Hot SEAL, April's Fool

by Becca Jameson

  Cole stared at the doorway for several moments, trying to catch his breath and kicking himself in the ass for ever trusting Violet Chamberlain. Was she as conniving and bitchy ten years ago as she was today? He’d never given her much thought back then. She’d just been Violet, the student body president, someone who rubbed him wrong. Apparently, he should have paid closer attention and realized she had been more than just a busybody.

  He swallowed as he took his seat again. There wasn’t a single chance in hell he was going to eat her muffins. He could smell the fresh scent of pumpkin wafting from the basket, but he could also smell her floral perfume. It permeated the room and made his skin crawl.

  It took Cole a while to focus on the damn books again.

  The next person to stick his head in the office was Bart’s son, David. He came by for a polite hello, and Cole handed him the basket of muffins to share with the guys.

  The person Cole did not see again was Jacob. Apparently, all he’d cared about was thwarting Cole’s attempts to get to the books. Once he failed, he must have taken his lazy self home.

  Chapter 8

  April was putting the finishing touches on fancy sandwiches for lunch when Cole walked back through the door. She lifted her gaze and smiled. “Where’d you get a key?” she teased.

  “Grabbed it from the hook next to the fridge before I left.” He winked at her.

  “So resourceful.”

  “Yep.” When he reached her side, he tipped her head back and kissed her before sliding onto a chair next to her. “Is one of those for me?”

  “Maybe…” She finished spreading mayo on his and then cut it in half and slid the plate to him.

  “You remembered I like mayo and hate tomatoes.”

  “How could I forget a detail like that?” She sat down, letting her knee bump his. This entire scene was so domestic. She felt both happy and sad at the same time, wondering what their lives could have looked like by now if they hadn’t gone their separate ways. Would they be sitting down to lunch together, her making him a sandwich? Or would they have eventually rubbed each other wrong and broken up under the pressure of a long-distance relationship?

  She shook the nostalgic thoughts from her head and met his gaze. “How’d it go at the shop?”

  He swallowed his first bite. “Better than expected. My brother was blocking the door with his cocky attitude when I arrived, but it turns out Bart Hensley is one of the good guys. He trusted me over Jacob and put Jacob in his place before helping me find everything I needed in the office.”

  “You’re right. Bart’s a good guy. His son is nice also.” She took a bite of sandwich and reached for a napkin.

  “Yeah. I always did like Bart. He said some things that rocked my world a bit. I’m still reeling.”

  “Like what?”

  “That my dad was proud of me and talked about me. Stuff like that.”

  April reached over and put a hand on Cole’s wrist. “How could anyone not be proud of you?” Her heart ached for the rift that had broken him from his family a decade ago.

  Cole shrugged. “He never said a kind word to me after my mom died. I’m not sure I understand how he could brag about me to other people and never found the balls to tell me to my face.”

  “Maybe he was hurting.”

  “Or maybe Amanda is a raving bitch.”

  “That too. So, what did you decide about the shop?”

  “Well, I’m sure as hell not selling it. I won’t give Chamberlain the satisfaction. But that leaves a dilemma. I hate for Bart, David, or the other guys to lose their jobs. Bart made it clear they’re all worried. But there’s no way Jacob can run the business, and it would be an unwise investment on my part to even let him try.”

  “Can you buy him out of his half?”

  “No. I don’t have the cash for that. I mean I suppose I could take out a loan, but who the hell is going to run the place? And all of this conversation is moot when you take into consideration my dad’s debt. I sure as shit couldn’t get a loan large enough to pay off his debt and buy out my brother.”

  “What if you stayed in town?” she asked, hesitantly, knowing she was grasping at straws.

  He reached for her face and cupped her cheek. “Can’t stay here, ladybug. It’s not that simple. I belong to the US Navy.”

  She nodded, but it was hard to take another bite of her sandwich. On top of that, Cole was staring at her, and when he started fidgeting, she froze.

  “Something else happened this morning.”

  “What?”

  “Violet came to see me.” He didn’t lift his gaze as he spoke.

  April cringed. “What for?”

  He shrugged. “She brought me muffins. She was even more syrupy than she was in high school. I never paid that close of attention to her back then.”

  April rolled her eyes. “How could you miss her? She threw herself at you every chance she got.”

  Cole flinched. “She did?” Was he really that surprised and naïve?

  “Good grief, Cole. Yes. She did. She hated that you were with me and not her. It drove her crazy.”

  Cole choked on his drink. “Come on. Surely it wasn’t that bad.”

  April frowned. “It was gross.”

  Cole didn’t meet her gaze as he continued to play with his sandwich absently as if he were uncomfortable with this conversation. “I’m sorry I didn’t pay closer attention back then. I should have.”

  April shrugged. “Why? It doesn’t matter. I’m flattered that you never glanced at another girl.”

  Cole finally lifted his gaze. “I should have paid closer attention, April. I’m sorry,” he repeated.

  “Okay.” She swallowed.

  Cole stared at her, his face unreadable. He was really upset about this. She couldn’t imagine why. Finally, he reached out and set his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer until their lips met. “All of my attention was on you, ladybug. I guess I was blinded to any other girl in school.”

