Love Unexpected (Navy Love Series Book 2)

by Santo, JC

We all laugh. My dad is incredibly overprotective and a control freak. Mom’s right—he’s the one to warn before Reed gets here.

  Reed

  There are times when I hate serving, and today is one of them. I don’t want to stand watch, I’d much rather spend the entire day at Hunter and Tess’s house with my girlfriend.

  However, duty calls.

  I was surprised my Leading Petty Officer texted me this morning saying he needed to brief us on the deployment. I didn’t think we’d know anything until after Christmas. To say my curiosity is spiked is an understatement.

  Growing up, before I was adopted, Christmas was just another day. My mother didn’t buy me any presents, she didn’t even bother to not get stoned out of her mind on that day. After I was adopted, my parents tried to make Christmas a better experience for me, which they did, to an extent. But in the back of my mind, every year I found myself wondering what my birth mother was doing. If she cleaned herself up and if she worried about me and how I ended up.

  Despite my inner, negative thoughts, I always had a good time. I consider myself one of the lucky kids—I found a family who took me in and cared for me unlike any of my foster parents did.

  That thought process leads me to realize how lucky I am to have such close friends. They’ve become an extended family for me. Tegan was right at the hospital when she said I’m part of the family.

  Marshall proved just how great of a friend he was when he met me at the mall a few days ago and helped pick out something meaningful for Tegan for Christmas. Having no experience shopping for women, I obviously called in reinforcements.

  She was working so there was no need for a distraction. And it didn’t take us long to find the perfect gift for her.

  My hand grips the small jewelry box that’s stored in my uniform pocket. I, unfortunately have watch until 1600 today. This small thing has been sitting in my truck glove box for the past few days. While I don’t doubt she’ll love it, I’m still nervous.

  I’m ready to get out of here as soon as my relief comes to replace me on watch, but I have one more stop to make.

  Nervous doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling as I walk into my Chief’s office. Reassuring Tegan this morning was just as much for my benefit as it was for hers. I don’t want to deploy. Hoping for good news, I knock on the door and push it open.

  I’m not terribly surprised to see Jo and J.C. standing in the office, but I am surprised that they are the only ones other than our Chief and Lead Petty Officer here.

  “Chief,” I stand at attention.

  “Reed, at ease.” He focuses his attention on all three of us as I move to stand next to them. “I brought you three in today just to give you guys an update on the DET leaving in a couple weeks. I cannot say for sure how long you’ll be gone for, but I can say that this, another deployment will look good on any of your evals. I can tell you that this won’t be a standard deployment, so there is a chance of you coming home sooner—or possibly later—than the normal six-month timeframe. You three are all up to deploy, so I thought I’d see if anyone wanted to volunteer before I make the decision for you.”

  “I’ll go, sir,” J.C. says all business-like. “I could use a getaway for a while.”

  I hear a faint gasp out of Jo, but she quickly covers her reaction up.

  “Okay, thanks, Collins. I’ll get your name on the work-up paperwork. Next time you report, they’ll give you all the details.”

  “Thank you, Chief.”

  Chief talks with us for a few more minutes before he dismisses us.

  Jo rushes past J.C. and me in a huff while we talk.

  “Really, man?” I say.

  “I need to get away for a while. Things are crazy here.” He motions toward the direction Jo just ran off to by way of explanation. “Maybe a deployment will do me some good.”

  “Alright.” I clasp my hand to his shoulder. “Just make sure you take care of yourself out there. Let’s get out of here and get over to Tessa’s for dinner, how about it?”

  “Abso-fuckin-lutely, man.”

  Pulling up in front of Tess and Hunter’s house, I’m anxious. I’ve already met Tegan’s parents, but this is the first time I’m meeting them as Tegan’s boyfriend. While they didn’t dislike me back then, that could change today.

  I walk into see Hunter on the floor with the twins while Sawyer has both of her grandfathers on the couch reading with her. Marshall is chatting with our friend Miller.

