by Jaime Lewis
“To be honest with you, dating hasn’t even been on my radar. Between work and taking care of Cody, I don’t really have time. The ladies at work are always trying to set me up on blind dates.” She played with the lid of her cup as he watched her.
“How come you’ve never taken them up on the offer? You have to have some time for yourself. And you are quite beautiful, might I add.” He gave her a flirtatious smile, which caused her to blush.
“I don’t really know. Now and then, I find myself asking the same question. But honestly, I can’t say why. Sitting here, having coffee with you is the closest thing I’ve come as far as dating goes.”
His eyes lit up, and he raised one of his eyebrows. “So, this is a date?”
She scrunched her nose up. “No, this is what I call two people getting to know one another over a cup of coffee.”
“What if I am hoping for more conversations over coffee? Or, maybe even lunch or dinner? Would you consider the offer?”
Autumn couldn’t believe she was having coffee with Frost, and now he wanted to go out with her again?
She was nodding her head without even thinking. “I think it could be arranged. I have a pretty busy week, though. I have some things planned with Cody already. Maybe next weekend? Can I text you?”
“Absolutely. Whenever it’s convenient for you.” He glanced at his leg. “It’s not like I have much I can do. If you want to bring Cody along too, I have no problem with that. I like him. He’s a great kid. This may seem a little fast, but I want you to know that I’m here for you and Cody if you need anything, even if it’s just to lend an ear. I’ve been told I’m a great listener.”
Her insides were all twisted. This man was slowly weakening her defenses. “Thanks. I appreciate that. It’s hard doing the parent thing alone. Being both the mom and dad, you know.”
She glanced at her watch. She needed to get back across the street to the hospital. Her next patient would be arriving in about twenty minutes. Although a part of her didn’t want this to end.
“Well, I’d better get going before I’m late for my next appointment.” She stood, and he stood with her, and she smiled up at him. “Thank you for the coffee, Frost. I enjoyed this.”
He grabbed the bag off the table and guided her out the exit. They stood on the sidewalk, and he was looking down at her with a hungry look in his eyes. She felt her body shake a little under his stare. He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against her cheek. Before he stood up straight, he whispered in her ear. His warm breath collided with her skin, making her shiver.
“I know we agreed to be friends first. But know I plan on getting a chance to take you out on a real date one of these days.”
She nervously smiled at him, and he handed her the bag. “What’s this?” She asked, taking it.
He laughed. “It’s Nancy’s cinnamon muffin. I figured I could at least buy her favorite muffin since she helped persuade you to have coffee with me.”
Autumn smiled. “I’m sure she will devour it as soon as she sees it.” She went to take a step off the sidewalk when Frost reached out and grabbed her elbow, stopping her. She turned back toward him.
“I forgot to ask you, any news on who may have broken into your house?”
It was so kind of him to ask. She shook her head. “No, no other fingerprints were lifted except for Cody and mine.”
“No other problems since then?”
He looked very concerned, so she smiled to try and ease his fears, although she still had sleepless nights since the break-in. “Nope, unless you count the flat tire I had the other day. I’ve had issues with that tire the past few weeks. The guy at the shop said it must have a slow leak.”
He caressed her arm as he looked into her eyes. “You make sure you get that looked at. I don’t want you and Cody stranded somewhere.”
Her heart lifted a little, knowing he cared. He gave her that smile that she loved. The one that showed his dimple. She felt her heart start to race.
“Don’t make me wait too long to hear from you.”
She tilted her face up towards his and smiled. “I’ll try not to.” With a grin on her face and skip in her step, she walked quickly across the street. She put her hand on her stomach as she felt the flutter in her belly. Oh my god, this is really happening.
◆◆◆
Frost watched Autumn cross the street. He thought their time together was a success. Though he wished he had more time. He was shocked to learn she hadn’t dated since her husband’s death, but he could understand her reasoning. Being a single parent and juggling everything from work, school, activities was tough. Not to mention time-consuming. Not that he knew firsthand, but some of his friends were single parents, and he’d seen what they go through. It’s actually quite commendable how they can balance a home and working life. But if he played his cards right, hopefully, he’d be able to help with those types of things.
He shook his head and grinned. Damn, she’d done a number on him in a matter of two weeks. He couldn’t wait to take her out again. He unlocked the door to his Tahoe and jumped in. His next stop was his PT appointment. At least he had something to keep his mind occupied while the therapist he’d been working with put him through the grueling workouts.
◆◆◆
Cecil watched the guy lean down and kiss Autumn’s cheek. He was furious and wondered who this Frost guy was. The way he carried himself reminded him of the military men around town. He always seemed on guard, looking around at his surroundings.
Through his investigator, he’d found that Autumn was a widow and employed at the Naval Hospital as a physical therapist.
He watched Frost as he walked to his vehicle and noticed the slight limp in his stride. Cecil was going to need to step up his game and make a move but didn’t want to come on too strong because he saw her as a woman who was shy and would need to be pampered. He had the means and money to do a lot of pampering. Watching her walk across the street as her ass swayed had him grinning as a plan started to formulate in his head.
