Romancing the SEAL: The Complete Box Set (SEAL Military Romance Series Book 4)

by Abigail Austin

  Ty pulled up Skype, entered his username then stared at the password space. He bit the inside of his mouth then pegged his password in.

  As soon as his account was up the screen lit up with a call from Rachel. Without even thinking about it Ty hit the answer button.

  For a blurry moment things were in slow motion, then suddenly, Rachel’s face was before him. The connection was good but not perfect. Her face froze then continued on normally before freezing again for a few seconds.

  The sight of her kept him from talking. Seeing her talk and move, seeing her smile, and look away.

  “Hi,” Her voice came out from seven thousand miles away.

  Ty put up a hand, “Hey.”

  “Long time,” She looked sheepish.

  “Yeah, I know.” Ty wasn’t sure if he liked the way things were going. It was a bit too much. She looked like a little girl who had done something wrong but knew she would be forgiven for it and he didn’t know how he felt about that.

  “So, you wanted to talk?” Ty asked. It was a bit callous of a question since he’d read her email and knew exactly what she wanted to talk about but the sound of them going back and forth in this childish way, felt too much like a reconciliation.

  “Yeah, I…” She trailed off and Ty could see that she was looking for her way. Instead she looked back up, “How is Mattie?”

  Ty’s mind flashed to the face of his daughter. He should be Skyping with her right now instead of Rachel. A wave of guilt rolled over him. He’d called Mattie right after the explosions but no one had been home and he’d had to leave a message. In his message he’d said that he would call back, but he’d forgotten all about it.

  “She’s good. Ten now, playing lacrosse and really good at it I’m told.” Ty felt like an imposter, posing as a dad. He’d yet to see a lacrosse game. He’d thrown the ball for her to catch a few times but it had been too difficult for him to get out of town on the days when her matches were held.

  “Ten, God times goes by so fast.”

  Ty just nodded and waited for Rachel to go on. He didn’t mind sitting in silence and wanted her to be the one to initiate the more serious part of the conversation. Rachel smiled and took a breath, she looked around, past her computer camera and Ty looked behind her. She was in a new apartment. He recognized one of the paintings on the wall but nothing else looked familiar, not that there was much to go on.

  “Ty,” Her eyes came back to the screen and Ty watched. “Everything I said in my email—I meant it all. I’m really sorry for everything I put you through. I, of course, don’t expect my little email or conversation to change anything between us but… I just had to let you know.”

  Ty didn’t like the way she’d said her “little email,” it didn’t sound sincere but Ty also knew that Rachel wasn’t one for apologies and any apology that she gave was bound to ring of insincerity for no other reason then lack of practice.

  “Well,” He exhaled and pressed his lips inward, “I appreciate that. “This is all very sudden, I’m sure you understand that, and I’m not really sure how I feel about it. But I will think about it. That’s the best I can do right now.”

  Rachel’s face lit up and Ty knew that somehow he’d overpromised without meaning to.

  “Great, yes, of course you need to think about it.” Her voice was enthusiastic. “Take all the time you need, I’ll be here.”

  “I’d better go,” He was feeling sick. Looking at Rachel like this was too much. A part of him wanted to make her happy, to just chuck the rest and, say fuck it. He could just go ahead and test things out with Rachel after such a long time.

  But the thought of Léonie was plastered to the front of his brain. The noises she’d made only yesterday. Those wide blue eyes. Her serious nature and how she found it impossible to sugar coat things. She just felt how she felt. She was what she was. He liked that. He’d just learned that she was the same way with good emotions as well as the more negative.

  “Ok,” Rachel still looked hopeful, if perhaps a little less sure. “We’ll talk later then?” Her voice was almost a plea and the sound of it made Ty rethink the sound of her sincerity. There was a weakness on display that Rachel would usually never let anyone see no matter what the circumstances.

