Page 23 of Cowboy SEAL Homecoming

Chapter 6

Alex wasn’t sure he’d ever been so wrong about someone in his entire life. Usually his initial impressions of people stayed pretty much the same throughout his knowing them. Jack had certainly changed since the beginning, but Alex had always known there was the potential for Jack to turn into the angry, bitter person he’d become since the explosion.

Gabe was Gabe, and though Alex didn’t think too many people saw underneath the facade, Alex always had.

Everyone he’d ever met fell into the rigid assessments he’d made of them from the beginning.

Except Becca Denton. Who was currently treating them to an inspection that would have rivaled any general’s. She’d insisted Gabe change clothes, and when Gabe had laughed at the idea, Becca had not. She had gotten right up into Gabe’s face, finger wagging, and Gabe had promptly hurried upstairs to change.

Even though it wasn’t her turn, she had made dinner because she had some clear-cut plan about what to serve to get her mother’s stamp of approval.

Alex didn’t understand it. He’d met Sandra Denton a few times. He’d attended his father’s small, intimate wedding celebration and then had to return to base immediately after. He’d spent two Christmases on the ranch before he’d been either deployed or made sure he’d be otherwise unable to get home.

He’d barely been conscious through his father’s funeral due to the pain he’d been in and had gone back to the recovery center in Texas immediately after. After that, there’d been no reason to come home.

Still, in those short meetings and the conversations with his father over the years, Alex had gathered an impression of Sandra. Nice enough. Eager to please, but also willing to give him his space. He’d liked that about her.

Though it had been a little too weird for him to fully embrace her as the woman of the house, he’d never disliked her for taking that place. His issues had nothing to do with her or how she’d handled anything.

But if he were to judge Sandra by Becca’s behavior, he might’ve guessed she was Attila the Hun. If he went by how Becca was acting, his analysis of the situation would be this dinner was life-or-death.

“Now, I just need you three to understand that for a lot of different reasons, my mother is very protective of me and she can sometimes be a little overzealous in her concern. Hopefully I can convince her that this is fine, and I’m fine, and all of this is…fine.”

“You don’t seem fine,” Gabe replied.

Alex gave him a little nudge in the stomach. Clearly the girl didn’t need any poking right now. “We’re prepared to have a nice supper. We’ll eat. We’ll converse.”

“It’s hardly worth having a stroke,” Jack muttered.

“Glad you think so,” Becca returned.

“Knock, knock,” someone called from the entryway.

Sandra appeared in the living room and looked exactly as Alex remembered—a healthy, middle-aged woman who clearly cared about her appearance. She was dressed well and neatly, makeup subtle but there. It was interesting he could see a resemblance to Becca if he looked hard enough, since they were clearly very different women.

Sandra was smiles and charm and control. She moved through the world sure of her place in it. Becca… Lord, she did none of that. Though that was part of her charm.

Not that he found her charming. Just that she was…not terrible to be around. That was all.

“Well, aren’t you three veterans quite the picture?” She smiled at all of them, and for the first time, Alex wondered if Becca might actually have a better read on the situation than he’d thought. Because that smile was… He didn’t have a word for it, but it made him uncomfortable. Nervous almost.

“Alex, it’s so good to see you again.” She didn’t reach out to hug him, and for that he was more than grateful. “You’re looking well,” she said, clearly assessing every inch of him. Much like his dad used to assess a horse or cow.

“Thank you,” he offered, trying to get a handle on the weird atmosphere.

“I’m so excited to hear more about your venture. I know Becca had her heart set on this, and I’m so glad it’s happening.” She moved over to her daughter and enveloped her in a hug.

Alex could have been wrong, but he thought she whispered something about losing weight in Becca’s ear. Which made no sense whatsoever as Becca was a tiny thing.

“Come into the kitchen. Dinner is almost ready,” Becca said. Her posture was rigid, but she looped her arm around her mother’s waist affectionately.

“Now, Becca, no rushing. We should sit in the living room and chat and catch up. You still haven’t introduced me to these two other men.”

“Right. Right.” Becca’s smile was a dismal failure. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Lemonade.”

Alex knew Becca hadn’t made lemonade, but she smiled and agreed, so he requested lemonade as well, giving Jack and Gabe looks to make sure they did too.

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