by RC Boldt
Feeling the heavy weight of his friend’s stare, he attempted nonchalance. “Fine.”
Noelle, who was seated at her desk, made a noise that came out sounding much like a grunt. He ignored her because he had much bigger fish to fry … which became evident with Foster’s next words.
“Fine? Huh.” Pause. “That’s funny because Doc said he thought he saw you two walk into Island Kabuki that night.”
Miller clenched his jaw, refusing to take the bait, as he poured over the contracts before him.
“Hey, Noelle? You want to go have dinner at Island Kabuki with me?” Miller’s head jerked up in shock at Foster’s question, eyes darting over to see Noelle’s stunned expression. “Because, you know,” his boss waved a hand casually, “people who don’t get along and seem to despise each other totally end up at dinner together, don’t they?”
Ah, so that’s where he was going with this. Wise ass. Meeting and holding his gaze, Miller’s nostrils flared with irritation. Through gritted teeth, he said, “We declared a truce. For you guys.” Returning his attention to his work, he added, “And we were both hungry. End of story.”
There was a long pause. Shit. At least Kane and Doc were both out at the sites today. Small mercies there.
“Noelle?” Foster called out.
“Yes, Satan?” came her immediate response, making the corners of Miller’s lips tilt up. She was a spitfire, that one.
“If we were to declare a truce, would you have dinner with me?”
“Not even if I were facing the nine circles of hell.”
Foster grinned at Miller. “See? Even Medusa over there agrees that it’s bogus reasoning.”
Tossing his pen down on his desk, he leaned back in his chair. Schooling his features, Miller’s tone was casual when he replied, “Dude. It was a peace offering. One shared dinner. That’s it. End of story.”
Foster raised an eyebrow. “Did you catch her doing yoga when you stopped over?”
Unsure of where his friend was leading the conversation, he answered carefully. “Yeah.”
Foster’s lips pressed together firmly, as if trying to keep his expression blank. “She was in those tiny yoga pants and a sports bra, wasn’t she? All hot looking?”
Miller stilled, tense. “What the hell are you doing checking out Tate? Not like you don’t have a revolving door of women as it is,” he bit out.
“Checkmate,” Noelle murmured. And, promptly, Miller watched as a shit-eating grin formed on Foster’s face.
Fuck. He’d walked right into that one.
Foster held up his hands in surrender. “Easy, tiger. No one’s poaching on Tate.”
Miller whipped around to face Noelle. “Want to join me in filing that harassment claim now?”
She made a pained face. “Can’t. He just got that awesome coffee maker. It has, like, a double filter and he bought a bunch of the organic coffee I like.” With a hopeful expression, she added, “Maybe next week, though.” She directed a pointed look at Foster. “He’s bound to piss me off by then.”
“I look forward to it, Bloody Mary,” came his immediate response.
“Likewise, Manson.”
No doubt about it, there was never a dull moment around the office.
* * *
Tate was organizing her folders with plans and materials for the remainder of the week when her best friends burst through her classroom door. Watching Laney and Raine pull out chairs and plop down at her teaching table, they eyed her expectantly.
“Soooo?” Laney’s hazel eyes were alit with excitement.
“Soooo …” she repeated, confused.
Raine’s head tilted to the side as if analyzing Tate’s expression. They remained on some sort of staring standoff before Laney finally let out an exasperated breath.
“Dude. How was dinner, already?”
Her eyes darted to her friend in surprise. Damn it. She had thought she and Miller could fly under the radar with that spur of the moment sushi dinner. She really should have known better. Especially when former Navy SEALs were involved. Them and their damn recon.
Tate shrugged. “It was fine.”
“Fine?” Raine repeated. “As in fine, okay, nothing great? Or fine, so fine it blew your mind?”
She and Laney stared at Raine. “If she starts busting out more famous hit songs from the eighties, I’ll run and get Mac,” Laney offered.
Raine huffed. “Whatever. You know what I meant.”
Laney turned back to face Tate, tossing her light brown hair back over her shoulders. “Lil’ Rhymes, here, and I want to know the truth about your dinner.”
