Hot SEAL, April's Fool by Becca Jameson (smart books to read .txt) 📗

Cole stared at the doorway for several moments, trying to catch his breath and kicking himself in the ass for ever trusting Violet Chamberlain. Was she as conniving and bitchy ten years ago as she was today? He’d never given her much thought back then. She’d just been Violet, the student body president, someone who rubbed him wrong. Apparently, he should have paid closer attention and realized she had been more than just a busybody.

He swallowed as he took his seat again. There wasn’t a single chance in hell he was going to eat her muffins. He could smell the fresh scent of pumpkin wafting from the basket, but he could also smell her floral perfume. It permeated the room and made his skin crawl.

It took Cole a while to focus on the damn books again.

The next person to stick his head in the office was Bart’s son, David. He came by for a polite hello, and Cole handed him the basket of muffins to share with the guys.

The person Cole did not see again was Jacob. Apparently, all he’d cared about was thwarting Cole’s attempts to get to the books. Once he failed, he must have taken his lazy self home.

Chapter 8

April was putting the finishing touches on fancy sandwiches for lunch when Cole walked back through the door. She lifted her gaze and smiled. “Where’d you get a key?” she teased.

“Grabbed it from the hook next to the fridge before I left.” He winked at her.

“So resourceful.”

“Yep.” When he reached her side, he tipped her head back and kissed her before sliding onto a chair next to her. “Is one of those for me?”

“Maybe…” She finished spreading mayo on his and then cut it in half and slid the plate to him.

“You remembered I like mayo and hate tomatoes.”

“How could I forget a detail like that?” She sat down, letting her knee bump his. This entire scene was so domestic. She felt both happy and sad at the same time, wondering what their lives could have looked like by now if they hadn’t gone their separate ways. Would they be sitting down to lunch together, her making him a sandwich? Or would they have eventually rubbed each other wrong and broken up under the pressure of a long-distance relationship?

She shook the nostalgic thoughts from her head and met his gaze. “How’d it go at the shop?”

He swallowed his first bite. “Better than expected. My brother was blocking the door with his cocky attitude when I arrived, but it turns out Bart Hensley is one of the good guys. He trusted me over Jacob and put Jacob in his place before helping me find everything I needed in the office.”

“You’re right. Bart’s a good guy. His son is nice also.” She took a bite of sandwich and reached for a napkin.

“Yeah. I always did like Bart. He said some things that rocked my world a bit. I’m still reeling.”

“Like what?”

“That my dad was proud of me and talked about me. Stuff like that.”

April reached over and put a hand on Cole’s wrist. “How could anyone not be proud of you?” Her heart ached for the rift that had broken him from his family a decade ago.

Cole shrugged. “He never said a kind word to me after my mom died. I’m not sure I understand how he could brag about me to other people and never found the balls to tell me to my face.”

“Maybe he was hurting.”

“Or maybe Amanda is a raving bitch.”

“That too. So, what did you decide about the shop?”

“Well, I’m sure as hell not selling it. I won’t give Chamberlain the satisfaction. But that leaves a dilemma. I hate for Bart, David, or the other guys to lose their jobs. Bart made it clear they’re all worried. But there’s no way Jacob can run the business, and it would be an unwise investment on my part to even let him try.”

“Can you buy him out of his half?”

“No. I don’t have the cash for that. I mean I suppose I could take out a loan, but who the hell is going to run the place? And all of this conversation is moot when you take into consideration my dad’s debt. I sure as shit couldn’t get a loan large enough to pay off his debt and buy out my brother.”

“What if you stayed in town?” she asked, hesitantly, knowing she was grasping at straws.

He reached for her face and cupped her cheek. “Can’t stay here, ladybug. It’s not that simple. I belong to the US Navy.”

She nodded, but it was hard to take another bite of her sandwich. On top of that, Cole was staring at her, and when he started fidgeting, she froze.

“Something else happened this morning.”

“What?”

“Violet came to see me.” He didn’t lift his gaze as he spoke.

April cringed. “What for?”

He shrugged. “She brought me muffins. She was even more syrupy than she was in high school. I never paid that close of attention to her back then.”

April rolled her eyes. “How could you miss her? She threw herself at you every chance she got.”

Cole flinched. “She did?” Was he really that surprised and naïve?

“Good grief, Cole. Yes. She did. She hated that you were with me and not her. It drove her crazy.”

Cole choked on his drink. “Come on. Surely it wasn’t that bad.”

April frowned. “It was gross.”

Cole didn’t meet her gaze as he continued to play with his sandwich absently as if he were uncomfortable with this conversation. “I’m sorry I didn’t pay closer attention back then. I should have.”

April shrugged. “Why? It doesn’t matter. I’m flattered that you never glanced at another girl.”

Cole finally lifted his gaze. “I should have paid closer attention, April. I’m sorry,” he repeated.

“Okay.” She swallowed.

Cole stared at her, his face unreadable. He was really upset about this. She couldn’t imagine why. Finally, he reached out and set his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer