Page 49 of Valiant

“Will you be discharged from the Navy?” Kelsey asked. Any anger she might have felt at her father was gone, but she was concerned about his future. Like Cole, he loved being a SEAL. It would break his heart to be cast out of the elite unit.

“I don’t think so. I’ve got enough friends in high places, and I caught the person responsible for a whole lot of problems, but it’s going to take time to work through.”

“We’ll be here to support you,” she said, glad to have her dad back safe and sound. “Love you.”

“I love you, too, honey,” her dad said. “Now, I want you all to get out of here. It’s damn near midnight, and you need to put my grandson to bed.”

Eddy was sound asleep against Cole’s chest, but her father was right. It was time to go home. She gave him another kiss and left with Cole and Eddy. In the hospital parking lot, Cole strapped the baby in his car seat and reached for her, pulling her against him. He placed soft kisses on her hair as she leaned against him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The day had been a marathon of emotions, but it was all good now. “I am,” she said, tilting her head to the side so she could see his face. “Take me home, Cole.”

He smiled. “With pleasure.”

TWENTY-NINE

“Can you do me up?” Kelsey turned her back and held her hair up so he could zip her emerald-green gown. He raised the zipper and kissed her neck before putting his arms around her. They stood in front of a full-length mirror at their Coronado house, the place that he’d come to call home over the past year.

He'd been on SEAL missions, away from her and Eddy for months at a time, but this was his home and he wasn’t leaving again. As of the first of the year, he’d be honorably discharged from the Navy and ready to start civilian life.

“It’s a miracle it still fits,” she said, smoothing her hand over her baby bump. “Another week and you’d have to go to the Navy Ball with Dad because nothing would fit around this thing.”

“You’re beautiful,” he said. He told her that every day and every night when he held her in their bed, and it was the absolute truth. She was more beautiful than ever now that she was pregnant with their daughter. In three months, Eddy would have a little sister. Cole could hardly wait to see their baby girl.

“I feel huge and clumsy and not even a little sexy.” Kelsey was looking at herself critically in the mirror. She’d had chronic morning sickness for the first four months. He’d been home for part of it and saw how it wiped her out, even though she’d insisted that she wasn’t as ill as she’d been while carrying Eddy. After the sickness ended, the pregnancy had gone well.

“Oh, you’re sexy.” He rubbed his hands over her swollen belly and breasts. “Very sexy.”

“Stop.” She laughed and playfully pushed him away. “Have I told you how excited I am to meet our little girl? She’s going to be so loved and protected.”

“You’ve got that right. Between her grandfather, me, and her big brother she’s got her own security detail.”

Cole hoped he was hiding his nerves. Kelsey always seemed to have a sixth sense about what he was thinking, and he didn’t want anything to spoil the surprise he had in store for her. He put his hand in the inside pocket of his dress blues jacket and felt the outline of the engagement ring he’d picked up from the jewelry store that morning. “Are you ready to go?” He was. He couldn’t wait for the evening to begin.

She put on dangly, silver earrings and picked up her purse. “Ready. I want to peek at Eddy before we go.”

“Kels, you don’t have shoes on,” Cole said, pointing to her bare toes under the hem of the gown.

“Damn pregnancy brain,” she muttered and went to the closet. “I’d love to wear heels, but my balance is bad enough.” She slipped her feet into black flats. “These’ll have to do.”

“They’re perfect,” he said, catching her to him for a quick kiss. “Now, Eddy.” In the hall, Cole carefully opened his door. The sixteen-month-old was curled on his side, sound asleep, with his blond curls framing his face. Awake, he was precocious and funny, but Cole loved to watch his son sleep. It brought him such a sense of peace and belonging. He and Kelsey both gave their son a kiss before creeping out of the room and going downstairs.

“You two have fun and don’t worry about a thing,” Maureen said from the living room as they went toward the front door. Kelsey’s friend, who had become his as well, would be staying with Eddy. Kelsey didn’t know that he’d arranged for Maureen to spend the night. To celebrate their engagement, he’d made a reservation at the hotel in Coronado where the ball was being held. Maureen had even packed an overnight bag for Kelsey that was already in his truck.

“Call if you need us,” Kelsey said before saying goodbye to her friend. “We won’t be too late.”

Maureen shot him a smile behind Kelsey’s back and mouthed, “good luck.” He gave her a thumbs up as they went out the door.

“Do you think Dad’ll be happy in retirement?” she asked on the drive. Edwin Reeves had recently made the decision to retire. It had taken several months to straighten out the mess left over from Dobson’s traitorous actions and they’d learned that he definitely hadn’t been acting alone. While Dobson had attempted to make Gomez the scapegoat, he was every bit as involved. So, Gomez along with quite a few others were now being charged with a variety of crimes and would all be spending time in prison. Dobson’s computer had been a goldmine of intel not only detailing financial transactions for those he’d hired to help him, but also pointing fingers at those who’d hired him. Cole was fairly sure that what the commander had on his laptop was as much security, in case things went south and he needed to cut a deal, as it was bragging rights. The investigation had been exhausting and when it was done, Edwin had re-prioritized his life. He spent a lot of time with them and was looking forward to adding a granddaughter to their family.

“He will be,” Cole said.

“You sound confident of that,” she commented.

“I am. I get how he feels because it’s how I feel, too. We both love being SEALs, but that’s not what comes first for us anymore. We want to be here for you and the kids. It’s weird to say ‘kids’, isn’t it?” Cole no longer struggled to see himself as a family man. He now had everything he’d dreamed of having as a young man and thought he’d never be able to have. His own parents had been beside themselves with delight when they learned about Eddy and about his relationship with Kelsey. During the stretches when Cole had been overseas, his mom and dad had spent time with Kelsey and viewed her as part of their family now, too.

“Weird and good,” she said when they pulled up in front of the hotel where the ball was being held and a valet opened the car door.