The SEAL’s Surprise Baby by Leslie North

17

Violet struggled up out of nightmares when her phone’s alarm went off. Nate would be waking any minute for his morning feeding. If she got out of bed that instant, she could at least brush her teeth before going to him. Instead, she remained under the covers. Clean teeth weren’t enough motivation to make her move yet. It had taken her hours to get to even a fitful sleep. She’d replayed her conversation with Anderson a hundred times in her head.

On the one hand, she was proud of what she’d managed to say. She’d laid it on the line, and that had felt good… in a way. Anderson’s absolute unwillingness to even consider staying with her and Nate, though, left her with a crushing sensation in her chest. Once, during the night, she’d heard him come upstairs, and she’d had a fleeting hope he’d come to her, but he passed her room and went to Nate’s. She’d watched the clock. Anderson had stayed in the boy’s room for precisely ten minutes before she heard his footsteps going back down the stairs.

In the morning quiet, she listened for any movement from downstairs, but it was absolutely still. As far as she knew, he had already left. She could imagine him staying up throughout the night and making the arrangements. It would all be very neat and tidy, perfectly orchestrated, but the outcome would be that he was leaving her, leaving them.

Maybe he was simply out on a patrol of the neighborhood. He seemed to think it necessary to do that, even if this wasn’t the most exciting place. Other days, he’d returned from his early-morning reconnaissance missions and told her funny stories. A man on the next street let his dog out in the yard and stood buck naked in the window waiting for the animal to come back in. A jogger who flailed like a windmill when she ran had nearly plowed Anderson over on a different morning.

She winced, recalling the domestic scenes in the kitchen while they made breakfast and planned their days. It had seemed so real to her, but if what he’d said the night before was true, he’d simply been doing a job.

Her phone screen glowed with a message. She scrambled for it, wanting it to be Anderson, but it was her mom.

Just checking on you and Nate. Love you.

Violet could have sent a message back, but the thought of hearing her mom’s voice was too great a temptation—and besides, she should tell her mom that they were safe. She hit the call button.

“Good morning, sweetie,” her mom said immediately.

“Hi, Mom. I wanted to let you know that Nate and I’ll be going home soon, probably today. The situation is over, and we’re fine.” She didn’t give the details of the home invasion. No need to worry her mom now that it was over.

“I’m so relieved to hear that. Would you mind if I come for a visit soon?”

“Not at all. Nate and I would love to see you.” The thought of some time with her mom made Violet feel marginally better.

“Are you going home alone?” Her mother’s voice softened.

“Looks like it. Anderson’s not interested in being a father.” There, she’d made herself say that.

“His loss.” Her mom’s reply made her smile a little. “But yours and Nate’s, too. I’m sorry, sweetie.”

“Me, too. I had hoped… Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. My analysis, you know. Oh, Mom, I wanted to be wrong about him. And I’ve made another terrible— Just a second.” She thought she heard a sound, so she paused and listened for Nate. When it wasn’t repeated, she went on and told her mother about her conversation with Anderson the night before. “I told him I loved him and wanted a life with him, and he said that he had nothing to give. I took a giant risk and… miscalculated.”

For someone who analyzed risk and made projections for a living, she hadn’t seen her situation with Anderson very clearly.

“Maybe when he’s away from you and Nate, he’ll realize what he’s missing,” her mother suggested.

“I suppose that’s possible,” she said, but Anderson would be on a mission within the month and all his attention would be focused on the job. Would he even spare a thought for them?

A door downstairs opened and closed. He must be back from his neighborhood patrol. She should go face him and get it over with, since Nate was still quiet. “I’ve got to go, Mom. I’ll call you later.”

“Take care, and give Nate a kiss for me,” her mom said.

“I will. Bye.” Violet hung up, got out of bed, and wrapped a robe around herself. She took a second to peek at Nate, but he was still sound asleep, so she closed his door and went down the steps.

When she reached the bottom, a heavy hand clamped over her mouth and her back was forced against a large body. She reacted immediately to break his hold. She slammed her head back, hoping to catch him in the nose, but he was so large her head only made contact with his shoulder. Next, she stomped her heel down on his foot, but she was barefoot, and he was wearing boots. With a malicious chuckle, the man lifted her from the floor, proving his strength.

“Stop struggling, or I’ll have to hurt you,” a voice with a thick Russian accent said in her ear. “And I don’t want to do that… yet.” He pulled her back against him even more tightly, and she knew no defensive moves or screaming would help her. She could only pray that Nate wouldn’t wake up.

* * *

It was barely light out when Anderson left the house. He needed to move to process the thoughts in his head. The conversation with Violet the night before had been brutal and raw, and he had no idea how to react other than what he’d said to her. He’d given her and Nate what he could, and he had nothing more in him. He was sure of that.