Chapter Seven
“Good grief, Ace, where in the hell did Alex have all this shit stored,” Frost asked, looking at the long driveway filled with tables packed full of garage sale items. Items were even lying on the ground and leaning up against tables.
Ace looked around and scratched his head. “I have no fucking idea. But you’d think by the amount of stuff out here that the house would be empty.”
As Frost took in everything, his eyes hit on something. “Is that your JS Blak Box 2 surfboard?” He asked Ace as he walked over to where it was leaning against a table.
“Yeah. Alex told me to get rid of stuff I didn’t use. Hell, it’s been collecting dust for the last five or six years.”
Frost picked it up and looked it over. It was an awesome board. It could hold its own on a variety of different wave types and conditions. “How much are you asking for it?”
Ace raised his eyebrow. “Why? Do you know someone who wants one? You can have it.”
Frost knew he wanted it for Cody as soon as he saw it. He wasn’t too sure how his mom would feel about it but during one of his visits, Cody had mentioned that wanted to learn to surf.
Not many people knew Frost was an avid surfer. He taught himself while he was stationed on the West Coast. Surfing was what he loved to do in his downtime. Anytime he got the chance to ride the swells, he was there. He not only enjoyed it as a sport, but it was also therapeutic. Being alone out in the water where it was just him and the waves calmed his mind. Usually, the beach was his first stop when he returned home from a mission. It was an opportunity to clear his mind, a release to expel all the emotions that come with working a dangerous job. Being in the water like that was the only real place he felt he could let his guard down a little.
Frost looked at Ace. “I do know someone, but I’m going to buy it.”
Ace gave him a funny look, and then Alex walked over after getting a break in customers. She’d been up to her ears i
n people all morning. She wrapped her arms around Frost’s waist and gave him a tight squeeze. “Thank you again for helping out today.”
He kissed the top of her head and hugged her back. “Glad to help.” He shifted the position of his leg. His leg was a little sore, and he knew he had overdone it today, helping Ace and Alex move everything outside.
He noticed Alex step back, and then she glanced down at his leg. She looked back up at him and squinted her eyes at him. Without saying a word to Frost, she turned toward Ace. “Hey, babe, would you mind running inside and grabbing us some waters? It’s getting warm.” It was early May, but the area was already getting a taste of what temperatures the summer would bring.
Ace shot Alex an annoyed looked, raising an eyebrow at her. “Why can’t you go get them?”
Alex narrowed her eyes at her fiancé and put her hands on her hips. Frost chuckled because he knew that look, growing up with Alex and having her as a best friend. It was her bitch stance. And if Ace were a smart man, he would just say ‘yes dear’ and go get the damn waters.
“Well…for one, I can’t very well leave when people are here because you scare them off if they try to ask a question.”
“Bullshit! I do not,” he said, giving her a comical look.
“Yes, you do. You practically bark at them.”
“Well, they shouldn’t ask stupid questions. And why does everyone assume that they’ll get the item cheaper than what the price tag says?”
“Because people like to barter. That’s what yard sales are like. I upped the prices on things because I know people do it. So, by the time they ‘talk’ me down and I agree on their offer, I’m actually getting what I originally wanted for it,” she explained, smiling as if she was so proud of herself.
Frost looked on as Ace was looking at Alex like she had two heads.
“Then what was the effing point of putting price tags on everything when all you had to do was make one sign that said, ‘everything is negotiable, make an offer,’” Ace said, spreading his arms out wide to make a point.
Frost had to bite back his laugh when he heard Alex growl, then throw her hands in the air and began mumbling about stupid, muscle headed men. He kinda had to agree with Ace on the subject, but he wasn’t about to inject himself into the conversation. Nope, he liked where his balls were attached, thank you very much.
Ace rolled his eyes, then wrapped up Alex in a hug and whispered something in her ear that caused her face to flame a bright red before he walked away and into the house.
Alex was smiling when she turned back to Frost, but that smile quickly morphed into an interrogation look. And he knew that with that look, he knew it was time to haul ass out of there. He quickly picked up the surfboard and looked at her. “Well, I’d better get going. Tell Ace I’ll bring him cash tomorrow for this.”
He turned and got about two steps in when she barked at him. “Oh no, you don’t. You aren’t getting off that easy.”
He turned around. “What are you talking about?”
She glanced down at his leg, and he grimaced. He should’ve known; the little minx never missed anything.
“Your leg is bothering you.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
He sighed. “Will you drop it if I tell you it is and that I’m going straight home and putting it up?”
She crossed her arms in front of her chest like she was ready for a fight. “Maybe. You haven’t been pushing it have you?”
He grinned. “No, ‘Mom,’ I haven’t.”
Alex dropped her arms to her side. “I care about you, that’s all. I’m not trying to be overprotective. I just want you to heal. I know it’s got to be tough to sit back while the rest of the team does their thing.”
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I know your intentions are good. And I appreciate your concern, but I promise you I’m good. It’s just a little sore right now.”
She hugged him. “You know I love you, right?”
He smiled and hugged her back. “Yeah. I do. And I love you too.” He squeezed her.
