Page 3 of The Only Reason (The Trident Trilogy 2)

Chapter Two

Millie

San Diego, California

2020

“Have you told him you love him yet?” Mariel peers at me over her wine glass as she takes a long, slow sip. Her expression suggests the correct answer is definitely no.

“Yes. I have,” I say, draining the last of my martini to prepare for the tongue-lashing I know I’m about to receive.

“Oh my God, Millie. Why? You’ve only been together—really together—for two months.” She shakes her head with so much force that her dangling earrings slap her repeatedly in the face.

“I said it because it’s true. I do love him,” I say, quickly adding, “and Mason said it, too. We’re in love. Why is that bad?”

Mariel has become my best girlfriend since I moved to San Diego six months ago. Let me emphasize “girlfriend”because her husband, Chase, is my best friend. He has been since the day my dad—his best friend—died. I haven’t always made it easy for Chase to love me, but he never gave up, and that’s made me almost as devoted to him as I was to my dad.

Mariel motions to the waiter to bring her another glass of wine. It’s her third. She usually stops at two. This is obviously about to get serious. “It’s not bad, Millie. It’s just unrealistic. You aren’t living in the real world right now. You’re still recovering from the kidnapping. He’s still adjusting from stepping down as an active SEAL. You both had traumatic, life-changing things happen recently. You shouldn’t be making big decisions.”

“I don’t think being in love is a decision. It just kind of happens.”

She rests her chin on her hands as she bats her eyelashes. “Oh, sweetie. That entire statement makes me want to slap you so badly.”

“What? How long did it take you to realize you were in love with Chase?”

“I’ll let you know when it happens.” She flashes her most wicked smile at me.

“Mariel!”

I’ve known them since I was sixteen. They took me in for a few months after my dad died. They have the most loving marriage I’ve ever seen, but they are complete opposites. Deep down, Chase—like me—is a dreamer. Mariel is not. She’s 100 percent pragmatic all the time. It’s probably why Chase married her. It’s definitely why I value her friendship. She keeps us grounded.

“Of course I love him, Millie. But it hasn’t always been easy. It took Chase years to adjust to not being active anymore. I’m still not sure he’s there, and it’s been almost ten years. Our marriage has taken a lot of work. A lot. I’m just saying this little blissful bubble you and Mason are in right now isn’t going to last.”

The waiter thankfully delivers me another martini. “Well even if reality sets in—”

Before I can finish, Mariel grabs my hand across the table and pats it. “Not if, sweetie. When. When it sets in.”

“When,” I say sharply. “When it sets in, I’m still going to love him.”

She sits back and crosses her arms. We stare at each other for a few minutes before she finally says, “And what are you going to say when he asks you to marry him?”

I roll my eyes so severely, it almost gives me a headache. “Oh my God, Mar. He’s not going to ask me to marry him. You’re drunk.”

“I am.” She smiles. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong. That’s what comes after the ‘I love you’: marriage then babies. And I know you’re not ready for all that. Are you?”

“No. God, no. Not even close.” I’m starting to think the double shot in my second martini was a mistake. My brain is getting fuzzy. “He’s not either. I know that. I mean it’s only been two months.”

She flings her hands in the air like she’s suddenly conducting an orchestra. “And finally you say something that makes sense,” she says, slamming her hands back down on the table. She hits them five more times to emphasize each of her next words. “It’s only been two months.”

“I really hate you right now.” I eat the last olive from my martini and fling the cocktail pick at her.

She laughs victoriously. “Have you even had a fight with him yet? Do you know enough about each other to disagree on anything?”

“There is one thing we argue about,” I say slowly.

“Ooh. Do tell.”

“Well, you know how independent I am—”

---