Mr. SEAL - A Hot Navy SEAL Romance (Mr Series - Book #2)

by Ivy Jordan

I finished my beer while Billy took over the fish frying. He detailed the filets, removing bone and skin that the cleaners missed. Brenda brought the deep fryer up from the basement and filled it with oil. The smell reminded me of my dad. For a moment I wanted to reach in my pocket and pull out my phone, to call Ethan, and tell him how I felt. When I watched Billy wrap his arms around Brenda, and kiss her so lovingly, I pushed that urge aside. That is what a relationship should be. It shouldn’t be two people living a thousand miles apart.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket as we sat down to eat. I glanced at it before Brenda or Billy noticed, seeing it was Ethan. I slide my thumb across the ignore button, and quickly made a plate. I wanted to eat and then get out of there before I fell apart.

  The fish was amazing. Brenda used the recipe for breading that my mother apparently gave her, and she fried it up perfectly. “We’re gonna have fish for a week,” Billy laughed as he grabbed a couple pieces from the center plate. “How much did you guys catch?” he asked.

  “I think it was over a hundred pounds,” I boasted. “Ethan caught twenty, maybe,” I teased.

  “I’ll take the rest to the church social tomorrow night, unless you want to take some home,” Brenda suggested.

  My phone buzzed again. I didn’t even look at it.

  “I’ll take a couple pieces home to Mom. But no, the rest you take.”

  Billy’s phone lit up in front of him, and I could see Ethan’s face on the screen. He quickly picked it up, giving me a strange glare as he answered.

  “Hey, man. Yeah. We’re having your fish now. Yes, she’s here. You want to talk to her?” he asked, quickly pushing the phone in my direction.

  I felt panic fill my veins as I took the phone. I didn’t want to talk to him, Billy knew that. And he knew why. I glared at him, pushed the phone to my ear, and said, “Hello.”

  “How are you?” Ethan’s deep, sexy voice vibrated through the phone and into my body.

  “I’m good. Just been grading papers. So, you called my mom?” I asked.

  “I wanted you to eat the fish while it was fresh. You said that was the best part of your dad’s fish,” he said.

  “Yes. It was. Thank you.”

  “Why haven’t you answered?” he asked, his tone growing more serious.

  “I’ve just been real busy,” I said, struggling to keep from melting down.

  “I really miss you,” he sighed.

  “I miss you too,” I choked out.

  “This was harder than I thought it would be,” he admitted. “But the office is great, the ocean is amazing, and I’ll have a nice tan when you see me again,” he said cheerfully.

  I was waiting, hoping he would say he was ready to come back. But once his tone changed, I knew he was where he belonged. “That’s great. I’m sure you’ll look great with a tan,” I said.

  “Can you call me when you get home?” he asked.

  “I’m probably going straight to bed when I get home,” I lied.

  “Oh. Well, I didn’t mean to bother you. Enjoy the fish,” he sulked. “Goodbye, Penelope,” he added quickly.

  “Goodbye, Ethan,” I hung up.

  I handed the phone back to Billy and excused myself from the table. Inside, I leaned against the kitchen counter, trying my best to fight back the tears. It was a losing battle. Brenda came in and hugged me tightly in my arms. “Are you certain you’re doing the right thing?” she asked.

  I wasn’t positive. But I was positive that holding him back or prolonging my pain wasn’t the answer.

  “I hope so,” I sobbed onto her shoulder. “Can I just take my fish to go?” I asked, wiping my face.

  “Of course.”

  She walked outside, talked to Billy for a moment, and then grabbed a few pieces of fish to add to my plate. Inside, she wrapped it in foil before handing it to me.

  “Just sleep on this. You need to make sure letting go is the right option here,” she insisted.

  “I will,” I promised, and left them to enjoy the rest of the meal.

  Chapter Ten

  It was the last day of school. The sun was bright, the birds were chirping, and all the lawns were a beautiful, bright green. I never enjoyed the last day of school, but this year, it seemed harder than the rest.

