First Class Hero (First Class Novels) Read online

  He found a bench and sat looking out over the water and the docked naval ships. Nic was the first woman who had piqued his interest in a very long time. The last time he had felt this way he’d almost gotten married, but Amy didn’t want to be married to a Seal. She’d wanted him to leave the Navy and at the time, seven years ago, he couldn’t have imagined doing that so he had chosen his career over her. In the end, he’d realized that despite the way it had ended, it hadn’t really been about his job. They weren’t right for each other and it had worked out for the best, for both of them. Amy had married a doctor and was living the dream in San Diego. He had seen her a few times since and they had been able to remain friendly. He was glad she was happy and the last time he had seen her, she was pregnant with her second child. He was actually a bit envious. Amy had asked him if there was anyone special in his life, a question he didn’t like the answer to. Maybe that had been the catalyst for his soul searching now.

  With the exception of David, all Paul’s brothers had known exactly what they wanted to do with their lives from the moment they had left college, Paul included. All his brothers were happy and satisfied with their choices, as Paul had been until recently. But none of his brothers were in the military. His youngest brother, Tim, was a New York City Firefighter, and while dangerous, wasn’t quite the same as being a Navy Seal.

  After walking a little more, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contact list. He found April’s name and pushed the ‘call’ button. She answered on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi April. This is Paul Lathem. My brother Tim met you on the cruise we were on a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Oh, hi. Yeah I remember you. You’re the Navy guy, right?”

  “Yup, that’s me. Hey I was wondering if you could give me Nic’s number. I’m in Norfolk for a few days and thought I’d give her a call.”

  “Sure thing,” April replied. “I’ll text it to you.”

  “Great, thanks.”

  “How do you have my number and not hers?”

  “I got yours from Tim. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, not at all,” April purred. “You know, if Nic isn’t interested, give me a call.”

  “Thanks, April. I’ll wait for your text.”

  Paul hung up and shuddered. He certainly wasn’t interested in April and if he didn’t have to see her again that would suit him just fine.

  As promised, within just a couple of seconds, Nic’s phone number appeared on his cell phone and he took a deep breath and called her. She didn’t answer…it went to voice mail.

  “Hi Nic. This is Paul Lathem. I met you on the cruise a couple of weeks ago and I am in Norfolk visiting a good friend and wondered if you would like to have coffee or something while I’m here. Give me a call. I’m in town ‘til next Thursday. Bye.”

  Paul put his phone in his pocket and walked back in the direction he came. Now he waited.

  *****

  Nic stood in the bathroom and finished straightening her hair. The better she looked, the better her tips were.

  “May as well be pole dancing,” she muttered to her reflection.

  “Oh come on!” replied Evelyn. “You’re a waitress for heaven’s sake. It’s an honorable profession. Not everyone has the opportunity to be college educated, you know. This may be a low class job for you, but for some of us it’s a decent way to make a living.”

  “I’m sorry,” Nic replied, her contrition obvious. “I know it is. I’m just feeling sorry for myself.”

  “It’s okay,” grinned Evelyn. “Undo another button,” she giggled as she opened up Nic’s shirt to show more cleavage. “It’s Friday!”

  “Ugh!”

  “Big boobs, big tips, and maybe a date or two,” Evelyn clapped.

  “No thanks,” Nic shook her head. “I need the tips but I won’t be finding a date at Hank’s. Nothing but Navy men and I’m not dating one of them!”

  *****

  Ed and Paul sat outside watching Ed’s two young girls dance on the grass. Mariah was bringing dinner out to the patio table.

  “Can I help?” Paul asked as she placed a big bowl of salad down.

  “Nah, I’m fine. Relax, you’re on vacation.” She wandered back into the kitchen.

  “The team is having a barbecue on Sunday. It’s a family thing…kids and everything. You should come. Phil and Chris will be there,” Ed stated.

  “Yeah,” Paul nodded. “It would be great to see them.”

  Mariah was back with the rest of the food and Ed called the girls so they could eat dinner.

