Chapter 18
18
STEPHANIE
Mayport, Florida
Traveling with Lance was better than anything she had ever experienced in the past. She loved going places with Lila and Natalie, but this was so different. They talked together for hours on end, sang songs with the radio, laughed, and teased each other while pulling over to investigate and check out new places. She saw Olympic Park in Atlanta and the torch from years ago, the sweeping hills as they drove through Chattanooga, and stopped at the border to the state of Florida to get their ‘free orange juice’ just like a couple of tourists. It was fun, freeing, and so wonderful to share these little moments with him.
“There’s been a lot of changes here since I arrived a few years ago,” Lance admitted, focusing on the road signs and changi ng lanes. The sun was setting in the distance behind them, casting a warm glow over the road before them as she gazed at this world around her. This was going to be her new home. Gone were the pines and tall, flowering tulip trees – replaced with palms and other plants. It was so strange to see sandy spots on the side of the road where construction was happening because back home, it was reddish, black clay and dirt.
“It’s different, huh?” Lance said quietly, exiting off the highway and glancing at her before speaking. “I remember when I first got to Mayport from Damneck, Virginia. This is my second duty station. I went from the Deep South to dealing with snow and ice, back to the South – but different. Everything here is… beachy, if that makes sense?”
“It does make sense,” she admitted. “I keep looking around, thinking, ‘wow, look at that,’ but I don’t want to sound stupid. I mean, I’ve traveled but I’ve only lived in Louisville my whole life.”
“Princess, it’s not stupid in the slightest. This is a different part of the country, and I want you to like it here,” he encouraged, and his voice hesitated. “I want you to be happy here… with me.”
“Oh, Lance,” she whispered, looking away from the window and taking his hand, almost as if she understood that he needed the reassurance that she wasn’t going to back out or blame him. “I’m very excited to be here with you and can’t wait to get settled in. Fair warning, you’ll have to do most of the driving for a while until I get my bearings…”
“Done,” he smiled – and then pointed. “That’s our complex. We’re in the back away from the main road, and not far from a very nice beachfront community. Ponte Vedra has a lot of golf tournaments and sandy dunes, but if you drive straight up this road in the other direction and keep g oing – you’ll run into the Navy base. I’ll have to show you around tomorrow, but for tonight, let’s get our things in, and the bed set up so you can get some rest.”
“Tomorrow, we can tackle the boxes,” she agreed and hesitated. As they pulled up to the building, she saw several cars running in the parking lot and a few men standing around talking in the evening shadows and swallowed. It seemed like there was quite a bit of loitering going on.
Was this place actually going to be safe?
And gasped. She recognized the face of the man who had married them at the same time that Lance rolled down the driver’s side window, yelling at the group in an animated fashion.
“Hey! You big dorks, I texted you and said, ‘Come with food’ cause I’m starving, and my baby’s gotta eat – both of them! Where’s the pizza?” he laughed, putting the truck into park and turning to wink at her, before jumping out.
“Heyyyy Mrs. Trophy!”
“’Sup, Mrs. Cavanaugh…”
“You… a dad… I can’t see it…”
“Welcome to Florida, Mrs. Trophy…”
Several voices called out happily, slapping Lance on the shoulders and waving at her through the open door. She watched them with open affection, admiring the relationship that Lance had with his teammates, and envied him at that moment – only to hear a knock on her window. Stunned, she turned slightly and saw a woman standing there, smiling.
“Hello?” Stephanie began, rolling down the window in confusion.
“Hey, let’s get the front door so they can get started, or they will run their mouths all night long and not get anythi ng unpacked. I’m Madeline, Memphis’s wife – and I’ve got dinner in my car.”
“Hi,” Stephanie said nervously as Madeline opened the door and gave a sharp whistle to her husband in the distance. One tall man took the key from Lance and tossed it to his wife with a quick ‘Love you’ said easily before the others started mocking him.
Madeline met her eyes, smiled, and rolled them effortlessly. While rolling the eyes might irk Stephanie or strike someone as being rude, there was a kindness in that simple movement that told her it was meant with affection for the comical interaction between the men who were teasing both of their husbands loudly in the parking lot. She tugged on Stephanie’s arm, pulling her from the truck like the Pied Piper leading a parade.
“Shall we check out your new place?” Madeline smiled, linking an arm with her and making their way to the apartment. Stephanie’s eyes took in everything around her. There were four doorways to this open breezeway and she could see the pond in the distance that Lance had told her about. The chain-link fence looked like it was six feet tall and would keep out anything. As they climbed the stairs, she saw the straw mat before her doorway and hesitated.