  “What are your plans for the summer?” Mrs. Walters asked.

  She asked me every year, not only at the end of the year, but for every break. My answer was always the same: “Probably nothing too exciting.”

  I knew the only reason she asked was so I’d feel obligated to ask her, and she could brag about her amazing plans with her husband.

  Her kids were all grown, and ever since they’d moved out on their own, she and her husband had been traveling the world together. She loved to tell everyone about her adventures, but it seemed she particularly loved to tell me.

  “We have an Alaskan cruise booked,” she boasted. “I mean, it’s not exotic, like Spain, India, or Switzerland like we visited the years before, but it’s supposed to be beautiful,” she bragged without care that I wasn’t showing interest.

  “Alaska is too cold to just visit. And besides, what would you even do? A cruise, you get to see the beauty without having to endure the trials of the land,” she continued.

  I wondered if she thought all Alaskans were like the bush people, living off the land and bartering for VHS tapes from 1983. “That sounds great,” I said, eyeing the door of the teachers’ lounge. It was my escape. I needed my escape.

  “What about that handsome man you were running around with? Are you two going to continue your little fling?” she asked.

  Our little fling?

  I hated living in a small town. He had only been here a month, and already everyone knew we were an item, or as she called it, a fling. “No. He’s back in California,” I replied.

  “Ohhh, how nice. You could visit him there. It is beautiful. You have to visit La Jolla, it is close to San Diego. What part of California is he in?” she rambled.

  “I’m not sure. Los Angeles, I think. But I doubt I’ll be visiting,” I said.

  Her face wrinkled up and she pushed her glasses up from her nose. “Oh, no. Did you two have a bad break up?” she asked. “It’s hard to find a good man these days. Especially for someone not interested in fixing themselves up,” she added in poor taste.

  I looked at my phone to check the time. “Bell’s about to ring,” I cut her off from saying anything else, and rushed toward my escape.

  What did that mean?

  I looked fine. Ethan loved that I wasn’t a diva. And Mrs. Walters, please. That woman had more makeup splattered on her face than most clowns, and even then, I wouldn’t date her. Her comments were rude and hurtful, and part of me wanted to let her know Ethan was still chasing me, that I was the one who called it off. I was the smart one.

  Ethan wasn’t exactly still chasing me. He hadn’t called since I blew him off at Billy’s. I still looked at my phone, checking it at least two dozen times a day, hoping to see his name or number. I wasn’t sure why. It wasn’t like I’d allow myself to answer. But I hated the thought of him forgetting about me. I’d never forget him. For as long as I lived, Ethan would be my first, and one true love. How could anyone else compare?

  I made it to my classroom with a few minutes to spare. I sipped on my coffee, organized the handouts for all the summer activities, and waited for the chaos to begin.

  The last day of school was more of a day of socializing than schooling. It was simply a ritual that was a requirement by the state. All the work was done, all the papers graded, and kids merely showed up for the sake of the last goodbyes to teachers and friends. Teachers became babysitters, not educators, showing movies, having extended recesses, and allowing students to have free time to clean out their lockers, cubbies, and desks.

  The bell rang as Mrs. Walters waved into my classroom before ducking into hers across the hall. Maybe I can request a transfer next year…

  I waved back, forced on a smile, and then stood
as the students all began flooding the halls. My students trickled in a couple at a time as the noisy older students pushed through the crowd of overly excited kids.

  Markie pushed past a couple of his classmates to get to my desk. He was standing there, grinning like he was up to something. “How can I help you, Markie?” I asked.

  “I have a note for you,” he said, pushing a homemade envelope in my direction.

  His hand writing was horrid. No matter how hard I tried, he wasn’t getting the direction of his s or his b.

  “Thank you, Markie,” I said, gripping the envelope from his.

  “Aren’t you gonna open it?” he asked.