Tate blew out a long breath before sliding into a chair across from them. “We declared a truce. He came to check on me,” she gestured to Laney, “per your request. And he asked if I was hungry. So we went to eat. End of story.”
Raine grinned. Anytime her friend did that, it made her nervous. “Was he wearing his company button down shirt?”
What? Tilting her head to the side in confusion, she answered slowly, “Yes.”
Her friend’s smile grew wider. “The blue one?”
What the hell did it matter what color shirt Miller had worn? “Yes.”
Raine and Laney exchanged a look before turning back to her. “His eyes always look impossibly blue when he wears that shirt.” Raine broke off with a little sigh.
“Woman, are you sighing over another man?” The three of them turned toward the door. They hadn’t heard Mac, the stealthy former SEAL, enter the classroom.
Raine gazed up at her husband adoringly. “He does have pretty blue eyes. But not as amazing as yours, of course.”
He walked over to press a kiss to his wife’s forehead before turning his attention to Tate. “Word on the street is that you and Vaughn had a cozy, little dinner the other night.” Mac smiled at her, that dimple of his making its appearance.
“Cozy as in we sat with a bunch of strangers at the sushi restaurant? If that’s what you mean, then yes,” came her tart reply.
He just grinned at her. “Okay, Ted. Whatever you say.”
Raine shot her husband a look of censure.
The crease between Tate’s brows popped up in confusion. “Did you just call me Ted?”
Before Mac could answer, her classroom door swung open and Lawson entered, hands going to the praying pose as the door closed behind him. “Please tell me I didn’t miss the big reveal. Please, please, please.”
“The big reveal?” she asked him, slowly.
“Yeah, you know. The whole, ‘I had sushi with Miller for dinner and then he came back home with me and had another sushi dinner’.” Lawson’s eyebrows wiggled suggestively. “You know what I mean?”
Collective groans sounded.
“Seriously, Laws. With material like that, it’s a wonder you’re still single,” Mac remarked drily.
Lawson pouted with faux dejection. “You wound me, deeply.” Quickly recovering, his attention turned to Tate. “But seriously, were there two sushi dinners had?”
“Laws,” came the reprimand from the four of them.
Dejectedly, he slumped into an available chair. “Fine. If you don’t tell me, then I’ll have no choice but to resort to making up my own version of what I think happened.”
Laney’s head immediately swiveled to Tate. “You don’t want that. Trust me.”
Raine’s eyes were wide, shaking her head. “You really don’t want to have anything to do with the scary recesses of his mind.”
Mac eyed Lawson. “I’m pretty sure I can imagine what you’ll come up with.”
Lawson wiggled his eyebrows. “Think strict, by-the-books SEAL teaches the naughty schoolteacher a lesson.” He grinned proudly. “Like what I did there? The play on words?”
With a low chuckle, Mac shook his head.
“He’s thinking of you guys doing it. Like that isn’t totally creepy or anything,” Raine exclaimed in a stage whisper.
Laney snorted. “Yeah, well, it is Lawson we’re
talking about. No real surprise there.”
Lawson leaned over to Mac. “So, what do you think? I give it a few weeks.”
Mac looked at him in question. “Before they go at it?”
Lawson nodded.
Shaking his head, Mac said, “Nah. Four weeks. They’ll fight it for a bit, first.”
Their friend appeared to ponder this. “Mmm, you’re probably right.”
Tate let out an exasperated breath and waved her hand. “Hello? I’m right here, you know.”
Her friends faced her, all grinning mischievously. Laney stood, pushing in her chair. “Well, I’ve got to get going. Zach’s probably on his way back from car pool duty with Pearce.”
Raine and Mac followed suit, standing. “I have to prep for tomorrow’s experiment,” Raine said. Her friend was awesome at her job and had the students perform an experiment daily to give them hands-on experience. It explained why students had experienced great gains in Science according to the county and state test data.
Lawson followed them to the door, but just before Laney pushed it open to leave, he tossed over his shoulder, “Tell Vaughny-poo when you see him, again—soon—that we said hello.”
