Page 59 of Defiant Hearts

She glanced at the doorway, wishing Wyatt would walk in so she could share the news with him. But he was fighting battles she wasn’t privy to, even though a deep inner sense told her Lance was involved.

It took only a minute to reach the small house on the other side of the world, and Aspen patched her through with a competence that made Whitley want to throw her arms around her in a hug.

When her mother’s voice finally filled her ear, Whitley’s throat closed up so tight she almost couldn’t force out a sound.

“Mom.”

Her mother issued a low cry. “Sweetheart! Richard! Whitley is on the phone!”

Whitley bowed her head, tears streaking down her cheeks as both her parents’ voices flooded out with exclamations of pure joy.

Her mother’s voice cracked with relief. “We’ve been so worried.”

“Did you know I was missing, then? I wasn’t sure if the news would reach you.”

“We did.” Her father sounded grim. “But we always had a feeling you were okay.”

“That’s true,” her mother added. “We’ve discussed it over and over, and we both just had a feeling you were all right.”

A low sigh rushed out of her. They’d known. But it was just like her parents to have a “feeling” and trust that she’d turn up fine in her own time.

She let out a quiet laugh that was part sob. “You did raise me to be strong and resourceful.”

They let out laughs that sounded a bit watery. They weren’t cold parents, but their love was the hands-off kind, and they’d raised her with faith in her abilities.

They talked for long minutes, and she poured out the parts of the story she could share without giving away too much and making them targets.

When she ended the call, she was in tears, and several of the ladies embraced her. Then Honor led her to the corner of one cozy sofa and someone brought her hot tea.

She was still recovering from hearing her parents’ voices when more women trickled into the living room and they put a child-friendly movie on the big screen.

Whitley didn’t know if she belonged in the middle of a family movie night, but she didn’t feel like being alone right now either. So she stayed, drinking tea and watching an animated film playing quietly in the background. Navy had a bed on the floor with a small bowl of crackers and the babies were passed out cold within minutes, snuggled in their mothers’ laps.

A popcorn bowl was passed to her, and she took a handful with a smile of thanks. Sitting on a comfortable sofa munching popcorn, warm and safe and drawn into the middle of a big, welcoming family, had never hit her radar when she was on that mountain.

That had been survival. This was…belonging.

Willow plopped beside her with a popcorn bowl balanced on her baby bump.

“This house is stunning.” Whitley took in the exposed beams and huge stone fireplace.

“I did the remodel.” Willow beamed. “All the decorating too. You’ll have to come see what I’m doing with the nursery at my place—I can’t decide between ducks or ponies for the theme. I’ve got paint and fabric swatches everywhere.”

Several women overheard their conversation and groaned.

“Willow.” Rhae rolled her eyes with what could only be called fondness. “You’re a total horse girl. You raise horses. You literally give equine therapy sessions for a living. Why would you ever consider ducks for the nursery?”

Willow threw them all an amused look. “Okay, you’re right. Ponies.”

Everyone laughed, and Whitley laughed along with them. A moment later, Navy appeared at her elbow with a fistful of nail polish bottles. She lined them up on the coffee table like tiny soldiers awaiting orders.

Whitley chuckled and sat cross-legged on the floor with Navy’s small hand splayed across her thigh to have her nails painted while she chomped crackers and watched a singing princess on TV.

When it was her turn to let Navy paint her nails, she let the child pick the color, a garish shade of purple glitter that Navy declared, with total authority, to be “the best one.”

Navy examined her work critically when she finished, holding Whitley’s hand up to the light for inspection.

Then she glanced at CJ who was sleeping on a blanket nearby.