While the men were outside, Jayde and her grandmother remained in the kitchen and put the food away. “How long have you known him?” Jayde’s grandmother asked.
“Almost five months,” Jayde said as she put the meat in a container.
“And you have been married that same amount of time?” Regina asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“How long did it take for you to get married after you met?” the older woman asked as she took the container from her granddaughter.
Jayde blushed. “Not even a day.”
Regina shook her head and put the cold cuts in the fridge. “I see. Well, you have never done anything that you haven’t fully believed in, so he must be something special.”
“Oh, he is, Mey-maw. He is.”
For a time they worked in silence as they put away rest of the food and the kitchen once again became spotless. Once done, the women sat at the table with a pitcher of iced tea between them.
Regina smiled at her granddaughter. “You know, Jayde, I was always so sorry for the way your parents treated you, especially my son. I know you probably don’t believe this, but he is very proud of you and loves you very much.”
Jayde scoffed. “You’re right, Mey-maw, I don’t believe it.”
The woman’s eyes softened even more. “After he began to make all that money he changed. But never-theless, he wasn’t a good father to you and for that, I am sorry.”
“Mey-maw, it’s not your fault. I could never measure up to daddy’s expectations.” Jayde fought back the tears.
“Sweetheart, you have surpassed all of his expectations. I just hope one day he will actually tell you that himself,” her grandmother assured her.
Jayde didn’t want to talk about her father. “What do you think of Tyson, Mey-maw?”
Regina winked. “I think he is fine. You caught a good one. What does he do?”
“He’s in the Navy,” Jayde said.
“I see. And are you ready for that kind of commitment?” Soft eyes got serious as they looked at Jayde.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, are you ready to stay behind for months at a time? Raise the children on your own, if and when you have them? Being a military wife is not the same as being a wife. You have to be stronger, more self-sufficient. Because when your husband is gone and there is no way you can call him home early, you must find the answer to your problem without him,” Regina stated bluntly.
“I guess I never thought about it like that,” Jayde said. Add that to the worry he may not come back at all.
Regina smiled at her granddaughter, “What does he do in the Navy?”
At this Jayde hesitated. Was she allowed to tell what he did?
“Go ahead and tell her, Jayde. It’s fine.” Tyson’s deep voice wound itself around her and made her feel safe.
Jayde looked to the doorway and saw him standing with her grandfather. He stood so proud and strong it almost brought tears to her eyes. Turning back to her grandmother, she responded, “He’s a SEAL.”
****
It was nine-thirty when Tyson and Jayde left her grandparents’ house. Jayde took the passenger seat without an argument. As they drove back to the hotel Tyson asked, “What Mey-maw said is true. Being a military wife is a very hard thing. Are you having second thoughts about us?”
Jayde smiled over him calling Regina, Mey-maw. Her grandparents and Tyson had liked each other and they’d given him permission to use Jayde’s endearments for them. That had obviously made her feel so much better. “No,” she responded softly. “At least I don’t think so. If anything, it’s the fact I won’t know if you will come back at all.”
Tyson wanted to hold her to him and promise he would always come back, but he couldn’t. Not realis-tically. He was a SEAL; what he did was dangerous. Could he give up the job he loved more than anything if it meant keeping the woman he loved more than life?
The rest of the ride back was silent. Both of them thought about their future and whether or it would be together. Tyson pulled into a parking space at the hotel, then turned to look at the woman who sat in the dark beside him.
“Jayde, I would love to be able to promise that I will always come back, but I can’t. I just can’t,” Tyson said in a low voice.
She faced him as well. “I know. I’m not asking for that promise. Even if your job were a normal nine-to-five, I wouldn’t ask that. It is just a lot for me to digest.”
“You’ve had months to digest it,” he retorted, tired of her excuse.
“I’ve had months to think I’d participated in a sham marriage to a guy that somewhere along the way I fell in love with, only to hear him call out another woman’s name in the hospital!” Jayde snapped in re-sponse.
Tyson’s mouth dropped open. “You love me?” It was the first time she’d said so without him asking her so.
“Yes, Tyson. I love you. I. Love. You. I love you. And I think part of me always has.” Jayde opened the door and headed for the hotel entrance.
Tyson sat there in the car for a second and watched her walk away. Then, he jumped out, locked the car, and had jogged up in time to escort her in the automatic door. His strong arm slid around her waist, his eyes daring anyone who might be of ignorance to voice discontent over his relationship with the woman beside him.
In the elevator, Jayde leaned back against his rock-solid body, his muscular thighs on the outside of hers. Settled at her waist were his hands, the fingers laced together just under her belly button. Tyson saw her eyes close, as if soothed by his embrace.
When they entered their room and Tyson closed the door behind them, shutting out the rest of the world, Jayde glanced at him from under her lashes. “I am going to go get ready for bed,” she said. She walked to the dresser and pulled out some clothes before heading to the bathroom, locking herself in. Or him out.
Tyson put his own clothes away, went to the phone, and ordered a bottle of champagne with strawber-ries. As he passed his reflection in the mirror, he noticed the bags that’d been under his eyes seemed to have disappeared completely. The stress lines had receded and he looked satisfied. Apparently married life agreed with him. Correction: Being with Jayde agreed with him.
The champagne and strawberries arrived before Jayde got out of the shower. He’d set up everything in the sitting area when she finally emerged from the bathroom. Tyson was settled in an armchair listening to soft rock when he felt her presence behind him.
Turning his head, he realized it was a good thing he was sitting down. She took his breath away. Scrubbed clean by the shower, Jayde’s skin shone. He could smell her baby powder and citrus scent as his gaze raked her scantily clad body.
She wore one of her negligees. It was long, reaching down to her ankles. A sharp V-neck allowed him to see the swells of her full breasts. Thin spaghetti straps held up the material and it was a vibrant emerald green color. Against her brown skin, it offset perfectly.
With slow steps she floated over to him. Her hair hung down her back and swayed with every step she took. “Well,” she asked in a silken voice, “what do you think?” Stopping before him, she turned a complete circle, showing off the low-slung back, exposing her flawless skin to his lecherous eyes.
“Jesus,” he spoke in a sotto voice. “You look amazing.”
Jayde faced him once again. Her eyes delivered a message that her mouth had no need to say. With one smooth motion, Tyson was on his feet, drawing her in closer to his body. He hesitated for a moment and then she spoke.
“Make my wish come true, Tyson.” She pressed her soft lips against his and slid her tongue into his mouth.