Hot SEALs: Reclaiming the SEAL (Kindle Worlds) (Lost and Found Series Book 11) by J.M. Madden Page A
Authors: J.M. Madden
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horrifyingly normal occurrence, especially in a naval area as large as Norfolk.
Her eyes drifted over the people walking away. There were several that she knew and nodded to, both in uniform and not. As a nurse at Walter Reed she’d had constant military contact, but when she’d taken that private practice job a few years ago she’d kind of fallen out of touch.
Gwen caught her eye and stepped over to give her a brief hug, before Franklin, her second husband, escorted her away. Butter had never had anything nice to say about Franklin, other than that he appeared to love his mother, which was enough for him. Butter’s own father had died years ago in a car crash.
Julie spotted Lacey Adams, her former supervisor at Walter Reed, nudging the dark-haired man standing beside her in his Navy service dress uniform and motioning toward Julie. The man took her arm to walk her over, umbrella held protectively above her head.
Lacey had been an incredible, intuitive nurse. It had been a pleasure work with her at Walter Reed, caring for many of the injured servicemen returning from war. It had felt like a true calling with a true friend. It had been hard when Lacey had left, but Julie could not begrudge her the life she’d built in Colorado. As Julie looked at the man beside her, she could totally understand why she’d completely rearranged her life to be with him. Maxwell Tate looked like a former SEAL. It was stamped all over his somber, determined, clean-shaven face. Only when he looked at Lacey did his expression soften.
As soon as she was within range, Julie pulled Lacey into a hug, umbrellas bumping above them. Now the tears came to her eyes, when she was with a friend who would understand.
Wrapping her up tight and swaying slightly, Julie held onto Lacey for several long moments, then pulled back. They both had to wipe their cheeks.
Julie held her hand out to Max. “I’ve heard so much about you that I feel like I know you.”
Max shook her hand firmly. “Same here. Lacey loves talking about you girls. She misses you a lot.”
Julie grinned. “It’s mutual, believe me.” They had been quite a crew; that was for sure. Nurses were known for being a little wild, but some of the things they’d done while working at Walter Reed probably could have gotten them fired.
Lacey’s blue eyes were shining, as if she knew what Julie were thinking. She probably did, the woman had always been uncanny that way. “If you ever feel like a change, we need nurses at the VA where I work. You would fit in perfectly there.”
Julie gave her a surprised, considering smile. “I’ll think about that. A change of pace might be nice.”
Then they both sobered, the reason for their reunion coming back to them.
Julie rested her hand on Max’s arm. The jacket sleeve was thick, but she could feel the tensile strength beneath her fingers. It was obvious he kept himself in shape, though he’d left the SEALs a couple years ago. “I’m sorry for your loss, Max, more than I can tell you.”
Max’s face closed down a little and he gave her a nod. “I appreciate that Julie, though it had been a while since I’d seen Butter. I’ve been gone a while now and I hadn’t kept up with them the way I should have. That was why I didn’t even recognize his number.”
Julie knew that it was hard sometimes, keeping ties to former teammates. Even Gabe, Butter’s swim buddy, hadn’t kept up with him as much as he could have after he’d been transferred to another squad.
Her eyes drifted across the expanse of grass between them. Gabriel stood looking at the Trident pin-laden coffin, as if he just couldn’t believe that his best friend in the world was about to be put in the ground. His hands hung loosely to his sides and his head was down, which was not normal. Gabe was one of those SEALs that was always ready for a fight or a fuck, as they liked to say. But today—today, he looked beaten down by the world. And the rain, it was coming down
Her eyes drifted over the people walking away. There were several that she knew and nodded to, both in uniform and not. As a nurse at Walter Reed she’d had constant military contact, but when she’d taken that private practice job a few years ago she’d kind of fallen out of touch.
Gwen caught her eye and stepped over to give her a brief hug, before Franklin, her second husband, escorted her away. Butter had never had anything nice to say about Franklin, other than that he appeared to love his mother, which was enough for him. Butter’s own father had died years ago in a car crash.
Julie spotted Lacey Adams, her former supervisor at Walter Reed, nudging the dark-haired man standing beside her in his Navy service dress uniform and motioning toward Julie. The man took her arm to walk her over, umbrella held protectively above her head.
Lacey had been an incredible, intuitive nurse. It had been a pleasure work with her at Walter Reed, caring for many of the injured servicemen returning from war. It had felt like a true calling with a true friend. It had been hard when Lacey had left, but Julie could not begrudge her the life she’d built in Colorado. As Julie looked at the man beside her, she could totally understand why she’d completely rearranged her life to be with him. Maxwell Tate looked like a former SEAL. It was stamped all over his somber, determined, clean-shaven face. Only when he looked at Lacey did his expression soften.
As soon as she was within range, Julie pulled Lacey into a hug, umbrellas bumping above them. Now the tears came to her eyes, when she was with a friend who would understand.
Wrapping her up tight and swaying slightly, Julie held onto Lacey for several long moments, then pulled back. They both had to wipe their cheeks.
Julie held her hand out to Max. “I’ve heard so much about you that I feel like I know you.”
Max shook her hand firmly. “Same here. Lacey loves talking about you girls. She misses you a lot.”
Julie grinned. “It’s mutual, believe me.” They had been quite a crew; that was for sure. Nurses were known for being a little wild, but some of the things they’d done while working at Walter Reed probably could have gotten them fired.
Lacey’s blue eyes were shining, as if she knew what Julie were thinking. She probably did, the woman had always been uncanny that way. “If you ever feel like a change, we need nurses at the VA where I work. You would fit in perfectly there.”
Julie gave her a surprised, considering smile. “I’ll think about that. A change of pace might be nice.”
Then they both sobered, the reason for their reunion coming back to them.
Julie rested her hand on Max’s arm. The jacket sleeve was thick, but she could feel the tensile strength beneath her fingers. It was obvious he kept himself in shape, though he’d left the SEALs a couple years ago. “I’m sorry for your loss, Max, more than I can tell you.”
Max’s face closed down a little and he gave her a nod. “I appreciate that Julie, though it had been a while since I’d seen Butter. I’ve been gone a while now and I hadn’t kept up with them the way I should have. That was why I didn’t even recognize his number.”
Julie knew that it was hard sometimes, keeping ties to former teammates. Even Gabe, Butter’s swim buddy, hadn’t kept up with him as much as he could have after he’d been transferred to another squad.
Her eyes drifted across the expanse of grass between them. Gabriel stood looking at the Trident pin-laden coffin, as if he just couldn’t believe that his best friend in the world was about to be put in the ground. His hands hung loosely to his sides and his head was down, which was not normal. Gabe was one of those SEALs that was always ready for a fight or a fuck, as they liked to say. But today—today, he looked beaten down by the world. And the rain, it was coming down
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