by KaLyn Cooper
She could still proceed with her original life plan. Women in the military had babies all the time. She had always intended to serve at least twenty years, maybe more. She loved what she did. Her team made a difference every day.
Especially yesterday. Those children now had a chance at a good life. Her career was where God had led her, and she would continue as long she was able. He had also made women to have children, and crap on a cracker, Grace wanted them.
That meant she had to leave Kevin, her one true love, in the past and find a good man. She needed someone who would be kind to her and understanding of her job, because she had no desire to leave the military. As for the baby, he had to be father material, although that was still a few years off. She had time to find this man and she had faith that she would.
Her gaze swept the room one more time. Definitely going furniture shopping.
Right after she took a nap.
No. She had a date with Griffin. She’d shop tomorrow.
Stripping down to her underwear, she crawled into the soft sheets, and ran a hand over the cotton of the double wedding ring quilt her aunt Beatrice had made for her and Kevin. She could feel the love that went into the wedding gift. With the tip of her index finger, she traced the tiny stitches that created one of the flowers found in the center of each circle. She appreciated the hours that went into sewing each tiny piece together to eventually create the whole gorgeous heirloom. She loved the way the yellow calico rings interlocked throughout the entire quilt, almost like a chain. The longer she stared at the bed cover, the more the circles looks like ancient chainmail.
Grace smiled. How appropriate since this design dated back to the fifteenth century. According to the note Aunt Beatrice included with the gift, the design was reminiscent of the Gimmal ring in the fifteenth century. Back then, a betrothed couple each wore one ring during their engagement. During the wedding ceremony they were interlocked then worn by the wife. Similar designs had also been found on fourth century Roman cups and it was very similar to a Celtic knot. She loved its historical depth.
Even as a young girl, she had preferred antiques over modern, and studying history books rather than reading science fiction. The prairie books by Laura Ingalls Wilder had been her favorites. Grace glanced to the bookshelf near the window where the well-worn series stood vigil. She couldn’t count the number of times she had read, and reread, each and every one of those books.
The memory of Kevin’s warning words as she carefully placed them in a cardboard box while packing for officer candidate school pricked at her heart.
“Please tell me you’re not planning on taking those.” His voice had sounded worried before he sighed in resignation. He had then kneeled next to her, gently taken her face in his hands, and explained, “Darling, we have a very limited number of pounds we can take right now. I’m sure your parents don’t mind storing them here for you. I know you want our little girls to read these books and love them as much as you did, but we really can’t take them right now. After OCS, and flight school, and we’re through training on whatever airplane we get assigned, once we have a permanent station, I promise you we’ll bring all the books you want.”
He’d been right, of course. But leaving behind those books that had meant so much to her throughout her entire childhood had felt like she was leaving her best friend behind. It wasn’t until she’d moved into this room that she’d finally brought her books from home.
Grace’s glance swept over the soft, sunny yellow walls. The corners of her lips curved up. On the suggestion of the man at the paint store, she had him put a drop of red into each gallon, warming the color ever so slightly. It brought out the yellow in the double wedding ring quilt and brightened her room. It was in such stark contrast to the furniture.
She couldn’t wait to go shopping.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, she instructed her Echo Dot to turn out the lights and set a wake-up alarm for four hours. That would give her plenty of time to get ready.
She dragged slow breaths in through her nose, and pulled the covers up over her shoulders.
Smiling, she thought about her upcoming date. Griffin had seen her in uniform completely covered with desert dust and in desperate need of a shower. He’d also seen her after a girls’ day of pampering at their favorite Miami spa.
He said he was taking her out to a nice supper.
How nice? Like little black dress nice?
Do I have a little black dress here in D.C.? She was sure she had at least one at the condo in Miami.
She mentally inventoried her closet. Assured she had at least one, and maybe two LBDs hanging ten feet away, she rolled to her side and forced out a long slow breath.
