Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) (25 page)

I plopped down onto the
edge of the bed, looking over to the alarm clock seeing that it's only quarter
after seven as Chad tells his mom that he's okay. That we're okay. I had
started to wonder why she hadn't text me back earlier when Harlan and Kendall
had showed up at Chad's little confrontation with Duke. I can tell that she's
asking us to come over for dinner, Chad making a silly face at me as he leans
up against his dresser, raking his hand through his now loose hair. "Yeah
momma we'll be over in five," he smiled and then said that he loved her
and hung up, throwing the phone to the bed to bounce next to me.

"Pizza
night?," I ask giving him a smirk. He gives me a disappointed sigh and
nods, flopping down on the bed next to me, his hands behind his head. I lay my
head over his chest, his heart beat in my ears. "Lovin' later," I
whisper with a slight laugh, turning my head to look at him, seeing a grin on
his face.

"You betcha
babe," he says grabbing my face and crushing my lips to his, kissing me
hard and passionately. Releasing my face he throws me up and over his shoulder
smoothly, hauling me down the stairs like I weighed nothing more than a pillow,
a loud giggle running through me. Setting me down so that I can put some shoes
on, he yells over his shoulder at me "Right after we enjoy my momma's
homemade pizza, you better run your ass over here."

I just laugh, pulling my
boots on with a smile reaching my ears. "Well aren't you just a regular
Romeo," I shout after him and I can hear him laugh from the kitchen.

He thought I was joking.
But to me, Chadwick Payne truly was my real life, honest to goodness Romeo.

January 29, 2012

I rarely ever went to
church except for holidays, but when Dana had asked Chad and I last night as we
sat at her dining room table enjoying her homemade pizza, we had agreed. It was
only ten after nine and the pastor was wrapping up his service. I felt at ease
sitting next to her on the pew, holding Chad's hand as he sat next to me.

"One last
thing," Pastor Williams said, his eyes flowing over the hundred or so
people and settling on us, "we have a hometown hero in our presence today
and his momma tol' me that he's shippin' out tomorrow mornin'. So if we would
all bow our heads, I'll issue a prayer for Chadwick Payne's safe return home,
alongside all of his brothers."

I bowed my head along
with everyone else, but in my eyes there were slight tears. The pastor issued
the normal 'Dear Lord', followed by a lengthy prayer for Chad's safety.
"May he come home safe and soon, and may You watch over his love, Rhea
Griggs,"
Wait, what?
I thought, "You know as we do that she's
been through a lot the last few years. If You could keep an eye on her and lift
her heart to You I know she'll find peace enough to survive their time
apart."

Everyone issued a
resounding 'Amen', the pastor issuing a happy 'See you next Sunday' before he
descended the pulpit, walking down the aisle to open the doors and greet
everyone as we walk out the door. Talk about being thrown into the fire. My
face burned with a blush that crept up my neck.

I was still a little
shocked by the mention of my name in the prayer when Dana's hand came to my
knee, shocking me from my thoughts. "I told him to include you hun,"
she smiled, standing slowly, "I hope you don't mind." I look over at
Chad and he had a sly smile on his face, squeezing my fingers and bringing them
to his lips, placing a light kiss on the tips.

"No," I say
shaking my head and giving her a one armed hug as I get to my feet, "Thank
you," I whisper. We follow the stream of people leaving their pews,
walking from the warm church into the slightly chilly morning. Chad shakes the
pastor's hand, thanking him for the prayer. I know he has to start to pack.
We're leaving to go to Reno and Rosa's house to stay the night around six, so I
nudge him towards the truck, wrapping my arm around his bent elbow.

He seemed to sense my
slight sadness and he pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arms around my
shoulders and resting his cheek on the top of my head. I closed my eyes and
enjoyed the moment, breathing in his clean scent. "Alright you two, you're
drawing spectators," Dana not so much whispered to us, hopping in the
truck. She was right and as I look around, a lot of eyes are on us, shying away
as we part ways. That's okay, let them look. Let them see the love I have for
this man and the love he has for me.

