by Grady, D. R.
So why did Greg Gilmore’s face keep haunting her?
***
“We’re getting looks,” Treeny said as she felt another grin on her back.
“Yeah, well, that’s to be expected. We’re at the lake.”
“Right. And the Morrisons are nosy.” Treeny loved that they were together again, at least tentatively. She didn’t even mind the stares and grins and nudges. Although a little more privacy might be nice.
What she did mind was whether she could handle Ben being gone. Because that still bothered her. Well, you didn’t handle being separated from him permanently, so deal, a voice said tartly in her head. So true. She’d already proven she didn’t handle life without him with any competence.
At least for the times when he was home, she would have him, and that would have to do. That precious time together was far better than never seeing each other. She hadn’t lived these past two weeks, she had functioned. From the accounts of his relatives and her work colleagues, not very well, either. But the warmth of the sunlight on her face, and the gentle breeze caressing her hair and carrying the beloved scents of the lake told Treeny she lived now.
She wanted to be alive. The only way she knew she could do so was to have Ben in her life. Even if she only had him for a few days at a time, knowing he was coming home to her made all the difference.
Ben stopped in a scenic area before the lake and turned to her. She looked up at him, but he vanished from her viewpoint. Looking down, she saw him on one knee.
“Treeny,” he asked in a husky voice, “Will you marry me?” He grasped her hands in a tight grip, like he was worried she might bolt.
Staring into his eyes, those dark brown orbs, Treeny finally understood she would probably give this man anything he wanted. Nodding, she said in an equally husky voice, “Yes.”
He laughed and rocketed to his feet, where he grabbed her and swung her around. “Thank goodness you answered right. I planned to throw you in the lake and hold you there until you agreed,” he confided.
“A long engagement?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes. This way we’ve made a commitment but a long engagement will give us time to work through our issues.” His eyes made promises she intended to make certain he kept.
She laughed. A joyous, happy laugh, filled with promise. This man was the only one she had ever wanted. He was willing to work with her. They could work together to solve their problems, and she believed him.
They might have to work hard on their relationship. While she would have a struggle to not miss him so much when he was gone she figured she would learn how to manage. Other SEAL wives lived and loved and had happy marriages. There was no reason why she couldn’t. A thrill raced through her at that thought.
A SEAL wife. That would be her.
She kissed him. “Can we get married tomorrow?”
“Didn’t we just agree on a long engagement?”
“Oh yeah, I forgot.”
“How about we compromise and say in a few months?”
She wriggled closer. “That works for me.”
“Good.” He laughed. “Now, if I remember correctly, there’s a closet in a certain cabin we haven’t visited for what eleven, twelve years?”
“And no one’s staying in that cabin at the moment.”
“Right, and since we’ll have no privacy whatsoever once we announce we’re engaged, I recommend we retire to said cabin,” he said with a grin.
“Lead the way, my-husband-to-be.”
Chapter 35
“Ben got called away?” Janine asked later that week at Ben’s parent’s house as they worked on wedding plans.
“Yes.” Treeny sighed. His leaving hadn’t been as hard this time because they were committed to each other now. She knew when he came home, he would return to her. She trusted him.
“Are you handling his leaving any better?”
“I’m learning. It’s hard to be so in love and have him leave,” she waved an arm, “whenever.”
“That is tough.” The sympathy in Janine’s voice eased the rest of her worries. Any woman would feel a little lost when her man left. But he was returning to her arms. She smiled to herself. He was hers.
Through all this she also realized how much she still loved her father. She had finally stopped blaming him for leaving her, and instead loved him for the years she had with him. If she lost Ben, something she couldn’t think much about now, she would have to appreciate whatever time they shared.
“Now, love, I like this color for the tables, what do you think?” Monica showed her a swatch from a palate of colors.
“That’s fine,” Treeny answered. She still preferred to elope, but the family would have none of that. So she and Ben took a leaf from Lainy and Mitch’s book, and another from KC and Max’s. They would marry in a couple of months, but with the family present.
“We’re already making plans,” Ben’s mom said.
“Plans for what?” Treeny asked absently as she stared at a gown, the perfect gown, splashed across the bridal magazine in front of her.
“Well with Ben’s crazy schedule and your working hours, we’ve decided—”
“To fight over which of us gets to keep your kids once they come,” Monica finished for Heather.
Janine glared at both women. “You can’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“You can’t exclude the rest of us from babysitting duties.” Janine planted both hands on her barely there hips.
KC took up a similar stance beside her, with Lainy on the other side. “Exactly,” Lainy agreed, her belly still not revealing the little life there.
General Emma turned to Treeny. “Looks like you’ll have lots of childcare volunteers, love.”
There in the course of a moment, the last of her major concerns vanished into the sunshine. She had been worried about them having children. Neither she nor Ben wanted to put their kids into daycare. They hadn’t figured out how to arrange that small aspect, but now they had the perfect solution.
Even though she planned to cut her hours while their children were small, they would still need someone to look after their kids during the hours she did work.
