In the beginning, we had an extremely comfortable relationship where I felt I was not losing myself. I was able to do my thing and he did his without the all the jealousy and drama. He said that was one of the main things that attracted him to me. He said I was an independent woman who did not want to be up his ass 24/7. I felt as if I had one person that actually trusted me. It didn’t seem to faze Evan that I lived with five guys, had a best friend that was a guy, and could wrestle all at once five strapping young men trying to steal a cheesecake I made for a faculty luncheon. Evan appeared to be such a gentleman. He held the door for me, he sent flowers to work, he told me I was the most beautiful women in the world, and he told me that I was the center of the universe…
Well I found out that he must have multiple universes because he was getting a well performed favor in his nether region by a girl that had lips so inflated that she looked like she had held the suction from a vacuum to them for days. She didn’t look surprised as I used my key to his apartment so that I could feed his Yorkie Poo? That should have been my first clue. A huge clue. What self respecting man has a Yorkie Poo? All the suction he must have been getting made his brain forget that he asked me to feed his dog because he was working late. Someone was working late and she had Hoover tattooed to her forehead. Let’s go back to Miss Hoover’s lack of surprise. I think it was physically impossible because she looked like she had so much Botox that there was no way that function could register. Nice! Evan tried running, pants on the ground, after me saying he loved me and that he had one moment of weakness.
You know what? No wonder he was grateful with his space. Things added up rather quickly. He didn’t mind me spending time with my friends because it gave him the opportunity to have a little flavor on the side. By the end, when I was with him he seemed a little more possessive, like he wanted to take a piss on me every time a guy walked by. Typical M.O. of a cheating guy. How did I miss that?
Damn it Grace, you need to put on your big girl panties and dry that leaking eye. It’s time to take back the reigns and steer this horse in a new direction. But where do I start? It would be so comfortable to move back to Virginia. Moving back would go against all that I am trying to accomplish. I know my mother and dad would welcome me back with open arms. The problem is I’ve just broken through a little of my sperm donor’s exterior. I need to stop calling him that. One day I am going to slip and we’ll be back to square one. He’s trying. I know, I know. I’m supposed to be an independent woman that doesn’t need the love and approval of any man but this is the man who helped create me.
Sam, aka sperm donor, has a new girlfriend who is about my age. She is petite like me, however her chest is stuffed like a turkey on Thanksgiving. Holy Moly, George! I think they could walk and talk by themselves. He seems happy. Hell anyone would when you have those suckers sticking in your face 24/7. I know. I’m being catty. We have dinner every couple of weeks though he’s made it known that he’s not father material. I can respect that to a certain degree, but when your willy comes out and wants to play, you have to know what the consequences could be: producing a human, that has a heart, who just wants to be loved. I believe that’s what it comes down to…love. Isn’t that what the world needs? Wasn’t that a song?
Acceptance and love is all I’ve ever wanted from Sam. Growing up all my interactions with my dad came in a form of a check. There was no note, no nothing. I never received a call on my birthday or any other holiday. It wasn’t until I moved to California and forced him to acknowledge me that I knew what his voice actually sounded like. Even though I have a wonderful stepdad, no one or nothing can take the place of your biological father. It still plays with my psyche that my own flesh and blood has always kept his distance. There have been many nights Nate has tried to analyze why my friends were mostly guys but I couldn’t keep a boyfriend. He thinks I have created a wall around my heart, protecting it from disappointment and hurt.
Going back to that new start, I begin making a list: 1) The town needs to be out of LA yet close enough for a good day trip. 2) I have to be able to find a good teaching job. 3) It has to be in area where I can explore the outdoors. 4) It has to feel like home. As I search through areas on my computer, one jumps out at me. San Clemente. The town is about sixty-six miles south of LA. I don’t want to estimate in time because traffic is traffic in Southern California. It’s close to a military base. As a little girl, I grew up living on a military base in North Carolina. Some people can’t handle the noise but I always found comfort hearing the blades of helicopters cutting through the air and artillery booming like thunder. In looking at schools in the area, it appears to have a noteworthy education system. Five stars on some sites I peruse. The high schools have top notch track and field teams, which maybe I can help coach. It appears the schools pay very well. One website touts on San Clemente’s exquisite beaches and others say it has an old town feel with all the new town upgrades. There are running, biking and hiking trails. Ding! Ding! Ding! I think we have a winner. Now I am off to find a job and a new home while seeking the life that I deserve.
Chapter Two
Jackson
“I don’t care if you puke up your last sperm, you need to get your ass into gear and start moving, Recruit! Momma’s boys! Is that all they’re recruiting? I could carry this piss ant from one end of this base to the other, in full battle gear, and not break a sweat. This is fucking ridiculous!”
Ben just smiles his charming smile at me. “Missing the fleet much?” he says sarcastically.
“You know what asshole, I know what we do is an ‘important part of the Corps,’ but man, what I wouldn’t give to hear the engines roar, to smell jet fuel while boarding the plane, feel the cold rush of air when the ramp opens, land jump out from twenty-seven thousand feet, and do twenty mile patrols. Now that’s what it is all about. How much longer do I have?”
