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

Rodney stated after taking his first swig. “I didn’t get a chance to ask about your life at the funeral. How’s the Navy?”

“Good. Still fighting bad guys.”

“You think you’ll stay in for life?”

Cole shrugged. “Not sure. No plans to leave right now though.” He looked at his beer, pointedly not making eye contact with April.

She wondered what he was thinking that he hadn’t said to Rodney.

“What about you? You like your work?”

Rodney groaned. “I would if my department weren’t so fucked-up. Over the years I’ve gradually realized how corrupt it is here. I keep thinking if I stick it out, the chief of police will get replaced and someone new will clean the place up.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you deal with worse shit than me on the regular.”

“Eh. Some days are worse than others.”

April knew he was making light of his job. Hell, Rodney knew it too. Cole didn’t brag about what he did, but she was aware he wasn’t simply an enlisted sailor. He was a SEAL.

Rodney leaned forward and set his elbows on his knees. “Listen, I’ve been digging around some more. I don’t think anything your dad did was illegal. Unfortunately, nothing anyone else did was either. It seems that Chamberlain hired his bookies to pressure people into betting beyond their means. It worked. Your dad wasn’t the only one in over his head. The bakery two doors down closed about a month ago for the same reason.”

April gasped. “Jed Swanson? He was gambling.”

Rodney nodded. “Yep. Got in over his head and signed the title to his bakery over to Chamberlain. The man seems to be picking off the businesses one by one that way. Granted, not everyone can be lured into gambling and getting into debt, so he has other means too. Some of his tactics are skirting the edge of the law.”

“Jesus,” Cole murmured. “So, Chamberlain was backing up the bookies. Loaning my father money because he has it.”

“Yep. What I’m trying to do now is find out under what circumstances the other businesses on the street were purchased. The florist for example. Some people might have settled and taken the offer, but others I don’t believe would do that. A good majority of the town is not in favor of this strip mall replacing everything that’s been there for decades.”

“You think Chamberlain is coercing everyone into selling?”

“Yes. And between you and me, I think some of his tactics are unethical.”

Cole lifted a brow. “More unethical than taking advantage of a gambling addict?”

Rodney nodded. “Sheila from Sheila’s Flowers was having an affair. I suspect Chamberlain played on that somehow.”

April groaned. “Sheila? That’s so shocking.”

“It is, but rumor has it Chamberlain had her followed, took pics, and then blackmailed her. She ended up telling her husband and filing for divorce anyway, but the florist closed.”

“Shit. That man is a fucking asshole.”

“Yes. Between him and the chief of police, hardly anything in this town is above board.” Rodney drained the rest of his beer.

“Would you like another?” April asked.

“Nope. One is my limit. I never know when I might get called in.” He rose from the chair.

Cole and April stood also.

Rodney smiled at them, glancing back and forth. “I don’t know what happened between you two ten years ago, but I still think you belong together. I hope you can work things out. Life is too short to hang on to the past.”

April felt emotion welling up inside her, making it impossible to respond. She swallowed back her tears.

“Thanks, man,” Cole murmured, his voice rough. He shook Rodney’s hand again and walked with him to the door.

While the two of them said their goodbyes, April slipped into the bedroom. She needed a moment. Everything seemed so overwhelming. She shut the door and leaned against it, hoping Cole would take the hint and give her some time alone.

The tears finally fell, and she swiped at them while she drew in deep breaths. He’d asked her to move to San Diego with him, and the idea was growing on her. There wasn’t much for her here. She had a shit job she hated, a small apartment she could barely afford, and no prospects for a man in her life.

That last one wasn’t from lack of interest. People asked her out. She occasionally dated, but none of them were Cole, and every time she went out with a man, she ended up spending the evening comparing him to the boy who stole her heart when she was fifteen.

But was it wise to let Cole sweep her off her feet? She needed to remind herself over and over that the man had secrets. She still had no idea why he’d left her in the first place, and no guarantees he wouldn’t do it again.

Had he gotten cold feet and decided he couldn’t commit to her? After all these years, she still believed he’d intended to ask her to marry him that night. It had seemed logical. Yes, they’d been young. Only eighteen. But they’d known their minds. At least she thought they had. She’d known how she felt.

She tried to rationalize that Cole was older now. He knew his heart better. Or at least she hoped he did. Just because he had doubts at eighteen didn’t mean he would bail on her again now. There was no reason to believe he was commitment-phobic in general.

Trusting him, however, was a wild step she wasn’t sure she was willing to take. Uprooting herself and moving across the country?

Huge.

Chapter 9

Cole was the first to arrive at the lawyer’s office the next morning. George Stockton. Cole vaguely remembered meeting the man a few times when he was younger. He’d known Cole’s father for many years. He was close to the same age.

By the time Cole was situated at a large oval table in the conference room, Amanda and Jacob arrived. They were flustered as if they’d overslept which was absurd. It was ten in the morning. They took seats opposite Cole. George sat at