Brooke just whispered, “Dean.”
Tessa let out this quiet, shaky little sound.
Julian just stared blankly.
Dean put his hands up like he was stepping into a war zone. “Alright. Before anybody decides to kill me. Happy birthday, Mom.”
I finally found my voice.
“What in the world are you wearing?” I asked him.
He gulped. “My uniform.”
Mason stammered, “You’re a cop.”
“Yep.”
Brooke just lost it. “Have you lost your damn mind? She literally thought you were dead.”
Dean flinched hard.
He shot a look straight at me. “Mom, I am so sorry. I honestly didn’t think it through.”
“You didn’t think,” I echoed, and my words hit him like a slap in the face.
He nodded, looking incredibly ashamed. “I figured it would just be a quick scare. Followed by a big surprise. I had no clue you were sitting at home alone for hours.”
“Well, I was,” I told him. “I was just sitting right at the table.”