  His eyes were wide and eager. I smiled and nodded as I gently tore open the envelope. Inside was a piece of construction paper, folded three times. The paper was pink, and the writing red.

  “Will you marry me?” it said, with a yes or no at the bottom with instructions to circle the answer.

  “That’s very sweet, Markie,” I said, realizing his eagerness for school wasn’t about learning, but about a crush he’d developed for me.

  “But I can’t marry you,” I said sweetly, low enough no one else could hear.

  “Why not?” he asked. “I learned to waltz,” he insisted.

  I couldn’t help but chuckle. I covered my mouth and controlled my laughter as I leaned down to explain that teachers were not allowed to marry students. Even if those students were the best dancers in the entire world.

  He seemed to cheer up. “I am the best dancer in the whole world,” he said, extending his arm and waltzing to his seat.

  The other students laughed, luckily not knowing everything else that had conspired.

  Once everyone was seated, we took a few minutes to clean out our cubbies and our desks. My trashcan overflowed with papers, unwanted art work, and half-eaten candy that had been hidden from my sight throughout the year.

  Most teachers were showing movies, or spending the day outside on the playground, but I wanted to do something different. “I want everyone to draw your best day at school this year,” I said, handing out large sheets or paper, small boxes of crayons, and colored pencils.

  “You don’t have to do it now. We’ll have recess, and then lunch, giving you plenty of time to think about what day was your absolute favorite,” I instructed.

  The kids all started chattering, going on about days they remembered. I knew it was a great way to get them to reflect back on their year before moving on to third grade.

  We took our recess break and made it through lunch. Other kids were playing, reading, or just chatting with one another while my students were remembering. I couldn’t think of a better lesson in life. Remembering was something they could use for their entire lives. It was what made us feel safe, what made us smile, and what kept us connected to people we once loved who were now gone.

  The students were all excited to get started on their pictures when the secretary came over the intercom. “There is a visitor for you,” she said.

  “Okay. Who is it?” I asked confused by who’d be visiting me at school, especially on the last day.

  “I didn’t get a name. Can I just send them to your room, please?” she asked, sounding irritated at having to make any announcement on the day she planned to play Candy Crush all day.

  “Sure,” I agreed.

  While I was older, I’d learned to contain my curiosity, while my second graders had not yet. They all asked who it was, started making guesses. “It’s the lottery guy. You just won a trillion dollars,” one said.

  “I think it’s the police. Are you going to jail?” another asked.

  “I’m sure it isn’t as dramatic as all that,” I assured them.

  Although the lottery guy sounded like the best option from the guesses I’d heard.

  “Will you settle for just me?” I turned to see Ethan standing in my doorway.

  He held a bouquet of roses in his hand and wore his navy uniform.

  My eyes welled up with tears at the sight of him. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  He entered the room. He smiled and waved to the kids as they all quieted to find out what the sailor wanted with their teacher.

  “I didn’t think you cared that I was leaving. I mean, I knew you liked me, but I thought that’s where it ended,” he said.

  I couldn’t speak.

  “You see, I said I didn’t want anyone hurt. I knew that someone would be me when I asked you. I was hoping you felt the same way I did. I was hoping you’d fallen for me as hard as I’d fallen for you,” he continued.

  “But you kind of blew me off. A lot. I get that I was scared and kept my distance in the beginning. But after that camping trip, that was it for me. I didn’t think it was for you. I didn’t want to ruin our time together. I wanted to savor every second,” he said, slowly moving to one knee.

  “I’ve never been this guy. The guy holding flowers and telling the girl he loves her when she hasn’t said it. But today, I’m that guy. When Billy told me how you truly felt, I knew where I belonged. I belonged right here with you. I love you, Penelope,” he reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly in his as tears fell from my face.

  “I love you too,” I gasped, pulling him up from his knees and into my arms.

  Our lips met, but kept things PG-rated since the second-graders had already started groaning.

  I laughed as we pulled out of our embrace. “What does this mean?” I asked.