“What makes you think I’ll see him soon?” Her question only received snickering in return.
Tate resumed organizing her materials, shaking her head, muttering to herself with a small laugh, “And these are the people I call friends.”
CHAPTER NINE
“HEY, MAN. THINGS WORK OUT down in Orange Park?” Doc asked Miller while they were in the office, both preparing to give another Hostile Environment training the following day.
Kane chimed in, “Yeah, Fos had mentioned two dudes were giving you a hard time.” Raising his eyebrows, he asked, “What happened?”
Shaking his head, Miller replied, “Once I gave my credentials, they tried to turn it into a pissing contest.”
Leaning back against the tall filing cabinet, Doc crossed his arms and scoffed. “If only they knew you broke records on the famous obstacle course in BUD/S.”
Kane turned to Miller, impressed. “Why, you little overachiever, you.” Tipping his head to the side, he said, “I reckon a tiny blonde would be impressed at hearing that.”
Jesus, would they never quit?
“Anyway,” he drew out the word before continuing, “I documented it and the following day was better.”
“Meaning, you intimidated the hell out of them with your stare and words?” Doc asked, his green eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Basically.”
Doc reached out to bump fists with him. “Right on.”
“By the way, don’t forget … Boss man said we’re all supposed to go to a yoga class after work,” Kane mentioned with a grin. “Not that I can complain since I’m a fan of yoga, myself.”
“Really? You’re a fan of yoga?” Doc asked, sarcasm in his tone.
Grin growing wider, Kane said, “Well, maybe not so much a fan of yoga as much as I am a fan of yoga pants.”
Doc chuckled. “Now that I can get onboard with.” He paused before adding, “But is Fos really making us all take a yoga class tonight?”
“He said it would improve our focus and stress levels.” Kane leaned closer to Doc to add with a loud whisper, “Plus, there’s this cute, little blonde who’s teachin’ it tonight.”
Miller’s ears perked up at that. A cute, little blonde? Surely, they weren’t talking about—
“Hey, boys. Look at the mangy stray I found roaming around the parking lot.” Noelle entered the office with Foster in tow, muttering something under his breath. Most likely something about Noelle.
“Everyone needs to head home, change, and be at Namaste’s Studio by six-thirty.” Foster turned to Noelle. “Cruella, I expect you there, too. It’s considered a work event.”
She primly saluted Foster. “Roger that, Bundy. Can’t wait to see you in your yoga gear.” Her head tilted to the side, thoughtfully. “You have tight black yoga pants, don’t you?”
Foster gave her a dark stare. “Have you ever seen me wear a pair of tight pants? Ever?”
Noelle smiled innocently. “Well, I thought that maybe since we’d all be off the clock, you’d finally be free to be your … true self.” She paused. “Maybe they’re rainbow colored pants?”
Ohhhh, shit. Miller exchanged looks with Doc and Kane and they watched as the implication hit Foster. The office went eerily quiet.
Their boss’ lips curved into a dangerous smile. “Oh, Davis. I’m not gay. But, if I were, I’d still get more action than you could ever shake a stick at.”
Noelle merely waved off his words. “They say that denial’s the first stage.”
Foster’s eyes narrowed on her. “Remind me again how it is that you haven’t melted in the rain?”
With a saccharine sweet smile, she gave him a firm pat on his shoulder. “Oh, Hannibal. It’s because the Universe recognizes that this place would fall apart without me.”
“Wellll …” Kane dragged out the word in his southern drawl. “As much fun as it is to be around you two lovebirds, I’ve got to head home, put on my yoga attire, and prepare to get my gentle flamingo pose on.”
As he and Doc stared at their friend, Miller wasn’t entirely sure what was more disturbing: the fact that Kane apparently had ‘yoga attire’ or that he knew what the gentle flamingo pose actually was.
* * *
Tate was warming up, preparing for the six-thirty gentle yoga class she would be teaching. She felt like she really needed tonight’s class after the impromptu dinner she’d had with Miller, as well as the curious questions from her friends. She needed to get her head on straight and yoga normally helped her do that.
