Page 8 of Rescued by a SEAL

Taylor muttered under her breath.

“And overcharged you, right? Did he ever reimburse you?”

“Not yet,” Taylor said with a sigh. “And I didn’t want to push it. He’s helping me out by repairing it in the first place.”

A small niggle of worry snaked through her. Mason and his SEAL friends had been furious when they’d found out how much she’d been charged for a tow. She’d been desperate though, and when she’d been stranded on the side of the road, what was she supposed to do? She’d been relieved when her ex had happened to call and sent someone over to help her.

Anchors came into view in the distance. “What time do you need me to pick you up?” Bailey asked.

“I don’t get off until one a.m. I’ll just grab a ride home with someone. One of the other waitresses should be able to give me a lift.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, sometimes we stay late to wrap up, so I don’t want you to have to wait around for me. It shouldn’t be a problem to find a ride.”

“Have them drop you off at my place,” Bailey insisted. “You have a key, so let yourself in. Don’t go back to your apartment with Eric there.”

“All right,” Taylor said, climbing out of her best friend’s convertible. “Hopefully he won’t wake up until morning. The last thing I need is him coming over to Anchors looking for me.”

“Wait—he’s done that?” Bailey asked in surprise.

“Just once,” Taylor said. “And I told him I was working. He hasn’t been back yet, but there’s no telling when he’ll change his mind.”

A couple pushed open the doors to Anchors, and Taylor watched them, thinking the guy in aviators looked like one of Mason’s friends. They all kind of blended together sometimes with their buzz cuts, muscles, and bravado—that, and the fact that she usually kept her focus on Mason.

She’d barely noticed the others enough to tell them apart.

The guy in aviators nodded, his gaze locking a moment on Bailey, still seated in the convertible.

“Looks like you’ve got an admirer,” Taylor teased as she shut the passenger door.

“He’s with another woman,” Bailey said with a laugh, watching them walk down the block toward the ocean. “He’s a hottie though. I’d do him.”

Taylor nearly choked on her laughter as she stepped away from the car. “You don’t even know him.”

Bailey shrugged, flashing her a wicked grin. “Be careful tonight, sweetie! Call me if you need anything. Better yet, call that Navy SEAL of yours.”

“He’s not mine,” Taylor protested.

“Uh-huh. Then why’s he texting you? And stay away from Eric. The next time he shows up at your apartment—because we both know that he will—do not open the door. Don’t even talk to him. Call the police if he won’t leave.”

“Yeah, maybe I should.” She blew out a sigh. She’d been hoping Eric would move on, but that scenario was seeming less and less likely the more he showed up. “Thanks again for the ride, hun.”

“Anytime!” Bailey blew her a kiss and then pulled out into traffic, waggling her fingers at the guy in the car behind her who’d let her in.

Bailey was such a flirt. The complete and total opposite of Taylor. They’d been best friends since college though, and Taylor loved her like a sister. Bailey had never met Tessa, but Taylor had a feeling they all would’ve gotten along amazingly.

Amazing how one small moment had changed her entire life.

Taken Tessa’s life.

A brief wave of nervous excitement washed over her as she walked toward Anchors. Although her sister was always in the back of her mind, ten years had let her learn to live with the loss. For the pain to dull slightly. She might miss her terribly sometimes, but she had moved on. Continued living. And without a doubt, she knew Tessa would have wanted that.

She pushed open the door to the popular restaurant and bar. Without thought, her gaze immediately swept to the back where Mason and his buddies usually sat.

It happened to be the area that she usually covered, but since she’d called out, she had no idea which tables would be hers tonight.

A group of military guys was at the back of Anchors, laughing and tossing back beers. Her gaze tracked over them, but then the blond guy at the edge of the table looked up.

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