A SEAL's Return

by Grace Alexander

  Nora smiled but he could tell she’d forced it in place. Why had he said that? “I’m normally not the king of awkward conversations.”

  She laughed—and he did too. Funny how light his chest seemed with the quiet laughter. It’d been too long since he could find amusement in life’s everyday happenings.

  “Maybe we should start over?” she asked.

  Jake rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “Yeah, we should.”

  “Without the handshakes and introductions again,” she added. “That’d put us back at square one. Awkward.”

  He liked how transparent and real Nora was. When she didn’t trust him, she said so. When she wasn’t certain, he knew. “You’ve had the most honest reaction to the guardianship.”

  “Really?”

  He nodded. “Everyone is a cheerleader.” Family and friends had promised that it would be all right, explaining that if anyone could persevere through a transition like this, he could. But times like this needed to have the hard, cold facts for him to understand the gravity of his new job. How else could he avoid failure?

  Nora shrugged and smiled, this time neither seemingly forced or uncomfortable. “They mean well.”

  “Maybe.”

  “I meant well.”

  That he believed, and Jake shifted his weight. “They say no one starts out with an understanding of parenting.”

  “Well then, they’re right.”

  He rolled his lips together. “I get it. No one knows what they’re doing. But they jumped into the parenting game planning, researching, understanding…”

  “So?”

  “Charlotte is so smart.”

  Nora dipped her head in agreement. “But it seems like you might be too.”

  He paused and the compliment sank in, but obviously he wasn’t getting his point across. “When I mess up, Charlotte will have to deal with the repercussions.” He blew out, shaking his head. “ I really, really don’t want to mess her up.”

  “Are you under the impressions that only parents with newborns make mistakes?”

  No. He was under the impression that they’ve had years to figure out how to handle life’s road bumps before their kid could talk and understand—a yellow school bus rounded the corner.

  It was go time! Charlotte was here, and Jake’s heart thundered as it had the first time he’d buckled in for a simulated helicopter crash into dark water. He had known the simulation was safe. He’d been strapped tight for an impact that the Navy had programmed to gyrate and twist as rushing water filled a small space.

  Jake had escaped. He’d survive. He’d gone into the test knowing the problems to endure. This wasn’t like that at all. The problems were undefined, and he hadn’t trained enough—or at all—for a real-life launch.

  Nora touched his arm, tapping his forearm twice as his high school football coach had done. The gestured pulled him from the freefall panic. He pulled a nervous breath.

  “Jake?”

  He tore his gaze from the slowing school bus.

  “If you need a helping hand, I’m handy.”

  The bus came to a stop, and help was what he needed—not his friends, parents, or bloggers sharing advice and answering questions. He needed help.

  Why did it take until Nora’s offer for him to realize that? He had already been trained enough to understand the most complicated tasks needed teamwork. “I hope you’re not just offering.”

  “Not where Charlotte’s concerned.”

  Her steadfast confidence told him that she never offered without planning to come through. “Thanks.”

  The yellow bus doors angled open. Here went nothing. His pink-and-glitter niece descended the two stairs in one jump before landing on the sidewalk with a little boy protectively coming up behind her.

  “Make sure you ask,” Nora added.

  “Don’t worry. I think I can use the occasional teammate.” Because it was game on as the biggest of life changers ran toward him with open arms.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Nora clutched her purse strap as if it was a lifeline. She’d known every person who had cared for the little girl while Ally had been sick, and after she passed. Nora and Jake had just had their tense moment. The day was chock-full of emotion and the unknown, and she couldn’t be a tenth as uncertain as Jake was right now. Still, she worried whether Jake was the right man for the job.

  “Uncle Jake!” Charlotte’s bright eyes and exuberant smile showed no hesitation, despite the reason he was here, as she bound from the school bus and skipped, with Graham warily remaining close. Like mother, like son. He too didn’t want Charlotte’s life to have any more hiccups.

