Brianna's Navy SEAL

by Natalie Damschroder

  Cable frowned. “What kind of things?"

  "Fake letters or calls from home that didn't work because she said my brother was sick, and I don't have a brother. Sabotaging my equipment so I couldn't dive, and she and Andrew would go down without me.” Guilt swelled. “I told her to give up, it wouldn't work. I meant she wasn't chasing me off the hunt. She thought I meant I wasn't giving Andrew up. And...” She inhaled as deeply as she could, trying to shore up the sudden quaver in her voice. “And then she pulled an ‘If I can't have him, no one will’ kind of thing. We were out on a gorgeous, perfect day. Everyone thought it was going to be the day, and sure enough, Andrew brought up a piece that perfectly matched a description in one of the books. He climbed on deck, cheered, and kissed me.

  "Crystal couldn't handle it. She rammed our boat and leapt on board with a harpoon gun. I don't know if she really meant to—to use it. But our boat lurched as water poured into the hole, and she went off balance. Her finger was on the trigger. It went right through Andrew's abdomen."

  Nothing she could do was stopping the tears now, so she just wiped them as they fell. “We weren't anywhere close to any kind of medical attention. Our boat was sinking fast. We managed to get onto the other boat, which was also damaged but still afloat, and called the Coast Guard.” She swallowed. “By the time they found us, Andrew was dead. Some of the crew had locked Crystal below, and they took her into custody."

  She looked Cable in the eye for the first time. “And that is why I don't do triangles."

  "It's enough to cure anyone,” Cable agreed, now gripping her hand. “What happened to her?"

  "Pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter.” She sniffed and rose to find a tissue or napkin and get herself a glass of water. “The piece of art Andrew had brought up fell overboard. Far as I know, no one ever went back."

  "And you came home, to your safe life, and were cured of your lust for adventure."

  "You got it.” She stayed by the sink, out of reach of his touch. “You're starting to drag me into both again, and I can't do it."

  "I'm not."

  "Okay, you're not, but it's happening anyway, and I can't deal with it, Cable. It's not irrational,” she said as if he were making crazy circles with his finger. “I know Darcy's not going to kill one of us, and I know your first instinct with this Carothers thing would be to keep me safe. But if I stick around, he'll see me as a target, a way to hurt you, and Darcy has more tenacity than even a SEAL, and just having that stress will damage us.” She swallowed, realizing that was really the bottom line. “I don't want to see us damaged,” she finished softly.

  Cable didn't move. “So you'd rather see us over."

  The shot of pain his words brought was much stronger than she expected it to be. Longing, not a foreign emotion, told her to cross the space between them, sit on his lap, kiss him. Reassure him.

  But how could she reassure him? At the moment, nothing looked workable to her.

  "That's not a fair way to put it. But yes. I'm saying we're over."

  He rose in one smooth motion and came to her. Don't let him, her brain whispered as his hand cupped the back of her neck and his mouth caressed hers. He clung, his mouth gentle, his pain as obvious to her as her own. She sobbed, and he released her mouth but didn't step away. “I'm sorry."

  "Me, too."

  They stayed like that, long enough for Brianna to memorize his scent, for her throat to ache so fiercely with unshed tears that she couldn't have talked even if there was something more to say.

  And then she left.

  CHAPTER 7

  When Brianna removed herself from his life, Cable thought he'd be pragmatic. Shrug it off. Everyone endured heartbreak. He wasn't special. He'd get over her.

  But he hadn't counted on the impact of seeing her every day. His classroom door and hers were aligned. He knew every time she left her room, could hear her voice, could see her from his desk.

  So he didn't sit at his desk much. That wasn't a big change—with rare exceptions during the day, he was on the floor with the kids, or walking the room, helping various groups at centers. But that wasn't enough. He found himself straining to hear the cadence of her voice as she taught, and made a habit of shutting his door. That helped most of the day.

  But then he seemed to run into her every time he went into the break room. When they were together, having coinciding free periods had been a blessing. Now, it was most definitely a curse.