He’d mentioned going for a walk. Maybe a nice pair of linen slacks and a silk blouse would work better. Or perhaps the navy blue silk slacks and the sparkling gold top set would look nicer. She loved the way that outfit brought out the occasional blond strands in her hair.
She rolled to her other side, scrunched up the pillow and laid her head back down.
But my gold rhinestone sandals are definitely in Florida. There may be a pair of black sandals in that closet that would go okay. Just okay. They wouldn’t have the flash that she wanted to wear for Griffin.
Grace jerked her eyes open.
Oh. No. What in blue blazes am I going wear?
She struggled to throw off the sheets. She’d wound herself so tightly she could hardly move.
But she had to get up.
Right now.
She wiggled and wormed until she could escape from her self-created confinement. Out of habit, she immediately made her bed.
Her gaze passed over the room and landed on her closet door. Fear. Excitement. Anticipation. Hesitation. So many conflicting emotions chased one after another through her and finally halted on eager. She strode to her closet and dove in.
Chapter 5
Grace stood with fists on her hips, her concentration flitting from one outfit to another.
She growled. “H. E. Double hockey sticks.”
Nita, who had been passing by Grace’s open door, stuck her head in. “Are we playing dress-up?”
With a heavy sigh, Grace admitted, “I have no idea what to wear for my date tonight with Griffin.”
Her friend and teammate stepped in to the room. “I think you need this as much as I do.” Nita handed her glass of chilled white wine.
Grace stared as a large drop of condensation that made its way down the smooth crystal. Shrugging, she took a gulp. Maybe it would help calm her nerves. “So we’re now drinking in the middle of the afternoon?”
Nita snatched the glass back from her and took a healthy sip. “My body has no idea what time it is. This has been the longest damn day. Do you realize it’s still the same fucking date as when we went wheels up in Turkey? Already today, I have slept for eight hours—after a grueling night of rescuing little boys and girls, and let’s not forget the firefight on the way out of that shithole—each of us has had the jet stick for five hours, refueled for an hour, sat in a transport vehicle for an hour just to get home, and it’s still only three o’clock.” She drank the last of the wine. “I’m exhausted but I’m not tired.”
“I have a date with a man who scares the crapola out of me, and I have no idea what to wear.” Grace threw her hands in the air.
Sticking her head out the door, Nita yelled, “Crisis in Grace’s room. All hands on deck.” She looked at the empty glass. “And this needs to be refilled.” Head back in the hallway, she added, “And bring the bottles, please.”
Without turning around, Grace knew the moment her teammates joined her. They had worked together so long, and in such intense situations, the five women seemed almost psychically connected.
Katlin threw her arm around Grace and gave her a half hug. “You got this, girl. It’s just Griffin, and you two have been out before.”
“Not like this.” Grace realized that was the crux of the problem. “A couple of
times we’ve stopped for coffee and ice cream on the way home after all of us have been out. This is a real date. Just me and the big guy.” And, yes, Griffin was big. He towered over her at six feet three inches. Kevin had only been five feet ten, and the few men she’d dated since his passing had all been only a few inches taller than her.
She was pretty sure she outweighed one guy, and wasn’t that embarrassing? She worked out hard every day to maintain the solid muscles she’d built during SpecOps training. That guy had been kind of a weasel anyway, so he was a one-and-done date.
Every man Grace had ever dated was small compared to Griffin. Had any of those men ever tried to force her to do something she didn’t want to do, Grace would have put a serious hurt on them. They would’ve left in an ambulance. Had they tried to rape her, she knew a dozen ways to kill a man.
Although her team regularly trained against large men, Grace wasn’t sure she could take Griffin out if she had to. He had linebacker shoulders and she’d seen his strength in action quickly disabling tangoes with his bare hands. A wave of panic drenched her in a cold sweat.
He could seriously hurt her.
But he had never shown any aggression toward her. He’d gently cupped her face in his big hands as he tenderly placed his lips on hers to kiss her good night.