“Well, I sure as hell hope you love each other like brother and sister.” They both looked up and saw Ace standing there, holding the waters, glaring at Frost. Both Frost and Alex burst out laughing.
Alex smiled as she walked over to Ace. “Are you jealous, honey? Do you need a hug too?” She said as she wrapped her little arms around his waist and snuggled close to him. Ace’s eyes softened. The love Ace and Alex had for each other was what he hoped to have one day.
“No, I’m not jealous. I just don’t know why every guy on the team needs to always put his hands on you.” He gave Frost a mean look, and Frost laughed. The guys on the team loved to fuck with Ace because he was so possessive of Alex. So, anytime one of them got the chance, they did so on purpose to get him riled up. Irish was the worst one. How Ace hasn’t beaten the shit out of him, Frost didn’t know.
Frost cleared his throat. “I’m going to head out, Ace.”
Ace reached out and shook his hand. “Thanks again for lending a hand. Potter said he and Tenley should be back around the time the sale is over, so he can help drag anything back in that hasn’t sold. Although I’m hoping most of it goes.”
“No worries. Glad to help.” He nodded his head toward the surfboard. “I told Alex I’d bring you cash tomorrow morning.”
“You never said who the board was for.”
No, he hadn’t because he didn’t want to, but he couldn’t keep it from Ace. “It’s for Cody. Autumn’s boy.”
Ace’s eyebrows rose. “Autumn? The physical therapist?”
Frost nodded. “That’s the one. He mentioned one time when we were talking about how he wanted to learn to surf.”
“Are you two dating?”
Frost’s eyes widened. “No.” Not yet is what he wanted to tell Ace. If Frost had his way, he and Autumn would already be dating, but he knew she needed time. He was almost positive losing her husband to the war made her fearful of getting involved with another man in the military. Especially a SEAL.
Ace ran his hand over his jaw. “Hmm…Well, if it’s for him like I said, don’t worry about the money. He’ll love it.”
“Are you sure?”
Ace grinned. “Absolutely. Are you going to teach him?”
Frost smiled. “That’s my intention. We’ll see.”
“So, you’re not dating her, but you do like her?” Ace asked with a twinkle in his eye. And Frost was starting to wonder what Ace was up to.
“Yeah, I do. She’s different than other women I’ve met. But like I said, I’m trying to take things slowly. I took your advice and showed up at the hospital last week and asked her out for coffee.”
Ace’s eyebrows shot up, and he smiled. “And how did it go?”
“Considering we were both nervous as hell, I’d say it went well. Something is holding her back from taking that next step. I’m pretty sure it has to do with my job.”
Ace smiled again. “Are you going to ask her out again?”
“That’s my plan. She was supposed to text me during the week, but I haven’t heard from her. I’ve been swamped getting all of my paperwork together this past week. As long as the doc says it’s okay, I’m scheduled to take the PRT in two weeks, and hopefully, get cleared for active duty.”
Ace nodded his head toward the road and then smirked. “Well, I’m sure you’ll do just fine on the PRT. And, as for asking Autumn out, here is your next opportunity.”
Frost turned around and saw Autumn and Cody walking up the driveway. Her red hair was blowing in the light breeze. When she looked up and met his gaze, he saw the surprised look on her face, but he didn’t miss the spark in her eyes, and it made his heart skip a beat. It had been almost two weeks since they had coffee together.
◆◆◆
It was a typical Saturday for Autumn. Wake up, make breakfast for herself and Cody, then decide what they wanted to do. She made it a point that every Saturday, she and Cody spend quality time togeth
er. That is unless he stayed over at a friend’s house.
Being on a tight budget and trying to find things to do with a ten-year-old had its challenges, but somehow she always came through looking like an awesome mom. She was an avid couponer and always looked for discounts on places they could go, like the movies, zoo, aquarium, and the boardwalk.
Today, Cody decided he wanted to go yard saling with her. They had already been to four sales, but nothing had interested her. Cody was hungry, so they were on their way to lunch when she saw a huge sign with the words “Yard Sale” and an arrow pointing towards a more upscale neighborhood. She loved going to yard sales in these neighborhoods because they always had nice stuff they were selling. More than often, the stuff was brand new, and she could get it for a steal.
She pulled up to the large house and got excited when she saw the set of pots and pans on one of the tables. She’d been searching for a decent set since they moved. She noticed several other people were browsing the sale. She turned the car off and looked over at Cody. “I promise this is the last stop, and then we will grab some lunch, okay.”
Cody looked at his mom and smiled. “Its fine, Mom. I know you love these things, so I don’t mind. Plus, if I get too hungry, I have a granola bar that can tide me over until we eat.”
She smiled. She knew she had a great kid. Despite losing his dad and then her uprooting him and moving across the country to start a new life, he had a good head on his shoulders. She was very proud of him.
They both got out of the car and started walking up the driveway when a slight breeze blew her hair into her face. Just as she brushed it back, she looked up and met the eyes of the man who had occupied her mind for the last couple of weeks. She felt kind of stupid because she never texted him last week to set up lunch or dinner. Something went haywire with her phone the latter part of the week, and all of her contacts were deleted, including Frost’s.