Squared Away (Out of Uniform 5)

“You hungry?” Isaiah popped his head into the den—a room he usually avoided. It was where Cal had worked from home after hours and where his and Danielle’s computers were, and it seemed more personal and intimate than the rest of the house. Of course, he also wasn’t in any hurry to touch the master suite. Some things were still too hard. But Mark had disappeared up here after they returned home, citing the need to continue going through bills and paperwork.

“Yeah.” Mark looked up from a stack of papers. Seeing him sitting in Cal’s chair was just weird. “You need my help?”

“I was thinking you could watch the kids in the backyard while I get the grill ready. And tell me what you want me to do to the potatoes?” Grocery shopping with the kids and a cranky SEAL was an adventure Isaiah wasn’t eager to repeat. It was a wonder they’d made it out of there with the meat and potatoes they came for.

“Let’s do foil packs with the potatoes,” Mark suggested on their way downstairs. “That way it can all be done on the grill.”

“I haven’t done those since Aunt Cecily made me try scouts. Said all the camping would be good for me. Lies.” He laughed, shifting Liam to his other hip.

“Hey now, I loved when our nanny signed me up for camp. It was fun.”

“Says the guy who probably sleeps on rocks a good portion of the year. I love road trips, but give me a real bed.” Mentioning bed made his brain immediately jump to Mark in a bed, all spread out, big body just waiting for Isaiah and...

Think about something else. Now was not the time for fantasies he should have put away six years ago.

He stuck Liam in his high chair. Mark got out the foil while Isaiah diced the potatoes, and he tried not to think about what a good team they made. That was every bit as dangerous as thinking about Mark in a bed. He did not need to go getting any romantic ideas about this arrangement.

When everything was ready, they headed out to the backyard with the girls. They got Liam set in the baby swing on the patio while the girls raced around. They were using the brick patio borders as balance beams. He really needed to get them some more toys back here.

He was pleasantly surprised that Mark, Chief I’m-Gonna-Drive, was willing to let him handle the fire. He set the grill to preheat, then came back over to where Mark was sitting.

“Man, I could use a beer. You?” he asked. Mark had added a six pack to their cart at the store. It was going to be a long time before Isaiah could look at hard liquor again, but grilling just seemed to need something cold alongside it.

“Sure. I’ll watch them.” Mark stretched his long legs out on the bench. He was as relaxed as Isaiah had seen him since he’d arrived, and he wanted to memorize Mark just like this. Hair falling in his face, rumpled T-shirt and jeans, and a smile that could break even the most hardened of hearts. Careful. Not yours. Reluctantly, though, he headed back inside.

Isaiah was just grabbing the beers when he heard a scream from outside. Leaving them in the fridge, he raced to the patio. Mark was standing over Daphne on the lawn, Zoe hovering too while Daphne howled.

Daphne’s leg was bloody and Isaiah had to take a few deep breaths before he knelt down to inspect it.

“Oh man, Daph, you really did a number on yourself.” He scooped her up and carried her toward the house. Mark stayed frozen on the lawn, face distant, like he was a million miles away. Isaiah had totally expected him to take charge of the situation.

“Mark?” he called as he reached the patio. No response. “Wizard. I need some help here.”

That did it, and Mark shook his head, like he was coming back to himself. His face was still too pale, but he rushed over, long strides eating up the distance between them. “I was watching. I swear I was.”

“I know you were. This stuff just happens with kids. But I need you to do your medic thing and tell me if we’re talking stitches here?” Isaiah was already close to making the call for the ER, but he needed Mark back functioning. The blood was all over Isaiah at this point, but he really didn’t care.

Mark knelt down, movements efficient as he felt Daphne’s leg. “No break. Just the cut, but it’s deep. We need to get pressure on the wound. F—heck. I need my kit. Hate not having it here. Definitely needs stitching.”

“Stitches? They gonna sew on me?” Daphne started up a fresh set of wails.

“You won’t feel it,” Isaiah promised. “Right, Uncle Mark?”