  Ty nodded. “Night,” He said before disconnecting. It was a relief for him to have the conversation over with, although it didn’t leave his mind much more at ease. If Léonie was going to Paris then there really couldn’t be anything between them anyway, could there?

  He walked out of the room and found his mind wandering to Léonie. He would make his way over to the hospital site. There was a lot being done there now. Soldiers were trying to account for the last person who had not been found in or out of the building, dead or alive. The woman was probably no more then tiny burnt fragments by now but she still needed to be accounted for. Then there was the investigation as to the origin of the explosives themselves.

  Léonie had been helping to set up tents nearby that would act as the hospital until the building was safe and the other buildings rebuilt. She’d helped to set up cots and move their supplies over, disperse the equipment that was coming in now to replace the equipment that had been compromised or ruined.

  The sky felt particularly large and Ty found himself repeatedly looking up into it. When the hospital was in view he wondered when the laxity he was experiencing, the freedom from his normal duties would expire and he would be put back to the usual duties. He watched the back of an Afghan soldier turn a corner ahead of him.

  Ty turned into the complex that held the hospital and its ruins. He looked around and walked part way along the outer wall until he caught sight of Léonie. She was facing away from him. Her head moved as she spoke to an older man in front of her. Ty could tell from the movements she was making that she was giving the man a good shaking down about something. Ty smiled.

  Walking forward he waited for her to finish and for the man to walk off before tapping her shoulder gently with his hand.

  “Oh,” She gave a little gasp. “Sorry, you scared me, I was just so focused on getting another tent for pregnancies.”

  “Are they still sending you home?” Ty asked. “How would they manage all this without you?” He smiled and Léonie slitted her eyes as she gave him a dangerous look. “How long have you been at it?”

  “Since dawn, there’s a rooster that lives in our yard and it’s impossible to sleep through it, even when coming off of a late shift.”

  “I’m lucky, no rooster for me, just a guy who would chew me out if I slept through something.”

  Léonie turned her full attention on Ty.

  “You look different,” She smiled. “What’s up?”

  “I just found out that I’m pregnant.” Ty gave his stomach a rub and Léonie rolled her eyes.

  “See,” She added. “Just another reason why we need another pregnancy tent. Want to walk me to the supply truck? A bunch of things came in overnight.”

  “Sure,” Ty knew that this meant he would end up carrying a bunch of heavy boxes around. There were other American soldiers who had been moved over to the hospital to help with all of the emergency provisions and Ty gave a nod to one who walked by. The other soldier looked at Léonie with hungry eyes that made Ty want to have a word with the young soldier who still had baby fat on his cheeks.

  “Léonie,” Ty’s voice came out too loud, punctuating the air.

  “Yes?” She sounded surprised.

  Ty stopped walking and turned to her, “I just. I thought you should know that—my ex. The one um, I talked about the other day?”

  “Yes?” Her eyes opened wide and Ty could see the hints of wariness enter them. “You mean the four year relationship? The one who couldn’t be expected to stay with you because you were away?”

  Ty opened his mouth but couldn’t speak. She’d been listening quite closely. Ty remembered the words he’d said while they were stuck in the tiny room in the children’s ward. He closed his mouth and nodded. He
repositioned his body, “Her name is Rachel.”

  “Rachel?” Léonie’s voice was flat and her face was beginning to close down to Ty. His pulse was picking up and he could feel acid creeping up the back of his neck.

  “I just wanted to let you know that she emailed me last night, because she saw the news and—I Skyped with her this morning.”

  “She emailed you?” He could feel Léonie’s mind moving. She knew there was something else and she was waiting for it. Ty took in a breath.

  “She said…she mentioned that she still loves me and some other… things,” He tossed his hand as if those other things were of little to no consequence.

  “What did you say?” Léonie stood with both feel solidly planted on the ground, fully facing Ty. She looked ready to wait out a tornado.

  “Me?”

  “Yes, you.” Her voice sharpened at the edges.