  Though it wasn’t as if Isabella and Henry could continue to care for Charlotte. The Lauders were older, and with Henry’s hearing fading and their mobility slowing down, everyone had decided while Ally was still healthy and active that Charlotte’s grandparents shouldn’t be the primary caretakers for the long term. They would keep Charlotte only while Ally went to hospice and then until Jake could come home.

  Graham hung back and let his best friend go as Charlotte jumped into Jake’s arms. The uncle-niece reunion was sweet, though Graham didn’t seem interested, and Nora motioned for him to come closer as she walked toward her son, stopping just off the driveway, in the thick green grass where Charlotte and Jake had crouched. Nora kissed the top of Graham’s head. “Hey, baby. How was your day?”

  “Fine.”

  “What’d you do?” She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, embracing him, but he was as rigid as a white pine.

  “Nothing.”

  The reply was typical for any kid, but today his voice floated away on the northwest breeze, more distracted than normal. When Graham didn’t return the hug, Nora squeezed his side. It was time to put her profession to work at home. “Which color marker did you use the most today?”

  “Blue,” he mumbled. “I drew the sky. And then the rain. You couldn’t see the rain until I pressed really hard to make the drops, and then Charlotte said the sky looked like it was crying.”

  “Was the sky crying?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “But Charlotte’s a crying expert.”

  All of Nora’s heartstrings pulled simultaneously. “I know, baby. She’s had a hard couple months. That’s why you’re such a good friend.”

  The long middle-of-the-night calls with Ally rushed back, from years ago when Ally’s husband Davis had died. Ally had worried how it might hurt Charlotte when no one from his side of the family came to the funeral. She didn’t want old Tidings drama to taint Charlotte because her father had married into the uppity side of the river, abandoning his roots.

  In Nora’s opinion, they had abandoned him and their blood, but at least they showed their true colors.

  She shuddered. Would she rather have the unknown wild card of a Navy SEAL raising Charlotte or family members who wouldn’t attend a funeral? Obviously, Jake, and it wasn’t her call, anyway. Ally had decided on him long ago, and Nora agreed with her. But that didn’t mean the decision was one hundred percent apprehension free.

  “But.” Graham fidgeted. “Charlotte stopped crying when her mom stopped hurting.”

  She swallowed an emotional lump in her throat. “I know that too, baby.”

  At least, it had seemed that Charlotte was more at peace. Nora and Graham stared at the man on his knees in front of his niece. Jake wasn’t what Nora had pictured, and she’d never imagined he would be that handsome. Given Charlotte’s family similarities, Nora assumed he would have brown hair and eyes. What she didn’t expect was how expressive he was without saying a word or how caring his questions were and how softly his voice carried when she knew he was a professional military man with determination and drive.

  There was an all-knowing edge to his face, where sun lines creased the corners of his eyes and laugh lines surrounded his mouth. Jake had to be tired—and overwhelmed, not that that would be an excuse for Nora to cut him too much slack—but he held himself tall,
even when on his knees with Charlotte.

  “Is he going to be a good friend?” Graham asked.

  “Grown-ups aren’t always supposed to be a friend.” She pulled Graham around to face her so they weren’t staring. Well, not staring as blatantly. Nora still kept a close eye over Graham’s shoulder. “What did you eat first from your lunch box?”

  “Yogurt raisins.” He peeked around her shoulder. “Charlotte didn’t eat much.”

  “I can appreciate that. Maybe she was nervous?”

  “Think so. She said her tummy feels funny.”

  “That happens sometimes.”

  “Why are they so happy, then?” A heavy questions crossed his precious forehead as he tried to understand the intricacies of extended family.

  Sometimes Nora didn’t even understand that concept. “Do you love Grandmama?”

  A silly smile replaced the tight one. “Well, yeah.”

  “But do you know her very well?” Nora tapped him on the nose. “You might be anxious to see her. When you do, you’re very happy.”

  The dots connected in his mind, and his scowl softened as a little O formed on his lips. “Can I go over and say hi now?”

