Had McCaffrey really said that he liked kids as long as they were âsomebody elseâsâ?
âHannah, wait up.â Her sister pushed the stroller at a slight jog to keep up with Hannahâs military stride. âHe didnât mean anything by it. He thinksââ
Hannah stopped short. âI know what he thinks, Samantha.â
âExcuse me?â
âWhatâs with you? Flirting with Fallonâs father, pretending to be her motherâ¦â
âI never did any of that. He just assumed.â
Hannah took a deep breath, deep enough for the flush of anger and jealousy to fade just a little. She glanced toward McCaffrey, who was still talking to her mother. His assumptions played in to Hannahâs deepest fearsâthat in the end it would be her sister who would raise Fallon, not her.
Sammy followed her gaze. âDonât worry. Your secretâs safe. You and Mom are cut from the same cloth.â
âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âIt means Momâs going to keep quiet. And you⦠You button up all your emotions inside that white jacket, and the Navy rewards you for it with those ribbons worn in place of your heart.â
âIâm not emotionless,â Hannah denied. âDo you honestly think I donât feel anything?â
âThen you deserve a Purple Heart. Because if youâre bleeding nobody knows it. Least of all him.â
Dear Reader,
Women make up about 15 percent of todayâs active and reserve military, nearly double that of two decades ago when I enlisted in the United States Navy. One of the proudest moments of my service was when I signed into record that I would protect my chaplain with my life. Iâm not sure how I was expected to do that, since the only time Iâd fired a weapon was in boot camp. In fact, Iâd shot off more rounds on my high school rifle team. Thankfully, it never came to that.
It was, however, a sign of things to come. Of course, we know that women have served and sacrificed in some capacity throughout history. But since the end of the first Gulf War 90 percent of military jobs have been open to women. The Pentagonâs ârisk ruleâ assessment no longer applies and only Special Forces have closed their ranksâwith the exception of pilots.
I wanted to explore that exception by taking things one step further. What happens when a single mother goes to war? Who takes care of the baby? How does she handle the separation? This book is about a woman who makes some tough choices to answer the call to duty.
I love to hear from readers. You can write to me in care of Harlequin, at my e-mail address [email protected], or visit my Web site, www.rogennabrewer.com.
Sincerely,
Rogenna Brewer
For all women who have served their country.
Especially my fellow RomVets loopersâ
talented women writers who served in the armed forces.
And my WhatsBrewin and CrewBrew loopsâvoracious
romance readers who love men and women in uniform.
Commander, Helicopter Combat Support
(Special) Squadron Nine requests the pleasure of your company at the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony
at which
Captain Jon Jordan Loring, United States Navy will be relieved by Lieutenant Commander Hannah C. Stanton, United States Navy Reserve (Active)
on Friday, the twenty-fifth of July at ten oâclock
Hangar Nine, Naval Air Station North Island Coronado, California
RSVP | Uniform |
(619)545-XXXX | Service Dress Whites |
Reception
immediately following the ceremony Officersâ Club, Naval Air Station North Island Coronado, California
RSVP | Uniform |
Card Enclosed | Service Dress Whites |
âââââââââââââââââ
âââââââââââââ
RSVP.
Commander, SEAL Team Eleven Commander Mike âMacâ McCaffrey, United States Navy
_______________________will accept
_________________________will be unable
to accept the invitation of the Commander, Helicopter Combat Support (Special) Squadron Nine to attend the reception following the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE
Coronado, California
THE ONLY EASY DAY was yesterday. Commander Mike McCaffrey knew the Navy SEAL motto well. Heâd just set foot inside Naval Special Warfare Command after five weeks on San Clemente Island, playing bad guy for the BUD/S in training. He still wore woodland-green cammies, complete with war paint, and toted his gear. The thud of heavy boots and raised voices bounced off the walls behind him as Bravo Squad entered to lighten their loads.
âBravo Eleven, stow it! And blow it!â he called over his shoulder to seven of the best men heâd ever served with.
They knew what he meant. Weekend liberty for the enlisted. Shore leave for the officers. A chance to blow their wads, paycheck or otherwise.
A collective âhoo-yah!â followed the order.