The Seal's Surrender. Maureen Child

her problems anymore tonight. She listened to stories of his and Doug’s childhood, heard the pride in his voice when he talked about his mother and what she’d managed to accomplish all on her own. She hoped that one day Sarah would be as kind when talking about her.

      God knows, she tried to be both mom and dad. But it wasn’t easy. Despite having a great job with the most understanding employer in the free world, Jennifer was pushed every day, wondering how to get everything done. She had no idea at all how women with less going for them managed to survive.

      “It must have been so hard for her,” she finally said, looking up at him. The wind blew strands of blond hair across her face and she plucked them out of her way so she could see him clearly.

      He stared off into the distance as if looking into years past and nodded. “Yeah, it was,” he said, “but we didn’t know that at the time. She made it look so easy. Mom wasn’t the kind to sit around and whine about finding herself. Or wishing that things were different. She used to say that the only thing you could change in life was yourself. So do the best you can.”

      “Smart woman.”

      “Oh, yeah.” He turned his head to look down at her and gave her yet another of those great smiles. “She would have liked you.”

      “Really? Why’s that?”

      “Because your daughter’s so important to you.”

      Something clutched at her heart, but Jennifer only said, “She’s everything to me.”

      “I can see that.”

      “That easy to read, huh?”

      “Does the phrase an open book mean anything to you?”

      Jennifer laughed in spite of herself. She’d never had much of a poker face. “Mike used to say the reason I was so honest was because I just couldn’t pull off a lie.”

      “Good a reason as any,” he said and stopped alongside a cherry-red SUV.

      “This is yours?” she asked and wondered why she was even surprised. If this wasn’t a guy’s car, she’d eat it.

      “Rental,” he said and opened her door. Holding it for her as she got in, he added, “I’m just in town for a while.”

      She automatically reached for the shoulder harness. “Where do you go when you leave here?”

      “Back to my SEAL team.”

      “And then?”

      “Won’t know until just before I go.”

      He slammed the door, walked around the front of the car, then opened the driver’s-side door. Sliding onto the front seat, he latched his seat belt, stuck the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine leapt into life with a muffled rumble of sound.