Quinn seemed to see the same. “Yikes. That looks awkward. Better go before the knives come out.”
“Yeah.” He started up the walk, turned back. “Bobby? Thanks. I owe you one.”
“Nah,” Quinn said, and smiled. “You owe me a lot more than one.”
Cooper laughed.
On the porch, Natalie tensed to see him. He could read her thoughts, same as ever. Could see the happiness in her, the relief that he was safe, and the anger over what she’d been put through in the last six months. Shannon had gauze on her ear and blood on her shirt. Her usually fluid posture was rigid.
“Hey,” he said, looking from one of them to the other.
“Are we safe?” Natalie asked.
“Yes.”
“It’s over?”
“Yes.”
“You’re coming back to us?”
“Yes,” he said, and saw Shannon stiffen further. “I guess I don’t have to introduce you two?”
“No,” Natalie said. “Shannon took care of that. She’s amazing.”
“I know.” He let his eyes linger on the fine bones of her face. “You both are. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
He didn’t really know what to say after that, and apparently neither of them did either. Natalie crossed her arms. Shannon shifted her weight from one foot to the other. After a moment, she said, “Well. I’ll get out of here, let you be with your family.” She held out a hand to Natalie. “It was nice to meet you.”
Natalie looked at her, and at her outstretched hand. Then she stepped past it and wrapped her arms around the other woman. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you.”
Shannon nodded, returned the embrace a little awkwardly. “Yeah. Your children are beautiful.”
“And alive, thanks to you.” Natalie held the hug a moment longer, then stepped back and said, “If you ever need anything, anything, don’t hesitate. Okay?”
“Okay.” She looked at Cooper. “See you around, I guess.” Then she slid off the porch and started down the walk.
Cooper watched her and then turned back to his ex-wife. To most people, her pose wouldn’t have given anything away, but he could read it all, a book he knew thoroughly. The honest gratitude coupled with the discomfort. It made sense; for the last six months, she had been living a nightmare, too, doing it for their children, the same as he had, and in some way, she must have been thinking of him as her partner in it. As a husband again, despite everything. It must have cut her to see the hints of his relationship with Shannon. And hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do. He’d explain, make it clear…
“The kids are all right?”
“They’re…they will be. Want to see them?”
“Oh, God yes.” He started for the door, then froze. “One second, okay?” Cooper didn’t wait for an answer, just hurried down the steps, caught Shannon’s arm. “Wait.”
She turned to him. Her face unreadable. “What?”
He opened his mouth, closed it. Then said, “We survived.”
“I noticed.”
“And we saved the world.”
“Hooray for us.”
“So…”
She looked at him, quirked that half smile. “Yes?”
“Well, you said if we survived, you’d go out with me.”
“No. I said if we survived, you could ask.”
“Right. Well.” He shrugged. “What do you say? Want to go on a date that doesn’t involve gunfire?”
“I don’t know.” She struck a pose, paused. “What would we do without it?”
“We’ll think of something.” He smiled, and she smiled back.
“All right, Nick. But it better not be boring.”
“Deal.”
“Deal. Now go.”
He nodded, started back for the house. Thought of something, turned. “Hey, wait, I still don’t have your…”
Shannon was gone.
How does she do that?