Caleb

Chapter Fifty Two

Elaina ~

Lainey took a seat on one of the lounge chairs at the far end of the pool. It was obvious that the girls had something serious that they wanted to talk to her about, but she couldn't figure out what.

They gathered by the diving board out of earshot from the boys, taking seats on the patio chairs that they had pulled together. There were no lights on that end of the pool and Lainey could barely see the girls faces, but she knew there had to be a reason that Lexi and the rest of the girls wanted to be so isolated.

Are they mad at me?

Lainey's analytical mind raced through anything and everything she had said or done trying to figure out why the girls were all of a sudden so serious around her. She sorted through every conversation, but came up with nothing.

"We wanted to talk to you away from the boys for a second Lainey." Lexi started as she scooted her chair close.

"They told us what you said...what you were willing to do when our lives and the team's lives were threatened at the safe house..."

Oh gosh I don't know if I'm ready for this conversation. Please don't be mad at me. I know it seems reckless from the outside looking in, but I had to... and I'd do it again given the opportunity.

Lainey pushed out a hard breath, preparing for their reaction to be similar to Caleb's.

"We want to thank you Lainey." Natalie said, placing her hand on Lainey's knee.

"You were prepared to pay the ultimate price for the men we love...for us and we can't even begin to tell you how grateful we are to have you as a part of this family." Lexi said, grabbing hold of Lainey's hand.

"Nate played the audio recording for me Lainey...Do you even know how brave you are? How much we admire you for what you did?" Claire said, rubbing her hand up and down Lainey's back.

Lainey was overwhelmed with love and felt tears sting her eyes as the women covered her in kind words and comforting touches.

"I love you guys and I love the team... you're my family." Lainey said with a smile, knowing that despite Caleb's opinion she would do it again in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.

"Yes we are, Sis. You're stuck with us." Lexi said with a smile.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me." Lainey gushed.

"We love you Lainey." Natalie said brightly.

My heart...I've never known love like this from any woman other than my mother. It's like she picked these women out just for me knowing they were the support I needed.

All of the serious energy melted away as the girls started gossiping about the boys and laughing about Caleb in that damn hat. Lainey knew he wore it in as a joke but he looked absolutely delicious in it.

The tall bushes behind them rustled slightly pulling their gaze toward them, but the movement put a big smile on Claire's face.

"There's a stray cat that has decided to make our back deck its new home. Nate's pissed that I fed it because now it won't leave. I've been calling him socks because its gray with little white spots on each foot."

"Stop it, that's adorable." Natalie gushed, looking side to side for socks to appear.

"Aw, tell Nate to have a damn heart, you guys should keep him." Lexi sassed.

"Right? Help me out with that argument will ya? Because that's a battle I'm definitely losing with that man." Claire laughed as she stood to go get some cat food.