Epilogue #1
On Friday morning of Evan’s first full week on the job, the trucking company informed him that his household goods would be arriving at nine.
Since he was supposed to work from home in the afternoon caring for Ian while Genevieve met with her principal, he asked her to meet him at his quarters with the baby.
He could take care of Ian and direct boxes to the right rooms.
The SEAL gossip vine moved at the speed of light. Within five minutes, Dylan called him. “Sir, do you need help with the move? My JG can handle today’s schedule. It’s pretty light and we were letting the men off early.”
Evan considered the offer only for a minute. “I could use some help with Ian. Genevieve has a meeting this afternoon and I have baby duty.” The young man needed more practice taking care of his son. Pretty soon, he’d have the child twenty-four seven. That thought squeezed Evan’s heart.
“I’ll meet you at your new quarters, sir.”
Genevieve was just laying Ian down for a nap in the only room already set up in Evan’s new quarters when Dylan arrived. As soon as he’d gotten the keys to his new place, they’d set up Ian’s room.
“Rank certainly has its privileges,” Dylan said as he looked around the extremely large home. “I just hope the base has a house for me sooner rather than later. I’m not finding anything within my budget over in San Diego.”
“It’s a pretty pricey area.” Genevieve walked over to stand next to Evan.
Just then, the semi-truck pulled up. After walking through the house and designating rooms to the crew, boxes started to pour out of the truck. Furniture came next.
“Sir, this is a pretty radical bachelor pad.” Evan looked at all the dark leather furniture, chrome, and glass that he’d selected for his condominium back in Virginia Beach.
At the time, he wanted the absolute opposite from the warm and comfortable colors of the house he’d shared with Genevieve.
“Furniture is another dent in my budget. I didn’t realize how good I have it in the Bachelor Officers Quarters.
I saved up quite a bit of money, but I understand I need to buy a truckload of diapers. ” He grinned over at Genevieve.
“And that’s just for the first year,” she replied. She stared at the furniture they were assembling in the living room. “This really does look like a thirty-year-old’s bachelor pad.”
“Dylan likes it,” Evan retorted.
“My point exactly.” They held each other’s gaze, so many unspoken words being exchanged.
“Dylan, will you take over here? I need to talk to Genevieve.” Without waiting for an answer, he took her hand and walked her to the master bedroom where the black padded headboard and footboard had been stowed.
“Was I reading you right? I need you to tell me what you’re thinking.”
She glanced toward the bed. “I love you, and I hate the thought of you living in this house and me living in mine.” When she placed her hand on his cheek, he rolled his face and kissed her palm.
“Me, too.” Evan was going to do this for the second time. He went down on one knee, her hand still in his. “Genevieve Hubbard, I never stopped loving you. Will you marry me…again? And live with me here? We can get rid of all my furniture and buy new.”
When her eyes lit up, he knew she had a plan. “We have furniture. I even know somebody to rent our house.”
“Vivi, can you answer the question first so I can get off my knee? This old body isn’t what it used to be.”
She tugged on his hand and when he stood, she threw her arms around him. “Yes, I’ll marry you again. And we can live here.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m not sleeping in that bed, though.”
“Why should we when we have a perfectly good bed?” Then he added, “I think we’re due a new mattress, though.”
“There’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.” His soon-to-be wife, again, looked very serious. “I’ve been teaching for twenty years. Taking care of Ian these past two weeks has made me happier than teaching has in years.”
Evan shrugged. “Then quit.”
“Retire,” she corrected.
“Okay, retire.” Evan didn’t care what she did. He made plenty of money to support them both. She could go teach yoga on the beach every morning at sunrise for all he cared. He really liked what the yoga did for her ass.
“I have an idea that I’d like to run past you first.” He wondered if it was the same idea he had. They’d always seemed to be in sync.
Three minutes later, they were standing with Dylan in the living room.
“We have an offer for you.” He put his arm around Genevieve.
“We’re getting remarried and living in this house.
The other house is in Kylie and Genevieve’s name.
Ian automatically inherits his mother’s half.
Would you be willing to move into Ian’s house, paying all the utilities and taxes instead of rent since the house is already paid off? ”
“Really?” Dylan’s eyes were huge. “I get to live in that amazing house right across from the beach? And I only have to pay utilities and taxes? Sir, you could get so much rent for that place, you’re crazy to let me live there rent-free.”
“Are you calling me crazy, son?” The word just slipped out. He’d never called anyone son before. On the other hand, he’d never felt this close to a young man. Dylan was family and always would be.
“No, sir. I’m just saying from a financial perspective, your suggestion isn’t sound.”
Genevieve batted at Dylan’s shoulder. “Shut up. Quit trying to talk us out of this. Our minds are made up. But that’s not all of the offer.”
“Should I be sitting down for this?” Dylan joked.
“We promised you that we would help you with Ian. I don’t want him going to daycare, at least not until he’s three or four, and maybe only for half-days, more like preschool.
