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�Which could have been dealt with in another way, but my uncle never was one to go for the subtle approach,� Mac put in.
�Uncle?� Carolyn asked, intrigued. She had always preferred hearing about the romantic way they met instead of hearing about the cases they investigated. Even though she had a crush on the aviator, Carolyn knew that his heart belonged to Mac and that she would be burned at the stake if she ever made a move on the hunky Commander Rabb.
�My mother�s older brother,� Mac nodded.
�Once we ditched Clay and his CIA friends Mac and I went to Red Rock Mesa where Matt was holed up,� Harm said.
�And I took Harm hostage,� Mac grinned. She still couldn�t believe that Harm had trusted her after she pulled a gun on him.
�Way to build trust, Marine,� Sturgis teased. Mac threw a pillow at him.
Harm and Mac relayed the rest of the adventure, slipping in comments about certain things and teasing each other good-naturedly. After the tale was told Harm went to check on the late dinner he had made for everyone and Mac started quizzing Sturgis about some of Harm�s embarrassing stories from the Academy. A story including Bill the goat urged Mac to tell the tale of the poor mascot�s demise and subsequent exhumation and replacement, a tale that had Sturgis laughing so hard he was almost in tears.
�Anyone want anything to drink?� Harm asked as he handed Mac a plate with a large steak on it. In deference to his partner�s carnivorous eating habits he had started stocking meat in his freezer so he would be prepared for their dinner-and-work sessions that usually lasted until the early hours of the morning.
�Beer,� Sturgis said.
�Beer�s good,� Carolyn said.
Harm looked at Jennifer who was looking down at her hands. �You�re allowed to drink, Jen,� he said warmly. �As long as you don�t show up at work hung over I doubt the Admiral will ever even find out.�
Jennifer smiled softly and requested a beer as well. Harm looked at Mac who asked for a soda before digging into her steak. Nothing could curb the appetite of his beloved Marine.