Nerd and the SEAL

by Grady, D. R.

  He nodded. “Same with my house. The tree hit in exactly the same place on my side.” He surveyed the damage with her.

  “So, what do you suggest we do about this?” She bit her lip, a little sickened by the damage to her new house.

  “Let’s remove the tree, first. At least we’ll have firewood now.”

  “Mr. Optimist,” she teased. He snagged her with an arm and tugged her to his side. She met his kiss halfway, wanting more, but not certain how to ask for what she needed.

  Did Ben love her? Where had that random thought come from? They had a tree to remove and repairs to make and she was flipping out about whether or not her boyfriend loved her? They hadn’t even been dating for an entire month yet, and at least two of those weeks had been spent apart.

  He cleared his throat and she jumped. “What?” She sounded guilty.

  “Do you have a chainsaw?”

  “No, but Will does. He has a few. We can borrow one from him.” Her cheeks heated. Please don’t ask me what I was thinking about, she begged silently.

  “What were you thinking about?” he asked, of course.

  “Never mind.” Her answer sounded tight but now was not the time. Maybe later. Much later.

  “If you say so,” he said but someone knocked on her door and they opened it enough for Will, Rachel, and their kids to squeeze through.

  “Whoa, you’ve got some problems here,” Will said unnecessarily.

  Ben winced. “Yeah. You have a chainsaw we can borrow?”

  Will nodded as he surveyed the damage. “I’ve got a few. I’ll help.”

  Treeny looked around. “Okay, troops,” she addressed her sister and nieces and nephews, “if it’s loose and you can pick it up, put burnable debris in the firebox, everything else, goes in a pile here.” She indicated a spot outside where they could deal with it later. “Once we’re finished here, we do the same thing in Uncle Ben’s cabin, okay?”

  At their nods, she worked with them until the men returned with the chainsaws.

  “Okay, over to Uncle Ben’s cabin. We do the same thing,” she directed and gamely, her family followed.

  “What was the damage at your place?” Treeny asked Rachel.

  “Next to nothing. We’re fine, actually. We have some clean up to do, but nothing serious.”

  “I’ll help with your cleanup, once we finish at Ben’s.”

  Rachel shook her head. “You’ve got plenty going on here. You and Ben were hit a lot harder than us, so you don’t need to help us.”

  “Rach, I’m not going to be needed here much longer. Once they finish the sawing, then I can help stack wood, but until they’re finished, we can have your place cleaned.”

  “Okay, if you insist, but again, the damage is minor.”

  “Count your blessings,” Treeny said wryly.

  “We have. We are.”

  Once they finished at Ben’s cabin, they squeezed through his front door and nearly plowed down the caretaker.

  “Whoops, sorry, Jenkins, we didn’t know you were so close.”

  “No problem. I called a contractor who’s willing to come out and look over the damage. Trustworthy guy, and not expensive.” He puffed on his pipe the entire time he spoke. He resembled a smoking stack who could talk or Puff the Magic Dragon. Intrigued, Treeny nodded.

  “That’s wonderful, Mr. Jenkins, thank you so much,” Rachel said and poked her with a sharp elbow.

  “Um, yes,” Treeny stopped watching him puff his pipe and re-entered the conversation. “Thank you for going the extra mile for us.”

  Puff, puff. “You’re welcome.”

  He waved as he left, trailing a fragrant cloud of smoke behind him. She stared after him in fascination. She’d never seen a human smoke stack before. “I’d love a chance to look at his lungs. I wonder if they’re black.” She rubbed a hand over her jaw.

  “Thank you for finally entering the conversation,” Rachel mock reprimanded as they trekked across the grounds to her cabin.

  “Hey, I was making an observation.”

  “You were out in la la land, chickie.”

  “Maybe.” She heard the chain saws roar to life behind them and settled in to do what she could to help.

  After a conversation with the insurance man who came out and assessed their cabins, and a long round of pictures, Treeny breathed a small sigh of relief. At least that part was finished. Fortunately, Rachel had called the insurance people in advance and the man knew all of them, so he agreed to make rounds to all the cabins.