  Nora glanced over. Charlotte, all sunshine and smiles, was tugging Jake toward them until Graham took off. It was quite the sight, the wisp of the girl and the thick, muscled man. Then Charlotte let go, and Jake remained in place and let his gaze follow the kids. His face was a mystery of triumph and terror.

  Nora bit her lip, watching the tough guy sweat the small stuff. He was in the deep end—so far that he couldn’t find a proverbial purse strap to cling to if he’d wanted one.

  Charlotte trotted over to Nora’s side, pushing onto her toes. “Can we go inside?”

  She had just established the pecking order of who was in charge. Charlotte had asked Nora—not Jake—if they could go inside the house Jake would now live in. Nora lifted her eyebrows toward Jake. “I don’t know. Can they?”

  He sucked his cheeks in, as though he didn’t know if they could go in and play or not. Maybe Jake had planned on making decisions only for Charlotte, and now he had to make or punt a choice for Graham as well.

  Nora half twisted his way, deferring. “Because it’s good with me if Graham plays for a bit longer.”

  Picking up on her cue, Jake nodded, his square jaw loosening. “Sure. Have at it.”

  The kids took off through the front door like steamrollers, and she closed the small gap between the sturdy yet wildly unsteady man with less speed but even greater intention. “That wasn’t a test of your command.”

  “I’m sorry?” The corner of his eyes crinkled as though he didn’t like that she might’ve read his thoughts.

  Smiling quietly, she shrugged. “Kids default to routine. I grant permission more often than you. It was more normal for Charlotte to ask my permission even though this is your house.”

  The tendons strained as he cracked his neck and popped his shoulders. “It’s Ally’s.”

  “Well…” She ignored how he stretched his body and focused on how adults dealt with the stress of losing a loved one. Other than continuing education hours and occasional practicums, she’d never had to work with adults. Kids were different in how they alleviated stress.

  Jake crossed his bicep over his chest and kneaded his muscle, then he repeated the same on the other side before shaking out his arms. Nora decided the only thing she could focus on was the two-level stone-and-cedar home. That was safe and appropriate to gawk at. Ally had always called it a cottage because of the fairy gardens she and Charlotte had planted in the backyard. “That was true. But it’s your house now.”

  Jake quit his fidgeting and stared at the dark gray-blue paint and the round accent rocks as if he couldn’t comprehend that he would lay his head to rest inside the charming little house filled with bedtime stories and fairy tales. “I don’t know…”

  “It is yours, Jake,” Nora urged.

  “You don’t know that.”

  True, she hadn’t seen a will or any estate documents. She’d never asked or even thought to. But she did know that Ally had arranged for Charlotte to be completely provided for, and part of that meant that the little girl had a trust to be administered by her guardian, funded by what came from life insurance. Even if the Hardings weren’t well off, the Lauders were, and neither Ally’s parents nor the Westbrooks, Jake’s side of the family, would let Charlotte struggle financially.

  “I know enough,” she countered. Ally’s house would likely be paid for from the trust, and that could give Jake wiggle room to get High Beam running. Nora had wondered why he didn’t just find a job, but she knew now why he’d jumped headfirst into business ownership. Jake Westbrook was such a macho military man. She wondered how he’d transition from Safehouse Security to their small-town life.

  “Sounds about right for Tidings.” He cast a sideways glance. “Everyone knows something.”

  They walked slowly toward the stone entryway as their easy conversation fell into an awkward silence. Was he suggesting she’d been gossiping? About him? It was time to change the subject. “I heard you’re going to open High Beam again.”

  Jake sighed and ran his hand through the back of his close-cut hair. “Yeah, yeah.” He held the front door open for her, stepping back so Nora could walk into the familiar house. “I think it’s going to be a good thing.”

  The door clicked shut behind them, and he passed her, leading the way to the living room. She stepped over a couple of bags, wondering if he planned on sticking around for a while, then bit her tongue, wanting to trust Ally’s decision. “It will be. The town’s already buzzing that it will open soon.”