“You don’t have the countdown clock ticking somewhere?” Ben chuckled then finally put his drill instructor hat back on and lowered to a deep baritone, speaking to the lowly recruit whispering to a fellow recruit. “This isn’t your grandmother’s picnic. Get your sorry ass down and give me fifty.”
Now that is getting down to business. That’s why I’m a Marine. It just sucks that ten years into my hard as nails career I was told I had to play drill instructor. At least I’m not stuck in an office promising my left nut to a scrawny teenage wanna be to make a recruiting quota. I think I would light my hair on fire and put it out with a sledge hammer!
Moving from the East Coast to the West Coast along with Ben a little over a year ago now has been challenging. Things move faster, things are more expensive, however the beauty is outstanding. The East Coast beaches have nothing on the beaches of San Diego. And the girls! Sweet Jesus! The girls! They bike in their bikinis, they roller blade in their bikinis, hell, they even run in their bikinis. I always wonder how they do it. Those bikini cups are not too supportive and those puppies run the risk of escaping. And these are not normal size puppies. I’m not complaining, but these puppies are the type that can cause some serious damage – like blackening eyes. With all the vanity around here you would think they would consider this and kennel them with a good running bra.
Our job as a Drill Instructor is very daunting. We have twelve weeks with a group of recruits and then once they graduate we have two weeks off until we get our next cycle. During our time with the recruits we alternate a twenty four hour shift and then alternate early mornings and late evenings. We have to be up before our recruits and hit the rack well after they do. It leaves us little down time.
Ben and I’ve known each other since our early days in Scout Sniper School. We just lucked out and got put in this hell together. People say that we could be brothers. We both have dark brown hair with a medium regulation cut and the same six foot three, one ninety-five frame. The only difference is that Ben has steel blue eyes that could cut you like a knife and mine are a coppery brown like my late father. A year ago, we decided to get a
place together when we got here. Gunnery Sergeant pay is shit, plus we forgo our dive and jump pay while we are here mucking it up with the maggots. The housing allowance makes up for some, but we are never home. Ben’s little brother, Adam, is living with us while he finishes school. That’s why when we chose a place to hang our hats we wanted a relaxing place to take advantage of when we can. Hence, we chose San Clemente. We found a condo with beach views that screams relaxation. I can walk out of our door to a road that leads to the most pristine beach that calls me out for an early morning run. When I get home, we have an awesome set up in our back patio that holds a stone fire pit that beckons me for a cold beer by a fire late at night. H-E-A-V-E-N, Heaven!
Relationships? Yea Right! I have a relationship – with a hundred pound yellow English Lab named Thor. Girls are too clingy, needy, high maintenance and to this Marine, untrustworthy. My last relationship ended with a red light on my front porch and fellow brother, aka Marine, banging her in my bed. Oh, and my dog was locked in the damn bathroom. Hmmm, I guess what you see on television about a Marine surprising their loved ones when they come back home from a deployment doesn’t sit well with everyone. I thought she could be the one. Lane had this rocking body. Her luscious curves had my mind spinning. Since she grew up around Marines she stated she understood the late nights and deployments. When we were together there was nothing but balls to the wall, her wall, fucking. She could do things in the sack that would make me blush. I was actually thinking about putting a ring on it. However, in the end, what presented itself as love, in all reality, was good ole’ fashion lust. All I can say is good riddance! Hell, with my schedule, I have no desire to do the relationship thing. In the end, they all end up leaving.
“Dude, where did you just go?” Ben whispered as he thumped my nose.
“Get your filthy paws off of me. I am about to rip off that twig of an arm and shove it down that dough boy recruit’s mouth right over there.”
Ben gave an incredible booming laugh. Being with Ben makes this more tolerable. We are three weeks out from graduation of this class. I plan on taking my two weeks off just to chill. I need to reconnect with my mutt. Thor is getting too cozy with Adam. I think he’s contemplating on trading me in since I’m never at home. Hell, he even growled at me last night when I came home. I know it was dark, but still, how could he forget the master of his universe?
Chapter Three
Grace
My own home! My own home with two spacious bedrooms and two and a half baths. Finally, something that smells like me, a scent of sugary sweet lemons, and not like sweaty smelly boys! My own home that oozes charm in every nook. When my realtor showed me this Tuscan style condominium complex that overlooked the Pacific, I was in love. As you walk in the front door, comfort surrounds you. The walls are covered in sandy beige that compliments the warm tones of the most exquisite antiqued bamboo flooring. Accent pieces of warm yellows and brick red bring everything together. The inviting and spacious floor plan of a living room/dining room/kitchen combination sends you mesmerized to the outdoor oasis.
French doors exit you out of the dining room to a flagstone patio surround by a lush garden filled with colors that brighten the depths of your soul. The garden houses massive banana palms, bright blooming hibiscus, and other tropical plants. Mixed within the colorful borders are trees filled with plump lemons and avocados ready to be devoured. The dinning pergola is climbing with vines of evergreen clematis that are producing the purist white bloom. A bonus is a stone fire pit that adds that extra “wow” factor. A mission style fence seals this relaxing oasis off from neighbors that surround and when needed, a gate accented with wrought iron that leads you down to the club and pool house.
