”
“Joshua has more to say,” Joe’s steady voice boomed over the crowd.
Everyone stopped talking then turned to Joshua. There was something in Joe’s tone that caused them all to pay attention.
Joshua hesitated as he looked around. “I know you all have been dealing with my career with uncertainty. Well…” He looked at Roc, who stepped closer as if to give him her strength as he continued. “The President has signed off on my retirement effective next month.”
Other than the children playing in the background, not a word was spoken for a long moment.
Sally walked over to her son. “Is this what you want to do?”
Joshua pulled Roc into his arms and smiled. “It’s what is best for our growing family.”
Sally could see the tears forming in Roc’s eyes. “Then I am happy for both of you.”
“Well, what are you going to do?” Opal asked.
“What are you going to blow up?” Jade questioned
“Who are you going to kill?” Phire added.
The men in the crowd laughed.
“He has quite a few options right here in this yard,” Samuel said. He walked over and shook Joshua’s hand. “Congratulations on making it through. We have some turbulent times before us. Brian and I could use your skills at the agency. Take some time, get used to being home and think about it.”
Joshua nodded. “I appreciate that, Samuel.”
Adam stood. “Everyone pick up a glass. Hold it high as we salute a man who protected this country in ways that some will never understand. To the man who groomed me, taught me and inspired me to be the man I am today. This may be your retirement from government life, but the book of Joshua will never end. To my big brother. Live long and prosperous.”
“Here, here,” everyone cheered.
“Now is the time to get drunk,” Joshua nervously laughed.
“As long as you do not take any long helicopter rides,” Roc teased.
“Why does this feel so sad?” Leah asked Matt once they had a moment alone.
“It’s a sad and happy time,” Matt explained. “Joshua’s work is dangerous. He would disappear for months at a time with no contact with the family. We didn’t know if he was dead or alive. I am relieved to hear this, but worried about his adjustment to regular life.”
“Roc will be there to help him, right?”
Matt smiled. “Roc was in the same line of work. Retirement for them is laying low until the county is in need of their skillset and the President asks them to serve, again. They do not say no to the President.”
Leah hugged Matt tight. “I am so glad you are in a profession that brings you home to me every night.”
“That would be a lot easier if you moved in with me. Don’t you agree?”
Leah smiled as she ran her hands over his muscular arms. “Will you let me cook for you?”
“You keep touching me like that and you will be doing more than cooking.” He kissed her cheek.
Leah smiled as she could feel the now familiar anticipation of his touch. “Will you let me clean the house when I want to?”
Matt nodded as his hands roamed down the back of her sundress. “I will.”
Leah giggled as he kissed her throat. “Will you let me fill your house with babies?”
“As many as you can give me,” Matt said as he was back-walking her to the kitchen door.
“Are you planning on making love to me with all your family in the yard?”
“Hell yes.” Matt smiled. “If the Lassiters do not understand anything else, they know when passion hits it has to be quenched.” He wrapped his arms around her waist picking her up as he backed into the house.
“Ahh, sweep me off my feet, Adonis.” Leah laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Matt carried her into the pantry. “Your Adonis is hard and ready to fill you will all the love you can stand.”
“That’s another one who is going to be pregnant before we know it,” Sally said as she closed the pantry door behind them then returned to her ever-growing family.
***
Luke left the cookout knowing that Matt’s life was now on the right track. It was important to him that Matt was happy. It was Matt that made his NFL life possible. All during high school and college, Matt was his blocker. The numbers he was able to put on the field was what caught the scouts’ attention. Without Matt and his family’s support, Luke knew his life would have been very different. That’s why it was now his responsibility to protect them from any harm. While Sammy, Joshua and Adam had their hands full protecting the country, it left the family vulnerable. The void was now filled.
In the basement of his home on the outskirts of Fairfax, Virginia, Luke took the report he had requested on Leah Saxton, and placed it in the file cabinet with the others. He then took the 8x10 glossy picture, and pinned it on the wall next to Samuel’s wife, Cynthia, Pearl’s husband, Theo, Ruby’s husband, Devin, Diamond’s husband, Zack, Adam’s wife, Amber, Joshua’s wife, Roc, Timothy’s wife, Denise, Opal’s husband, Grant, and Phire’s boyfriend, L.T.. At the top of the pyramid was Joe and Sally.
The secure line on the desk in the room sounded. He answered. “Yes.”
“A detail is in place on Leah Saxton. Are the orders the same as the others?”
“Two men, one female team, twenty-four house surveillance. No contact.”
“You got it, boss.”
Luke hung up the old-fashion desk landline and took a long look at the wall. It was almost complete. His sister Jade and he were the only missing members before the real work had to begin. Luke turned off the lights then closed the door. He waited until the sound of the double plated tumbler lock clicked into place, then walked out of the area content.
* * *