  “Hey, man,” Hunter says in greeting as he rises off the floor and shakes my hand.

  “Charming,” Marshall winks. The bastard calls me that ridiculous nickname all the time now.

  “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Did you see J.C. at work? He said the LPO texted him this morning and needed him to come in,” Miller asks. She works with us, so her suspicion is high like mine was that our LPO would call any of us in on a holiday.

  “Yeah, long story, and not mine to tell. I’m sure J.C. will fill you in when he gets here.”

  “Him and Jo should be here soon, I would think,” Marsh says. “He texted me an hour ago saying he was leaving work.”

  I shake my head but don’t say anything. I’d be willing to bet that J.C. and Jo are probably together at the moment either fighting or fucking over what just happened in the Chief’s office.

  I scan the room, searching for the one face I want to see more than anything.

  “The girls are with their mom in the kitchen,” Hunter answers my unasked question.

  With a nod, I head into the kitchen.

  Tegan is sitting on a barstool with her back turned to me, listening to whatever her mom is saying. Tessa sees me sneak up behind her sister and a light smile graces her face. I wrap my arms around Tegan’s small waist and bring my lips to her cheek before she has a chance to see who it is.

  “Hey, babe,” I whisper in her ear, “Missed you today.”

  She giggles.

  “It’s only been like five hours since you saw me last.”

  “So? It was a long five hours.” I bring my lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

  A throat clearing snaps us out of our little daydream and into the realization that we have an audience.

  I clear my throat as well and pull myself up to standing beside Tegan with one arm around her shoulder.

  “Hey, Mrs. Daniels. How’ve you been?”

  Tegan’s mom comes around the bar smiling with her arms wide open.

  “Mrs. Daniels is my mother-in-Law, Reed. Call me Elizabeth. Just because you’re dating my daughter doesn’t mean things have to change since the last time we met. Although, I do hope you’re in a better mood now.”

  I can’t help but laugh. Mrs. Daniels doesn’t beat around the bush.

  “Yes, ma’am. Your daughter is to thank for that.”

  “Good. She has a way of putting everyone around her in a better mood. You take care of her, ya hear? Don’t do her wrong.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  We hear the front door open and Tess and Elizabeth go to the living room immediately, knowing it’s probably Jo. Tegan and I stay back.

  “Everything okay at work? What’d they say?” she asks.

  “Everything is good, I’m not going on a deployment. J.C. volunteered, so I have a feeling Jo is going to need someone to lean on,” I say just as J.C. and Marshall come into the room.

  They were in the middle of a conversation, but it ends just as they spot Tegan and me. From the very little I overheard, sounds like Marsh is giving some of his wisdom to someone else now.

  I excuse myself and go change out of my uniform, placing the jewelry box inside my jacket pocket until later.

  Everyone eats shortly after Jo’s arrival. I can’t say for sure, but she looks as if she’s been crying.

  As soon as dinner is finished, Mr. Daniels pulls me aside to question my relationship with Tegan. I guess I should have spoken with her father before I hugged and kissed on her throughout dinner.

  “Son, I
don’t know what is going on between you and my Bug, but she seems happy. I’ve learned through Tessa that I shouldn’t be so quick to judge someone based on the past. I didn’t like Hunter before meeting him simply because of his single parent situation. And I don’t want to do that to you. Even though I met you at the wedding, I wasn’t entirely impressed with your attitude or the way you drank the entire night…”

  “Sir, I can explain that. I was going through somewhat of a break up at the time, my drinking was the only way I knew how to handle sitting in the same room with a woman that already owned my heart. I didn’t want to admit that I cared for Tegan at that point. I was an asshole and I’m aware of that. I’m trying to make up for my behavior toward her every day now.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “I do, sir. She doesn’t know it yet, but I absolutely do.”

  “Good.” He shakes my hand. “Don’t break her heart.”

  “Never, sir.”

