Page 1 of Single Teddy
ONE
TEDDY
My life had always been a mess, but this…this was a mess of epic proportions.
The last twenty-four hours—hell, the last two weeks—had been something out of a TV show, and I was the unwilling observant and participant of it all. At this point, I was just going through the motions. That was the best I could do. After all, I wasn’t on my own anymore. I had another soul to look after.
“I miss Mommy,” Bear said from beside me. I wrapped my arm around him, holding him tight.
It wasn’t the first time he’d said it, but sitting here, in the middle of the ocean, in the humid heat of the passenger area, on my way to a new land, a new home, a new life, it hit me now more than ever, making my eyes sting and a sob escape me before I could tame it.
“I miss her too, Bear. I miss her too.” I kissed my nephew’s head and breathed in.
Now wasn’t the time to break down. One of us falling apart was enough.
He leaned against me, throwing his tiny weight against me, and we stayed like that for a long while, giving each other warmth and quiet courage for the uncertain future ahead.
I wasn’t clueless about kids. If anything, I’d been more of a father to this kid than his real one, whoever he was, but having spent all my life on SEAL Team 13, in and out of danger zones and risking my life daily, this…normal stuff was so out of my depth.
I knew how to infiltrate an enemy base, how to hold my breath underwater without an oxygen tank longer than most people, and how to disassemble a firearm and put it back together with my eyes closed. I’d trained for that all my life. But being a single dad to my seven-year-old nephew? I was woefully unprepared.
Not that Josie had been a better mom…
“May I have your attention, please? We will be arriving in Mayberry Holm in ten minutes. Please collect all your belongings…” a male voice said over the speaker, waking me out of my self-induced mental tumble.
I helped Bear put his coat on, took him to the restroom, and then we went down to the car and waited to disembark like everyone else.
A few minutes later, we were off andhewas there. My old commander. Wyatt Goodman. He leaned against the left headlight of his Red Wrangler with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed in his signature gruff mode that had scared way too many big, macho men shitless.
On his right was a young brunette woman in capri denims and a loose-fitting blouse, smiling from ear to ear. The polar opposite of Goodman in every sense of the word.
I stopped the car in front of his and got out.
“Olson!” Commander Goodman called out and reached for my hand.
“Sir,” I replied.
The brunette ignored me and wasted no time kneeling to greet Bear. I liked her. That was exactly what I would have done in her place.
“You must be Bear, the cutest man on the island,” she said. “I’m Autumn. Nice to meet you.”
Instead of introducing himself, shaking her hand, or even smiling at her, he backed away and hugged my leg instead.
“I’m sorry,” I told her when she got up and turned her attention to me.
“Pfft, don’t worry. I was the same at his age. Who wants to deal with a bunch of big strangers when they’re that age?” She waved her hand with nonchalance and a smile. “Welcome to Mayberry Holm,” she said.
“Thanks.” I turned to my commander. “I’m so sorry to inconvenience you?—”
“You’re not inconveniencing us,” Autumn said.
“Yeah,” Goodman huffed. “Cut the bullshit, Olson.”
Autumn coughed while glancing at Bear. Wyatt cleared his throat and mouthed an apology.
I didn’t know who Autumn was, or her relationship to my much older commander, but I was already a fan of watching them interact with one another.
“Come on. Let’s go. We don’t want to keep Mr. Rogers up too late. He’s an old man.” Goodman spun around and got into his car.
