Page 21 of Married to a SEAL

Chapter 7

Rebecca padded into the kitchen the following weekend, freshly showered and wearing shorts and a tank top. She put her new tea kettle on the stove, smiling at Patrick’s thoughtfulness. Although she normally was a coffee girl through and through, usually having a cup in the morning and stopping by the local coffee shop on the way into the office, he’d bought a tea kettle for her after seeing her skip her usual dark roast day after day.

And since she was only five or six weeks along in her pregnancy, she had a feeling she’d be a tea drinker for the next couple of months. At least until her morning sickness subsided.

Feeling wistful, she smiled as she looked around her kitchen. They’d lived here Abby’s entire life, and it would feel a little strange leaving. She couldn’t wait to move in with Patrick and start the next chapter, but it was somewhat bittersweet at the moment.

Abby wasn’t a baby anymore, and she had a new little one on the way.

There’d be a whole new lifetime of memories to start together, as a family.

“Mommy, how come Patrick and Logan aren’t here?” Abby asked, walking into the kitchen still wearing her pajamas.

Rebecca turned, smiling at how big her little girl suddenly seemed. “Remember how we had dinner with everyone last night?”

“Yes,” she said with a huge smile. “Logan’s Aunt Sarah was so fun to play with.”

“That she was,” Rebecca agreed with a laugh. “But Logan was already asleep by the time the party was over. So they slept at their house, and we came back to our own house.”

“But we’ll see them today?”

“They should be on their way over right now,” Rebecca said, glancing at the clock. “Which means you need to get dressed.”

“Mommy, is Patrick your boyfriend?”

“Yes, sweetie, I already explained that to you.”

“Well, are you going to get married? Because my friend Kayla’s mom got married again. They had a wedding and everything. Kayla even got to be a flower girl!”

Rebecca knelt down in front of Abby, looking at her daughter in the eyes. “Maybe someday, honey. Would you like that? For now, we’re planning to move in together. You and I are going to live with Patrick and Logan.”

“If you got married someday, would that make Patrick my dad?”

“It would. And I know he’d love to be your daddy. Just like I’d love to be Logan’s mom.”

“Yeah,” Abby said with a shrug. “I guess I’d like that. Bye!” she called out, running out of the kitchen to go get dressed.

Rebecca stood up, removing the kettle from the stove as it began to whistle. It was amazing how simple life was for kids sometimes. Too simple. She got a box of tea from the pantry and after pouring hot water into a mug, dunked the tea bag in to steep. She heard Patrick’s SUV pull into her driveway as she was pouring two cups of milk for the kids. A moment later, Logan was rushing into the kitchen with Patrick a few steps behind, pocketing his set of keys.

“We brought bagels—I hope that’s okay for you.”

“Sounds great as long as you got me a plain one. I’m not sure I could stomach much else.”

“Affirmative. One plain bagel just for you.” He walked across the kitchen to her, smelling of soap and his aftershave, and ducked down for a brief kiss.

She couldn’t resist running her hands over his muscled forearms and tugging him closer, loving the warmth of his skin and the heat radiating off his large frame. He kissed her again, smiling. He was freshly shaved, but her eyes traced over the outline of his chiseled jaw. Admired his full lips. Met his searing gaze.

Although she wouldn’t mind making out with Patrick in the kitchen, Logan was standing right there. Reluctantly she pulled away.

“Sarah didn’t want to come over?” Rebecca asked.

“She’s staying with a friend. I think they’re hitting the beach today before she drives back to Norfolk,” he said, referring to the city an hour away from Virginia Beach.

“Well, she made a big impression on Abby last night,” Rebecca said, getting some plates from the cupboard.

“Not just Abby,” Patrick replied.

“Logan?”

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