  A little while later, after gifts are exchanged, Tegan and I drive to my apartment. We chose to wait on exchanging our gifts until we were alone.

  Sitting on the couch, my nerves start to get the best of me.

  Tegan holds a shirt box on her lap.

  “Well, I guess we should just swap?” she asks.

  “I want to give you your gift last. I need to explain it a little.”

  She nods and hands over the box wrapped in red paper. I rip the paper off and open the box, revealing a 5x7 frame with a picture of the two of us from the first night we met.

  “How did you get this?”

  She shrugs her shoulder.

  “I didn’t remember anyone taking it. Marshall texted it to me a couple days before you showed up at the coffee shop. I had it printed so we both have a copy of it.”

  She wrings her hands together as I stare at the image of us. I’ll never forget that night. I knew within minutes of meeting her that there was something different about her. My head was too stubborn to realize it, but I’m certain a part of me fell for Tegan that night. She wore a pair of jeans and one of those damn flowy tank tops she loves so much. She wasn’t dressed up looking for a man like so many others were, but it was impossible to not notice her.

  My silence must make her uncomfortable.

  “I’m sorry, it’s a cheesy gift. I didn’t think it—”

  I cut her off by pulling her lips to mine.

  “It isn’t cheesy. I love it, babe.”

  “You do?”

  “Yes.”

  I lean back and pull the small jewelry out of my jacket pocket that’s sitting on the arm of the couch. I sit it on her lap without a word.

  Tegan gasps when she pops the box open.

  “Charlie! This is beautiful!”

  Knowing she likes it, my anxiety calms down. I smile at her then proceed to help her put it on.

  She faces me again so I can admire it. The dainty anchor with one diamond looks perfect on her neck.

  “So I know the anchor is a little cliché coming from a sailor, but I do have some meaning behind it. You are my anchor, Tegan. I know as long as I have you with me, I’ll never drift too far from the course I’m on. You keep me rooted. And you’re needed more than you’ll ever know.”

  “Charlie, that’s beautiful,” she says as she toys with the charm. “I love it so much.”

  I smile, too afraid if I open my mouth, I won’t be able to stop those three little words that are dying to come out.

  “So, are you excited for our trip?” she asks after we’ve settled in bed.

  “Yeah, it’ll be interesting to say the least.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve never taken a woman, or anyone for that matter, home. And typically my mom tries to have a heartfelt conversation about my birth mother.”

  “Well, I’ll be there to support you this time,” Tegan reassures me.

  “I know, babe. I’m glad you will be.”

  With that we both fall silent and drift off to sleep.

  Tegan

  I nervously race around my apartment, trying like hell to figure out what to pack.

  What does one wear in Michigan in December? A snowsuit? I don’t think I have enough winter clothes. I’m from Texas originally. Winter to us in like forty degrees, and in my small town, one snow flurry shut the whole town down for a week.

  The even more pressing matter is meeting Charlie’s parents. I’ve met boyfriends’ parents before, but I’ve never gone to another state to do that.

  What if they hate me?

  I continue packing as I go over the pep-talk Marsh and Tess gave me on Christmas night when we had dinner together.

  “They’re gonna love you, Bug, quit stressing,” my sister reassured me.

  “What if they don’t, though?”

  “Cupcake, come on. You’re amazing. If they don’t love you, they’re ignorant. Reed is taking you home to meet them, so you’ve already made a huge impression.”

  “Call us if you’re worried or need to talk.” Tessa winked.

  I’m tempted to say screw it and cancel going, but I don’t want to disappoint Charlie.

  This was a big step for him to invite me to come. I need to get over my insecurities. With a new mind frame in place, my suitcase fills up rather quickly.

  We’re leaving first thing in the morning tomorrow.

  Christmas day and the last two days have been predominantly spent with my family. After the initial talk my dad and Charlie had, they got along well and everyone was accepting of us.

  Jo made herself scarce on Christmas Eve, and when she was around, she wasn’t her normal feisty self; she had a flight booked first thing Christmas morning to go back to California to be with her family. I also noticed she wouldn’t look in J.C.’s direction all day Christmas Eve.