But who would be flexible enough to have kids dumped on them at any given moment? If Ben had them but was called up, he needed to have a safe place to take their children.
Looking at the beloved faces surrounding her, there was no doubt they had choices. Lots of them. More than they probably needed. She also realized in an astounding revelation that these folks, understanding that Ben wouldn’t always be there, had already rallied around and would willingly come to her aid should she need them.
She doubted she would even have to call. They’d all be there to support her when she needed support. Ben was right, things would work out.
***
“Treeny, a hot man to see you!” Vanessa called down the hall.
“What?” She turned to look at the nurse.
“Some hot man is in the waiting room asking for you.”
With the beginnings of grin, she excused herself and hurried to empty, for a short time, waiting room. What was he doing here? He’d only left two days ago.
Not that she was complaining.
She shoved open the door and there he stood. Ben Morrison, her husband.
Flying across the room, she threw herself into his arms. “What are you doing here?”
“It was just a training exercise, one that didn’t last long.” He kissed her soundly.
“I’m glad.” She snuggled closer.
“I got your message,” he said, looking worried.
“My message?” she flirted.
He offered a long suffering sigh that blew her curls every which way. She laughed and stepping away from him, took his hand to lead him outside.
What she had to tell him should be done in private.
His brows winged up, but ever the SEAL, he waited patiently. The door to the picnic area slammed shut and she turned to face
him, hands on her hips.
“What do you want to tell me?”
“Remember how I was sick a few mornings in a row?”
He frowned. “Yes.”
“Remember how we decided the sickness would go away?”
He nodded, still looking slightly alarmed.
She tapped a foot. “It will.”
Ben relaxed. “Good, you figured out what it was?”
“Yes. It’ll leave in approximately two months.”
“Two months?” he echoed, looked puzzled again.
“Yeah. Since morning sickness tends to last three months.”
“Morning sickness?” he exclaimed and his eyes bulged. Then he whooped and grabbed her, gently, and spun her around. “When did that happen?”
“From my calculations, the second time we used The Closet.” They had escaped the noise and racket going on in their cabins since the two separate houses were being made into one larger, comfortable home.
“We were married the second time.” While they were dating it had merely been a relatively private space to kiss and do a little petting.
The Closet took on a whole new meaning after they were married. It was then they noticed a certain comfortable and at the perfect height ledge in there. “Yeah, and that’s what got us in this condition. We were planning to hold off on having kids, remember?”
“Oh, yeah.” His lips still tilted in a purely masculine, completely satisfied grin. “Go me. I’m the last male Morrison of my generation to produce a child in that closet.”
“Congratulations,” she said dryly.
But she could see his excitement and glee at the prospect of a child of his own. Although this was sooner than they intended, they were definitely having a child.
“Remember when we first started dating?” He led her over to the picnic tables they used for their first talk.
“Yes.” She smiled up at him.
“I was holding Macy and I think maybe that’s when I first thought about having kids.” Her heart flipped, as it did whenever he looked at her like that.
“You thought about kids that early into our relationship?”
“That’s when I started to realize our relationship was serious. I don’t know that I wanted them this quickly, but all the same, I’m happy.”
“That’s how I feel. I’m scared, but I’m also happy.”
“What about my being gone at random times?” He tilted her face up to his.
She kissed him before answering. “It’s still hard. It probably always will be. But a lot of my fears were taken care of before we got married.”
He leaned back to look at her. “They were?”
“Yes. The moms and sisters and cousins all informed me they were already fighting over who gets to keep our children.”
“What did they decide?”
“That between your schedule and mine, they all get to keep our kids.”
“But you plan to cut back on your hours when the baby comes?”
“Of course. But I’ll still work a few days during the week. I’m sure there’ll be times when our schedules don’t overlap,” she said tongue-in-cheek, and he grinned at her.
“Right. It’s nice to have childcare already wrapped up. So, when are you finished here, Dr. Deveau-Morrison?”
“Actually, I saw my last patient and was planning to catch up on paperwork, but I think I’ll worry about that when you’re not home.”
“Can I interest you in going home with me?” He wiggled his brows.
“You can interest me in a lot of things.” She slipped back inside for her things.
“I’m glad,” he murmured when she returned and led her to their car. Treeny savored the moment. She savored the man. Ben Morrison was hers for as long as they were given time on earth. And he’d already shown her how precious every minute was they shared.
They had moved into her grandpa’s house right next door to Rachel and Will, and her mother and father’s wedding picture was surrounded by other favorite family pictures in their living room. The nightmare had stopped, to be replaced by good ones of her and Ben and even her father. Now that she had finally made peace with his death, and the knowledge that life offered no guarantees, the burden dissolved.
Her daddy was gone, but the precious things he taught her were hers to keep. Plus, Treeny had a sneaking suspicion her baby might be a lot like her father. Their little one was sure to be like Ben too. Treeny rubbed her tummy in love and anticipation.