  “This is nice,” Mariah smiled. “Just like old times.”

  When Paul was on Ed’s team they were based in Coronado, and when not deployed somewhere, many weekends would be spent at Ed and Mariah’s apartment, grilling steaks and watching a ball game. The good ol’ days, he thought.

  The girls chatted all the way through dinner. They reminded him of his niece Ella. She was probably about the same age as Chloe. He smiled as he listened to her rattle off incomprehensible words as she ate her beans.

  “They’re a handful,” Mariah smiled at Paul, watching him watch Chloe. “But very worth it.”

  “Would you have had kids if Ed had remained active? Going off on missions all the time?”

  Mariah took a deep breath and Paul saw the look she gave Ed, who smiled and nodded. She put her knife and fork down and wiped her mouth with her napkin.

  “We hadn’t planned to have kids while he was…well,” she paused and looked at her daughters. “While it wasn’t always certain he would make it home. But Ava wanted to come so things happen,” she shrugged.

  “Are you talking about me?” Ava asked.

  “We sure are pumpkin,” Ed grinned at his daughter.

  Ava giggled and continued eating her hotdog.

  “But when I found out we were going to have a baby it just reinforced the idea to go to BUDS. It all worked out really well,” Ed added.

  “And you don’t mind his deployments now with three kids?” Paul asked, genuinely curious.

  “I know he’s coming home now. That’s a huge difference; a game-changer for sure.”

  They finished eating and Paul helped clean up the dishes while Ed began the evening ritual of bathing the girls.

  “Look,” Mariah said as Paul handed her a plate to put into the dishwasher, “I get the feeling you are trying to make a decision here and I don’t want to speak out of turn or anything…”

  “Please speak,” Paul grinned. “Any advice you can offer is welcomed.”

  Mariah smiled and patted his arm. “Decide what’s most important to you and then go for it. Everything else will fall into place.”

  “I wish it was that easy,” Paul sighed.

  “You’ll figure it out.”

  *****

  Nic listened to the message on her phone for a second time. She was bewildered why Paul would call her. She had not encouraged him at all when she’d met him on vacation. Of that she was sure. Yet, he wanted to see her.

  Paul was nice to look at. Nic would never be able to deny that. And he was polite, a real gentlemen. But regardless of that he was in the Navy and Nic had no desire to go there.

  But he’d come all the way to Virginia. Just to see her? Nic didn’t know. He had been nothing but kind so she couldn’t be rude. She called him back.

  “Hello?”

  “Good morning Paul. It’s Nic.”

  “Hi. I wasn’t sure you’d call.”

  Nic grinned. “I wasn’t either. I was at work yesterday when you called.”

  “No problem,” Paul replied. “I was wondering if you’d like to meet for coffee. This afternoon maybe?”

  There was a pause. “Ok. Coffee would be fine, I suppose.”

  “Where would be a good place?”

  Nic told him of a café she liked and she set the time for three o’clock. That way she would have an excuse to leave because she had to go to work.

  “S
ee you then.” Paul hung up and smiled.

  “Good news?” asked Mariah.

  “I have a date.”

  “Really?” she grinned. “Good for you.”

  “We’ll see.”

  *****

  Nic walked into the small café and saw Paul immediately. He stood the second she stepped inside the door. He was dressed in jeans and button-up pale blue shirt with pink pinstripes. The sleeves were rolled up and the top two buttons were undone at the collar. He wore flip-flops on his feet and Nic could not deny he was probably the sexiest man she had ever seen. She had thought that when she met him a few weeks earlier but under the circumstances she would never have allowed herself to admit it. By the time she met Paul her only goal was to make it through the rest of the cruise without killing April, who had ruined what could have been a fun vacation. The trip of a lifetime had turned into a trip from hell. All April had wanted to do was pimp her out to the friends of the men she wanted to sleep with. She felt used and abused by her college friend and Nic hadn’t spoken to her since they got home. She doubted their friendship would survive.

