The SEAL’s Convenient Wife: Hartsville’s SEAL Heroes Book One Read online

  Hartsville’s SEAL Heroes

  The SEAL’s Convenient Wife

  The SEAL’s Surprise Baby

  The SEAL’s Instant Family

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  RELAY PUBLISHING EDITION, DECEMBER 2020

  Copyright © 2020 Relay Publishing Ltd.

  All rights reserved. Published in the United Kingdom by Relay Publishing. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Leslie North is a pen name created by Relay Publishing for co-authored Romance projects. Relay Publishing works with incredible teams of writers and editors to collaboratively create the very best stories for our readers.

  Cover Design by Mayhem Cover Creations.

  www.relaypub.com

  Blurb

  When Navy SEAL Patrick Nelson returns from a black-ops mission, he’s in for a shock—his six-year-old daughter Ellery has been abandoned by his ex and is currently in foster care. Now he has to prove he can be a good, stable father to Ellery, and that includes convincing Imogen Mendel, his daughter’s gorgeous kindergarten teacher, that he’s one of the good guys. Turns out, Imogen is more than just a pretty face. She’s planning to testify against some dangerous people who are now threatening to silence her—for good. But not on Patrick’s watch. He’s got the perfect solution to keep Imogen safe and give Ellery a stable home: get engaged.

  Imogen may have agreed to a fake relationship with Patrick, but she has to admit there’s absolutely nothing fake about their attraction to one another. It’s red hot and impossible to ignore. Before she knows it, they’re turning into a real family and her heart is taking a painful turn toward falling in love. Things would be pretty good if not for the threats that escalate as the date of the trial looms closer. Thank goodness she has a sexy SEAL protecting her. But for how long? This fake marriage is turning far too real for both of them…

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  (Hartsville’s SEAL Heroes Book One)

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  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  End of The SEAL’s Convenient Wife

  Thank You!

  About Leslie

  Sneak Peek: The SEAL’s Surprise Baby

  Also by Leslie

  1

  Patrick Nelson climbed the steps of the elementary school he’d attended as a kid. The front doors of the yellow brick building stood open to the spring weather, and he frowned. Weren’t schools locked down these days? His hand automatically went for a sidearm that wasn’t there, and then he gave himself a shake. This was the civilian world, where an unexpected open door meant nothing—and he didn’t carry a gun in the civilian world. Well, not usually. And not to pick up his six-year-old daughter.

  But he’d been on an extended deployment, and the transition back to life in his hometown was tough… especially since this mission had had more than its share of challenges. Moreover, he felt as if he’d let his responsibilities as a father slip—though not by choice. Yes, he’d been busy and out of touch, but his ex had made things ten times worse. Rachel had completely cut him off from any news of their daughter four months ago. Not one Skype session. No FaceTime. Nothing.

  Patrick had been expecting Rachel to be difficult, after the fight they’d had before he left, but this was too much. Their arrangement had to change. He’d taken extended leave from the SEALs, and he was going to fight for full custody. He had no idea what that would look like… but he’d figure it out, because Ellery deserved better.

  A man wearing a Hartsville Elementary T-shirt greeted Patrick just inside the front door. “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for the kindergarten classroom,” Patrick said, looking around. The building hadn’t changed much since he’d been a student there, but it seemed strangely quiet for a place that housed kids.

  “There are three. At the end of this corridor.” The man pointed down the hall. “I think Ms. Mendel is the only teacher still here.”

  “It’s only three o’clock,” Patrick said with a glance at the oversized clock that hung nearby. “I thought school got out at three.”

  “Usually, but we had a field day, so the kids went home two hours ago.”

  Damn. He’d missed Ellery. Patrick had wanted to surprise her by picking her up from school—though he’d been nervous about it, too, since they’d had no recent contact. He didn’t know Ellery as well as he should, and even when they’d been in touch, he’d often had no idea what to say to her. Despite that, he’d decided that he wanted to see her without Rachel around to interfere. Maybe the teacher could give him some insight.

  “Thanks,” he said and made his way toward the classrooms. The first room he looked in was empty, but in the next, a slim woman’s figure was outlined against the bright light coming in through a wall of windows. “Ms. Mendel?”

  She swung around, her hand going to her heart as if he’d startled her. “Hello,” she said breathlessly. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

  Was she the nervous type? That seemed at odds with teaching kindergarteners.

  “I’m Ellery Nelson’s dad. Is she in your class?”

  “Oh, yes, she is,” Ms. Mendel said, but her manner stiffened. “I understood that her father was out of the picture.”

