Free The SEAL's Valentine (Operation: Family) by Laura marie Altom

she parted the curtains she found Tristan bearing flowers she was fairly certain had come from Georgia Booth’s side yard.
    “Hey,” he said with a sleepy grin that somersaulted her already sketchy tummy. “Brought you these. My feeble attempt at apologizing for Vivian’s crazy matchmaking.”
    She accepted his purple rhododendrons. “Thanks, but it wasn’t your fault.” Eyeing the pretty bouquet, she had to ask, “You didn’t steal these from my neighbor, did you?”
    “No,” he said with great offense. “And hand deliver that crazy woman more reason to dislike me? Give me some credit. They’re from my own mom’s yard—with her blessing.”
    Brynn’s face overheated. “You told Donna about that awkward exchange at the store?”
    “Just in passing.” When Brynn stood back from the door, he brushed past, flooding her with scents of sun, sweat and leather from the sporting goods store. Any normal time in her life, this would’ve been no big deal, but superpregnant with raging hormones to match left her in constant flux when it came to her feelings regarding the man. “Have a seat. I want to get these in water.”
    “Sure.”
    Time away from him—however brief—would be welcome. He’d already done enough to distract her. Distract her from what, she couldn’t say. The mere act of being around him had her addled mind waffling in a danger zone between attraction and irritation. After all she’d been through, her body hadn’t gotten the memo that romance was permanently out of her picture.
    Foiling her plan for escape, he trailed after her. “Looked like Cayden was pretty psyched about getting his uniform.”
    “Oh, he was. But when it came time to pay the bill, I nearly had this baby on the spot.”
    Leaning against the counter while she filled a clear blue vase with water, he said, “Not that it’s my business, but Mack didn’t leave you financially okay?”
    She laughed. “Um, no. Upon his death, his assets were frozen. Authorities seized the house, but let me keep his pricey car. I sold it, but after the funeral, paying creditors and legal fees to prove I hadn’t been involved in any of Mack’s schemes, there’s hardly anything left. Soon as the baby’s born, I need a job.”
    He winced. “Good ones aren’t easy to come by around here. Partly why I went into the navy.”
    “If I didn’t have Cayden, and his baby sister on the way, I would consider that route.” She set the flowers on the center of the kitchen table. They looked pretty. “Can you believe I used to keep a florist on speed dial? Our St. Louis home had a grand foyer with a center table. Mack liked it topped with a giant vase of fresh flowers—the kind you’d see in a hotel lobby.”
    Tristan whistled. “Too bad you can’t have a little of that cash back in your pocket.”
    “No kidding,” Brynn said with a sad chuckle. She forced a breath and smile then changed the subject. “It’s a gorgeous night. Wanna take a pregnant lady for a walk before her rowdy kid comes home?”
    “I’d be honored.” Always a gentleman, he offered her his arm.
    She politely declined.
    * * *
    N OT WANTING TO GIVE C AYDEN the wrong idea about possibly becoming a regular fixture in the little boy’s home, Tristan left before Vivian dropped him off.
    Back at his mom’s, he found a note about her being at one of her friends’, playing bunko. He nuked the dinner she’d left in the fridge, then settled into his dad’s old recliner to watch the Cards take on the Cubs.
    The more he heard about Mack, the more disappointed he grew in his old friend. Mack had been given the world on a proverbial platter. Dream job. Amazing wife. Cute, smart kid. Where had it all gone wrong?
    But then he supposed the same could be asked about Tristan’s own life. Or could it? For years, he’d beaten himself up over the breakup of his marriage, but he hadn’t been the one leaving. Andrea knew going into their relationship that he didn’t exactly have an