Are you sure about that?
“You mentioned Logan, Lucky, and Archer are married. What about you? You ever get married?”
Hers was a question that should have been asked long before meeting the man for dinner. But Scottie had been too shocked and—admittedly—excited to see him again after all this time that she couldn’t bring herself to ask before now.
“Nah, not yet. You?”
She shook her head. “Someday, maybe.”
If the right guy were to come along…
The corners of his lips twitched, and there was a glimmer in his eyes she couldn’t quite read. “You ever come close?”
“Honestly, I’ve been too busy the last few years to even attempt to have a social life.”
It was true. First, there was culinary school. In the middle of that, Scottie got the idea for her social media food vlogs, which grew an audience larger than any she’d ever imagined for herself.
Fast-forward a few years—past several kitchen jobs and a couple of sous chef positions—and she was selected to appear on the cooking show. Of course, this was the catalyst that brought a stalker straight to her.
Kind of hard to trust a guy enough to be alone with him after that.
“I hear that.” He chuckled low, responding to navigating life with a jam-packed schedule. “Probably why Logan and the others married women connected to the firm. It seems that the only time we meet new people is through work.”
It made sense, now that she thought about it.
“So there’s no rule about dating clients?”
The same sideways smirk he used to wear back in the day appeared on his handsome face. And, like always, she felt her heart do a little flip.
“Just one of the many great things about working for ourselves is there’s no Big Brother pressing his bureaucratic thumb down on us the whole time. That being said, it’s not like Logan and the others purposely hooked up with the women they were protecting. It just sort of…happened.”
“Here you are.” Their server finally returned with their drinks. “One Moscato for the lady, and for the gentleman…” She sat Chase’s tall glass of beer in front of him.
“Thanks.” Scottie smiled up at the young woman.
Chase drew in a short sip of his amber brew before setting his glass back down with a smile. “That’s really good. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” The other woman held Chase’s gaze. “Have you had enough time to look at the menu, or do you need a few more moments?”
From where he sat across from her, Chase turned his head and glanced Scottie’s way. “Uh…I think we need a few more minutes.” He seemed to read her apologetic expression correctly.
“No worries.” Their server held her smile steady. “I’ll give you more time to choose.”
After perusing the menu to avoid further delaying their orders, she and Chase quickly decided on their meal choices before returning to their previous conversation.
“Okay, so let me see if I have this all straight.” She picked up right where they’d left off. “Aside from you, there’s Lucky and Logan, who I met the other night. And then you also have two other men on your?—”
“Archer Knox and Donovan Braddock,” he finished for her. “But Braddock goes by Van.”
Archer and Van. Got it.
Five former SEALs still putting it all on the line for the greater good. She couldn’t think of a more commendable way to honor their fallen teammate.
“You know, it’s pretty cool that you guys still get to work together, even if it’s not with the Navy.”
Another smile lifted a set of lips that, even after all this time, she’d almost swear she could still taste. “It’s very cool, actually. A definite change from active duty, but it all worked out in the end. So far, anyway.”
Despite not being allowed to continue as a SEAL, Chase seemed pretty content working for Eagle’s Nest. Happy, even.