  He held out his hands in a “look at me” gesture. “As you can see, I’m here. Do you need proof?” he asked, taking his military ID from his wallet. He walked closer to her. As he approached and the glare hiding her features receded, he could see she was a young woman with blonde hair. Pretty, very pretty, with delicate features and hazel eyes.

  She scrutinized his identification card before handing it back. “Thank you, Mr. Nelson. So, what are you doing here?”

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “I’m Ellery’s father. I just got back to the States, and I want to see my daughter. I’m sorry you apparently received inaccurate information about my involvement in Ellery’s life, but…”

  She looked at him a moment and then seemed to relax a bit, though her expression was still guarded. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

  He looked around at the knee-high chairs and reluctantly folded his tall frame onto one. Maybe she just needed a little more information. “I’ve been deployed since not long after the school year started,” he continued, “so I haven’t been here for any events, but I was hoping to pick Ellery up. I didn’t realize it was a short day. I guess I’ll have to get
in touch with her mother,” he concluded, trying to keep the frustration from his voice. He wasn’t looking forward to having to deal with Rachel, who’d probably do everything in her power to block him from seeing Ellery.

  “So you don’t know?” Ms. Mendel sat at the desk next to him, looking more sympathetic now.

  “Know what?” He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, a sensation he’d learned to heed during his years in the service.

  “I probably shouldn’t tell you.” She paused before seeming to come to a decision and continuing. “It’s not really my place… but if I were you, I’d want to know. Ellery’s been in foster care for the past two months. Her mother left her with a nanny and then, well, didn’t come back. After more than a few days of not being able to reach the parent, the nanny called Child Protective Services.”

  “What?” Patrick shot to his feet and towered over the teacher. “Child Pro—does that mean foster care? Why didn’t someone contact me? Where is she?”

  “I can’t disclose that.” Ms. Mendel rose to her feet and took a step back, crossing her arms in front of her as if to ward him off. Her eyes strayed to her desk, where a phone sat.

  “I’m her father,” he said through gritted teeth as he searched for the control that had gotten him through so many tough spots. He had no wish to alarm Ms. Mendel. She wasn’t the enemy. But she did know where his daughter was.

  “I’m not disputing that, but you don’t have custodial rights,” she said. “You’re not even on the list of people permitted to pick Ellery up.”

  “I’m not?” He and Rachel had talked about that when Ellery started school, and she’d assured him that she’d filled out the paperwork showing him as Ellery’s father, with parental rights. Another lie. He shouldn’t have been surprised.

  “No. Look, I’ve told you as much as I can. If you want to see Ellery, you’ll have to go through CPS. You should go now.” Her words weren’t an invitation, but a dismissal. He got that he was making her nervous, but he had to ask one more thing.

  “Just tell me if she’s okay,” he said. Foster homes weren’t always the best, and he wanted to know that his little girl was safe for now. “Please.”

  Ms. Mendel’s face softened, making her look even younger. “She’s struggling with this. Any child would, but I think she’ll be okay in the long run. She’s a resilient girl.”

  That helped. A little. But what he’d thought was going to be an unpleasant negotiation with his former girlfriend had just ramped up to a battle with an enemy that he knew little about—with Ellery’s safety and happiness at stake. How the hell did he go about extracting his daughter from foster care?

  “Thanks. I’ll get out of your space now.” He stalked to the door and made his way back to his SUV. Just as he was opening the door, his phone rang.

  “Hey, man. Got plans tonight?” Anderson, one of his SEAL team members, was on the phone. They’d been buddies since high school.

  “I could actually use your help right now, if you’re available,” Patrick said. Anderson was a strategist and might be a big help in dealing with the bureaucrats at children’s services. “Can you meet me at the county office building?”

  Anderson’s reply was instant. “Of course, but why?”

  “I’ll explain when I see you.” Patrick hung up and drove to the modern building located just outside town. In his head, he replayed the conversation with the teacher. She hadn’t shared any information that was helpful beyond that last comment about Ellery’s welfare, which he hadn’t found all that reassuring. His job was clear, though: he had to get answers and formulate a plan to fix this.

  * * *

  Hours later, Patrick sat across the table from Anderson at one of their favorite hangouts, the Main Street Tavern. The beer was cold, the food good, and the atmosphere relaxing. All things that Patrick needed after wrangling with CPS.

  “I thought there was red tape in the military,” Anderson said, taking a drink from his beer. “That place could give a lesson in complicating what should be simple.”

  “You’d think being Ellery’s dad—and wanting to take care of her instead of leaving her with strangers—would be the end of it. But apparently that means jack to them.” Patrick traced the frogman-and-trident tattoo on his forearm that he’d gotten after his first SEAL mission.

