Read Online The Sphere Chronicles: A Holding Kate Series Book by LaDonna Cole - Free Book Online Page A

almost all of them, I think.” Dirk nodded.
    “Yeah, except for Jarrod. He lives in Sydney.”
    “Right.”
    “Well, Karen has five bridesmaids and my brothers were going to be the groomsmen, but Mark is being shipped out next Tuesday. He won’t be back in time for the wedding. And Jarrod can’t come from Sydney. So, I know it’s sort of last minute, but we’ve worked together for years at the Village, and I consider you my best friend. Could you stand up for me at the wedding in Mark’s place?”
    Dirk flashed a sparkling grin. “Dude.”
    “Is that a yes?”
    “Yeah, man! It’d be an honor.”
    “Cool.”
    “Never saw this one coming.” Dirk laughed.
    “I know, right? With all my brothers, I never thought about it. But you are the only one I’d want standing with me, besides family. You practically are family.”
    “Thanks, I feel the same way about you and Karen. I sure do miss you guys at the Village.”
    “Yeah, Karen was telling me about the mess you guys just came through.”
    Dirk’s face fell.
    “She said you were sent back to the insect world.”
    Dirk swallowed and clenched his jaw. “It was…” He looked down at his feet. “No words, man. It was brutal.”
    “I can’t believe they didn’t send a team in to clean that place out after what happened on our first jump.” Matt kicked at a shell.
    “They shut it down. There wasn’t supposed to be a way back to it. But this one guy…”
    “I still don’t understand how he did that.”
    “Me either. I’m just glad no one died this time,” Dirk’s voice rasped, husky and strained.
    Matt placed a hand on his shoulder. “Me, too, man.”
    “It was close. Two girls were stung and a guy.”
    “What?” Matt’s face creased into lines of horror. “How? I can’t believe it!”
    “Yeah, one of the jumpers had a vial of medication in his pack. It cured them instantly, or we’d have been right back where we were eleven years ago.”
    “Jeez.”
    They sauntered along the beach, listening to the waves roll in.
    “Karen wants to return to the Village when she completes her internship and accreditation.” Matt shook his head. “I just don’t know.”
    “You know it’s home to you guys. You belong there.”
    Matt shrugged. “It is. But I don’t know if I want to raise a family there if that kind of danger is still going on.”
    Dirk huffed. “It’s an ideal place to raise a family. They don’t have to be involved with the jumps. With Karen’s counseling degree and your quantum mechanics degree, you guys would be a power couple there.” Dirk turned toward Matt. “Besides, the infiltrator is gone. He’s no longer affecting the jumps. It will be back to business as usual by now.”
    “We’ve got some time to think about it.” Matt resumed his strolling.
    “Right, you don’t have to decide until next year.”
    “Enough about me. When are you going to make your move on Kim, eh?”
    Dirk grinned. “Who says I haven’t?” He punched Matt in the arm and took off running back down the beach toward the hotel. “Last one back buys the wine for dinner!”
     
    The remnants of the luau feast spread before them, and the tiki torches flickered across their sun-drenched skin. They’d watched the sunset, stuffed themselves with mahi-mahi, poi, Kalua Pua’a, Polynesian chicken wrapped in laulau, and a diabetic-coma-inducing selection of decadent desserts.
    Sipping Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians, they watched the native dancers wiggle and leap across the stage, jumped up and joined in the hilarity when invited, and leaned into each other’s shoulders as the night wore on. When the show ended and the revelers moved to the dance floor, Karen and Kim kicked off their heels, wrapped arms around the boys, and headed for a moonlight stroll along the beach.
    Dirk snagged a fiery-hued hibiscus bloom and tucked it behind Kim’s ear as they passed under the floral-draped arch leading onto the sandy strand. “It matches your hair,” he