Page 63 of SEAL's Doorstep Baby
His expression falls even as his eyes lighten. “No?”
“Well, sort of,” I admit. “I… didn’t take the three year job. But the tour is two months long, sort of like an intensive program or an internship. It could be enough for me to start my own place here.”
Jacob sits up a little, head on his fist. “That sounds amazing.”
“I don’t know… two months is a long time.”
“No, you have to go,” Jacob says meaningfully. I raise my brows, and he pulls back a little sheepishly. “I mean, if you still want to…”
“I do,” I admit softly. “But leaving now…”
“I’ll be here,” he says softly. “I won’t go anywhere.”
My heart soars. “For two months?”
“Two months,” Jacob confirms softly.
“I love you,” I promise as I brush his hair back away from his face so I can see his eyes. “This won’t change anything, baby. I know what I want and that’s you. Nothing is changing that.”
His gaze turns steely and serious. “Nothing is changing, Allie. Naomi is back in California, but she has never been on my mind. There has never been a single second when I thought that she would take your place baby, not a single one.”
His promise answers everything I had wondered about, and when I place my lips to his, they carry an unspoken promise.
I’m coming right back to you and Maddison. Nothing is changing that.
EPILOGUE
Allison
Everything is perfect today. The sun is just bright enough, and its rays illuminate every shade and color beneath the bright blue sky. The endless expanse of blue stirs a memory of Jacob’s eyes, pulling him into my thoughts with an intensity I can't escape. The vibrant shades of green and red in the shrubbery around me testify that summer is here.
The air is dry and warm, pleasantly bringing the smell of the flowers and freshly cut grasses to my nose. This particular combination takes my mind back to a summer spent learning how to love and take care of a baby while being scared out of my mind that I would fail. The reminder is enough to bring a smile to my face.
Just as quickly as the smile appeared, it disappears when my mind wanders, and I remember half-forgotten fears. I take a deep breath and it is only when a hand is gently placed on mine that I realize I am unconsciously tightening my grip around thearm my own is threaded through, slightly digging my fingers into the jacket of the man next to me.
“Nervous, love?”
“How’d you guess that?”
“I’m not the most observant old geezer, but I’d say that particular shade of green your face is sporting means you’re either nervous or about to puke. I know which one I’m hoping for.”
His frame—slightly crooked as it is by old age—doesn’t succeed in hiding the height and strength he had sported in his youth. His wide shoulders are a testament to it and they rock in time with his silent amusement. Uncle Bill comically quirks a gray eyebrow at me, and this comic sight alone is enough to bolster my nerves.
“God, please. I can’t imagine if I actually did that. Threw up, or did anything embarrassing like that. It’ll mean that today will be ruined.”
“Hey, hey… don’t think about it. I’m sorry for even mentioning it, love.” He apologizes. “Thinking about it is halfway on the road to doing it and I don’t want you doing that for any reason.” He reaches out to pull me into a gentle hug and I cling to him.
“You’re going to walk with me, and you’re going to smile all the way down there because today is meant to be a happy day—it’s going to be perfect, rain or shine—and there’s no way it won’t be. Okay?”
Pulling away from me and giving me time to regain my composure, he pats a wrinkled and spotted hand on mine, giving me all the reassurance I need. I take a deep breath and all my nerves settle miraculously.
“You’re very good at this, Uncle Bill.” When he raises a brow in question, I add, “at this comforting thing. I feel much better now.”
“I have a lot of practice with young women. You might not believe it, but I was quite the catch in my day.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Age might have taken a lot from him, but it isn’t able to take away his dashing good looks.
“Are you ready to go now, Allie?”
