All Over Again (Sequel to Wanted Man)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

When she finally reached the television studio where Good Morning New York taped, McKenna was ready to just turn around and go back home. She hated driving in New York, since it seemed like everyone was in the kamikaze mindset of kill or be killed and she was convinced they were all taught to stop at green lights and speed through the red ones.

But, some of her aggravation faded when she stepped into the Green Room and saw Pepper, Cynthia Coulson, Steve Rogers and Clint Barton. “Hi everyone. Please tell me I’m not the last one here.”

“You aren't,” Pepper assured her, coming over to give her a hug. “But I was starting to get worried. I thought you’d be here at least an hour ago.”

“I had to drop Selig off at school and then get Aislinn to Shay's and then… well, time just got away from me. Please, please tell me there’s coffee.”

Clint, also known as Hawkeye, held out a black coffee mug emblazoned with the show’s logo on it. “Here, Kenna. You look as if you could use it.” He offered up a boyish grin. “No offense. Half and half and sugar?”

“Thank you and none taken,” she said. “Both would be great.” She moved over to stand by him and doctored the coffee, then took a sip. “I’m amazed I’m not bouncing off the walls with the amount of caffeine raging through me.”

“Why?” Clint asked, reaching for a fresh cup and pouring coffee into it.

“Kids. Life. Being a single parent for the last month. Pick your poison,” she said, sipping the coffee again. “Has anyone talked to Coulson? Maybe he’s heard from Loki because God knows I haven’t.”

“You haven’t?” Pepper asked, tucking a lock of hair behind one ear. She glanced from McKenna to Clint and back. “I thought you would have.”

“Well, I haven’t.” McKenna hated having to admit it, but she was getting to the point where she didn’t care, as long as someone knew he was okay. “So have any of you? Cynthia?”

Cynthia shook her head. “Not a word, I’m afraid. But I haven’t talked to Dad in a few days, either. We were having dinner when he took a phone call. A few minutes after that, he said he had to run.” Her forehead wrinkled. “And that’s the last time I spoke to him.”

McKenna sighed, reaching up to rub her forehead. “Damn.”

The door opened and Blossom Hill slipped around it. She looked a little nervous, but then her gaze fell on Steve and she visibly relaxed. “Hi, everyone,” she said, her voice a little on the shy side. “Did I miss our moment?”

McKenna shook her head. “Nope. I just got here myself.”

“Blossom, have you heard from Phil?” Pepper asked, helping herself to a bagel to spread liberally with vegetable cream cheese. She took a bite, chewed and swallowed before gesturing with the bagel toward McKenna. “Loki's been incommunicado.”

“Really?” Blossom shrugged out of her jacket and hung it up before saying, “No, but I did talk to Skye last night. Something odd is going on, but she wouldn’t say what.”

McKenna lowered the coffee cup. “What kind of odd?”

“I don’t know. Maria didn’t know, either.” Maria Hill was her sister. “But I can try to find out.”

“No. Don’t trouble yourself,” McKenna said. “He’ll come home eventually. And he’s with Thor, so how much trouble can he—”

The door opened and an assistant poked his head into the room. “Is Mrs. Laufeyson here yet?”