  “This means I have a training position close to home. It’s an hour’s drive each day, but worth it,” he said.

  “You’re staying. For me?” I asked.

  “Well, it’s certainly not for Billy,” he teased.

  “I was trying to let you move on, to find the woman of your dreams,” I explained.

  “Yeah. Billy told me. The only flaw in your plan was I’d already met her,” he said softly, causing the kids to oooh and aaah.

  “Finish your pictures,” I said, pulling Ethan out into the hall.

  I wrapped my arms around him, kissing him with the passion I felt in the privacy of the empty hallway. Mrs. Walters peered through the small window of her door as I waved.

  “God, I’ve missed you so much,” Ethan whispered in my ear.

  “It’s only been a week,” I teased.

  “It felt like an eternity,” he sighed, scooping me up in his strong arms and kissing me one more time before I had to go back into the classroom.

  Ethan left, telling me he was going to be at Billy’s until he found a place of his own. I went back into the classroom, suddenly ready for the day to end, and for summer break to start. I finally had something to do. Something amazing.

  The kids all worked hard on their pictures, taking their time to add every single detail.

  “Who wants to go first?” I asked, instructing them to share their favorite day, and their picture with the class.

  All the kids took their turns, each offering up cute and memorable stories, and describing their pictures.

  Markie was the last one to stand up in front of the class. He smiled cheerfully as he turned his picture around for everyone to see. It was a sailor, down on one knee, with red flowers in his hand. He drew me by my desk, my hand over my mouth, and tears streaming down my face. It was actually really good, with amazing detail.

  “That’s so sweet, Markie,” I said.

  He told how he thought it was the best day ever, because his favorite teacher finally found someone to dance with her, even if he wasn’t the best dancer in the whole world. He handed me the picture. “I want you to have it,” he said.

  “But Markie, these were for you to remember,” I insisted.

  “How could I forget a soldier coming into my class to tell you he loves you?” he asked.

  “Thank you, Markie,” I said, accepting his gift, and promising to cherish it always.

  “I have to dance with you at your wedding, though,” he said, waltzing back to his seat with a wide grin.

 
“It’s a deal,” I promised.

  Epilogue

  I finished polishing my dad’s prized .408 CheyTac. It was his military rifle, one used for long-range and precision. He taught me to control it up to two thousand yards, still maintaining a decent accuracy range.

  I hadn’t had it out of the closet for years, but I knew today it belonged somewhere else.

  Ethan honked his truck in my drive as I peered out the window. I shoved the gun in the box and headed out the door.

  “Babe, let’s go,” he shouted out the window.

  It was our fourth anniversary, and we were spending it at the gun range where we’d had our first official date. Most girls would’ve wanted flowers and a lobster dinner, but to me, this was perfect.

  He got out of the truck as I walked toward him with the box. “What’s that?” he asked curiously.

  “Happy anniversary,” I said, pushing the box in his direction.

  “You didn’t have to get me anything,” he insisted.

  “Technically, I didn’t,” I stated.

  He opened the top, stared into the box, and then looked up at me. “Is this… your dad’s?” he asked.

  I nodded. “I know he’d want you to have it,” I said softly.

  He set the box in the truck, pulled me into his arms, and squeezed me like I’d just given him a million bucks. “Can I use it today?” he asked.

  “Ammo is in the box,” I smiled.

  We rode to the range, both singing along with the Ozzy song playing on the radio. I couldn’t imagine my life without this man. Since the day he’d come back, we’d been inseparable. We never had a fight, never spoken a foul word to one another, and never went a night, or a morning, without saying ‘I love you.’

  Ethan wanted to do the outdoor range, using the new gun for the long-range accuracy. “Don’t get upset if you still aren’t as good as I am,” I teased.

  “Did you already sight it in?” he asked.

  I nodded and offered up a crooked smile to show my shock at such a stupid question. “Would I give you a gun without sighting it in?”

  “I sure hope not. Not today,” he laughed.