Going back inside, a staircase leads upstairs to the two bedrooms. My favorite, of course, is the master bedroom. It is cloaked in a robin’s egg blue. The mission style queen bed, surrounded by warm, complimenting pieces, is the focal point of this haven. French doors open to a small patio that gives the most exquisite views of the beach in the short distance. I look forward to many of nights that will be spent right here with a glass of wine as I enjoy sunset over the water. The wall opposite of the bed is the entrance to the charming master bath. Two adequate closets line its entrance. The ivory, claw footed tub is nestled against a stain glass window that houses bright colors that compliment the warm beiges and gold of the surrounding walls and fixtures. Rich, spicy brown cabinetry ties everything together so perfectly. As I walk back into the bedroom, the alabaster sheers flow freely from the open windows. The salty air automatically surrounds my senses and immediately calms any worries that I may have about this new journey.
After unpacking for the past couple of days, I decide it is time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Reaching into my stainless steel refrigerator, I set out to pour a glass full of refreshing sweet tea with a little muddled mint. I step outside and the warmth of the sun envelopes me. On this early July afternoon, my iron leaf outdoor thermometer reads eighty degrees. There is a slight wind and the birds are singing the most delightful tune. Lounging back in one of my chaise loungers, I decide to devour the new mystery making its way to the bestsellers list. Before I know it, I am being awakened by my screeching cell phone. You have got to be kidding me.
“Damn it, Grace! I thought you would have waited until we got back? I needed to talk to you face to face. You get so emotional and make rash decisions. As I walked in the house I saw most of your furniture still there but when I came to find you, your clothes were gone. What the hell?”
“Nate, what world are you living in? For the past two months I’ve told you that I was moving. I showed you pictures of the condo I bought. I assured you that I was going to come up on the weekends to make sure that everything was okay at your house while you were gone. I gave you my new landline number. I took a selfie with me lounging by my new pool and sent it to you. I even gave you an I’m Moving card with my new address. Really? Oh and when was the last rash decision I made? Hmm, let me think. When I decided to come to LA with you and the guys? Right now is the perfect time. At the end of June, my contract was up for my teaching position and school was out for the summer. It was the prime opportunity for me to start clean. My principal was very supportive and was able to help me obtain a teaching position at the private high school where her daughter, Rory, teaches. When I started looking for a house, Sam was kind enough to help me. We were able to use this time to help solidify our bond just a little more. Nate, he even bought this house for me. He said that on my teacher’s salary he knew I could not afford what I deserved. He said that he knows it doesn’t come close to making up for lost time but he wants to try.”
“Now, how does this fit into your independence quest, Ms. Weatherly?” Nate spouted judgingly.
“That’s unfair. You think I just pouted my cute little lip while hugging Daddy’s neck as he swung me around and begged him to pay for this? Did you think that there were rainbows lining the sky and talking squirrels trotting in the background while we bonded over how he was going to do anything for his wittle gurl? Do you really think that little of me? I can’t believe you just went there. For your information, I told him no for weeks. I was approved for my own loan. Sam was relentless. Eventually, I explained to him that I would graciously accept his offer as long as he would allow me to pay the twenty percent that I had saved for the down payment towards the house.”
“Grace, do you really think –”
“Nathan, not now! Since you are home for a while, why don’t you plan on coming down and spending next weekend with me? You’ll fall in love with the area. We can go for morning hikes, lounge by the pool, or sunbathe at the beach in the afternoon. Maybe I’ll let you treat me to a nice relaxing dinner. There are all kinds of quaint restaurants that have live music on their patios overlooking the ocean. You’ve been on the road so much and I’m getting ready to start my new job in a few weeks, I think we deserve some time to sit back, drink a cold one and smell that salty air.”
/> “Speaking of live music, I’m thinking about booking a gig at a little surfer’s bar down the beach from you called Moon Doggies. My friend, Mike who is the owner, has been asking me to come down and check it out for some time. It will be you and me baby, acoustic style.”
“Controlling much? You know how I feel about performing. I can write a catchy tune but get all hot and sweaty when in front of a crowd,” already feeling the perspiration forming on my hands I wipe them on my jeans.
“Hot and sweaty is what draws the crowd, Gracie. Catchy tune? Do you know how much money you would make if I paid you for the royalties of the songs you’ve helped compose? Grace, when you get up on stage, the world stops. I always wished that you would break down and become one of us. The band’s music probably would skyrocket with your sultry voice and wicked moves. But Noooo, Ms. History teacher puts her hair up in a tight bun and becomes the fantasy of all young boys like in that song about being hot for teacher.”
“That’s just gross,” I gag. “Nate, I taught and still will be teaching at an all girls’ school. Haven’t you been listening to me for the past four years? Sometimes I believe you know nothing about who I am and who I’m striving to be. I will sing with you just this once. Send me the set list you have in mind and we’ll go over it when you come next Friday. Love ya lots!”
Seeking Me To Find You (Finding You Series Book 1) Page 2