“My husband put that there. He’s sentimental and is always doing little things like that. If you don’t like the welcome mat – just get another one. I promise, no hard feelings,” Madeline smiled, hugging her arm once more like they were the best of friends. Her husband had put down a welcome mat to greet her? That was awfully sweet, she thought quietly and heard the men in the distance along with the loud sounds of the rollup door on the moving truck being opened. “They’ll be up here soon like a small herd of elephants. ”
“They sound like it now,” Stephanie chuckled, relaxing into this moment as Madeline opened the doorway – only to hear wild stomping up the stairwell along with Lance’s panicked, ‘WAAAAAIT!’ He got to the top of the stairs, looked at them both, and frowned, sucking in a few deep breaths.
“Oh, sorry!” Madeline winced. “I forgot.”
“Uh-huh,” Lance retorted abruptly – and scooped up Stephanie before she could tell him he was being rude. As she looked at him, opening her mouth to tell him that very thing, he gave her a lazy, tender smile, whispering one single word that made her heart skip a beat. “Threshold…”
“Ohhh…”
“Nobody takes my moment,” he murmured tenderly, leaning forward to kiss her before setting her down on her feet. “You can do whatever, put things wherever, and bark out orders… but nothing happens until I get to carry my bride over the threshold.”
“I love you,” she whispered up at him, treasuring the affection in his eyes as he gazed at her, touching her cheek.
“I love you too,” he breathed before hesitating and angling his head with a slight frown. “I better go back down. Y’all have fun,” he said simply and gave a mocking salute to the other woman. “Mrs. Memphis.”
“Bye, Trophy…” the woman laughed, shaking her head. “Go on, and I’ll take good care of your wife. I’ll fill her in on all the dirt about Navy life and…”
“Nuh-uh,” Lance grinned. “I want her to still think that I’m amazing.”
“Nothing could change my mind,” Stephanie interjected, winking at him. It was like they were having their own private conversation despite the chaos around them as the corner of her couch suddenly appeared behind Lance .
“Move your big butt, Trophy…”
“Hey! It’s not big,” her husband retorted glibly. “People pay for sweet cheeks like this… squats, buddy. Your flat posterior needs some serious squats.”
“Are you talking about your butt again, Trophy?”
“That’s what posterior means. He’s using a polite term because ladies are present.”
“Thanks, Pasteur… ya’ nerd.”
“Is there anything else worth discussing? I mean, look at this body,” Lance teased, winking at her. “Snagged my wife, didn’t it?”
“MOVE IT… and go get some boxes!”
“Boxers? You wanna see me in boxers? Stephanie, you want me in boxers, princess?”
“I didn’t say that, you freak…”
“Oh my gosh,” Stephanie and Madeline said in unison, looking at each other and laughing easily. The guys were laughing, taunting, hurling quips and insults playfully at each other almost like a family. Madeline ushered her to the couch, sat with her, and they chatted easily for a few moments, before Stephanie was needed.
It was time to get to work.
Boxes were everywhere, paper and bubble wrap on the floor, as chaos swirled around them. Before long, in the blink of an eye, the apartment was starting to take shape before them. It hit Stephanie like a load of bricks what the difference was between Louisville and Mayport.
It didn’t matter where she was, what things she had, or if her furniture was in good condition, things put away nicely, or pictures on the walls. It was the man nearby who held her heart, playfully talking smack with his friends that made it feel like she was truly home. Her apartment in Louisville had felt empty when he left, and the moment he’d met her at the airport, she had felt that same sense of belonging. Even here, now, she felt that same sensation of perfection that she was supposed to be here, as she did every time Lance hugged her or held her close.
He was her home.
That loud-mouthed, playful flirt with the saucy temperament was more wonderful and beloved than she could have ever imagined. He was her entire world – and their child, her universe. She laid a hand on her stomach which was just starting to bulge in the sweetest way, remembering how he’d dropped a trail of kisses around her belly button, whispering words of love to the baby and her.
And as if he could read her very thoughts, Lance looked at her. His eyes dropped slightly to her hand, and she treasured that proud look that appeared on his face each time he looked at her and slowly nodded, his eyes molten with emotion.
“Guys!” Lance said loudly, not looking away from her. “Cut the chit-chat, and let’s finish up. Y’all do not want to be here in about an hour.”
“Why?” Tic-Tak taunted knowingly while Memphis laughed, shaking his head.
“Because I want to be alone with my soulmate,” Lance admitted, not looking away from her as she gazed at him longingly. “I love you, Steph.” The taunting and teasing began, only for her to speak over them pointedly.
“I love you too – and guys? Thank you so much for your help, but my husband is right. Thirty minutes, fellas.”
“Sheesh, we help them move, and this is what we get?”