It’s primarily for socialization. I want to take care of our grandson while you’re at work.
On your way in, you can drop him off here, and pick him up on your way home.
If you have to work late, he can just spend the night here.
I know all about last-minute deployments.
If we have to keep Ian for a week, a month, or even a year, I want to be the one taking care of him, not some stranger. ”
Dylan stared at the two of them. “You’d do all that for me? It’s too much to ask.”
“You didn’t ask. We offered.” Evan then admitted, “We’re being selfish. Renting a house to strangers is a pain in the ass. We know you’ll take good care of Ian’s house, maybe even make a few improvements. This way, we’re guaranteed to keep our grandson in our lives.”
“Do we need to put something in writing?” Dylan asked. “I’ll sign anything you want.”
“We’ll get something put together.” Evan made a mental note that he needed to check with the JAG office to see if that was something they could handle.
Evan knew he was in trouble the more Genevieve stared at the black leather furniture.
“You like this couch and all this living room furniture, Dylan?” Genevieve gave Evan a side glance.
“Yes, ma’am.” His smile didn’t lie.
“Congratulations, it’s yours.” She gave Evan a shit-eating grin. “Let me show you a bed that I think you’re going to like.”
When they returned, Evan suggested, “Why don’t you call your friends with pickup trucks and get some of this shit moved, or none of us will have a bed to sleep in tonight.”
Genevieve waved from the door, dodging another load of boxes. “Have fun with that. I’m going to go retire.”
Just then, the baby monitor went off.
Evan pointed to the baby’s room. “You’re up.”
By five in the afternoon, the semi was gone and almost everything was in the right house.
A quick inspection of his dishes sent them over to Dylan’s house, but Genevieve wanted something new for their new house.
His dining room table was brand new and their style, so she left hers that had seen use—and abuse, from a baby and a herd of teenagers.
“Pizza delivery,” the familiar voice of Marta Merkel sang as she carried an armful of boxes into Evan’s and Genevive’s new home. “I already stopped over to the other place and everybody’s on their way here.”
Not surprisingly, Vice Admiral Maddox followed her in. “I’m hoping three cases of beer is going to be enough. If it isn’t, we’ll find the youngest lieutenant and send him out for more.”
As the two men shoved cases of beer into the refrigerator, the vice admiral asked, “Did you hear about Ms. Nami?”
Evan stopped and looked at his mentor. “No.”
“She wasn’t in the house when they raided. They found her in her car at the airport in long-term parking…with her throat slit.” The vice admiral went on to say, “The whole car had been wiped clean. Real professional job.”
“Fuck. Somebody was afraid she was going to talk.” That was Evan’s take on the situation.
“None of the women in the house, and those who they collected living with sailors and SEALs, knew the name of the man in charge. Everyone just called him Big Daddy. They didn’t know the names of the bodyguards either, but thanks to Lieutenant Chaney’s pictures, they’ve identified several of them.
Captain Dupree recognized one. He was a chief he’d court-martialed five years ago. ”
“No, shit. A SEAL?” Evan was hoping he’d say no, but the answer was yes.
Deep voices from the front door echoed back to the kitchen. “Sounds like our boys are here.”
After boxes of pizza disappeared, and each junior officer drank one beer, Genevieve pointed to one of the other young men. He didn’t understand what she was asking.
“His tattoo,” she said just above a whisper.
He didn’t care. SEALs got lots of tattoos. Then he noticed that almost every one of them had a new tattoo. He squinted to try to see what it was.
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “Did a bunch of you get drunk and go out and get new tattoos?”
“We weren’t drunk, ma’am.” Lieutenant JG Kadel rolled up his sleeve to show off a colorful tattoo of a phoenix. Other men in the room followed, including Dylan. “Tattoo artists all over Coronado are booked into next month for these little babies. We picked out the design.” He high-fived Dylan.
Marta marched over and grabbed Dylan’s arm. “That is absolutely beautiful. I’ve never gotten a tattoo before, but I’d consider getting one of those.”
“You will do no such thing,” Vice Admiral Maddox scolded. Then he looked around the room, embarrassed. “Beautiful women like you and Genevieve do not need body art.” He looked to Evan for support. “Right?”
Evan grinned. “Genevieve has a tattoo.”
Marta grabbed Genevieve’s hand. “See? Don’t you think we need to get one of those?”
“No. My tattoo is very small and hurt like hell.” She smiled up at her friend. “But, I’d love to find a ring with a phoenix.” The two women dashed to the back of the house, likely to Genevieve’s office and her computer.
An hour later, after everyone said goodbye, Evan and Genevieve collapsed on the couch. Their couch. They were taking care of Ian for one last night in their home. Saturday, he’d be Dylan’s responsibility.
“So, Evan, when are you going to marry me?” He loved Genevieve’s sassy voice.
He took out his phone and started checking flights. “How about tomorrow night? Las Vegas.” He showed her the flights.
She swatted his hand away and pressed Buy.