“I understand,” Caitlyn said. “We don’t plan military functions too often, but it sounds like this will be more akin to a regular party?”
“That’s correct. We’re celebrating our twenty-fifth anniversary, but there will be lots of military officers there in attendance. And as I mentioned, we will have some federal agents, unless this situation suddenly blows over. They’re NCIS. It’s nothing to be concerned about, but my husband is an admiral, so sometimes extra security is used at events or when needed.”
Caitlyn handed the woman a steaming cup of coffee. Her own iced coffee was sitting on her desk. She took a sip of it as she sat down, and they spent the next hour going over the remaining details for the party. With only two weeks until the event, there wasn’t much time. Fortunately, the other planner had been organized and arranged for the biggest vendors. Harper had agreed to bake the cake, and Caitlyn would be overseeing the event itself so Evelyn and her husband could relax and visit with their guests. By the end of the afternoon, the details had all been nailed down.
She walked Evelyn to the door, saying goodbye to the federal agents as well. “I look forward to meeting Admiral Rice,” Caitlyn said. “And don’t worry; everything will be perfect for your anniversary party. Call me if you have any questions.”
“I’ll be sure to,” Evelyn said as the women said goodbye. “Thank you so much!”
Caitlyn went back to her desk, checking her emails and fielding a couple of other calls about events. She took down some information about a conference a restaurant group was planning in San Diego for the following year, making a note on her calendar. It was amazing how booked up she was getting. She’d have to look into hiring an assistant at this rate, but what a problem to have. She was thrilled to have more events than she could handle.
Standing up, she stretched. Even though her cast was off, her ankle was still a bit sore from time to time. She certainly wouldn’t be prancing around in stilettos anytime soon. Not that she wore those to events anyway. Running shoes would’ve been most helpful given the amount of hustling she typically did, but she did try to always look professional.
She should probably try to carve out some time and go to physical therapy to build her strength back up. Maybe they could give her some stretches and exercises so she didn’t lose any mobility in her ankle. She was relieved not to be hobbling on crutches anymore. The anniversary party would be her biggest event since getting her cast off and a true test of how she’d healed.
Looking over, she did a double take as she saw a man peering in the front window of her office. He had a full beard and was wearing dark clothes and dark sunglasses. With his broad shoulders and tall stature, he stood out more than most people might have. Her heart pounded as she realized she was totally alone in her office with the door unlocked. If she wasn’t expecting a client, she typically locked the front door for security. Customers walking by could always ring the bell, and she’d buzz them in.
But to have no more appointments today and a strange man watching her?
Fear crept down her spine.
The man saw her looking at him and quickly turned and walked away, darting around pedestrians as he rushed down the block.
Her pulse pounding and hands beginning to sweat, Caitlyn moved to the front door and locked it. It seemed strange there’d just been two federal agents here earlier and now a strange man who gave her the creeps. The other two men had been clean-cut, with short, buzzed haircuts. This man didn’t look military at all. And if he was with the others, he would’ve left when they did.
Looking out the window onto the busy street, she began to feel a bit silly. Of course, she was fine. It was the middle of the afternoon for crying out loud. Her office was in a safe area. It wasn’t like she was here early in the morning with all the stores and businesses around shut down. People walked down the block all the time.
Still, the man had given her a strange vibe. Why had he rushed away when he realized she’d seen him? A potential customer might want to come in or at least get a business card or something. This guy had practically taken off—almost like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t.
She went back to her desk, trying to concentrate on the tasks she needed to finish. It was a little silly to get worked up over nothing. Maybe he was lost or had to rush off for a meeting or something. Maybe his hurrying away had absolutely nothing to do with her.
Her cell phone buzzed, and she jumped, relieved to see Harper’s name on the screen.
“How’d it go with the admiral and his wife?” she asked.
“The wife came alone. Actually, not entirely alone. She had two NCIS agents with her, which was a little strange. They hovered by the doorway while we met and then all left together when we were done.”
“Huh. And I don’t suppose you name-dropped Troy to any of them?” Harper teased.
Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “Enough about Troy. We both know I probably won’t ever see him again. If this event goes well, maybe they’ll recommend me to some of their military friends. I need to worry about my business, not my nonexistent boyfriend.”
“He’s probably mad that you never called him. I know—I’ll come with you to the anniversary party. It’s in two weeks, right?”
“Come with me?”
“Yeah, to help you. Someone will have to deliver the cake anyway. And I’ll ask around and see what I can find out. There will be a lot of military guys there. Plus, their wives. Someone has to know who he is.”
“Harper,” Caitlyn said, growing exasperated. “If you come, we’ll be busy making sure everything runs smoothly, not gossiping with them.”
“I’m still coming,” Harper insisted. “What time are you finishing up today? My meeting ended early, and I’m taking off. I’ll be baking all day tomorrow. Want to meet up for drinks?”
“A drink sounds perfect,” Caitlyn admitted. “I’m feeling a bit frazzled at the moment.”
“I thought you just said the meeting went well.”
“It did. I just freaked out because a weird man was looking in my window. People walk by all the time, but I got a strange vibe.”