Our truck ride back home
was semi quiet as I snuggled up to Chad's side, my head on his shoulder as Dana
chatted away about how nice the service was and what she was making for lunch.
I couldn't help but giggle at her, getting excited over lunch but I know she's
just happy to be cooking for her son. Just then, as Chad turned onto our
street, I had an emotional breakthrough.

She was going to miss
him just as much as I was, more so even. This was her only child, her only son
and her only family left except for a sister and nephews in Ohio. This was her
baby, the life she had brought into this world and it crushed my heart thinking
of the pain it must bring her to have him leave. How could I have been so
selfish over the last week, not one time thinking about how this was going to
affect her.

The tears found my eyes
again and I reach out and hug Dana, pulling her into me just as Chad pulls into
the garage. I hugged her tight, hearing her at a loss for words at my sudden
embrace and I closed my eyes letting a few tears slip down my cheeks.

"Oh hun, what's,
what's wrong," I can hear her say, pushing me back with her hands on my
shoulders and I wipe at the tears, scraping them away as I see a shadow of
understanding pass through her eyes. She hugged me tight, forcing the air from
my lungs as she told me that it would all be okay.

I hadn't even noticed
Chad get out of the truck or go in the house, but Dana just smiled, pulling me
from the truck as we both wipe at our tears. "Tell him I'll call when
lunch is done," she said, kissing my cheek and I nod, watching her turn
and head for the open garage door.

"Dana," I say,
watching her twirl around and face me, a sweet smile that reminds me of my mom
on her lips, "Thanks for everything, now and in the future." She
tilts her head and I see the tears trying to fall from her eyes, her smile
reaching her ears as she nods and turns, leaving me in the garage to gather
myself.

After taking more than a
handful of deep breaths in, I wipe my face with the back of my hand, looking in
the side passenger mirror to make sure my hair isn't crazy, I go into our
house.
Our house
, just the sentence makes me stop, my eyes closed,
taking another deep breath and taking in all the scents that had become
familiar to me.

The unmistakable odor of
grease and WD-40 coming from the garage where Chad spends hours tuning his
Harley. The slight musty smell of the small mud room. Chad's old leather cowboy
boots that I smile as I walk past, thinking of how good he looks in them.

Entering the kitchen, I
don't see Chad and I shed my sweatshirt to go in search of my hunk of a man.
The living room smells like cinnamon, my favorite brand of candle sitting on
the coffee table, obviously lit by Chad as he passed through only minutes ago.
I kick my shoes off by the stairs, making my way up and I can see Chad standing
near his dresser as I get to the top. He's packing.
Oh man
, I think
feeling the knot in my chest tightening and growing already.

His large green bag was
on the bed and his back was to me as I leaned on the doorframe, letting my head
rest on the wood as I just stare at him. My heart belonged to him, there was no
denying it. If someone opened my chest up I would bet a million dollars that
they would find "I belong to Chad" tattooed on it, with a chain and
lock wrapped around it.

I hope that he'll get a
better view of my love for him from the letter and picture I had tucked away
for him in my purse, all set and ready to slip into his pocket right before he
leaves. I had wrapped the legal paper around the picture to keep it hidden from
my eyes because it made me cry every time I looked at it. It was just a regular
four by six taken the day of my junior prom, Randy on one side and Chad on the
other, both dressed in their Navy dress uniforms. I giggle to myself now,
recalling how they had both pushed my date out of the way to have my mom snap
the picture and my date had barely talked to me the rest of the night.

My giggle pulls his eyes
to me and I see the pain hidden behind them. I run to him, wrapping my arms
around his neck and hugging him tight, burying my face in his neck. His arms
squeezed my waist as I felt his lips on the crook of my neck, his breath hot on
my skin. "I'm never,
ever,
leaving you again after this," he
breathed against my hair as his lips traced my cheek, moving to the tip of my
nose, his blue eyes locking onto mine.