  And now, here he stood, looking all manly and gorgeous and her eyes were locked on him. He walked to her and smiled.

  “You found it,” she said, nervously.

  “Yeah I did. Mariah knows this place well so she dropped me off.”

  “Mariah?”

  “I am staying with her and Ed, her husband. He was my team Commander a few years back in San Diego. They are like family. Well, they are family.”

  “So you’re here seeing them?”

  “I am.”

  Nic’s question was answered but she was oddly disappointed he wasn’t here solely for her. She grinned.

  “What’s funny?” Paul asked.

  “You didn’t come all the way here from New York to see me.”

  Paul looked very uncomfortable. Nic laughed. “Let’s order shall we?”

  Paul nodded and they walked to the counter. Nic ordered a large White Chocolate Mocha with non-fat milk and whipped cream. Paul ordered black coffee and added a splash of cream.

  “I have to work this evening,” Nic offered as an explanation to the humungous drink in front of her. “It’s a long shift and it will help me stay awake. I’m not a night person.”

  Paul smiled. “Me either. I like to be up early.”

  They sat back at the table and sipped their coffee.

  “You know, I should apologize again,” Nic frowned.

  “For what?” Paul looked confused.

  “I wasn’t very nice to you when we met. In fact I was probably pretty rude and I’m sorry.”

  “You don’t need to apologize for anything. You were put in a tough spot.”

  “I was, wasn’t I?” Nic said. “I’m not sure I can forgive April for that.”

  Paul felt bad for her.

  “So still working as a waitress then?” It was more of a statement than a question.

  Nic nodded. “I have applied for a few positions though so hopefully something will come of one of them. But it does look like I’ll have to move. I’ve never lived anywhere but here. It’ll be weird.”

  “Change can be good,” Paul offered. “It can also be not-so-good, but it can be a positive thing.”

  “I hope so.”

  “So, I was wondering if you could do me a favor.”

  Nic’s eyebrows raised and she slowly put her cup on the table. She looked at Paul waiting for more.

  “Ed is the Commanding Officer of Seal Team 6 and they are having a barbecue tomorrow afternoon. I know its short notice and if you’ve already made plans I totally understand, but it’s for families and it’s on the beach and there’ll be food and volleyball and stuff and I thought maybe you’d like to go with me.”

  Paul looked at Nic, studying her for a clue to her thoughts. She gave nothing away in her expression. Her eyelids lowered and she moved her coffee cup around in circles on the table. To Paul, an eternity had passed before she spoke, when in reality, it had been a mere second or two.

  “My experience with men in the Navy has not been good. And I really am not interested in dating any of them. But, I have no reason yet to assume you’re as big of an asshole as the other men I have met. I am assuming you are asking me on a date?”

  She was direct. He’d give her that.

  Paul nodded. “Yes. I would consider it a date. I really don’t want to show up alone and I would like to get to know you a little better. It’s a win-win. Well for me anyway.” He would try being direct too. It worked.

  Nic studied him. If she was serious about keeping him at arm’s length she shouldn’t have agreed to meet him for coffee. Does that mean I don’t want to keep him at arm’s length? she wondered. Ordinarily, if someone had gotten her number and called she just wouldn’t return the call. But she called Paul back. Does that mean something?

  “Okay. I will go to the barbecue with you. But don’t think I’m gonna be kissing everybody’s asses because you’re all big tough Navy Seals.”

  Paul chuckled. “I certainly wouldn’t expect you to.”

  *****

  Paul helped load everything they needed into the back of Ed’s truck before heading out. There were coolers, chairs, tables, the volleyball equipment, and a massive barbecue. Mariah would follow shortly in the car with the kids.

  They pulled up in front of a small house and Paul jumped out and jogged to the door. As he lifted his hand to knock, the door opened and a short blonde woman stood in shorts and a bikini top.

  “Hi,” she said. “Come on in.”

  Paul hesitated, not sure who she was.

  “I’m Evelyn. Nic is almost ready.”

  “Oh, hi.” Paul relaxed and stepped into the living room.

