Page 28 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
Eli stirs, soft, sleepy groans escaping him as he buries his face deeper into the pillow, resisting consciousness. A faint smile tugs at my lips, watching his small body stretch lazily beneath the blankets, his tiny fists rubbing insistently at sleep-heavy eyes.
“Five more minutes, Mama,” Eli protests weakly, voice muffled and adorable. His hair sticks out in all directions, pillow lines creasing one flushed cheek. My chest tightens again, warmth blossoming unexpectedly deep within me.
“No, baby, we gotta get ready,” Ava replies, amusement coloring her tone as she leans in, pressing a soft kiss to his tousled head. “Come on, sleepyhead, time to face the day.”
With an exaggerated sigh, Eli pushes himself upright, blinking rapidly in the soft morning light streaming through the thin motel curtains. For a moment, he squints sleepily around the room, confusion clouding his small features. But then his gaze settles on Jax and me, and a bright, radiant smile breaks across his face.
“Liam! Jax!” Eli shouts, wide awake and vibrating with childish energy. Without hesitation, he scrambles off the bed, feet padding rapidly across the worn carpet in his Spider-Man pajamas, and launches himself directly at me with complete, trusting abandon.
Caught off guard, I react instinctively, arms opening to catch his small, sturdy body as he collides warmly against my chest. The air escapes my lungs, startled yet deeply moved by his easy trust. My arms tighten around him on an instinct I didn't know I had. Eli settles in my lap, small hands resting against my chest as he peers up at me with bright eyes.
“Are we driving for a long, long time again today?” Eli asks, small voice earnest and hopeful, trusting me completely with the answer.
I blink, momentarily overwhelmed by the fierce protectiveness surging through me, unsure how to respond. Thankfully, Jax smoothly steps in, laughter warming his voice as he answers.
“Unfortunately, buddy, yeah,” Jax says, eyes softening affectionately as he watches Eli nestled comfortably against me. “But this is the last day of long driving. By tonight, we’ll be at the cabin.”
Eli’s eyes widen, mouth falling open with excitement. He bounces in my lap, excitement radiating through his small frame.
“Is it a cabin in the mountains?” he asks, awe and wonder filling his voice. “I’ve never been to the mountains before!”
Despite myself, I smile faintly, reaching up to ruffle his messy hair.
“Not the mountains, kiddo,” I tell him, amusement tugging at my chest. “This cabin’s actually out in the desert.”
Eli’s eyes grow impossibly wider, and his mouth falls open in a small, delighted gasp.
“Even better!” he declares loudly, enthusiasm practically vibrating through his entire body.
Across the room, Ava finally breaks her quiet silence, voice amused but undeniably firm. “Eli, sweetheart, come on—we have to get ready.”
With a dramatic, disappointed sigh, Eli easily climbs off my lap, leaving behind a sudden emptiness that catches me by surprise. He pads back across the room toward Ava, small hand reaching trustingly for hers as she guides him toward the bathroom. As the door closes softly behind them, Eli’s faint giggle echoes warmly in the brief silence.
Jax breaks the quiet moment, voice softer, thoughtful.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he asks, his expression serious as he studies my face. “Like something’s shifting, changing.”
I don’t respond verbally, unable to find the right words to express the confusing, powerful emotions swirling chaotically inside me. But silently, deep within the careful walls of my guarded heart, I know without question— Jax is right.
Everything is shifting, and as much as part of me resists fiercely, I already know I won’t and can’t stop it. For better or worse, change has arrived.
13
AVA
The SUV hums along steadily, a monotonous vibration that has settled deep into my bones. I shift uncomfortably in the cramped back seat, the leather stiff beneath my thighs. My eyes feel gritty, and I’m still tired as hell, but I’m awake. Eli’s still up, and while I’ve gotten to the point of being able to sleep when he does, I can’t close my eyes if his aren’t.
Eli fidgets beside me, his small sneaker-clad feet swinging back and forth. His blue eyes stare blankly out the window at the endless blur of trees and highway. It’s our last day of driving, and this feels like the worst of the three.
We’ve been driving for hours, and despite the snacks from earlier, he’s clearly growing agitated. I know him well enough to recognize the subtle signs—the way he picks at the frayed edge of his seatbelt, the soft, frustrated sighs escaping him every few minutes.
“Liam, if you don’t change this radio station soon, I might seriously lose my mind,” Jax complains from the passenger seat, tipping his head back dramatically against the headrest.“Nobody under fifty should willingly listen to this much talk radio.”
Liam doesn’t bother responding, merely casting a pointed glance toward Jax before deliberately turning up the volume another notch. Liam sits silently in the driver’s seat, jaw tight, eyes locked on the road ahead, the corners of his mouth twitching in what might be amusement.
But who the hell knows for Mr. Stick Up His Ass. Yes, I am still feeling sensitive about his dickish behavior this morning. No, I won't inspect why his opinion holds so much weight on my mood.
“Thanks, a—uh, jerk,” Jax grumbles, shaking his head with exaggerated annoyance. “Next time I’m driving.”