  He tried to tell himself it wouldn't last long, but each day the pain seemed to grow. Elyse, bless her, hadn't changed how she treated him, though he knew Brianna had told her about their breakup. Still, she was yet another reminder of what he'd lost. He missed her Sunday dinners. She'd told him he could still come. Then smiled sadly, knowing he wouldn't. At least she hadn't told him Brie would come around.

  Because she showed no signs of doing so. She smiled pleasantly at him as she poured coffee, then turned that same smile on Principal Dvorak when he walked into the room. He never caught her looking tired or casting longing looks at him, the way he did with her all the time. She didn't peer out her living room window, waiting for him to leave so she could follow him to school and walk behind him into the building. And she didn't hang out on her front porch, hoping he'd go for a run.

  He had it so damned bad, if he had less discipline he would have spent the last couple of weeks in bed. Wallowing.

  Early on, he'd expected Brianna to change her mind. The trip to Boston with Darcy to pick up supplies seemed an obstacle to that, so he told her he was busy and to take Ken. She blasted him for nearly two minutes before he pretended to lose signal in his cell and hung up. He hadn't heard anything about the committee since.

  He'd renewed some old connections at the department in Florida. So far, there was no evidence that Sid Carothers had left town, which meant his B&E was still a mystery. No one in the neighborhood had seen anything, and though a tech had dusted for prints, nothing had shown up. He'd told Brianna that, and she'd nodded politely, said maybe it was a coincidence, and entered her classroom without a glance back.

  If only she showed some sign that she was having as hard a time as he was. Dark circles, yawns, furtive glances—she didn't even avoid him, and he thought that, at least, would have been a given. Women who still cared avoided the guy they cared about, right? So if she didn't mind seeing him all over the damned place, maybe she didn't care, after all.

  Finally, thirteen days after she'd walked out on him, he broke. He couldn't stand himself any more, and he was bored and, worse, lonely. So he approached her on the playground when they were both supervising recess one Friday.

  "Hi, Cable.” She gave him a breezy smile and went back to scanning the playground.

  "Hey, Brie.” He slipped his hands into his pockets and pretended to watch a bunch of boys playing kickball. “How's it going?"

  "Great. The kids are really calm, considering how close to Christmas it is.” Her breath puffed out in front of her and she shivered. “It helps that it's been mild enough to be outside."

  "Yeah, luckily."

  They stood in what felt to Cable like companionable silence—except for the nervous, “just ask her” part that felt totally foreign to him—until Brie turned to go back to the building.

  "The bell's gonna ring in a minute,” she said.

  Panicking, Cable grabbed her sleeve, then released it just as quickly. So much for being casual.

  "That documentary we talked about is finally in town,” he said. “I doubt it will be here long. You wanna go see it?"

  Brianna looked pitying. “Cable."

  "As friends, Brie.” He drew in a slow breath. “I miss hanging out with you, that's all. I don't know anyone else who would want to see it."

  The bell rang, and the kids thundered toward the doors. Brie's look didn't change.

  "I can't believe you want to see it, Cable."

  "Well, you talked about it so much I can't help myself. I'm interested.” That felt better. Smoother. He
held the right-hand door open as the kids filed through, and Brie held the left-hand door open and smiled at him.

  "Thanks, but I'm going with my mother tomorrow afternoon. Maybe D ... Jake will go with you."

  Cable gave her a bland look. She knew damned well he hadn't been anywhere with Darcy since their breakup. She also knew he didn't really want to see the documentary; he wanted an excuse to be with her. And she wasn't falling for it.

  So okay. On to plan B.

  * * * *

  "So Jake got roped into emceeing again. Not that he minds, because the cause is always important to him. And it's not like he's running the whole thing anymore. So there isn't the same stress. Still, it would be nice if the town stopped relying on him for everything."

  "He's the mayor, Mom.” Brianna steered into the parking lot behind the theater. “Everyone is supposed to rely on him."

