Smiling, Sam went to him, looped the tie around his neck and drew him into a kiss. “You were so uncorruptible when I first met you, and look at you now.”

“I don’t think that’s actually a word.”

“Don’t try to dodge the truth.”

“I’ll admit to being easily led when my beautiful wife wants me to be bad.”

Scotty came into the kitchen wearing his grumpy morning face and scowled at the sight of them kissing. “Knock that off. I haven’t had coffee yet.”

Sam lost it laughing. “You don’t drink coffee.”

“When will I be old enough for coffee?”

“Talk to me when you’re fifteen.” She served him a plate of pancakes and the syrup she’d warmed.

“Did you actually make these?” he asked as he lathered the pancakes with butter before dumping a healthy amount of syrup on them.

“I did.”

He looked to Nick. “Did she really?”

“Is he accusing me of lying?” Sam asked her husband.

“I think it’s more a matter of him pointing out an unusual and unprecedented level of domesticity on your part.”

Scotty snorted with laughter. “What he said.”

“See if I ever get up early to cook for you guys again,” she muttered, even though she loved that Scotty was comfortable enough in their home to tease them.

“Why is your tie around your neck rather than where it belongs?” Scotty asked Nick between bites.

“I’m staying home today. Still not feeling a hundred percent.”

“Neither am I, but I have to go to school. How is that fair?”

“You know what happens when you miss a day of school, buddy,” Nick said. “It piles up on you. If you get there, and you really don’t feel good, you can come home, okay?”

“I guess.”

A knock on the door preceded Brant into the kitchen. The poor guy had learned the hard way to knock before he entered a room in their home. “Are you ready to leave, Mr. Vice President?”

“I’ve decided to give it another day before I go back.”

“Very well.”

“Brant, would you please let them know outside that my squad will be arriving shortly?” Sam said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you.” Under her breath she said, “Don’t call me ma’am.”

Jeannie McBride was the first to arrive, and like Scotty, expressed amazement that Sam had made breakfast.

“I’ll remember this at annual review time,” Sam said.

“I hope you’ll remember only how impressed I was,” Jeannie said with a smirk as she loaded her plate with pancakes and sausage.

The others filtered in, razzed her about cooking and then devoured the pancakes and guzzled the coffee. At seven-fifteen, Sam took a call from Captain Malone.

“Would you happen to have any idea where my Homicide squad might be this morning?”

“Oh, um, I made them breakfast. Sorry, I should’ve invited you.”

“What’re you up to, Holland?”