  “Nothing, really. I just. I didn’t know what to say. I mean—it was so out of the blue—three years ago, you know?”

  “You still have feelings for her.” Léonie wasn’t asking she said it as if she were making a deduction from what stood in front of her.

  Ty swallowed, “I don’t know if I do. I know that I… well since I met you…I.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Léonie cut off Ty’s struggle for words. “I understand. We were caught up in the moment. Right? You barely know me and you two have history.”

  Ty didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to leave the conversation this way but he wasn’t sure what he wanted to say. He was going to continue on walking with her when she turned and abruptly stopped again, putting up a hand.

  “Don’t worry, I can handle the supplies.” She smiled falsely at him, “I’ll see you some other time, ok?”

  Ty didn’t nod or speak but Léonie took his silence as compliance and walked away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ty went back to the base since he had nowhere else to go. He walked back with three soldiers who had been sent to help with the hospital. They were going back to base for early lunch then they would return to the hospital to relieve another group. All the soldiers working with the doctors and staff from the MSF hospital were talking lunch in shifts so there would always be some left behind to help carry, load, unload, set up, or dig whatever needed loading, unloading, setting up, or digging.

  The three other soldiers talked the whole way back only getting Ty to speak once. After that they must have been able to sense that the senior officer was not interested in talking so they stopped including him.

  Although he wasn’t hungry, Ty didn’t have much else to do so he went to eat too. He sat off by himself and ate his food, which was gone so quickly it had barely acted as a distraction or occupation of any kind. After food he set off in search of Donnie who could be counted on for a workout but Donnie was on duty and Ty barely recognized anyone else he ran into.

  Deciding that it was time for him to get back to work, Ty decided, instead to make his way to Captain O’Donnell’s tent. The heat of the oncoming afternoon was beginning to slow Ty down. He could feel the back of his tee shirt beginning to stick to his skin.

  As he approached the Major’s work quarters Ty saw that Major O’Donnell was in midstream of conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Saperstin. Ty turned to his left and walked off fifty yards before sneaking a peak behind him. The two looked like they were just finishing their conversation so Ty took a left turn, ostensibly making a large rectangular path that would lead back to Major O’Donnell. When Ty got another fifty yards he snuck another look and found O’Donnell looking at him. He was alone now and had apparently found Ty’s rectangular walking path humorous.

  O’Donnell motioned for Ty to come his way and now that he’d been beckoned to do so, Ty made a straight line right for him.

  “Major O’Donnell, sir.” Ty greeted his superior officer.

  “Captain Forrester, it’s almost as if you could read the future. I would have had to come find you if you hadn’t so conveniently found me.”

  “Yes, sir?” Ty relaxed a bit. He did not think he was in trouble again but one could never tell. If he was then there was nothing he could do about it, if he wasn’t then Major O’Donnell was probably coming to tell Ty what Ty himself was coming to request of him.

  “Why the visit?” Major O’Donnell asked.

  “I was hoping to resume my usual duties sir. I believe I’ve made all the appropriate reports, and recovered plenty from two days ago, sir.”

  Major O’Donnell smiled, “I would agree except for a kink in the plan.” Major O’Donnell did not continue and Ty was forced to prod for information.

  “What is that, sir?”

  “You are headed back to D.C. Captain,” Major O’Donnell looked at him with no visible emotion.

  “Sir?”

  “You, seem to be a very lucky soldier. Not only did you live through the explosions two days ago, but you are also receiving a Bronze Star.”

  “Really?” Ty balked. “That’s amazing. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.” Ty’s mouth was open with the surprise of the news. He’d been prepared for several different outcomes and eventualities but he’d not thought a Bronze Star was to be part of it.

  “That’s not all,” Major O’Donnell repressed a large smile now and Ty wondered what the man could be about. “This story has had so much media coverage and folks back home have needed something like this, good news, a brave soldier and what not, that not only are you receiving it—but the President of the United States will be giving it to you on live television during a dinner in your honor.”