  April’s panties dampened at his statement, mostly because she knew it was true. He’d never paid a bit of attention to any other girl in school. Why exactly had he left her without a word?

  When he released her to continue eating, she took the opportunity to watch his every move. The man was sex on a stick. Every ripple of muscle up his arms. The way his pecs flexed when he lifted his sandwich. The soft wrinkles at the corners of his eyes that came out when he smiled at her.

  “I’m surprised she’s still single,” Cole commented. “She’s so pushy. It’s a wonder she hasn’t conned some guy into marrying her.”

  “Oh, she has. She married Seth Romanoff. They divorced about a year later.”

  “Seth Romanoff? Wasn’t he the quiet guy who played the clarinet?”

  “That’s the one. Nice guy too. Not sure why he married her. I’m pretty sure she made his life miserable, spent all his money, and then left him.”

  “Shit. That sucks.” Cole shuddered.

  April concentrated on her sandwich again, but it was hard to ignore the fact that Cole Landry was in her kitchen, sitting at her table, eating lunch with her like they’d never been apart.

  She was struggling to wrap her head around this situation and what the future might look like. Obviously, it was way too soon to think about the future at all, but it was hard to ignore the fact that she had four more days with this man, and then he would be gone. Again.

  “So, what happens now?” she asked as they finished eating.

  Cole flinched and lifted his gaze. “About what?”

  April cocked her head to one side. “About the shop and your Dad and the money. Those tiny little details.”

  “Oh, that. Right. Well, at some point, I need to face Amanda, but I might put that off until tomorrow when we meet with the lawyer.”

  “Do you expect any bombshells from the lawyer?”

  He shrugged. “Seems like every moment of the past forty-eight hours has been one bombshell after another. I assume my fath
er had a will, but that’s all I know. Not looking forward to spending any time with Amanda and Jacob though.”

  “Seems like you’re going to have to deal with them several times until you get this all straightened out and figure out what to do about Chamberlain.”

  “Yeah.” His phone suddenly rang and he pulled it from his pocket and held it up. “Speak of the devil,” he murmured as he swiped the screen, put the call on speaker, and surprised April by setting it on the table. “Hello, Amanda.” His voice was even and raw.

  “Where are you?” she nearly shouted.

  “Why?”

  April loved that he didn’t answer her. The man was not a pushover for anyone.

  “Because we have a crisis on our hands and you need to be fixing it.”

  “What’s the crisis and how do you expect me to fix it?” Cole was smirking. He knew he was needling Amanda. April thought it was hilarious.

  “Cole Landry,” she shouted. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, and I need you to speak to Mayor Chamberlain. Explain the situation. Work out a payment plan or something.”

  “With what money?” Cole asked, leaning back in this chair. Outwardly he was cool as a cucumber, but April saw the way he fisted the napkin as if he’d like to scream. It wasn’t his style though. The man did not lose his temper.

  “Yours, of course. If you don’t have it, make an arrangement.”

  Cole gave a sardonic laugh. “I’m not paying that man a dime, Amanda. You might want to think about how you are going to get out of this mess. Chamberlain isn’t hunting me down to pay your husband’s debts. He’s hunting you.”

  “Don’t you go there, Cole. You’re a part of this family. This is your problem too. I expect you to figure it out. It’s the least you can do after abandoning your father for ten years and leaving him to run the family business alone.”

  “He was hardly alone. He had Jacob. If your son wasn’t such a lazy bum, he could have been helping Dad out.”

  Amanda gasped.

  Cole didn’t give her a chance to respond. “I’ll see you at the lawyer’s office tomorrow. Goodbye, Amanda.” He ended the call while she was screaming into the phone once again.

  A second later, April saw the first real crack in his armor when he shoved the chair back and strode from the room. There was only one place to go. Her bedroom. He didn’t close the door, but April figured he needed some time to himself, so she didn’t follow him. Instead, she cleaned up their plates from lunch and put everything away.

  After a few minutes, she padded to the doorway of her bedroom and stood in the entrance.

  Cole was standing by the only window, staring outside, his back to her, his hands on the top of his head. Even from behind she could read his posture as tense with frustration.

  April considered her options for a few moments. She could ask him if he needed anything, but that sounded lame in her mind. She could leave him alone and go back to the living room, but she hated the thought of him standing there alone.

  Finally, she went with option three and shuffled across the room. When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him close.

  He dropped his hands from the top of his head and reached back to pull her around to his front. He kissed the top of her head. “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For being here. I’m not sure I’d be able to survive this week without you at my back, literally. It means the world to me.”

  She held him tighter, inhaling his scent. It was hard not to wonder if he was just pointing out how convenient it was that he had her for a friend, or if it was more than that. Granted, the man asked her to return to San Diego with him, so she knew she meant something to him. But it was too soon to know if he was scratching an itch or really cared about her. It was too soon for him to know this about himself.

  “I’m here,” she murmured, hoping to God that it didn’t bite her in the ass. She’d been with him two days and already she was so involved that she couldn’t extricate herself if she tried. He was like a drug, and she was a relapsed addict.