  “Now that the assessment is done, let’s finish the clean up,” Rachel declared.

  “Yes, the sooner we finish, the better we’ll feel.”

  They made short work of clearing out the debris scattered around Rachel and Will’s cabin.

  “You were lucky.” Treeny thought about the tree currently being sawed out of her house and her lips pulled down.

  “Yes, and we’re grateful.” Rachel tossed another branch on their growing pile. The kids helped half heartedly, but were easily distracted.

  Treeny and Rachel had to intervene several times when the play became dangerous. “Sword fighting is interesting with a branch,” she commented to Rachel after they broke up the third such near disaster.

  Rachel rolled her eyes and kept working.

  “Treeny!” Ben bellowed from across the clearing and she straightened.

  She saw a man standing beside him and she and Rachel and the kids made their way back across to her cabin.

  “Treeny, this is Samuel Balminster, he’s the contractor Mr. Jenkins called. Mr. Balminster, this is Treeny Deveau, she’s the owner of this cabin.” He indicated her cottage with a wave of his hand.

  “How do you do, Mr. Balminster?” She shook his hand.

  “Call me Samuel, all of you,” he said easily during his look-over of their tree-infested homes.

  “You two related?”

  They shook their heads. “We are,” Ben said and indicated himself and Will.

  “We’re cousins, and I’m married to her.” Will pointed to Rachel.

  “And I’m her sister.” Treeny also pointed to Rachel.

  “And we’re dating, but we’re not related.” Ben’s eyes sent her a very friendly message.

  She sent him a secret smile in response. She really wanted to kiss that message off his lips, but voted against the notion for now. Since they were supposed to be fixing their homes.

  “Ah,” Samuel said. Although Treeny noticed he looked confused.

  “The ladies are sisters, the men are cousins,” Samuel said slowly, and then pointed at Will and Rachel. “You’re married,” and they nodded, “and you’re dating,” and he pointed at her and Ben, who nodded, “and the two of you own these cabins respectively?”

  “That’s correct.” Treeny was impressed he actually comprehended. He grunted and she wondered what that meant.

  But Ben and Will were both staring at the structures with speculative looks. “Yeah, that could work,” Ben muttered and Will nodded.

  Treeny glanced at Rachel to see if she understood what in the world they were talking about. Her sister looked as confused as she felt.

  “What might work?”

  The men all turned to look at her. Samuel finally answered her question. “Well, the easiest fix would be to put a barrier up on either side, and sort of connect the two homes, but with you two datin’ and not married, well... That a problem?”

  “Oh.” Treeny looked askance at Ben. She wasn’t sure how she felt about those plans.

  “We don’t live here year round. So we rent these cottages out,” Ben said slowly and Samuel’s eyebrows shot up.

  “That’s right, I remember Jenkins telling me ‘bout renters. We need to keep these two separate residences?”

  “Yes.” Ben looked at her.

  Treeny said, “As far as I know, this was the only weekend not booked. Well, it was booked, but the people canceled for a family emergency.”

  “We’d better make the
m separate, then. But for future reference, these two places could be made into one easy.” Samuel’s eyes narrowed as he apparently worked out exactly how to do so.

  “We’ll keep that in mind.” Ben winked at her. She blew him a kiss before she and Rachel and the kids returned to Will and Rachel’s cabin to finish the clean up.

  Make their cabins into one? She and Ben had already mentioned the notion. But it hadn’t seemed real then. Now, with the possibility that much closer to reality, she was a little daunted at the thought of making the two homes into one larger residence. She shivered. Was that like melding their lives into one?

  That evening, Ben debated sleeping in his cabin or going to his parent’s or grandparent’s place. Treeny had opted to sleep at Will and Rachel’s, since the contractor put up only temporary measures, and would work at the more permanent ones in the morning.

