“I’ve been hearing good things about you, Mrs. Marks. Captain Jackson happened to mention the incident at your home last year. I hope everyone has recovered from the trauma now.”
“Yes, we’re doing fine.”
“James—Captain Jackson—also said you and your husband often open your home to your husband’s team. He also mentioned in particular how you take the new military wives of some of our SEALs under your wing and show them the ropes. And that you’ve built a relationship with many of them.”
“I do what I can. I’m friends with quite a few. It’s difficult to fill out all the paperwork for things when you’re new to the process. If their husband deploys before everything is signed, it throws the family into a no-man’s-land for those services. It helps to have someone who’s been around the block a few times to help them get squared away. We have a support team to help each other out when things happen while our husbands are gone.”
“He also mentioned you were a family services social worker.”
“Yes, sir. I’ve been doing it for thirteen years.”
“So you’re used to juggling several cases at a time.”
“Yes. More than several. Although I’m not at liberty to say how many.” Where on earth was this going?
He nodded. “Would you be interested in leaving that position?”
Shock held her immobile for a second. “I’ve been looking for another job off and on for the past three months, but I haven’t found a good fit yet.”
“I’m aware of a position that’s available. It’s a program for retired and disabled SEALs, to ensure their needs are met. I thought, with your ties to the SEAL community, your husband being on active duty, and your background, you’d be perfect for the position. You’d be a supervisor to caseworker investigations, and direct services where they’re needed. I took the liberty of calling the director and inquiring about the particulars, and he faxed some information about the job and an application to my office.” He removed a folded envelope from his pants pocket and offered it to her.
Overwhelmed, Trish automatically accepted the envelope. She bit her lip and focused on the envelope until she was certain of her composure. “Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate this.”
“We need someone in that position who cares about our men.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you.” She offered her hand again, and he shook it warmly.
“I have to go and call things to order. Captain Jackson had planned to do this presentation, but was called away. So I’m stepping into his shoes. Congratulations on your husband’s promotion and commendation.”
“Thank you, sir.”
She stared at the envelope, but looked up as she noticed a ring of white shoes surrounding her.
“What did Admiral Parks have to say?” Langley asked, his expression alive with curiosity. Bowie and Greenback, along with Hawk and two other members of the team, weren’t hiding their curiosity very well either.
“You guys are so nosy,” she teased.
“C’mon, Babe. Dish,” Bowie said, using his pet name for her, since her run-in with Thomas Clarence. At least the guys waited until Clarence recovered from his injuries and accepted a plea deal on all the charges before adopting the nickname of Babe, as in Babe Ruth, for her.
“He was encouraging me to apply for a job at a program for retired and disabled SEALs. He even brought me an application.”
“That’s…amazing, Trish,” Langley laid a hand on her shoulder. “If he’s already spoken to someone there, you’ll be a shoo-in if you want it.”
“I’ll have to see what it’s all about before I apply.”
“If everyone will take their seats, we’ll get started,” Admiral Parks announced.
Langley brushed her cheek with his lips and headed for his seat, just in front of where she and the kids were sitting with Zoe and Selena. His team took a seat surrounding them.
Admiral Parks began. “When a man decides to become a SEAL, he doesn’t do it alone. His family is there with him every step of the way. I want the family members who are here today to know we are grateful for your support. Our men couldn’t do it without you. And thank you for being here today to celebrate their accomplishments.”
“If Senior Chief Langley Marks will rise and come forward.”
Langley rose and strode up to the raised platform. Trish was aware of movement around her, and glanced to either side. Every man around them had his phone in hand and had risen to leave. She saw Langley reach the Admiral and salute, then glance over his shoulder at Hawk.
Hawk signaled five minutes, and he leaned forward to say something to the Admiral. Zoe and Selena slipped out the door with the team.
“Senior Chief Langley Marks, you have been promoted to Master Chief.” The Admiral handed him the insignia he would normally have pinned to Langley’s collar during the ceremony. “Congratulations. Also, for your gallantry in battle during a mission in Africa the twenty-first day of October of last year, I award you the Silver Star.”