But, Jesus, she’d shocked him to his core with her declaration of love. He’d been too stunned to move, pinned down with an emotion he couldn’t name. All he could think to do was extract himself. And he would do that later today. He’d make sure she and Nate had a clear way back to her house. Hell, he’d buy her a new car himself. He wanted them to be safe. He just couldn’t be with them.

As he turned the first corner, he forced himself to focus on his patrol. He'd been careful not to walk the same pattern each morning, but he always accomplished the same goal. He started close to the safe house, checking the streets, and moved outward in a widening circle. He’d been attuned to black SUVs over the past days, but out of habit he looked for anything unusual.

Well… anything unusual for a neighborhood with some definite quirks.

Despite the turbulent night he’d spent, he couldn’t forget what Violet had said while they ate dinner. At first, he’d dismissed her concern that the takedown had been too easy, but the more he thought about it, the more he wondered if she was right. She was a hell of an analyst—he knew that from experience. So he’d stay on his guard. Before he sent her and Nate home, he needed to be sure there was no lingering threat against them.

“Good morning, Anderson,” Kelly called from across the street. She and Evie were out for their morning powerwalk. He encountered them nearly every day as they made a circuit of the neighborhood. “You had some excitement at your house.”

Both women crossed the street to intercept him. He wanted to run for it, but he held his ground. “We did, but it’s all fine now.” He gave them an easy smile to suggest his words were true.

“We were worried when the police pulled up,” Kelly said. “Nothing like that ever happens in this neighborhood.”

“I guess the guy had left something hidden in the house when it sat empty, and he came back to retrieve it. We surprised him as much as he surprised us.” Anderson had prepared the explanation in advance, just in case.

“What had he left?” Evie asked.

“The police didn’t tell us, but I’m guessing it was something illegal.” He figured that was a believable comment.

“I’m glad you were there and Violet wasn’t home alone,” Kelly said with a shiver. “How is she? Better?”

“All recovered,” he said, feeling genuine relief. He worried about Violet. A lot.

“That’s good. I’m making lasagna tonight. How about if I make an extra for you and Violet?” Evie was smiling at him, expecting him to accept.

“Thanks, but that’s not necessary,” he said, not even sure they would be in the house by evening.

“Are you sure? Being a new mom can be so tough,” Evie said. “My daughter had her first baby last year. Her husband is great and all, but she still struggled.”

Was Violet struggling? She’d admitted that she’d had some tough moments with Nate, but what did these women see that he hadn’t?

“And being sick on top of that,” Kelly added, “makes it so hard.”

He blinked at the women, realizing that they genuinely cared. He’d been annoyed at their nosiness, but they seemed to have a real interest in him, Violet, and Nate. He wasn’t used to such neighborly behavior, and it still surprised him.

“It’s been rough at times,” he agreed, “but I guess that’s normal, right?” They both smiled at him.

“Maybe you should take her a little treat today,” Kelly suggested. “I wish I’d baked some muffins.”

“You know, there’s that new bakery just up around the corner,” Evie said, pointing in the direction that Anderson had been headed. “The bagels are delicious, and the pastries are divine. I’ll bet she’d love something from there. Okay, we better keep walking. Oh, and Anderson, pick up some extra bagels and keep them in the freezer. A frozen bagel is great for a teething baby to chew on. Grandma trick.”

“Thanks,” he called after them, annoyed with himself for not having noticed what they had. He’d known Nate was cutting teeth, but while he’d been aware of the drooling and crankiness, he hadn’t bothered to look for a solution. Why not? That’s what he’d have done in any other situation.

And Violet. He started walking. He’d get bagels, make a pot of coffee, and have a conversation with her and say… what would he say? His feet slowed.

He’d say that he appreciated everything she was doing for their son. All right, that was a start, but was that it? Was that all he felt for her? Gratitude?

He imagined going back to his house by himself, and he didn’t like how it felt. It seemed lonely, empty. He’d enjoyed living by himself. It proved that he had the means to own a decent home bought through his own hard work. But what if he could have more? What if he could help Violet make a life for their son?

He'd offered her financial support, but that was the easy way out. She needed more from him. She needed emotional support. She needed someone to be there at three in the morning when Nate was fussy. He thought about how he’d stood next to Nate’s crib in the night, just watching the baby sleep. It had given him a sense of peace, knowing his son was safe. But he’d also felt a terrible sense of loss, since soon Nate wouldn’t be his anymore.

And the temptation to crawl into bed next to Violet had almost overwhelmed him. He’d had to force his feet to pass her door. He’d wanted to make love to her… because he loved her. The force of his feelings made him stop in the middle of the sidewalk. He looked around at the nearby houses with their perfect lawns. It was an odd place to realize he’d fallen in love with Violet, but better there than not at all. And he wasn’t going to deny it to himself or to her.

He had to tell her. He had to apologize and hope she loved him enough to take a chance on him. As a partner and father, he wasn’t going to be perfect. Far from it, probably. But, dammit, he’d be there for his family.

He hurried on, reaching the bakery just as it opened for the morning.