Page 30 of The Night Ride (SEALs on Wheels #3)

And I didn’t want that life for you. I wanted to protect you from it and from Aiden too.

Not that he would ever harm you physically. But we’d just lost two of our own and we were all messed up from it.

Here’s what you need to understand about Aiden.

He married young, right as he enlisted in the Navy.

And his wife couldn’t handle it, told him that he needed to quit.

Aiden can be stubborn. Because to him, he’d given his word that he would serve, and when he makes a vow, he doesn’t break it. He’s one of the best guys I know.

But if you’re going to love him, give him time, give him space, and give him loyalty. Which is something his ex-wife was incapable of doing. She cheated on him. And had the divorce papers sent to him overseas.

I was there when he opened the packet from his ex-wife with the petition for dissolution of marriage inside and watched a man I admired break.

The thing is, I think your sweet kindness and generous heart are exactly what he needs. Be patient with him and he will come around in his own time.

I’m so fucking proud of you, sis. Know that I will be protecting you from the great big beyond. I love you. Always.

Evan

I broke. My sobs wrenched from the deepest corners of my heart and soul. Why didn’t I see that he was trying to protect me? Why did I allow something that petty to come between us? I held my hurt up as justification of the distance when I never saw his pain. He was always so stoic.

When I heard the garage door shut, I shoved the letter into the bedside drawer and raced into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

I needed a minute. And I didn’t want him to see my tears. Whatever time we had left I didn’t want to spend it wallowing. He was only for a short while longer and I didn’t want his memories of me to be full of tears.

I ran the faucet and splashed water on my face, deciding to just wash it entirely.

At the knock on the door, I replied, “Be out in a few minutes.”

“Is everything okay? Are you feeling sick? Do I need to get you back to the hospital?”

This man and the way he looked after me. My heart rolled over in my chest. “I’m just washing my face, everything’s fine.”

“All right. The yard’s done. I’m hopping in the shower and then will take care of dinner.”

I steeled myself, going against my normal, knee jerk response that I would handle it. Because I knew it was what he needed, surrendering my need to control things. Which was nothing more than a trauma response. “That would be great. Thank you.”

When I finally felt like I didn’t look as if I’d been bawling my eyes out, I shuffled into the kitchen and found Aiden at the stove. I sniffed the air. Making grilled cheese sandwiches.

“Hey.”

He glanced over. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m managing. Should be fine in a few days.”

“Good.” He put the sandwiches onto plates and brought them over to the table. “Sit, eat.”

“When are you leaving?” I couldn’t stop the question from coming out.

It’s all that had been on my mind since getting home from the hospital last night.

Aiden had been the sole of propriety and had taken such tender care of me.

“And why did you come back? I mean, you saved my life. I can’t thank you enough for it.

But I don’t understand why you’re here or anything that’s going on right now. ”

He pulled his chair close to mine and sat so that we were facing each other, with his legs boxing mine in.

He took my hands in his and held tight. “I came back because I realized that as much as I loved your brother and wanted to complete this mission, I needed to make sure you understand how much I love you.”

I sucked in a breath at the words I never thought I would hear him say. “You do?”

He nodded with a tender smile, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Yeah, I do. I’m not sure I’m ready to jump all the way in, but I know I can’t live without you.”

I gripped his hands tight. “We don’t have to move fast. We can take our time. The thing is, I’ve been in love with you for so long that I’m willing to wait for you. And I don’t want to miss a step with you. I want to know everything about you, your hurts and losses, along with your victories.”

He lifted my hands and kissed the insides of my wrists. “I do have to return but I’ll wait until I need to report into base. I will try to come back as often as possible.”

“Or what if I came and stayed with you for a little while? I’ve got insurance stuff to deal with, and will need to find a construction crew to rebuild. It’s going to be weeks if not months before I can reopen Sweet Dreams Bakery.”

“You’d do that for me?”

He appeared shocked that I would go to such lengths.

“Yes. What wouldn’t I do for you. I meant it when I said that I love you.

Don’t you realize I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen years old.

That first time you came to our house I fell for you and have loved you ever since.

That love has changed of course from a girls love into something so much deeper. And I have something for you."

“You do?”

I nodded and withdrew the envelope with his name on it. “It was inside the one you gave to me. My brother knew by the way I looked at you, that I was in love you, even back then.”

Aiden looked shaken as he took the letter from me.

“I think you need to read it, right now.” Because I knew my brother. And if he had put a letter for Aiden in with mine, it had been for a reason.

Aiden tore into it. I watched his brows rise in disbelief. And then he looked at me and smiled.

“What does it say?”

“You want me to read it to you?” There was a calmness within his demeanor that wasn’t there before.

“If you want, or you can give me the gist of it.”

Aiden nodded and began to read, his deep bass filled the kitchen.

Aiden,

What can I say but I fucked up a lot in my life. Not just with the things I did but with the people in it. And I need you to know that I don’t hate you for kissing my sister. I never did. I feared for her because of the lives we live and wanted more for her.

But I also wouldn’t have gotten so fired up if I hadn’t witnessed the way Beth looked at you, like you were her hero, and the eyes of a woman in love.

It scared me.

I forgave you a long time ago for kissing her. And if this found you, then perhaps the two of you have reconnected without my interference this time.

If you have feelings for Beth, I give you my blessing. Not that you need it, but you have it anyway.

You’ve been one of my best friends, and I’m going to miss the hell out of you.

Your friend always,

Evan

P.S.

If you hurt her in any way, I will haunt your ass until you die and the moment you cross over, I will beat the shit out of you.

I laughed and spied tears in Aiden’s eyes that he swallowed down as he folded it up and laid it on the table.

“Well, now that I have your brother’s blessing, let’s pack you a bag, babe, because you’re coming home with me.”

I went into Aiden’s arms feeling lighter than I had in a long time. “Are you sure you want me to come stay with you? You don’t mind?”

“Beth, I’m thrilled. I want this time with you before I wind up deployed and halfway around the world. I’ve got almost two weeks before I have to report for duty. And if I must be honest, I want you in my bed. I love you, babe. What do you say? Wanna go for a ride?”

He smiled, his gaze full of love. And I couldn’t wait to start this new adventure with the man I’d been in love with since I was fifteen.

“That depends.”

“On?”

“What’s your kitchen like?”

Aiden chuckled as he bent his head and kissed me. I couldn’t wait to see where the road would take us.