At Her SEAL's Command (SEALs of Roseville, Book One) Read Online Free Page B

Greg's.”
    Of course he was. The neighbors could be forgiven for thinking they were running a modeling studio over here.
    “The flowerbed looks good.”
    He glanced down at the strip of bare dirt surrounding his boots. “Couldn’t save anything.”
    He winced.
    “Are you all right?”
    “Yeah, fine.” He met her gaze. “Thinking how upset gram would be to lose her rose bushes. And the hostas.”
    “You did your part. You hired someone to take care of them. It’s his fault he didn’t keep up his end of the bargain.”
    His lips curved up. “You sound like her.”
    Which was a true compliment. Mabel had been a sweet, smart lady.
    “Thanks.” The chainsaw revved, ending their conversation. “I’m heading out to lunch,” she called.
    He nodded and she stood there for a moment longer taking in the sight of him. Tall, strong, shirtless…sweaty. So completely different than the men she worked with, the boys she’d gone to school with.
    No wonder she fantasized about him day and night.
    She was halfway to the cafe when the call came. Secretly, she’d been expecting it but her heart hadn’t wanted to believe.
    Pulling over into the nearest parking lot, she hit the talk button that connected her car’s speaker system with her cellphone.
    “Reya, darling, I’m so sorry.” Lola’s voice filled her car and there wasn’t an ounce of apology that Reya could hear.
    “Something came up?” Reya squeezed the poor steering wheel in a death grip.
    Lola started off on a tirade that would have lasted longer than lunch. Reya’s heart hurt. They’d been friends for almost twenty years. Even during the rough adolescent years when Reya’d been in different foster homes every year or two.
    This wasn’t the first time her friend had canceled plans. Reya knew plans changed, things came up, but this wasn’t just life getting in the way of friendship.
    Reya had no idea what it was, other than annoying.
    This was the third time since she’d returned from Spain that Lola had canceled on her. Three times in a week was a record, even for Lola. And listening to her friend now, she realized it’d be the last. She deserved better. She deserved friends who listened as much as they talked. She deserved to go on fun lunch dates with girlfriends and have them actually show up. Not just show up on time, but actually show up.
    Having developed a good head of steam, she cut Lola off. “I’m gonna have to go, Lola. We’ll talk later.”
    She hit the end button and doubted that she’d ever hear from her friend again. “Unless she needs something,” she muttered.
    Heart bruised, not feeling hungry any more, she debated crying it out right there in the parking lot. But that would be messy. So she held her tears back as she headed to Mabel’s house and let the snark fly.
    Hungry, PMSing and thoroughly annoyed was a dangerous combination. She parked at the curb and slammed her door shut. Dylan came around the side of the house before she could make it to the front door.
    She’d hoped to make it inside, to the privacy of her room, which was really Mabel’s room, but no luck there.
    “Back already?” he asked, concern lacing his words.
    “Yeah, because you know, why would a friend of twenty years actually want to have lunch with me?”
    She stabbed her key into the lock and gave it a hard twist.
    Silently, he followed her inside.
    “What happened?” he asked, as she tossed her purse onto the end of the couch and sank down next to it.
    “The usual. Lola and I make a date to get lunch, see a movie, whatever and she waits until the last minute to cancel.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “That’s not it. It’s the fact that we’ve made plans to get together three times since I’ve been home from Spain. And all three times she’s canceled. And this isn’t even the third time it’s happened. Over the last year, it’s happened dozens of times.”
    “She doesn’t sound like she values your friendship.”
    Reya gave an