I just give him a sweet
smile, lightly kissing him as I move my hands to his scruffy cheeks. "And
that's what will keep me content," I whisper, kissing him again,
"knowing you'll be all mine when you're home." I laid my cheek
against his chest, my eyes spying his desert camo uniform laid out on the bed, his
tan combat boots on the floor and it took my breath away for a second. I hugged
him tighter, feeling his hands move up and down my back.

"Baby," he
almost whispered, pulling my face to peer up at him, "I have something for
you." He released me to dig in his canvas bag and my heart jumped to a
rapid beat, pulsing in my ears as he turned back around. In his hand was that
all too familiar little black box every girl dreams of. To my amazement he
slowly got down on one knee, taking my left hand in his and I couldn't help but
let the tears roll out.

"Rhea Noel
Griggs," he started and I had to fan my face with my free hand because of
the heat that rolled through me, "will you make me the happiest man in the
world and marry me?"

"Oh my God," I
choked out as he flipped open the lid of that little black box. The single,
teardrop cut little diamond sparkled up at me in the bedroom lights. His hand
massaged into my ring finger as if to bring me back to life as I looked at him.
His eyes were overflowing with love, rimming with moisture and I knew in that
second that this man would keep every promise he would make to me.

"Yes," I
breathe out, releasing a happy sob, "yes I will." The tears picked up
their pace as he slid the slim silver band over my finger, fitting perfectly. I
bent over, grabbing his face with both hands and claiming his lips with mine.
With his hands on my hips, Chad pulled me to kneel on the carpet in front of
him, his lips still moving with mine.

We were a little late
for lunch, pulling our clothes on about ten minutes after Dana had text Chad,
being too wrapped up in one another to let go at the time. I admired the ring
Chad had given me in the sunlight as we walked in the slightly chilly air to
his mother's house, the smell of roasted chicken hitting us before we were even
ten yards from our door. The ring was simple yet breathtaking. It was
everything I had always dreamed of, especially since it was from him.

"I love you,"
I say to him as we walk up Dana's steps, my head on his shoulder.

"And I love you
baby," he kissed my forehead as he pushed the door open, swatting my butt
as he ushered me in. I was beaming with a smile that I think will make my
cheeks fall off as we stumble into the kitchen, his arms wrapped around my
waist as Dana throws up her hands.

"It's about time
you two," she raises an eyebrow, waving her wooden spoon in each of our
faces. Chad gives her that killer smirk, grabbing the spoon and licking it in a
dramatic display making Dana swat him in the arm. "Get your butt over
there and set the table while Rhea helps me," she pushed dishes into his
hands and shoved him away, Chad winking at me before he vanished around the
corner.

"Sorry we're
late," I say stirring a pot of gravy with my right hand, keeping my left
hand in my jeans pocket, "we got carried away."

"No need to explain
hun," Dana smiled giving me a sidelong glance, "I was young and in
love once too, remember." She grinned and I couldn't help but smile.
"Can you get me the bottle of honey from the pantry," she asked and I
saw my opportunity. Getting the honey bear from the revolving pantry, I put it
in my left hand, holding it out to Dana turning the ring up so she wouldn't
miss it.

"Thank you
hun," she said without turning she reached out for the small plastic
container. Her fingers run over my hand. When they passed over the ring, I saw
the expression on her face change as she watched the potatoes boil, her
eyebrows rising and her face turning to lock onto my hand. "Oh my,"
she whispered, forgetting about the honey and grasping my fingers, bringing
them within inches from her face, "is that a…?"

The smile I had was
edged with happy tears as she finally looked at me, her soft blue eyes watering
slowly as well as she wrapped her arms around me. She patted my back, pushing
me back by my shoulders to kiss my cheek and whisper, "It's about time
that boy got some sense," before stomping around into the dining room, her
voice booming through the house. "Chadwick Payne," I heard her say,
"I'm so glad you wised up and put a ring on that girl's finger."