  My parents, Hunter, Tess, and Sawyer were all wrapped up in each other and the twins. The help they’ve given since arriving has been a Godsend for Tess. Although, I have to say, she’s handling the big adjustment of damn near doubling the size of their family quite well.

  Marshall spent most of the day privately chatting with J.C.. He shocked all of us when he announced at dinner that he’s leaving shortly after the first of the year for deployment. Everyone was upset, but I think we all understood that, deep down, he needed to step away. We’ve all noticed the friction between Jo and him these last few weeks.

  It was nice to spend the time with Charlie, out in the open, in front of our friends and family. Christmas Eve and Christmas day were both wonderful for us as a couple.

  Tess and my mom loved the beautiful necklace Charlie got me. I have the same photo I gave to Charlie framed on my nightstand.

  Walking over to it, I pick it up and examine it again.

  It seems like so long ago.

  I run my finger over the glass. Charlie wore a Detroit Tiger’s shirt and jeans—that was what started our conversation. I’m a diehard Rangers fan just like the rest of my family, so his shirt was an easy target to tease him. I wanted to stir up a conversation with him and judging by the looks of women he got all night, I knew flirting wasn’t the way to draw his attention, not that I’m good at flirting anyway.

  We had a good conversation, both making jabs at the other one’s teams, and a friendship was quickly started that night. Before long, we were taking shots together and shaking our asses on the dance floor.

  Who would’ve guessed that night would be the beginning to all we’ve gone through? Now here we are, six months later, dating, and I’m going home with him to meet his parents.

  Which brings me back to the now. Placing the picture back down on the nightstand, I finish pacing around the room and finally call it quits on packing. If I’ve forgotten something at this point, I’ll buy it in Michigan. I raided my sister’s closet on Christmas day, stealing all of her thermals and scarves to add to my tiny collection. Hopefully, between the two of us, I’ll have enough to keep me warm.

  I lug my suitcase out to my car and load it in
the backseat. Charlie had to run a couple errands helping J.C. finalize everything before he ships out.

  Seems everyone is going away for the tail end of the holidays. Jo left two days ago for California, J.C. is driving back to Georgia tonight, and Charlie and I are leaving first thing in the morning.

  I said goodbye to my parents this afternoon at lunch; they’ll leave to return to Texas while I’m in Michigan. I miss having them so close. Although I’ve been in Virginia for six months now, it’s still an adjustment to not have them right down the road from me. My mom and I were always incredibly close, Tess had our dad wrapped around her fingers, but I was always a Momma’s girl growing up.

  To say I’m content with them liking Charlie is an understatement. Of course I had the slight fear that they wouldn’t approve of the seven-year age difference between us, but it wasn’t a concern. Mom and Dad have a large number of years between them, so I thought with my mom’s logical side, she wouldn’t question that aspect of our relationship. I know if I ever need it, she’ll be there with experienced advice on how to overcome the age issue.

  Once Mom saw the way Charlie and I were together, she was a fan of our relationship. And Charlie knew the way to get my dad on board: simply be honest with his intentions. I know they had a private conversation, but what was said is unknown to me.

  I pull up in the parking lot of Charlie’s complex and see his door open immediately as if he was waiting on me to arrive. Before I’m out of my car, he’s halfway down the steps and headed toward me.

  My suitcase is thrown into Charlie’s truck and my small overnight bag and purse are brought upstairs with us. Our flight leaves at 7:15 AM tomorrow morning; we’ll be in Detroit shortly after lunch time.

  On the plane, I tried convincing Charlie that perhaps me staying at a hotel would be better this week, but he refused to hear of it, stating that his parents would be thrilled to have me there.

  I’m not convinced. Actually, judging by the way his eyes went shifty and he didn’t care to discuss the subject of his parents, I’m not one-hundred-percent convinced they know I’m coming.