Sure, she’d actually had a decent time with Miller, but adding in the interrogation from everyone the following day along with the small part of her that wanted to see him again … Yeah, there was a tiny part. Like teeny, tiny. Which was just dangerous on so many levels, because she knew how easy she had fallen under his spell all those years ago. She couldn’t afford to experience another bout of devastation, Miller-style.
Adjusting the volume of the soothing music on the stereo, Tate turned to greet the students beginning to file into the dimly lit room of the yoga studio. She stopped short at the sight of Laney’s brother walking through the door. Staring, she watched as he walked over to take an available spot, sliding the strap of the rolled up yoga mat from his shoulder, Noelle following shortly behind him.
Foster had a yoga mat? Since when did he do yoga? She stared as he unrolled it and, upon catching her eyes, he grinned sheepishly. “It’s Laney’s.”
Ah. That explained a lot. Smiling warmly, she said, “Glad to have you join us.”
“Not as glad as I am to get to see this hot mess, here,” Noelle gestured to Foster, “attempt to do yoga. To say that this will be better than reality TV would be an epic understatement.” Foster shot the woman a dirty look which she, in typical Noelle fashion, ignored, grinning back at him.
“Hey, gorgeous.” Tate turned to see Kane smiling down at her. “It’s okay to go ahead and admit that you’re really glad to have me here. Because I’m your favorite. Ain’t that right, darlin’?”
Doc came to stand beside Kane, tossing a thumb in his direction. “And, apparently, he knows what the gentle flamingo pose is.”
“Really?” Her eyes were alit with amusement.
“Yes, ma’am.” Kane puffed out his chest with pride.
Tate glanced over to check the time on the stereo. “Well, I have to get class started. Go ahead and grab a yoga mat from the corner and set it up so we can begin.”
Just as she walked to the front of the room, she felt the air change. Like a sudden energy had been added to the mix. Turning to greet her class, she was faced with the reason for that feeling.
Miller Vaughn was placing a yoga mat on the floor, his large, muscular form seeming just as out of place as his coworkers.
And, hell, if that quick wink of
those blue eyes didn’t send a slow warmth running through her.
Dear Miller,
I hope this letter manages to actually get to you. Not sure why they’re getting returned. I checked, again, to make sure the address was correct. I left some messages on your Mom’s voicemail but I haven’t heard back yet.
I know I sound like a broken record but I really miss you. So much. But I know that this is what you want to do and I completely support you. I know you’re going to be the best SEAL. You’ve always succeeded at anything you put your mind to.
I have to get to class. I love you so much and I’m so proud of you.
You’re it for me. Always.
Tate
CHAPTER TEN
IT WAS THEIR USUAL KARAOKE Saturday where they all gathered at Shenanigans, a multi-room bar in historic downtown Fernandina Beach. Shenanigans included a sports bar, a martini bar, the karaoke bar, and two other rooms—one for small live music performances and the other for large bands.
It was just shy of six-thirty when Tate finished with her makeup, leaving her straight blonde hair down and wearing an ankle-length, blue strapless dress. Hearing a knock on her door, she assumed it was Laney and Zach coming to pick her up. Her friends had offered to take her to pick up her car from the auto shop down the street before it closed at seven o’clock.
Grabbing her small wrist purse and house key, she slid on her beaded flip flops, opening the door. “Thanks so …” She trailed off at the sight of the person standing outside her door.
His eyes swept over her, in what felt like a caress, before returning to meet her gaze. “Your chariot awaits, ma’am.” Miller waved a hand to where his Jeep sat in her driveway.
Her lips parted, but before she spoke he added, “Laney and Zach got caught up with something and asked me if I’d help out.”
Damn it. What the hell was it with her friends thrusting her and Miller together all of a sudden? Just because they had declared a truce didn’t mean she wanted to spend all of her time with the guy, for God’s sake.
But it might be kind of nice, though, an inner voice argued.
She scoffed inwardly. Yeah, if one considered it nice to have their heart eviscerated once again.