  The three different CPS representatives he’d spoken to had all asked the same questions while dodging his. Anderson had intervened more than once, getting more intel from them. His analytical mind sorted through the information more rapidly than Patrick’s—and, of course, he wasn’t hindered by the emotional responses that had made it difficult for Patrick to remain calm and professional. Anderson had even called the base to talk to a JAG officer to see how the Navy might help. Patrick knew he wasn’t the only SEAL who’d faced a custody battle. Long deployments took a heavy toll on relationships. More than one of his teammates had returned home to find his wife and kids gone.

  Once JAG got involved, the process had moved a little faster, giving him insight into what had happened and whether it was fixable. The answer to that was maybe, but it wouldn’t be easy. Patrick just hoped he could get everything sorted out before Anderson’s short leave was over and Patrick was on his own.

  “I can’t believe Rachel just took off,” Anderson said after their cheeseburgers and fries arrived. “I mean, she was…”

  “Go ahead. Say it. She was a piece of work.” Patrick had no hesitation about finishing the sentence, but even he was surprised that Rachel had abandoned Ellery. He’d never thought she’d up and leave like she had. “She saw an opportunity and took it.”

  From what they’d pieced together, Rachel had become involved in a whirlwind romance with a wealthy guy who hadn’t been interested in being tied down by a child, so Rachel left Ellery in the care of a hastily hired nanny. The nanny had thought Rachel was going out of town for a few days, but after a full week with no contact—and no payment—she’d driven Ellery to the police department and handed her over. She either hadn’t known about Patrick or hadn’t had any way to reach him. Patrick didn’t want to think about his girl being dropped off like a lost wallet.

  “I thought you two had worked something out,” Anderson said after a few minutes of silence while they ate. “I mean, it’s been years—it’s not like this was a brand-new situation.”

  “Yeah, but she never wanted Ellery. Rachel was—is—a party girl with aspirations to land a guy with money. She and I were never meant to be serious.” He and Rachel had never had more than a tenuous relationship after she discovered she was pregnant. Before that, they’d enjoyed casual sex and fun dates. Neither had wanted anything real or permanent, but he’d gotten her pregnant and he’d promised to support the child. And he had, handing over money whenever Rachel demanded it—which was often. He imagined she’d never been a great mom, but he hadn’t expected anything like this.

  “Right,” Anderson said. “But that all happened years ago. What changed?” As his buddy and teammate, Anderson knew a lot of the history, but Patrick hadn’t wanted to distract him with personal problems when they were on a dangerous mission.

  “We had an epic fight right before my last deployment,” Patrick admitted. “I mean epic. She screamed that she no longer wanted to be a mom. She hated the responsibility. She felt tied down.”

  “And you were stuck,” Anderson said, nodding in understanding.

  “Yeah. I mean, her timing couldn’t have been worse—I had to report to base the next day.” He sighed. “And then she cut me off. I didn’t hear one damn word from her. No pictures, emails, nothing to let me know how Ellery was. I figured she was punishing me for not, I don’t know, going AWOL and racing over to help her. But I never thought…”

  “She put you in a hell of a spot. You should have said something, man. We’d have had your back.”

  “Nothing anybody could do while we were gone, but that’s why I took the extended leave. I need to straighten this mess out and be a better dad. I
’d been planning to fight Rachel for joint custody anyway. I was still trying to figure out what I’d do during deployments, but I wanted more say in my daughter’s life.” He’d known before Ellery was born that he’d never have a relationship with Rachel, and he hadn’t wanted one. Ellery, though, deserved better than what she’d been getting with her father deployed so often and a mother whose first priority had always been herself.

  “Anything I can do to help you, I will,” Anderson said. “Can’t imagine how much this sucks for you. I guess it proves the point that you should never trust a woman unless you’re damn sure everything she says and does is true.”

  Patrick eyed Anderson, wondering about his friend’s attitude. “There’s that,” he agreed after a minute, “but I think the lesson here is that—outside our SEAL team, anyway—you can’t trust anyone with what’s important to you. You have to take care of that yourself.” Patrick had made a big mistake in that regard, and he had to acknowledge it. And now… now he was going to figure out how to fix it.

  2

  “What would you like to do with your dad?” Imogen asked Ellery. The little girl with ginger hair and blue eyes gave her a shy smile and a shrug.

  This wasn’t going to be easy, and Imogen wondered again how she’d ended up in the middle of this situation. Her principal, Ellery’s foster parents, and the staff from Child Protective Services had all insisted that she was a crucial link. She could help father and daughter reunite while supervising the visitation and trying to objectively evaluate the relationship.