“You’ll understand when you grow up someday,” Memphis taunted, slapping Tic-Tak on the shoulder playfully. The aviator frowned as the others started laughing obnoxiously, taunting him .
“I’ve gotta go,” Pasteur said quietly, looking at his cell phone and yanking out his keys from his pocket, already moving toward the front door.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yup,” the man was evasive and quiet – and left not a moment later. She met Lance’s eyes and saw the slight negative shake of his head. If that was Lila texting him, they both needed to leave the entire matter alone.
Madeline was sitting directly beside Memphis, whispering to him. Orion had already left to go home, claiming he had something ‘urgent’ to handle. Ohio, Shellac, Moonbeam, and Tic-Tak were all that remained. She saw them each diving for the last slices of pizza and then glanced at Lance again, unsure how to ‘evict’ their guests in a half hour because she wanted to be alone with him.
Looking at him again, she saw he was thinking the same thing.
“Time’s up, fellas,” Lance barked out loudly. “Take the pizza and Cokes. I’ll bring donuts in the morning, whatever, but everyone out.”
“What the…”
“Y’all just said…”
“I’m not ready to go back to the ship. Tic-Tak snores bad.”
“And Ohio farts – cry me a river,” Lance blurted out uncaringly, causing the man’s face to turn bright red as he shrugged in a very noncommittal way.
“Fellas… we’ve got ladies present, remember?” Memphis nodded, chuckling with his wife… and Stephanie just stared in disbelief of the riot of bodily functions that was being discussed baldly.
“Who’s gonna make me…” Moonbeam said, leaning back in the chair. “I’m comfy, and Mrs. Trophy wouldn’t kick us out, would she? What if she wants a few of us strong, handsome guys to stay.”
“You don’t have to deal with her,” Lance snarled protectively, grabbing Moonbeam by the front of his T-shirt, causing the other man to laugh.
“You think I’m scared of you? Please, Trophy, come off the ‘saintly’ thing. We’ve partied before in the past and…”
“Those days are over,” her husband growled out.
Stephanie lifted an eyebrow silently as a few eyes quickly landed on her at this comment. Oh, she knew her husband wasn’t a saint and never bothered to hide who he was from her. No, it had taken a playboy attitude that was reckless enough to talk to the quiet girl in the room, a bold man to agree to her rules, and a loyal one to put her first in his life, his world.
“She knows my past – all of me. I’m not scared of what you’d say, but rather, I’m warning you.”
“Of what?”
“The five-foot-something woman with a vicious tongue eats her steak a little too bloody even for my tastes, has an unhealthy fascination for blue cheese dressing right now…”
“Ew? Really?” Madeline commented beside her, flinching at the thought as Lance continued on, dragging Moonbeam toward the door as the guys laughed at the two of them.
“Lance?” Stephanie said simply, getting to her feet. She didn’t want anyone to start fighting when it had been the most beautiful day. This was her first day in her new home with her husband and meeting their friends. She turned and shared a knowing look with Madeline, who smiled and nodded.
“Memphis, I want to go home,” Madeline said openly, and the other man was out of his seat in a heartbeat .
“Princess, whatcha need? I’m kinda busy with someone who doesn’t know when to hush,” her husband began, not looking in her direction. Stephanie walked over and looked at Moonbeam and pointed, before drawing a finger down Lance’s spine, causing him to shiver in delight as he let go of his friend in an instant, looking over his shoulder with a dazed look.
“All of you out,” Stephanie said softly, not looking away from her husband and treasuring the smile that appeared on his face. “We’ll get together soon and cook out or something.”
“Yup,” Lance agreed hoarsely, not looking away from her. “Y’all should go.”
As they filed out of the apartment, she heard their comments to her husband and couldn’t help the smile on her face. Yeah, they all knew what was happening, and there wasn’t any reason to hide things. They were married, she was pregnant, and they were home. The moment the door closed, he chuckled.
“How come that worked for you and not for me?”
“Because they don’t know me.”
“If they did, they would be trying to take you from me…”
“Never,” she whispered. “Why would I ever look anywhere else when I have my soulmate at my side?”
“Darn straight,” he breathed gruffly, drawing her close to him. “Can you do that thing where you run your finger down my spine again? That tickles in the best way…”
“Maybe we should head to the bedroom?”
“Have I mentioned that I love you?” he laughed in delight as she hooked a finger in this belt loop, tugging him with her down the hallway. “I swear, you couldn’t be more perfect for me. Do you know that, Stephanie? I think I’ve always been searching for you, all this time, and I’m never letting you go, princess.”
“You mentioned that you love me,” she whispered huskily, smiling at him, and nodded. “Time to show me… husband.”
“Anything you say, wife.”