She loved Ben and the life they had embarked upon. A shared life. For as long as they had together, she planned to cherish every single moment.
About the Author
D.R. Grady lives with her husband near Hershey, PA. She loves gadgets, books, plants, shoes and writing stories that resonate with others. You can generally find her in her “office”, a chair in the living room, hopefully writing, but sometimes playing Angry Birds or reading.
Visit her website for more information.
http://www.drgradybooks.com
-Coming Soon-
Trust Me
Book 3 – The Me Series
Damon Fields is about to be divorced because his soon to be ex-wife, Emmy Fields, can’t remember if she cheated on him with his best friend or not. In fact, quite a lot of her life recently has been lost. Her eyes tear, and the rash on her skin keeps spreading, and her limbs shake. When Damon’s best friend is kidnapped and Emmy is threatened, Damon takes action by moving Emmy back into their home. They soon discover someone has forgotten to inform them they’re not only in the game, they are the game. In order to survive they have to learn to trust each other all over again.
Trust Me
Prologue
Emmy Fields pushed open the bathroom door, too tired to care the light bulb had apparently blown, again. The minimal amount of light seeping through the high window in the small room allowed her to see enough to do what she needed in the darkened room.
She sighed and headed for a stall, making a mental note to inform management, once more, that the lights needed fixed. Emmy concentrated on maneuvering to the nearest toilet and tried not to lose her sense of direction in the gloomy, confined space.
An eerie quiet seemed to hang in the dreary room. As she brushed off a chill, a strong hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream but the sound died against the fleshy barrier. Her weak struggles were useless against the strength of the man holding her. Fear didn’t ignite until she felt a jab in her arm.
When she fell to the floor moments later, Emmy had no memory of the needle that slid into her. She wouldn’t even remember her mental note to have the light fixed because as the intruder left the room he snapped the lights back on, leaving her on the cold tile floor to be found by the next person who entered the rest room.
Chapter One
“What is this?” Damon Fields pointed to the mark on the document in his hand.
“A tear.”
“A what?”
“She cried as she signed the papers.” Jon, the divorce lawyer down the hall, wouldn’t look him in the eye. His voice was quiet. Too quiet.
“What is this document?” Even though he knew, because his heart clenched along with his jaw, he still had to ask.
“It’s your divorce.”
“She signed it? Why now?” Damon’s eyes scurried across the smudged paper, and then alighted on the answer before Jon could reply.
“This isn’t the agreement I requested,” he exclaimed. “Where did this settlement come from?” He was close to working himself into a frenzy. Damon had only gone along with Emmy’s insistence they divorce because he’d been angry and hurt. Now he felt they were making a big mistake. He didn’t want this divorce. Sure, there were some problems in their marriage, but he didn’t want to give up.
He accepted Emmy’s reasoning, but to a much lesser extent than before. She didn’t know what had happened that night, and thinking she could have been unfaithful, probably ripped her apart. That’s why she insisted on this divorce
. His heart didn’t agree though, even though his brain acknowledged her logic. His hand crumpled the document while Jon quietly left the room. He hadn’t seemed inclined to answer Damon’s questions.
He couldn’t have anyway.
Damon’s eyes searched the mandate again, reading aloud. “The undersigned will accept no payment, no alimony, no monies of any kind...why, Emmy?” he muttered.
They weren’t certain she had cheated. She wasn’t certain. Granted, she couldn’t remember her Social Security number, couldn’t find her car most of the time, and because of the uncertainty of that night, she wouldn’t accept his help. Stubborn.
He wanted to assist her in any way he could. He just didn’t believe a divorce, especially one where she wouldn’t accept any of his assistance, was right. Regret washed over him as he thought of not waking up beside her for the rest of their lives, of never hearing her laughter again. Cold emptiness howled through his soul in response to his thoughts.
Jon must have finally grown tired of preparing divorce papers she wouldn’t sign. So he made up the one document he knew she would. Damon frowned at the smudges on the paper in his hand.
Emmy cried sometimes over sad movies and at weddings and funerals, but not like this indicated. She wasn’t the type to wet a page, just as he wasn’t the type to work himself into a tizzy over divorce papers. Perhaps divorce brought out those latent emotions in them both.
He saw in his mind her red-gold hair reflecting the sunlight and her huge green eyes scanning the lines on the documents Jon offered her. Her freckles would be more dominant now that spring approached. He thought of the times he’d threatened to connect naughty shapes with those freckles when she had been unmerciful and wouldn’t stop tickling him.
Damon pictured her wide mouth stretched into a sleepy smile. Her solid body pressed against him. Emmy had always seemed so comfortable in her own skin. A hybrid flower of the girl-next-door variety. She was not the perpetually sobbing type. So why were there so many tear marks on this document? He could see the exact spot where she hadn’t been able to keep the tears from falling. Damon felt certain she hadn’t finished reading to the end of the paragraph. He scanned her name again, her signature lacked the confidence and flare she usually employed. So unlike his beautiful, sweet, absent-minded wife.