Page 1 of A Very Grumpy Navy SEAL (Wolf Valley: Grumps #10)

ONE

Lula

Well, this sucks.

I sigh as I stare at the charred remains of my rental house. The roof is caved in, and only three of the four walls are still standing. I survey the land, taking in the trampled grass and the deep gouges where the firetrucks parked when they put out the fire two weeks ago.

My dreams of relaxing on the front porch and staring out across the fields surrounding my house have gone up in smoke. Literally.

Well, I moved here looking for an adventure.

I turn and head back to my car, which is stuffed with my belongings. I was supposed to move into my new place today, but now I’ll have to figure out a plan B.

After living in San Francisco my entire life, I yearned to see more of the world. I wanted to find somewhere cheaper without all the memories. Somewhere new.

I rented an apartment with my older brother, Ledger, after our parents passed, but he joined the military two years ago and had no plans to move back home. I couldn’t stand to be in that apartment all by myself, so I did something about it. I took a leap—and landed in this mess.

What do I do now? I have no place to stay, no friends in town, and my only remaining family is halfway around the world. I wish Ledger were here. He would know what to do.

I sigh as I start my old car and back out of the driveway. What would Ledger do?

I know my brother better than anyone. Ledger would make a to-do list with everything that needs to be done and address each task in order of importance. He’s analytical and tackles problems head-on. That trait makes him a great Navy SEAL.

I head into town, my mind going a million miles an hour as I park at the Nosh Diner and head inside.

“Hey! Table for one?” a server asks. Her name tag reads “Cameron.”

I smile. “Yes, please.”

“How about over here?” She points to a table in the back.

“That works,” I say, walking to the table and taking a seat.

Cameron passes me a menu. “Can I get you something to drink?”

“Um, coffee and a glass of water, please.”

“You got it.” She gives me a wide smile and heads to the kitchen.

I pull out my notepad and a pen from my purse and get to work.

Okay, what do I need to do?

I write down tasks.

Contact the landlord about a refund on the rental property.

Find a new place to live.

Organize a place to stay tonight.

Check in with work.

Take a shower.

Eat.

“Are you passing through?” Cameron asks as she sets down my drinks.

“No, I was supposed to move here, but my rental property burned down.”

Her eyes widen. “The old Miller property out on Oakland Street?”

I nod. “That’s the one.”

“I heard about that. There was a storm a few weeks ago, and it was hit by lightning. Torched the place,” she tells me.

“Yeah, I wish I’d known before I moved here.”

“Shit, yeah. Sorry, that sucks.”

“Thanks. You wouldn’t happen to know about any other rental properties around here, would you?”

“I don’t, sorry. You might be able to find a roommate, though. I can ask around if you want?”

“That would be great!” I say gratefully. “I’m Lula, by the way.”

We shake hands, and she whips out her cell phone. “What’s your number? I can text you if I hear anything. Maybe we can grab a drink sometime?”

“That would be awesome,” I say sincerely, giving her my number.

The door opens, and Cameron goes to greet the new customers, leaving me with my list and the menu. I sip my coffee as I scan the menu, choosing a burger and fries. Cameron returns to take my order, and I tackle my to-do list while I wait for my food.

I spend the next hour picking at my food and arguing with my landlord about the fire, demanding a refund for my deposit and first month’s rent.

After that, I lose myself in a rabbit hole of real estate listings, scouring every rental site I can find.

Nothing’s available. Nothing I can afford, anyway.

Ledger calls as I’m paying my bill, and I send it to voicemail, making a mental note to call him back in a bit.

We’ve been missing each other’s calls a lot lately.

It seems like I call him one day, and he calls me back a few days later when I’m busy or asleep.

Then, the cycle repeats. It can be like that between us, but we’ve never gone this long without connecting.

It sucks. I miss him. He’s the only family I have left, and we live thousands of miles apart. Half of the time, we’re not even on the same continent or in the same time zone. It’s been almost a year since we’ve seen each other in person. I hate it.

I check my emails as I wait for Cameron to return with my card, and my stomach drops when I see the message from my work. The one with the subject line: “Layoffs.”

“Shit. Can today get any worse?” I mutter, my heart racing as I click on the message and start to read.

We regret to inform you that you’ve been laid off.

Tears well in my eyes. What a fucking day. I blink them away quickly when Cameron returns.

“Here you are,” she says, passing me my card. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay? Let me know if you want to grab that drink.”

“I will,” I promise as I gather my things to leave.

Fuck, now what am I going to do? I need a job. I need money.

I’m starting to panic as I walk to the exit. I’m not paying attention, so I don’t see the man walking in as I head out, and I run right into him.

“Oomph!” I grunt, my nose bouncing off a hard chest.

Strong hands grab my elbows as I stumble, and I shiver in the solid hold.

“Easy, bunny,” a deep voice says.

My head snaps up, and my mouth drops open as I stare at the man holding me. Holy crap, he’s gorgeous. Strong jawline, thick black hair falling over his forehead, and piercing green eyes that pin me in place. His grip on me tightens, and his eyes dart to my mouth as I lick my suddenly dry lips.

For the first time today, I think my luck is starting to turn.