No. Griffin would never physically hurt her, of that she was sure. Emotionally? Fudge no. She’d had love and there was no way in heck Griffin Mitchell, playboy extraordinaire, could ever replace Kevin in her heart. If they parted ways, she would insist it be as friends.
Lei Lu picked up a forest green club dress. “This brings out the color in your eyes and drapes nicely over every one of your curves.” Their eyes met and she smiled. “You know I’m very jealous of those curves.”
Her half Chinese friend had the body of a boy, which had come in handy on more than one mission. The petite bundle was often underestimated, especially given how many black belts in martial arts the woman had earned. Grace, on the other hand, had the Hall hips. According to her grandmother, they were good for birthing babies. Maybe someday she’d get the chance to find out. At least she had boobs to counterbalance the butt. They were an adequate 34B—nowhere near Katlin’s D-cup—but at least she wasn’t practically flat like Lei Lu. Her friend was right, the dark green dress made her hourglass shape stand out.
Grace shook her head. “I don’t think we’re going to a club. They’re not really Griffin’s scene. He doesn’t like the loud music and late nights. That’s why he’s always willing to take me home early.”
“The man is so dense he doesn’t realize why you ask for a ride home.” Tori picked up the gold silk blouse that Grace had reconsidered several times.
“He’s a lot smarter than you might think,” Katlin interjected. “Even though he played football for Georgia, he also managed a 3.9 GPA and a bachelor’s in prelaw. While in the Navy, he finished his master’s in jurisprudence and found time to sit for the bar in Georgia. Bet you didn’t know he’s an attorney.”
Grace felt her jaw drop. “Lord love a duck, I didn’t know that. Never once has he mentioned it.”
Katlin smiled. “Well, now you have something to talk about tonight. I doubt he knows you have a degree in preschool education.”
Grace scoffed. “Like those courses have come in handy.”
Tori countered, “You used them last night…or was that the night before? Whenever the fuck it was. Look at the way you handled those terrified little kids the other night. I couldn’t have done that. I don’t even like kids.”
“Right there with you,” Nita agreed.
“Mark my words.” Katlin predicted, “You’ll put that education to work someday.” She held up a pair of black linen slacks to the shiny gold blouse Tori held. After a second, she announced, “This is perfect. Your hair looks awesome against gold and the slacks are casually dressy enough for anywhere.”
Tori wandered over to the open jewelry box on the dresser that seemed uglier every time Grace looked at it. The former runway model selected several earrings then strode to stand in front of Grace. “You should wear your hair swept up just a little.” Her friend ran fingers through her hair, lifting it in a swoop and exposing her earlobes. “These malachite studs would be pretty, but so are the emerald dangles.”
“I have a necklace that matches those. Lei Lu, will you grab them for me, please?” Grace immediately felt better having the ensemble chosen by her best friends. She always questioned her own fashion sense. Four children on a Baptist minister’s salary didn’t leave extra money for fashion accessories. It barely paid for new school clothes at Walmart.
“I like this one better.” Lei Lu showed off a chunky malachite necklace that Grace had purchased in Africa from a one-legged roadside merchant. She would have just given the man in the war-torn countryside the money except he would never have taken the charity. Besides, she really liked the odd shaped stones with their varying green stripes. Lei Lu held up both necklaces.
Tori’s nose crinkled at the dainty emerald choker. “That’s too little girlish. Nope. Definitely the malachite.”
Nita emerged from the closet with two pairs of shoes. She held the strappy gold sandals next to the outfit and shook her head. “I think my mother has a pair like these.” When she placed the black, low heeled boots with gold buckles at the bottom of the pant legs, everyone nodded. “My work here is done.” She held out her empty glass, and Lei Lu refilled it along with all the others.
Tori handed one to Grace. “Happy now?”
She looked at the outfit and smiled. “Perfect. I just have to make it through the evening without spilling something or tripping over my own big feet.”
“I don’t know how to break this to you, but even though your name is Grace, you really kinda lack in that area sometimes.” Nita sipped her wine.