“Was he cute?”
“No, he wasn’t cute. It was creepy,” Caitlyn stressed. “He saw me looking at him and bolted. I’m sure it was nothing; it just freaked me out since I’m here all alone. But I’m juggling a ton of different things and could use a break.”
“Awesome. I’ll see you around six-ish then? Finish up whatever you’re doing, and hopefully I won’t hit too much traffic.”
Caitlyn finished making plans with Harper and then hung up the phone, her gaze landing on her to-do list. The anniversary party was the biggest event she had in the next month—and she was taking over where someone else left off. The yacht the party would be on sounded amazing, and she had to admit she was looking forward to seeing everything come together.
Despite herself, her heart fluttered in her chest. Maybe one of the officers at the event would know Troy, her mystery Navy SEAL from the beach. It seemed kind of far-fetched, because she knew there were multiple SEAL teams and more than likely, others who were directly involved in their command. But stranger things had happened. Someone there probably did know Troy and his friends.
She had a feeling something big was on the horizon. She might not know what, but one way or another, she felt like her life was about to change.
Chapter 6
Caitlyn tapped her foot impatiently as the caterers brought food aboard the yacht. They’d be preparing the main course in the kitchen, but some of the appetizers had already been made. They’d be chilled and then served along with cocktails when the guests arrived. She watched as cases of champagne and carts of food were brought on, mentally going over what else needed to be done.
“Nice boat!” Harper called out, wheeling a massive cake along the pier toward them. Two men in uniform were walking beside her, and Caitlyn tried not to laugh. Her best friend was in her element, surrounded by handsome military guys. And from
the way Harper had their complete and utter attention, they seemed fascinated with her as well.
“That looks amazing,” Caitlyn said, eyeing the white concoction. “And much bigger than what fifty people would need.”
She shrugged. “Ms. Rice wanted something extravagant. The buttercream frosting and raspberry filling are to die for. It’s popular with my wedding cakes, too, but she wanted something light yet decadent for their party.”
Caitlyn nodded at some of the wait staff that had been hired for the event. They rushed toward Harper and took the cart, wheeling the cake onboard. The two military men went back to their posts, watching the entire area.
“Those two were dreamy,” Harper said with a grin. Her dark hair was pulled back in a messy twist, and she had on snug black jeans, a trendy top, and denim jacket. Caitlyn felt almost frumpy compared to her best friend. She’d worn simple black slacks, flat shoes, and a lightweight blouse. She couldn’t exactly get away with a cute dress. She never knew what type of last-minute tricks she’d need to pull. Past events had her crawling under tables when cords were pulled from the outlet, helping to quickly clean up place settings off the floor, and worse. She needed functional clothes for events like this, and jeans wouldn’t exactly cut it.
“You and your military guys,” Caitlyn joked. “But seriously, the cake looks amazing. Dear God, I think I gained weight just looking at it.”
“Right—you who never gain an ounce. I’m tall and slender, but you’ve got the killer curves, girl. I think those guys were practically drooling over you.”
Caitlyn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. With her freckles and red hair, she was usually called cute, not sexy. Not that she needed to be ramping up the sex appeal at a work function. She had flat-ironed her red waves to tame them, but she didn’t exactly stand out at her best friend’s side.
“I’ve got so much to do before the party starts.”
“Well, I can help if you need something. I had a wedding cake to deliver this morning and then bridal shower cupcakes earlier. This is my last stop.”
“I thought you hired someone for deliveries,” Caitlyn said as the women walked aboard the boat. The catering and waitstaff were all rushing around, and the florist was setting up arrangements on the two-top tables aboard the deck. It was a gorgeous evening, and she couldn’t wait to see what Evelyn Rice and her husband thought. The original event planner hadn’t gotten to the smaller details like tablecloths, candles, and decorations, and Caitlyn hoped they’d think it was elegant and celebratory.
“I did,” Harper said, pausing to fix her hair in the slight breeze. “He bailed on me though. I had to fire the guy, so it looks like I’ll be needing a new delivery person.”
“Geez, that stinks. At least you made all your deliveries today.”
“Yep. I was planning to get started on some other things though, so I’ll be baking early tomorrow morning. Not exactly a relaxing Sunday, but….”
“The joys of owning your own business,” Caitlyn joked. The two women had commiserated many times before on what it was like starting from the ground up.
Harper caught sight of one of the military guys who’d escorted her down the pier and waved. “Too bad those guys are working,” she said. “That tall one was pretty cute.”
“You’re relentless,” Caitlyn teased. “Let the poor man do his job.”
“Who are those suits hanging around?” Harper asked, catching sight of a man and woman off to the side.
“NCIS agents, I think. It’s a little unusual, but Ms. Rice had two agents with her when they visited my office a couple of weeks ago, too. Apparently, there were some issues with security and the admiral.”
“Great. Hope no one crashes the party tonight.”
“Seriously. I think it’s just a precaution. Don’t all high-level military types have security? Or maybe that’s just high-level government officials? I don’t know. They can handle it, and I’ll handle the party. I’m not too concerned.”