  “Really?” he asked.

  “It’d be great for everyone if you opened in time for Halloween.”

  His brow furrowed. “Why?”

  “Oh, you don’t remember,” she said, sitting down on the love seat.

  “Refresh my memory.”

  Nora toyed with her hair, recalling year after year of holidays. “Let’s see. There was a lot to choose from.”

  “You’re stalling. Must not be that memorable.” He winked.

  “Just choosing the best examples.” She pulled her hair into a ponytail. “December was big for the holidays. But because the Halloween parade goes right by there, they went big. And they handed out candy in front of the parking lot.”

  “Oh, right!” He made a throwing motion. “I forgot about the Halloween parade.”

  The parade where the sidewalk watchers and storefront merchants threw candy and the kids in costumes walked down the street. A Tidings tradition. “Well, I’m glad you remembered now.”

  Jake’s eyebrows jumped as he readied to throw another imaginary handful of candy. “Yeah? Why’s that?”

  “Because the kindergarten crew take it very seriously, and you have some serious costume planning and decorating of High Beam to figure out.”

  His face pinched as though he’d just realized that Charlotte would be walking in the parade too. “That’ll be hard to handle…”

  Well, shoot. Maybe her warning and amusement were off on their timing. “I can help with the costume. Easy, no problem.”

  “Nah, I’ve got it.” He waved away her offer.

  “You’re going to need help sometimes,” Nora pointed out.

  “On a Halloween costume?” He rolled his eyes. “I’ll take Help for One Hundred on bigger issues, Brian.”

  Nora winked. “Be warned. Charlotte takes Halloween costumes to a new level.”

  “That’s cool. I’ve got it. But the garage…” He ran a hand over his face. “I can’t remember.”

  “It’s great. Fog machines spewing clouds from abandoned cars. Scarecrows and zombies crawling out of trunks and hoods.”

  She could almost feel his blood pressure picked up. How would he juggle what Tidings would want with Charlotte? This had to be the start of an unexpected list of multiple places to be at one time.

  “Charlotte can walk with
us,” Nora added as if she read his mind.

  “That’d be helpful. Thanks.”

  “Now you have a plan.”

  “Nothing I love more than a plan.” Jake nodded to himself, maybe reminiscing about what used to be a Tidings tradition. “Cool. I’ll dress Charlotte, she’ll walk with you and Graham, and I can come up with a couple ideas for the garage. Perfect.”

  Nora let him have a quiet moment until he looked over, more content than he had been ten minutes ago.

  “I’m glad you’re reopening it.” She fidgeted with her purse against the arm of the love seat. “Are you going to change much?”

  Jake chuckled. “You mean all the cutesy auto stuff?”

  She prayed he wouldn’t change the decor. “Yup, all that.”

  “Wouldn’t dare touch a thing. My mother would never let me hear the end of it.”

  “Just another reason why Marlene Westbrook is a good woman.”

  “Do you know my mom well?” he asked.

  “I mostly chatted with Isabella but sometimes Marlene. They have very high opinions of the warrior in their family. Thank you for your service.”

  He gave a curt nod as the kids tore out the front door with Graham leading the charge. “We’re hungry! Can we have a snack?”

  Jake hooked an arm around Charlotte’s hip. “I’m starving!”

  Knock, knock.

  “Someone’s at the door.” Charlotte spun free as Graham followed her to the front door.

  “That’d be a delivery from my buddy’s girlfriend.” Jake stood up.

  Nora stood as well. “On that note, we should probably head out.”

  A chorus of no's came from the kids, and Nora cut them off with a look. Charlotte gave Graham a quick hug, then they raced out the front door.

  “Hang on a second,” Jake said, following them. He returned less than a minute later. “I thought Lucy was going to drop this off.” He headed into the kitchen and returned. “That wasn’t her. Just a delivery guy. But—” He stood next to her in the hall and shook his head. “I want to learn that trick of yours.”

  Nora paused on the way to the door. “What trick?”