  "I know, but with the baby coming, I want to see him get a little freer."

  Brie paused halfway out of the car. “Baby?"

  Elyse made an “o” with her mouth. “Kira didn't tell you yet?"

  "No! She's pregnant?"

  "Yes, just a few weeks along. I guess she wanted to tell us all tomorrow at dinner. I'm sorry, I forgot. Anyway, they're thrilled, of course, but like I said, Jake has so many demands on him that I'm afraid Kira will get overloaded."

  Brianna stopped listening. She stopped walking. Her chest, which had tightened when her mother mentioned Kira's pregnancy, now flared into the full-blown pain she'd been trying to avoid for weeks. She'd somehow managed to be successful, relying on the ability she'd developed last year to compartmentalize and seal all emotion in a box. Happiness for her sister had unlocked it, longing had cracked it open.

  And Cable, clearly waiting for them at the entrance to the theater, had thrown the lid back.

  "Mother."

  Elyse stopped mid-sentence.

  "What is Cable doing here?"

  "He's seeing this movie with us."

  "Why?"

  "Because he's interested, and I invited him."

  "Bullshit."

  "Brianna!"

  "Don't give me that.” She whirled on her mother, her hands in fists. “You knew we broke up. You did this on purpose."

  "Brie, honey.” Elyse stroked her daughter's hair back from her face. “Of course I did. I love you, and I love Cable. You're perfect for each other. When have I ever given you the idea I wouldn't interfere in your life?"

  Brie blinked back tears and managed a smile. “You are so full of it."

  "Yes, of love. I want you to be happy."

  "I am happy."

  "Bullshit."

  Brie laughed.

  "Cable is miserable, and I know you don't show it, but you're miserable, too. You can work things out, I know you can.” She shook Brianna by the shoulder. “Don't shake your head at me. Carothers hasn't left Florida. The police think the break-in was local and impersonal. And Darcy hasn't gone near Cable since he canceled the trip to Boston."

  "I'm so glad everyone talks about my personal problems,” Brie grumbled, sniffing. “Did he tell you all that?"

  "He didn't have to. I pay attention, Brianna. Now heads up, here he comes."

  Brie walked slowly toward the theater, watching Cable's eyes as he approached. They looked just as haunted as they had for the last two weeks, but now they looked hopeful, too. She wondered why he didn't have the SEAL stone-face anymore, and if he was acting or really felt the things she saw.

  "Ladies."

  "Cable."

  "Thanks for joining us, dear.” Elyse wrapped her arm through Cable's and propelled him toward the entrance. “Let's keep moving, or we'll miss the start of the film."

  "I got tickets."

  Cable's deep voice, as always, washed through Brie like warm water on sore muscles. A rhythm settled onto them, a rightness Brie hadn't noticed before. Dammit, why did it have to be so hard?

  Her brain kept working during the opening credits and well into the film. The police believed the vandalism was kids or something, but Cable had said nothing but his mail was missing, and there were the knives in the pillows. That was personal. And no other break-ins had been reported, nothing similar in any way. She couldn't just dismiss the whole thing.

  Absently, she laid her arm over the armrest between her and Cable. He immediately laced his fingers through hers, his eyes intently on the screen. She tugged, but he wouldn't let go. She sighed and left her hand there. God knew that's where she wanted it to be.

  As for Darcy, Cable might not have seen her, but Brie knew for a fact that the woman hadn't given up. She'd called Brie every single day, asking for her help with various tasks for the decorating. Her manner was simpering and saccharine, but she always managed to say something about Cable. She'd made comments and asked questions that mocked Brie's relationship—or lack of one—and made implications about her own relationship with Cable. Brie knew they weren't true, but she also knew Darcy had a plan. She wanted Brie well and truly out of the way, then she'd move in with full aggression.

  But men didn't get that women would act that way. They were so easy to manipulate. Even if he knew what was happening, Brie was afraid eventually Cable would fall for Darcy's schemes. And he really deserved better. He was just as good a man as Jake was. What the hell was Darcy's problem with the Macgregors? Why did she always have to go after their men?