“Man,” Harper said, grinning as a gentle breeze blew in off the water again. “At least you have a great night for it. I’d probably be seasick if I were stuck on a boat like this during a thunderstorm.”
“Yeah. Tomorrow is supposed to be bad, but tonight will be gorgeous.”
“Ms. Thomas! Ms. Thomas!” one of the waitstaff called out, rushing toward her. “We need to go get more champagne flutes. One of the caterers just knocked over the entire cart of them.”
“Oh good grief,” Caitlyn muttered. “The party starts in two hours.”
“Can I do anything?” Harper asked.
“Nope, I’ve got it covered. There’s enough staff to assist with getting the rest of the things set up, and I’m sure they’ll have someone drop off more stemware. Hopefully they don’t flake out like your delivery person, but one of them can go pick them up if need be.”
“All right. Text me if you need something,” Harper said, blowing her a kiss as she turned and left. Caitlyn watched her for a moment then followed the waiter across the yacht’s deck. She already had a feeling it was going to be a long night.
***
Troy tipped his longneck back and took a swig, his eyes roaming the bar, Salty Sunset, where he and his teammates were hanging out that Saturday night. It had been a while since just the guys had gone out. Too long. Not that he minded hanging out with his buddies and their women, but it was nice to have a guy’s night for a change.
Blake grinned as he took a seat beside him, setting his own beer bottle down on the table. “Damn. I forgot how crowded this place gets on Saturday nights.”
Ghost shook his head. “You serious? We used to hang out here every weekend.”
Blake lifted a shoulder. “Things change. How’s Hailey feeling these days?” Ghost’s fiancée was pregnant, and she’d just started having some awful bouts of morning sickness. Which apparently lasted all day. Troy felt bad for the woman. When the team had met up a week ago, she’d looked almost green, and she and Ghost had left early.
“Not great. She’s almost through the first trimester, so she’s hoping to feel better after that.”
“Damn. That’s rough. I know Clarissa’s been worried about her,” Blake said. He grabbed an onion ring from the basket the waitress had set on their table. They’d all ordered burgers, planning to feast on an unhealthy meal for a change. The team kept in good shape and generally tried not to overindulge, but a night out was cause for celebration.
“And we found a house,” Ghost said. “We’ll just be renting for a year, but we’ll have room for the baby. Things would’ve gotten too crowded in our apartment.”
“Are you still by the beach?” Troy asked.
Ghost shook his head. “Not within walking distance, which sucks. But we’re saving up for a down payment, so what can you do? It would’ve been a hell of a lot more expensive to rent right by the ocean. It worked for my apartment when I was single, but….”
“I hear ya,” Troy said. “Prime real estate is steep in this town.” Troy owned a townhouse and had encountered the same thing when he’d been looking at places. Homes by the beach were damn expensive. He made a good living as a Navy SEAL, but San Diego was an expensive town. He’d never afford a beachfront home on his own. Hell, probably not even if he got married. He didn’t mind driving down to the ocean though.
Briefly, he wondered where his redhead lived. Since she’d been working, it might not have even been anywhere near that beach. He’d taken to jogging on that same beach Sunday evenings on the off chance he’d run into her again. It hadn’t happened. Yet. One way or another he wanted to find her. He’d even looked up a few local wedding planners online, hoping to see her face splashed across the website. No such luck.
Troy watched as Logan came walking back over to their group with his arm wrapped around a woman’s shoulders. “Who’s your friend, Hurricane?” Ethan asked with a smirk. He tipped his beer back and took a long pull, eyeing Logan in amusement.
Logan chuckled. “We’re
taking off to go for a walk down by the water. Catch you guys later.”
“Damn, he moves quick,” Blake said as Logan left with the woman. “We haven’t even gotten our dinner yet.”
“Says the man who’s engaged and living with his fiancée,” Troy said. “Logan is single and on the prowl.”
“And he didn’t tell us her name. I’m guessing he didn’t know it,” Ethan said.
Troy’s phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket to see a message from his sister.
“Everything okay?” Blake asked.
“Yep. My sister. She’s just stressing about her final semester of college. Classes just started, and she graduates in May. She’s always been a straight-A student, so she’s basically worried about nothing.”
“And she’s studying on a Saturday night?” Jackson asked, taking a pull of his own beer. “That’s dedication. I have to admit, after I graduated high school, I was happy to be done with that part of my life.”
“Touché,” Troy said. “She’s the smart one in the family. I can’t say I was sad to leave school behind when I joined the Navy. I signed up after I graduated.”
“How come we haven’t met your sisters?” Jackson asked.
“They’re young. Brooklyn’s only twenty-two. When I first joined the teams, she was just a kid. I’ve been trying to convince her to move down this way after college. We’ll see. My youngest sister is still in high school.”
“Taryn’s going back to college,” Jackson said. “Online only. She wants to finish her degree in graphic design.”
“Good for her,” Ethan said. “I saw some of those websites she made when Kim and I were over at your place. They were pretty slick.”
SEAL's Promise (Alpha SEALs Coronado Book 5) Page 5
