LITMIR.BIZ

       PROLOGUE

      ZOE CORALLIS HELD her breath as the door to the baby’s room clicked shut. She counted five seconds before daring to tiptoe away, cleared a good five feet before exhaling, then scurried to the kitchen.

      “Mommy, I finished copying down my spelling words and the oven just beeped,” Maddie said, jumping off the kitchen stool and stuffing her notebook into her brown-and-pink gingham backpack. “Did you want to check them?”

      Zoe chuckled as she turned off the oven timer before it could ring and wake up Ryan. Maddie, knowing full well there wouldn’t be homework checks this afternoon, already had her backpack zipped up.

      “I trust you, sweetie,” she said as she pulled two round pans of Ben’s favorite banana cake out of the oven and set them on the stovetop to cool. She dipped her head, teaming up with the effervescent light spilling through the window, and scanned the counter for rogue crumbs. Spotless.

      “Is he almost here?” Maddie asked.

      Zoe glanced at the oven clock for the hundredth time since morning. Three-fifty. Which meant the cream-cheese frosting and strawberries weren’t going to make it onto the cake until after Ben arrived, and she’d wanted everything perfect and ready. After ten months of hell, he deserved to come home to peace and quiet. And Zoe knew how much having the house calm and clean helped him recover from experiences he never discussed and she didn’t dare imagine.

      Zoe held Maddie’s cheeks and kissed her pert little nose. “Almost.” She gave Maddie’s two dark braids a playful tug, then took her backpack from her hand. “I’ll put this away. Do me a huge favor and go help Chad pick up his toys so Daddy doesn’t trip on them.”

      “Okay.” Maddie tucked her stool under the counter, then cupped her hands against her chest. “Can we tell him about the puppy yet?” she whispered. Chad was too young to be trusted with a secret, and Maddie was nearing bursting point, not being able to share their plans to raise a puppy. Zoe was so exhausted today that she had fleeting second thoughts about the yearlong commitment—raising a puppy for a service-and-guide-dog-training organization that was known for helping veterans—but seeing her daughter’s face beaming reaffirmed her decision. Maddie loved animals, and the experience would not only be great for the kids, it would be great for Ben, too. Her gift to him. A way to serve...from home.

      “Let’s give Daddy a day to settle in before we tell him. Think you can keep it hush until tomorrow morning?” With the pup scheduled to arrive in five days, they’d definitely need to tell Ben as soon as possible. Breakfast time would be good. Maddie scrunched her face as if she’d sucked on a lemon and dropped her arms.

      “Fine. I’ll survive,” she said with a dramatic sigh.

      Zoe watched her daughter skip into the family room off the kitchen and half listened to her coaxing her four-year-old brother to clean up rather than play. He protested. Loudly. Peace and quiet were near impossible on a good day. She sure hoped the antibiotics for Ryan’s ear infection would kick in so he’d sleep through tonight. That, or Ben was going to need earplugs. Zoe rubbed her forehead. With no caffeine because of nursing and no more than three hours of sleep last night, she knew anticipation was the only thing keeping her from crashing. She felt guilty for not taking the kids to get Ben, but with a sick baby and the wait time involved, it just wasn’t possible. It wasn’t his first homecoming, but it felt like it. Every time he made it home safely, she couldn’t shake the niggling fear that they’d used up their good luck. Zoe’s eyes burned. She’d give her life to know that Ben would be safe and sound forever.

      She swallowed hard and reached for the baby monitor perched on the counter by the fridge, and made sure Chad hadn’t fiddled with the volume setting. She would not break down. Not in front of the kids, and certainly not in front of Ben. He’d be dealing with jet lag and exhaustion. He didn’t need her falling apart at the sight of him, too. Not when she wanted so badly to convince him not to reenlist—again—and that this was the place to be.

      Home.

      And changing her shirt would be a good move. Even she, immune as she was, could smell the sour tang of baby burp on her shoulder.

      “Maddie. Chad. I’ll be right back. Hide the toy box behind the sofa when you’re done.”

      “Daddy!” The creak of the front door, thud of a duffel bag hitting the floor and Chad’s squeal sent an explosion of everything pure, wonderful and fated surging through Zoe and lodging in her throat. The sight of him standing in the doorway did her in.

      “Ben.” She could barely hear her own voice over the wail from the baby monitor.

      His lips curved into the crooked smile that had charmed her from day one. Zoe held back for the kids and thanked her stars when Ryan’s cry through the monitor mellowed to a gurgle, then silence. She watched as Ben knelt down to hug Chad, then held one free arm out to a suddenly shy Maddie. Chad was young enough to get excited over the idea of Daddy, but Maddie’s uncertainty broke Zoe’s heart. At nine, she was realizing just how much of a stranger her dad really was. Seeing her finally wrap her arms around him set Zoe’s tears in action. He stood up, and in seconds Zoe ambushed him, legs around his waist. Her lips met his in a long, warm kiss. She ran her hands along the stubble that shaded his face and kissed his neck, letting herself get enveloped in the strength, warmth and scent that was only his.

      “I missed you. Oh, man, I missed you,” she whispered.

      “I missed you, too,” he said, nuzzling her hair and holding her firmly against his chest. He didn’t let go. Zoe loved that he didn’t let go—in spite of the fact that the aroma of baby burp couldn’t have escaped his keen marine senses.

      “Something smells good,” he said.

      Zoe laughed and pulled back.

      “I need to change my shirt.”

      “Me,

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