  “So you know Nic from her cruise?”

  “Yup,” he nodded.

  Nic walked into the room and tripped on the edge of the rug and hurtled towards the ground. In one swift motion, Paul moved through the air and caught her inches from the wood floor.

  “Dammit!” she muttered as Paul returned her to a standing position. “Thank you,” she frowned.

  “No problem,” he replied. “You okay?”

  “Just mortified,” she tried not to smile.

  Paul grinned. “You ready?”

  “Yeah. Let’s go.”

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” grinned Evelyn. “Have fun. I won’t wait up.”

  Nic turned and glared at her roommate as they left the house. She shut the door and Paul offered her the lead down the narrow path to the curb. When they arrived at the truck, he opened the door and introduced her to Ed. They exchanged pleasantries and Nic and Paul climbed into the backseat.

  “So what? I’m the chauffeur?” laughed Ed as he pulled out and drove to the beach.

  It was a short drive and Ed backed the truck up as close to the path as possible. It was about two o’clock and everyone would be arriving within about thirty minutes. Ed and Paul got the barbecue and the bags of charcoal out first and Ed began preparing the grill. He left Nic and Paul alone as they carried coolers and chairs to the soft sand.

  “How many people are coming?” Nic asked as they carried the last cooler from the truck.

  “There are twelve Seals on Ed’s team and their families. So, a bunch,” he smiled.

  Nic was second guessing her decision to come. She still wasn’t sure why she had agreed. It went against every fiber of her being to date a Navy man. She supposed she could suffer through one afternoon. And, she figured if she wasn’t here with Paul she’d just be at home, doing absolutely nothing.

  Paul began opening bags of ice and dumping them in giant metal buckets. Nic opened the cases of soda and water and beer and added them to the ice buckets. The two of them set up chairs and the card tables and threw blankets and beach towels in a pile. As they turned to grab the last of the stuff from the truck, a car pulled up and within seconds two little girls were running to Ed.

  “Nic, this is Mariah, E
d’s wife. Mariah, this is Nic,” Paul said.

  “Hi Nic. It’s so nice to meet you.”

  Nic smiled and shook Mariah’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

  “What have you got in the car that needs to be hauled out?” asked Paul.

  “Everything in the back,” she said. “With the exception of the stroller.”

  Paul walked behind the car and started unloading.

  “Can I help with something?” offered Nic.

  “I just need to get the baby strapped on,” Mariah smiled as she pulled the Moby wrap from her bag.

  “What is that?” Nic asked.

  Mariah laughed. “I can tell by your face you don’t have children.”

  Nic shook her head.

  “This is the best invention, ever!” Mariah said and within seconds she had it wrapped and twisted around her torso like a mummy. She pulled her sleeping son from the car seat and maneuvered him into the folds and layers of the brown fabric and eventually he was completely hidden; just a bump showed.

  “That’s amazing!” Nic whispered.

  “Told ya!” Mariah grinned. “Best invention ever.”

  The women joined Ed and Paul and waited for Ed’s team and their families to arrive for an afternoon on the beach.

  *****

  A couple of hours later Nic had been introduced to all of Ed’s team and their significant others. There were wives and girlfriends and a couple of dates, just like herself, and a whole bunch of children. Everyone was very friendly and she was actually enjoying herself. A very competitive game of volleyball was in full swing with Paul on the team on the far side of the net. Nic sat with Mariah and watched the athleticism of both teams. Ed was manning the barbecue.

  “It’s not a very friendly game, is it?” Nic asked Mariah.

  She chuckled and shook her head. “I don’t know if you know many Seals, but they don’t like to lose…at anything!”

  The ball was being batted around and bodies were flying and sand was being flung in all directions. Nic couldn’t help but look at the torsos on display. They were some nice looking abs and biceps to watch. There was also laughing on and off the court but this was serious stuff. The score was twenty to nineteen.

  “Match point,” yelled Phil, one of Paul’s good buddies from when they were in San Diego together. “Defense men!”