  “I need more information about Chamberlain,” he whispered. “I should call Rodney and see what details he can provide me. I wonder how shady this situation is.” Cole tipped her head back and met her gaze. “Do you mind if I ask Rodney to come here?”

  “Of course not. It’s a good idea.”

  “But you dated the man. It feels awkward. And,” he scrunched up his face. “I might be a bit jealous.”

  She rolled her eyes. “It was a long time ago, Cole. He’s an adult. He’s not holding a grudge.”

  “He looked at you like a lost puppy yesterday.”

  She cringed. “I think you’re exaggerating.”

  “I’m not. On top of that, the thought of him having seen you naked, touched you intimately, been inside you…” Cole shuddered. “Maybe I shouldn’t call him.”

  She patted his chest with her hand, finding humor in the bomb she was about to drop. “He’s never seen me naked, Cole. We never had sex.”

  Cole flinched. “Seriously?” A cocky smile grew on his face.

  She gave him another eye roll. “I told you I wasn’t in love with him. I just…couldn’t.”

  Cole breathed out a sigh of relief and then narrowed his gaze. “Wait. How many guys have you been in love with?”

  “Just you.”

  His eyes shot wide. “I can’t be the only guy you’ve slept with.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “I didn’t mean to imply I was in love with everyone I slept with. But it was weird with Rodney. There was more to it. He was your best friend. He tried too hard. He was too sweet. Too everything.”

  Cole pulled her closer again, threading his fingers in her hair. He kissed the top of her head again in that endearing way of his. “I’m sorry I pried. It’s none of my business.” After a few seconds, he continued, “But I’m not gonna lie. It makes me very happy that you haven’t slept with Rodney.”

  She drew in a deep breath and slid her hands up around his neck. “You’re not my only lover. I’ve had three others. All of them were men I was dating for a while. None of them compared to the sex we had in high school and certainly not the sex we had last night. I’m sure that will puff your head out a mile, but it’s the truth.”

  He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her gently, though she had the feeling he was forcing himself to hold back. His hands were tight on her ass.

  “Now you know. Don’t let it go to your head. If you strut around me all cocky, I’ll make you sleep on the couch. And… Cole, this is serious water we’re wading into. I’m telling you all this because you need to know that I’m scared out of my mind that you’re going to hurt me. I don’t think I’ll survive it again. Please be careful with my heart. If you’re stringing me along, let me go.”

  His hand slid up her back to flatten between her shoulder blades. “I swear I’m not stringing you along. I’m in this with you, ladybug. You mean the world to me. You always did. I never stopped loving you.”

  She swallowed back the wave of emotion when he used the L-word. He’d told her easily and often that he loved her when they were eighteen, but they weren’t kids anymore. They were older, wiser, and smarter. At least she hoped so.

  She patted his chest again. “Call Rodney. You need his help.”

  Cole pulled his phone out of his pocket and texted his oldest friend while she read over his shoulder. Moments later he got a response. Rodney wasn’t on duty this afternoon as luck would have it. Fifteen minutes later, he was at the door.

  “Thank you so much for coming,” Cole stated as he shook Rodney’s hand and let him into the apartment. “I don’t know who else to turn to.”

  “No problem. I’ll do anything I can to help.” He held on to Cole’s hand longer than necessary, finally smiling broadly. “Missed you, man. Nothing was ever the same around here after you left.”

  A tingle raced up April’s arms as she watched these old friend
s reunite. Sure, they’d spoken briefly yesterday, but this was different. Here, they could sit down in a more relaxed environment.

  “Can I offer you a beer?” April asked, glancing back and forth between the men.

  “That’d be great, ladybug,” Cole said as he reached for her hand and possessively staked his claim with both his nickname for her and the way he kissed her knuckles.

  “I’d love one,” Rodney agreed.

  “Sit.” April waved a hand in the general direction of the living room furniture as she made her way to the kitchen. A moment later, she returned to find Rodney sitting in one of the armchairs and Cole at one end of the sofa, his arm draped across the back, a clear indication he intended for her to sit next to him and for him to claim her once again. He was going overboard, but she wasn’t going to complain.

  His jealousy was unwarranted. She’d never had feelings for Rodney. Lord knew she’d tried. He’d been a great friend to her, and she’d felt awful for breaking up with him. But the spark had not been there.

  She could not, on the other hand, speak for Rodney.

  After she handed them both a beer and settled on the sofa next to Cole, he let his fingers dangle down to dance on her shoulder.

  “It’s so good to see you, man,” Rodney stated after taking his first swig. “I didn’t get a chance to ask about your life at the funeral. How’s the Navy?”

  “Good. Still fighting bad guys.”

  “You think you’ll stay in for life?”

  Cole shrugged. “Not sure. No plans to leave right now though.” He looked at his beer, pointedly not making eye contact with April.

  She wondered what he was thinking that he hadn’t said to Rodney.

  “What about you? You like your work?”

  Rodney groaned. “I would if my department weren’t so fucked-up. Over the years I’ve gradually realized how corrupt it is here. I keep thinking if I stick it out, the chief of police will get replaced and someone new will clean the place up.”

  “That sucks.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure you deal with worse shit than me on the regular.”