  Ty’s mouth dropped further. There was nothing to be said to such a thing. He looked at Major O’Donnell with suspicious eyes.

  “You’re fucking with me,” Ty concluded.

  “I am most certainly not fucking with you,” Major O’Donnell laughed loudly and in a genuine sort of way that told Ty he was hearing the truth.

  “Christ, fucking… Christ,” The words slithered out of Ty’s mouth.

  “Just don’t say that when you get to DC,” O’Donnell was still laughing. Ty turned his face up to the sky and let out a loud, unfettered yell then took O’Donnell’s face and kissed him hard on the forehead. “The fucking president, of the fucking United States. Jesus.”

  O’Donnell was visibly taken aback by the outcry and gesture but laughed all the same.

  “Go pack your bags,” O’Donnell made a motion for Ty to be off. “You’re leaving in two hours.”

  “Two hours?” Ty stopped.

  “I don’t mean to hurry you,” O’Donnell said. “But, if you’re late for the president I will kick your ass soundly.”

  “I have to say goodbye to Léonie.” Ty’s heart was thudding. “She’s the doctor…the…she’s leaving to go back to Paris.”

  O’Donnell’s good humor evaporated, “No way. You can’t miss this flight.”

  “Please,” Ty put both his hands on O’Donnell’s shoulders, as he would never normally presume to do. “Please, I swear I’ll run both ways, be packed, and make the flight on time. I swear.”

  O’Donnell looked over Ty’s face and a bit of his previous good humor returned. “Fine, pack, bring your bag here, you meet me by the helicopter in one hour. Got it?”

  Ty gave O’Donnell one more rough kiss on the forehead, “Got it.” Then Ty was off and running to his tent. With every step his mind kept punching out Léonie’s name. His eyes kept seeing her face. He needed to see her before he left or he would never see her again.

  He packed his bag faster then he had when he’d had is commanding officer standing over him, screaming vile abuse in his ear. He ran his pack back to O’Donnell’s quarters, dropped it and ran on. He ran past the other soldier’s with guns across their chests headed back from the hospital and others off to patrol. He ran until he was back where he’d begun his morning—looking for Léonie. He walked quickly and was about to turn around when he almost ran right into her.

  “Ty,” She gave a lit
tle scream as she tried to steady herself from her almost collision with three trays of medical supplies in her hands. Ty reached out a strong hand and held onto her shoulder until she stood firm. Ty reached out his hands to try and take the trays from Léonie but Léonie pulled back. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’m going to DC. I’m getting an award and I… I know you’ll probably be gone when I get back, if I get back, I have no idea what they’re doing with me. But—”

  “Congratulations,” Léonie swallowed and Ty thought he saw something like regret or sadness pass over her eyes. “You deserve it, you saved my life and probably others, so…”

  “That’s not why I’m here. I’m here because—because I had to see you.” Ty’s words felt like they were unraveling. He’d run over with such speed and determination that he’d hardly given any thought to what he would say when he’d actually arrived. There was no answer for them. They couldn’t run off together, not after three days. The thought was preposterous. There was only one thing that all this definitely meant—they were over. Whatever they might have been was over before it had begun… and what had he planned to say to all of that?

  The tip of Léonie’s nose turned red and her eyes took on a glossy look. Ty put out a hand to the beautiful face in front of him and the large blue eyes he’d fallen into the first time he’d seen them, seemed ready to spill over with unexpected tears. To Ty’s surprise, Léonie didn’t shirk from him, she didn’t look away or try to hide her feelings but looked right into his eyes.

  “Thank you, Ty Forrester, for saving my life. I will never forget you.” One heavy tear hit Ty’s thumb and Ty brushed it away with the pad of his finger, struck speechless by the beauty he saw in front of him. “You should go.” Her words were simple and Ty watched her step back from his hand.