Page 2 of Choosing Us

I turned thirty-eight in December, and Finn just turned thirty-seven last week on Saint Patrick's Day—something that he loves to claim makes him the true Irish Callahan. After having the five of us all so close together, Mama would always say she earned the break between Finn and Vivian, but some would say their three-and-a-half-year age gap is still close, especially considering how many other kids Dad and Mama already had. Our dad would say it was just evidence of Mama's sainthood.

He's not wrong.

The ache in my chest at the thought of her is familiar. Somehow, she’s been gone for five years already, but I suspect I will carry this grief with me for the rest of my life.

Jack’s chuckle pulls me from my thoughts. “Looking forward to it—and you’re welcome.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I’ll thank him eventually, but not right now; that would only encourage his already aura of victory.

“I’ll be back in Forrest Falls on Wednesday next week. Speaking of next week, I think Savannah’s supposed to have another settlement meeting, right?”

Our sister Savannah is in the middle of a contentious divorce, and her ex is really being a dick about everything. He even froze all of their accounts, leaving her trying to take care of their girls without access to their joint funds, but having a brother that’s a billionaire has its perks—including access to the best attorneys money can buy. The rest of us stepped up in our own ways to support her, but there’s only so much we can do to help alleviate how hard this process is for our sister and her three girls.

“Yeah, I had dinner over there last week. She’s really happy with her legal team and sounds hopeful that it will all be over soon. We’ll see.” I also don’t see her ex—Shane—rolling over and suddenly being reasonable, so I’m afraid things are going to get even uglier before they get better for her.

“Whatever she needs. If you don’t think she’ll ask me directly, will you let me know, please?” Jack may be known as the Ice Man to a lot of people, although he’s anything but when it comes to his family.

“Of course. The Cavalry always shows up for its own, without question or hesitation.”

“Damn straight.” Our sibling group has been known as The Cavalry ever since our mama gave us the nickname and it stuck. Even people outside our family know my siblings and me by the name. It’s not quite an army, but there are six of us, and we really can be a force, especially when we stand together against someone trying to cause harm to anyone we care about.

“I’ll keep you in the loop,” I tell my brother earnestly.

“Good.”

“Just let me know when you’re in town next, so I can properly break in this little gift of yours by demolishing you in a game of one-on-one.”

My brother actually laughs at that. “Oh, you’re on. I will happily take you up on that and beat you on your own home court.”

I don’t fight the smile that spreads across my face at that—after all, the old man can try.

CHAPTER TWO

“Knock, knock.” Special Agent Walker Bennett’s voice pulls me from the report I was reviewing on a case out of Las Vegas. He raises a drink carrier, and I spy my favorite vanilla almond latte next to his large black coffee, and I’m sure there is cream in his cup as well. Walker is a lot of things, but he is also a dependable creature of habit.

Not that I try to psycho-analyze my friends, but sometimes, it’s not easy to turn off.

“You’re the best. I thought you would have grabbed coffee at Java Jive before heading back into the city.” I raise an eyebrow as he hands me my cup and I inhale the delightful vanilla aroma.

“Are you asking a question, or are those your dancing shoes on this morning that have you tap dancing around a question?” He tries to sound stern, but the corner of his mouth ticks up. “But … uh, this is my second cup.” He rubs the back of his neck and nods toward his office across the hall. “I’ll see you in the conference room in fifteen.”

He’s making a quick exit, but he can’t fight it. I laugh as I take my coffee back to my desk to prep for our upcoming meeting.

He clearly spent the night in Forrest Falls with Vivian, and again, I could not be happier for him.

The man is in love, and it’s been so fun to watch my friend fall for her since fate brought him and Vivian into each other’s lives. I didn’t know it, but when I moved to Nashville a year ago this month, not only would Walker find the love of his life in the process, but I would find my own little family, too.

When you face what we deal with every day, your close friends very quickly become your family.

Over the years, I had consulted on a few cases with Walker during my time with the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia, but when the opportunity came up to join the newly formed task force that Walker was leading, I was ready for a new challenge. I still talk to my colleagues and associates at the BAU regularly—it’s no different than my own network of contacts and experts I’ve cultivated over the years. I will never assume that I have all of the answers myself. There is power in shared information and expertise.

I also have to hope that I am better at my job because of the network of experts and relationships I’ve built thus far in my career.

Closing out the file I was reviewing before my coffee delivery, I grab my phone to check for any urgent messages.

The only time-sensitive message is from my friend, Liam Callahan.

Liam