  He decided to sleep in his cabin. Since he’d slept in far worse places, and he wouldn’t mind spending a night in his home. This way, he could also keep an eye on the two cottages. But as he drifted off to sleep, he thought about joint cabins.

  The next day he and Treeny supervised their cabins’ patch work, and spent the day cavorting in the lake.

  “You’re a strong swimmer,” he commented at one point when she kept abreast of him.

  “I was a life guard all through my late teens and early twenties. Plus, I taught swimming. Oh yeah, and I competed on our swim team in college.”

  “That’s impressive, did you win?”

  She sent him a superior smile. “Of course. They asked me to consider competing in the Olympics, but I was in the accelerated medical program, so that wasn’t an option. I barely had time for practices and meets as it was.” She frowned. “I eventually had to give up competing and lifeguarding as the course work got more involved.”

  As they talked and treaded water, Ben wondered if he could give up being a SEAL. Even for this woman. He loved the water. He loved every instance his skills were put to the test. But he also loved Treeny. Seeing her in the water, in his element, and so confident in her own abilities made him realize he did love her.

  “Treeny,” he said, and stopped because he didn’t know how to tell her.

  “Ben,” she answered and glided through the water to him. Her eyes, those witchy blue-gray orbs, glistened as brightly as the surface of the water.

  “Treeny, I love you.” He hoped his voice didn’t sound choked.

  Her eyes widened and she stared for a moment, her mouth moving but no sounds emitted. “Oh, Ben.” He saw her tears. She didn’t love him. But then she wrapped her arms around him, and he thought that was a good sign.

  “Oh, Ben, what?” He definitely heard choked emotion.

  “I love you, too. I think I always have,” she answered, and her eyes melted with softness. He wrapped an arm tightly around her, and trailed his other hand over her face.

  “I’m glad.”

  “Me too, but don’t break my heart,” she ordered and he smiled.

  “Same for you, baby, same for you.” He bent and kissed her. She tasted like the lake, like Treeny, like all his wishes and desires rolled into one precious package. This woman, this epitome of womanhood, was the embodiment of every hope he had.

  He couldn’t let her go. How could he keep both her and his job?

  That evening, sitting around the camp fire, Ben watched as the flames lit Treeny’s face in an otherworldly glow. Her strange, beautiful eyes gleamed in the flickering light. She was worth making changes for, he knew. Yet to give up being a SEAL, something he’d worked so long and hard for. To give up being Commander of his team.

  Something else that hadn’t come easily.

  His mom handed him a guitar and he took her not so subtle hint. Strumming through chords he sang some of her favorite songs, with a few of the others joining in when they knew the words.

  Seeing Treeny’s face reflected in the flames beside him, he played and sang John Denver’s Leaving on a Jet Plane.

  When Ben began to sing the John Denver song, she knew he would be leaving. Soon. Again. And while he wouldn’t actually be involved in the combat seen in Iraq and Kuwait and the other Middle Eastern countries, he was still going to leave her. He was still going to fly away from her for his work.

  She knew this. Knew it when she signed on with him. Because she had always loved him, Treeny knew this was a huge part of his life. Was this why she’d been so hesitant to start a relationship with him? Or had it been because neither of them were ready? Maybe she still wasn’t.

  She took additional comfort from the books Mitch had lent her. SEALs were trained to get in and get out without anyone knowing they were ever there. If the enemy didn’t know you were there until long after you left, that wouldn’t be so bad. A small comfort she decided as she realized life didn’t always go as planned.

  Not when she knew there was always the possibility he could leave, and might not return to her. It was a fact of his work. Most SEALs lived long, productive lives. A few died young. She had made herself read those words and understand Ben’s life could be forfeit. But living life without him wasn’t possible. Not after his love declaration today.

  His eyes had told her he loved her along with his lips. And now, now he sang a song to her about a man leaving his love because it was his duty. He would leave, and he didn’t know when he’d be back. But he would return to her, much sooner than Mitch and KC had returned to Lainy and Max. Ben was right in they could steal some precious time here and there.