They exchanged a handshake, and Langley double-timed it off the stage. Her stomach in knots, Trish rose and signaled the children to move with her to the aisle. They stepped outside into the hall as a family, where Hawk and Greenback were saying their good-byes.
Langley turned to face them. “I have to go.” He handed Trish the boxes with his medal and insignias.
Trish swallowed against the knot in her throat. “We know.” She tucked the boxes in her purse. If she cried, it would get the girls upset, and she wouldn’t have Langley upset because he’d left them in tears. She drew a deep breath and girded herself to wait until she was alone to give in the emotion building in her.
Langley knelt to bring the girls in close. “I love you. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He kissed each one of them.
“Can I take your picture in your uniform, Daddy?” Jessica asked.
“Sure, honey.” He rose and took a step back so she could snap the picture.
“Tad.” He beckoned to him. He bent his head as he spoke quietly to his son. Tad nodded, and Langley drew him in close to hold him for a moment. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Dad.”
He turned to Trish. “Check out that job, it sounds promising.” He unbuttoned his uniform jacket and handed it off to Trish.
She draped it over her arm. “Yeah, it does, and I will check it out.”
He cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.”
With her arms full, she couldn’t hold him as close as she wanted to, but her lips clung to his when he kissed her. “Be careful. Come home soon.”
“Will do.” He brushed his lips across her forehead, and paused a moment to look into her eyes. She saw the love and reassurance he offered her. Trish hung on to her composure by an eyelash.
“Langley, we need to go,” Hawk called out, already moving down the hall toward the exit.
“Coming.”
Her voice came out thick with emotion. “I love you, Langley. And we’re so proud of you.”
He kissed her again. “I have to go.” He took two steps to follow Hawk, then turned back. “I need a rain check on that date.”
Trish’s heart swelled, and she laughed. “You’ve got it. I’ll be waiting.”
His long strides took him around a bend in the hall all too quickly.
Zoe and Selena fell into step with them as they followed the route the men had taken to exit the building.
“Mom, if you and Daddy are married, how can you still date?” Annaliese asked.
Trish smiled as she thought about it.
She and Langley had never stopped dating. He, the decorated SEAL, was the romantic in their relationship, and she the practical one.
Maybe that was why they stayed bound to each other, despite separations and disagreements, good times and bad.
She adored the romantic man who gave her cornhusk flowers, and took her on romantic getaways, and asked for a rain check on a date with his wife.
“That’s a good question
, Anna. Why don’t you ask your father when he comes home and see what he says?”
The End
Books By Teresa J. Reasor
MILITARY ROMANTIC SUSPENSE:
Breaking Free (Book 1 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Through (Book 2 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Away (Book 3 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Ties: A Seal Team Heartbreakers Novella
Building Ties (Book 4 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Boundaries (Book 5 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Out (Book 6 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers)
Breaking Point: A SEAL Team Heartbreakers Novella
Breaking Out (Book 7 of the SEAL TEAM Heartbreakers) coming soon
PARANORMAL ROMANCE/Urban Fantasy:
Timeless
Whisper In My Ear
Deep Within The Shadows
HISTORICAL ROMANCE:
Highland Moonlight
Captive Hearts
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Wedding Night
(A Highland Moonlight Spinoff Novel)
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Trilogy
(all three parts of the Highland Moonlight spinoff series in one book) Print and ebook
SHORT STORIES:
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Beginning
(A Highland Moonlight Spinoff)
An Automated Death (A Steampunk Short Story) Paranormal
Caught In The Act (A Humorous Short Story) Contemporary Romance
NOVELLAS:
To Capture A Highlander’s Heart: The Courtship
(A Highland Moonlight Spinoff)
Have Wand, Will Travel
(A Magic and Mayhem Novella)
Have Wand, Will Travel: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
(A Magic and Mayhem Novella) Coming June 2017
CHILDREN’S BOOK:
Willy C. Sparks: The Dragon Who Lost His Fire
ANTHOLOGIES HER WORK IS BEEN INCLUDED IN:
SEALed With A Kiss: Heroes With A Heart (Breaking Free)
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Books By Teresa J. Reasor
Breaking Point: A SEAL Team Heartbreakers Novella Page 12