  And Cable was her man, dammit. She was such an idiot, letting her irrational fear keep her from being happy. Leaving Cable vulnerable to the wolf. He was worth fighting for, wasn't he? Of course he was. History wasn't going to repeat itself. If Darcy hadn't killed Jake, she wasn't going to kill Cable.

  Anger disappeared, replaced with elation. She relaxed and glanced at Cable. He was watching her. She squeezed his fingers and smiled. He smiled back.

  And just like that, they were back on.

  * * * *

  "You're freakin’ kidding me."

  Brianna tucked the phone between her ear and her shoulder and flipped through the folder of purchase orders on the table in front of her.

  "No, they're not supposed to be orange and yellow.” She flipped to the end and started over, going more slowly. “They're supposed to be white. Yes, all of them. Wait, here it is.” She scanned the order, holding her breath, until she found the color section. The “white” box had a big, dark X through it, while the orange and yellow boxes, two columns and three rows away, were completely empty. “Tell George he's nuts. We didn't make a mistake on the purchase order, and we've never had anything but white lights at the ball before. Yeah, I know. Thanks."

  She hung up and pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead. The holiday ball, a charity event held at the country club every year—every freakin' year—was two days away. She was supposed to have been working out with Cable this afternoon, but at three-thirty-two her phone started ringing. Country club staff who had been enlisted to receive and store the supplies and decorations had one problem after another and somehow Brie had ended up designated fire stomper.

  "Knock knock."

  "That works better when you don't open the door first,” Brie told her sister Sophie as she walked in the back door.

  "Actually, it works better in the summer. But it's fifteen degrees outside, so what can I say.” Sophie unbuttoned her long Berber coat and dropped it over a chair, then settled into the one next to Brie. “What's going on?"

  "Crises. One after another."

  Sophie pulled a few papers around to frown at them, then nodded. “Decorations committee, that's right. What could be going wrong with that? Most of the stuff is there already, isn't it?"

  Brie lifted her head. “Oh, no. Darcy's heading the committee this year, didn't you know? She had Visions. Things were going to be Different this year. Plus, the club had a water pipe burst and soak a lot of the staples.” She stood and grabbed the teakettle off the stove to fill at the sink. “When the plumbers went down to fix it, they knocked over the box of lights and ste
pped all over them. Now, George seems to think we're having a Halloween party. The kids at the club called to say the lights are orange and yellow."

  "Eww. Sounds like the charity won't be getting as much this year."

  "No, most of the stuff is donated or sponsored. But besides the lights, we have sixteen boxes of unicorn horns on headbands that should have gone to a rich girl's sixth birthday party in LA.” She flipped on the stove and retrieved two mugs. “She got our icicles and silver garland that were supposed to drape from the ceiling, creating a mystical ice palace.” She slammed the mugs on the table, then added the sugar bowl and teabag canister. “Oh, and the Christmas tree got knocked over, and all the needles fell off."

  Sophie opened the canister and shook out a teabag. “How did that happen?"

  "I guess the same geeks who tried to fool around behind it had forgotten to water it for two weeks. They actually had the gall to ask me to come help them clean up the needles. They keep clogging the vacuum cleaner."

  Sophie stared at her, her lips twitching. Brie glared, then gave in. They laughed, Brie's tinged with hysteria, until the kettle screamed. Sophie got up to retrieve it and pour the water.

  "How come you're dealing with all this crap tonight? Where's Darcy?"

  "A very convenient Realtor's convention in Boston. She won't be back until tomorrow. She wants me and Ken to oversee the actual decorating tomorrow."

  "Not you and Cable?” Her lips twitched again, but this time Brie didn't laugh.

  "Definitely not me and Cable."

  "I thought you two were back together?"

  Brie shrugged and blew on her tea. “We are. Darcy doesn't care. She's determined to keep us apart. I wouldn't be surprised if she orchestrated every one of these problems, just to keep me hopping."