SEAL the Deal(94)

Edith shook her head slowly. “Then I feel badly for them. Life should be a journey, not a destination. Because otherwise, you’ll discover we’re all pretty much going to end up in the same place.” She suddenly laughed. “You should have at least learned that much crashing funerals, my dear.”

“Life is a journey,” Lacey found herself repeating. She smiled as she saw the heron dip his head into the water and raise it again, a hefty fish in his long beak.

Could it really be as simple as that?





CHAPTER THIRTY




Bess eased herself into one of the soft leather chairs at The Buzz, her senses absorbing the lovely aroma of coffee beans. She looked at her tea steeping in front of her, and rubbed her belly. Thirty-seven weeks as of yesterday. Less than three weeks to go. Soon, she’d sit here with her baby girl and sip a cup of coffee.

“Mmm,” she murmured quietly at the idea. How she missed high-octane coffee.

It was a slow day at The Buzz. With Spring Break underway, the usual crowd of midshipmen and local college students was replaced by a smattering of tourists.

She smiled a little. It was good to be alone. Much as she loved Maeve and Lacey, they hovered over her like a couple of mother hens since her stay in the hospital. It was endearing. Kind. Thoughtful. And a huge pain in the ass.

But today, Maeve had taken Lacey on a day trip down to Solomon’s Island to get her mind off of Mick. She hoped some time away from Annapolis and a little shopping in the island’s quaint local galleries might perk up Lacey’s spirits.

Bess couldn’t believe Mick hadn’t called her yet. But then again, Lacey hadn’t called him either. They were at a stalemate.

A young couple entered the coffee shop, eyes filled with energetic laughter. Bess quickly slouched in her chair, recognizing the man as the visiting West Point cadet Mick had introduced her to months ago at the Chapel. She definitely didn’t want to be recognized right now, with her huge belly and swollen ankles.

She watched him order for them both and pay. “To go,” she heard him say. Thank God, she thought. They’d leave without seeing her.

Raising her tea to her lips, Bess casually gave the woman with him a quick appraisal. She was beautiful, of course. Perfect blonde hair and a trim little waist that had Bess longing for her own.

Bess wanted to hate her. She really, really did.

The cadet—she couldn’t remember his name—turned around to peruse the place. His eyes landed briefly on Bess and continued on. She breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned back to the counter, and then glanced at Bess again, recollection in his eyes. After saying something to the woman with him, he headed in Bess’s direction.

“Commander Riley’s friend, right?”

Bess looked up and tried to act surprised. “Yes. Bess Foster.”

He reached out his hand. “Tyler Griffin, Mrs. Foster. I met you a few months ago.”

“Yes, I remember. And please, call me Bess,” she said, unable to confess that she was the furthest thing from a Mrs.

“How are you?”

“Fine. Closing in on the big day, as you can tell,” she said, self-consciously patting her belly. “Thirty-seven weeks as of yesterday.”

“You must be excited.”

“That’s one word for it,” Bess said, forcing a laugh. “So what are you doing back in Annapolis? I thought you were only here for a semester.”

“It’s Spring Break. I came down to visit my girlfriend. She’s a student at St. John’s College. We met when I was down last fall.” He gave a nod in the direction of the blonde across the room pouring creamer into her coffee.

“That’s nice.”

“She’s going to law school at Georgetown after she graduates this year. She’s scary-smart,” he said, pride filling his eyes.

Too smart to get herself knocked up by an abusive boyfriend, Bess thought dismally as his girlfriend joined them, a bag of scones in her perfectly manicured hands.

“Bess, this is my girlfriend, Bridget Needham. Bridge, this is Bess. She’s a friend of Lieutenant Commander Riley.”

“The one who gave you those contacts at the Rangers, right? Nice to meet you.”

“That’s the one.” Tyler turned his attention to Bess again. “I don’t imagine you’ve had any word from him yet?”

Bess’s eyes widened. Had news of Lacey and Mick’s argument actually spread through two branches of the military? They must be hard-up for gossip. “Um, no. We haven’t heard from him since last week.”

“His girlfriend must be concerned.”

Okay. This was getting weird. “Concerned about what exactly?”