  Swallowing, she worked to suppress her anxiety, but then he reached the part where he intended to bring her a ring the next time he returned, her breath caught in her throat, nearly asphyxiating her. Had he really sung that? Had he meant it?

  As he sang, he kept his eyes on hers, so there was no doubt he sang to her. Only to her. This man who loved her. A man she loved beyond reason.

  A man who would leave her when the call came.

  Who loved his job, and who loved her. Wasn’t that enough? Right now, it had to be. They could think about later... later. He was leaving her, but he promised to return. Ben would make every effort to return to her.

  She had to trust him.

  “Treeny?” the whispered words and gentle shaking woke her.

  “Waa?” She tried to surface, but sleep clung to her.

  “Treeny, it’s Ben. I have to go,” he said softly and her heart contracted. Sleep fled to be replaced by fear and sadness. She hadn’t faced the nightmare yet tonight, but now that would probably change. Since he was leaving.

  “Leaving me?” she whispered through a tight throat.

  He closed his eyes in the late night gloom. “Not leaving, going to work.”

  She reached up and tugged his head to her lips. She had to send him off with something to remember her by.

  Kissing him felt so right, so good.

  “I’m going to miss you so much.”

  “I know, and I’m going to miss you. But I’ll be back, sweetheart.” His promise fell on receptive ears, but her heart wasn’t as willing to listen.

  What if he didn’t return? This repeated litany was going to thrust her right into strait jacket candidacy. She rather hoped to avoid that. So stop thinking it, the caustic voice in the back of her mind growled.

  “I love you.” Ben smoothed her hair from her face.

  “I love you, too. So much, Ben, so much it hurts.”

  He swallowed, but smiled at her. “I know, baby, I feel the same way.” He scooped her out of the tangle of covers and hugged her tightly. His lips brushed her temple, her hair, her ear.

  When he placed her back on the bed, she resisted the urge, the utter instinct to cling. She could feel his excitement bubbling at this next assignment, and refused to hinder that. He loved his job. So what if she feared it? She had to let him go. That’s what big girls did and she was a big girl with a big love for this man.

  He leaned down and kissed her again, and then vanished in the shadows. She didn’t h
ear him leave, but the loss of his presence taunted her. Would this be the last time she saw him? She didn’t know if she had the strength to live through this for the rest of their lives. Bile rose into her throat and she frantically swallowed it down. In the distance, she heard the sound of boots on stone, and smelled fear.

  Eventually, she heard his truck engine fire up and saw his headlights trail enticingly across the wall of her bedroom. She listened intently until she couldn’t hear the truck engine any longer. Then, only then, when she knew there was no way he could hear her, did she turn over into the pillow and sob out her fear and loneliness.

  Chapter 29

  When Ben arrived at the base, he listened to the excited murmurs of his men, and located his second-in-command.

  “What’s the word?”

  “Terrorist group. Wanted the senator, but she missed the flight. The daughter didn’t. They took the kid.”

  “How old?” He asked, even though he didn’t really want to know.

  “Nineteen. She turns twenty in less than a week, if this information is correct.” Beaumont’s intensity came through clearly. He knew Beaumont had a twenty-two year old sister, so this couldn’t be easy.

  He heard the plane arrive and readied his gear. O’Riley ran down their mission as they entered. “This Senator is pretty heavy on terrorist groups. She holds a no mercy standpoint – and now they have her daughter.”

  Ben sat and listened, knowing his team was the very best for this job. He alone held the skills to command this group of men for this assignment. And a young woman’s life was at stake, her death probably imminent if they didn’t find her.

  “And we’re going in to kick some terrorist butt,” Shively crowed. But his eyes were fierce.

  “This particular young woman is gifted and in graduate school. For biochemical weaponry.”

  He heard the other guys bite off salty exclamations, and he understood. Not only did they have a young woman, but she was also a powerful senator’s daughter, and a rising biochemical weaponry expert. The young woman would prove a gold mine to these creeps.