By the time she got to the dining hall, most people looked like they were finishing up their breakfast. She quickly walked down the buffet line, grabbed a croissant, a couple of sausages, and a few orange slices.
What she really wanted was coffee.
And just like that, a carafe appeared in front of her, attached to a nicely muscled arm. Seriously, where did Heather Tully find all these handsome young men? She followed it—him—to a table.
It was only after she gratefully thanked him for the coffee that she realized she was two tables away from the Angry, Sad Man who was also her Next-Door Neighbor.
The two labels blared like car horns in her head. Extra-loud warnings she didn’t need, because she saw him. He hadn’t seen her yet, though. He was reading something on his phone, his jaw tense and his plate empty.
She shoved some croissant in her mouth and got a better look at him now. Everyone here this week was in their fifties, although he wasn’t built like any middle-aged man she’d ever seen before. He was big and solid, like a tank, and he had a short hair cut like…
She choked on her croissant.
He had a short haircut like Wyatt, her soon-to-be son-in-law.
This man was military, she was sure of it.
She pulled out her own phone, not caring at all that it was only five in the morning on the west coast where her daughter currently was.
Grace: SOS from camp, daughter-of-mine. Any Navy SEALs here early for Silver Fox Week?
Tegan didn’t reply. So Grace swallowed another chunk of croissant, chased it down with coffee, and texted Wyatt. It was an emergency, after all.
Grace: Hi Wyatt. Can you tell Tegan I texted her?
Wyatt: Morning, Grace. How’s camp?
Clearly he hadn’t picked up on the emergency vibe from her be-cool text. She abandoned all pretense.
Grace: Eventful so far. I had an awkward exchange with another camper last night.
Wyatt: Fistfight eventful or wore-the-same-dress eventful?
Grace: I had a few too many drinks and crawled into the wrong bed.
He didn’t reply right away. That was probably the wrong thing to text your son-in-law. She was shit at this whole thing. When her phone lit up a few moments later, she was relieved to see her daughter’s name on the screen.
Tegan: Mom, I’m up. Sort of. Wyatt’s making me coffee. What did you do?
Grace: It’s a long story. Do you have an answer to my question about Navy SEALs being here, maybe?
Tegan: Oh no. Mom, tell me you didn’t.
Grace: Who is he, baby?
Tegan: Oh, shit. MOM.
Grace: WHAT? I DON’T KNOW WHAT I DID.
She took a surreptitious picture and texted it to her daughter.
Grace: WHO IS THIS?
Tegan: His name is Frank. He’s the retiring base commander.
Grace: So, he’ll be at the wedding?
Tegan: Oh yeah.
