Free Brianna's Navy SEAL by Natalie Damschroder Page A

her eyes. Her family were experts at ignoring sarcasm. She tried not to stomp into the kitchen, but indulged a yank on the freezer door.
    "I really did make it,” Cable murmured in her ear, reaching around her for the ice cream. “I don't know why you don't believe me."
    "You didn't have time. And I recognize Lilly's dish."
    Cable shook his head while he took down a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the cooler. “I was in the bakery aisle, panicking, when she took mercy on me. I didn't have a recipe or any clue what I was doing, and I'm terrified of your mother."
    Brie snorted. “She works for you."
    "With me, not for me, and don't let her fool you about who really runs that classroom. Anyway, Lilly told me what I needed, wrote down how to make it, and waited for me to check out so she could loan me the pan thing. She said using a tin foil pan was tacky and there was no sense me buying a proper dish I'd never use again. She had all this stuff in the back of her car. Why don't you believe me?” he asked again.
    "It's all too convenient, that's all."
    He set the water and a stack of napkins on the island and reached around her to get a can of Coke from the fridge. He set that down next to the water and pulled her tightly folded arms apart.
    "Come on. What's the real problem?"
    She shrugged. “I don't know.” She really didn't. It wasn't like her family hated her own baking or anything. The only thing she could blame it on was Darcy, and the two didn't connect at all. But she felt out of sorts and wasn't sure what to do about it.
    "How long does it take to get a few napkins?” Jake pushed into the kitchen and saw Brie's face and Cable's conciliatory rubbing of her arms, and nodded. “Got it. I'll just grab these.” He picked up the ice cream and napkins and went back to the dining room.
    "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be like this,” Brie finally said, letting go of her grumpy mood and giving him a quick kiss. “Forget about it. The cobbler is good."
    He flashed a quick grin. “Should I bring some to Darcy's on Tuesday?"
    So much for letting it go, Brianna thought, feeling her grumps come back. “Might as well,” she said, heading back into the dining room. Might as well give Darcy yet another reason to want you .
    After dessert Brianna left her sisters and their husbands to the cleanup while she took her nephew to the swing out back. It was chilly, but there was no snow and no wind. Joey kept pushing his hat up to the top of his head so that when he leaned back, it fell on the ground. Then Brie made a great show of trying to get it without getting kicked, and Joey squealed and laughed, banishing her grumpy mood for good.
    "Heya, sport, your mom's looking for you. I think it's time to head home."
    Brie looked up to see her father crossing the yard, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his old corduroy jacket, his breath puffing out in white clouds.
    "Awwwww!” Joey set his jaw and kicked his legs furiously. “More swinging!"
    "Now, Joe,” his father called from the back door, and the boy sullenly started toward the house.
    "Love you, sweetie,” Brianna said, smiling. He gave a halfhearted wave and trudged on, his head down. She would have followed, but it was clear her father wanted to talk to her, so she sat on the flat swing and waited while he leaned on the board fence marking the edge of the property.
    "Things are looking good with Cable,” he said. “You gonna have some news in that regard soon?"
    "Want all your chicks safely tucked up, huh, Pop?” She nudged the ground so the swing swayed gently. “We haven't been going out that long."
    "Naw, but it's not hard to see. Sometimes, it's just there, you know. Like it was for Kira and Jake."
    She hooted. “Yeah, that was an easy match."
    "Doesn't have to be easy to be right."
    Brianna guessed that was true, but since her father had once told her Ken was perfect for her, she didn't exactly trust his judgment.
    "You and Cable are comfortable