“Only when I’m around Griffin.” And Grace hated that fact. “He makes me nervous.”
“Picture him naked,” Nita offered.
“Holy bat crap, that would be even worse.” Grace didn’t want to think about being with a naked with Griffin, at least not right there in front of her friends. More than once, though, she had wondered what his big body over hers would feel like as he pressed into her with his huge…thing, and he would have a big one, she was sure of it. She’d wrap her legs around his narrow hips and lift up to be sure to take him in completely.
Giggles brought her out of her fantasy.
“Yep. Works every time.” Nita came over and put her arm around Grace. “You have a wonderful time tonight.” She grinned, and added, “Then have a good time.” She drew out the word good and waggled her eyebrows. After a quick hug, she drifted out of the room.
When the other women left, Katlin took her hand and pulled her down to sit on the bed. “Talk to me. What’s really bothering you?”
Grace sighed and flopped back against the pillows. Katlin circled the bed and positioned herself with her back against the headboard, her legs stretched out over the quilt. Although she was good friends with all of her teammates, she and Katlin had a special relationship. Unlike the other three, they had both been married and lost their husbands to war.
“Are you and Alex going out tonight?” Grace was so happy her best friend had recently found love once again.
Katlin’s entire face lit up. “Yeah. I scored tickets to the ballet tonight. We’ll probably grab a late supper over in Alexandria afterward. I expect to spend the night in the Guardian Security penthouse, but I’ll see you for our morning run at six.” She glared at Grace. “Quit avoiding the question.”
“I’m not really sure why I’m even going out with Griffin,” she admitted.
“Why? He really is a great guy, but I think you already know that,” Katlin pointed out.
“He has always been very nice, kind, considerate, to me.” Grace rolled to her side to face Katlin and stuffed a second pillow under her head.
“But?” her friend encouraged.
Pictures of Griffin smiling
at socialites, debutantes, and starlets, with that same endearing smile he gave her, flashed through her mind. “He’s such a player, and I don’t want to be another notch in his bedpost.” She scooted up the bed and piled several pillows behind her back so she could sit up. “Right now I’m a challenge to him. I think most women kiss him once, strip off their clothes, and spread their legs. I’m definitely not like that.”
Katlin grinned. “No, you’re categorically unlike the women he normally dates. Did you ever consider wholesome, God-fearing, America-loving, defend the flag with your life, might be what he’s looking for in a wife?”
Grace lifted her eyebrows as she stared into Katlin’s blue on blue eyes. “Are you freaking kidding? I could never marry a man like Griffin. He oozes testosterone. If I brought him home to meet my parents, they would be down on their knees praying to God that I return to my sanity.” Then she added, “He’s nothing like Kevin.”
“From what you’ve told me, no he isn’t.” Katlin rolled to her side to face Grace. “And isn’t that the problem? You’ve put your dead husband on a pedestal and compare every man you meet to Kevin. You had a dozen years to get to know him, fall in love and make a life together. Sure, you’ve known Griffin for a year, but count the actual time you have spent talking, getting to know him as a man. I’d be surprised if you even reached fifteen hours. We’ve only been in Miami three times in the past year. Unless the two of you snuck off while we were on a mission together, and since you didn’t tell me about it, I doubt that happened, can you really say you know Griffin Mitchell?”
“No.” Sometimes Grace hated when Katlin was right. There was so much she didn’t know about him, even though she’d read the file they had on him at their office. The Department of Homeland Security Section 7, where she and the Ladies of Black Swan were technically assigned, had some of the best intelligence in the world. Griffin’s file had been thick with his many missions as a Navy SEAL. That’s also where she’d seen newspaper clippings, and photograph after photograph of Griffin looking far too handsome and comfortable in a tuxedo beside some of the most beautiful women Grace had ever seen. He’d not been their bodyguard. He’d been their date. She’d grown up in middle-class America. There was no way she could compete with the sophisticated, pampered women he went out with, and no doubt slept with, on a regular basis.
