Saved by the SEAL by Diana Gardin

and focus on my mother. “I’m having an end-of-summer barbecue. At my house. It’s going to be Sunday afternoon and evening, so that everyone can still wake up and sleep in the next day. I’m extending an invitation for you two to come.”
    There. I’ve done what I came to do.
    Silence stretches across the room, and rather than enduring it, I turn for the door.
    “Grisham!” My mother stands and reaches for my arm. “We’d love to come.”
    Her voice is strong and sure.
    My father clears his throat, and we both eye him with practiced caution. “We actually have plans, Katie. Remember? The church is having a barbecue that day. You’re supposed to make potato salad.”
    Her lips tighten, the fine lines around them deepening as she tries not to frown. “I’m sure we could do both, dear. Grisham’s barbecue is going into the evening. I could bring a dessert.”
    I feel like a kid again, caught between them. My eyes bounce back and forth from one parent to the other during their exchange.
    My father narrows his eyes at Mom. “We’ll talk about this later. When we’re alone. Grisham, thank you for the invitation.”
    And he’s done. He strides from the room without a backward glance, most likely headed for the dinner table. My mother takes a deep breath, and I glance at her. Guilt floods through me, a dousing wave to remind me that I haven’t been here for her enough. She needs me.
    “I didn’t mean to make trouble, Mom. Just wanted to make sure you guys knew you were welcome.”
    She reaches up and wraps her arms around my neck, squeezing me tight. “I love you, honey. I’ll try to convince him to come.”
    I nod as we make our way toward the door. “Would like to have you. But there’s no pressure. Maybe you and I could grab lunch sometime soon, okay?”
    Her eyes light up. Just the sight of it makes me want to punch my father in his overbearing face. “Yes. Lunch would be wonderful. I…I miss you, Grisham.”
    It’s gut-wrenching when your mother, who lives in the same town you do, tells you she misses you.
    It lets me know that I’m messing up, and something needs to change.
    “I love you, Mom. Take care.”
    With that, I’m walking back down the steps and climbing into my Jeep. I let out the breath I’ve probably been holding since I arrived, and send a thankful prayer up to the sky. I’ve done what I came to do.
    Now there’s another invitation I need to extend. This one should be no less complicated, but much more pleasant to deliver.

6
Greta
    S trolling through the nondescript industrial steel front door of my father’s firm, I enter his lobby and glance around. My father doesn’t employ a receptionist in his office; there aren’t a lot of walk-in visitors. Most of his clients have appointments, and those visits, as well as the light administrative paperwork that occasionally piles up, are handled by his assistant.
    Kyle Wessler looks up from a desk in the corner of the glossy, gleaming lobby, and his face breaks into a huge smile. I return his smile fully and throw my hand up in a small wave.
    “Hey, Kyle. I’ve been summoned.”
    He comes around the side of the desk and folds his arms across his chest. His bespectacled brown eyes are jovial, his clean-shaven face sculptured and handsome. Kyle’s look is very buttoned-up and conservative, but his nerdy appearance is belied by a toned, chiseled body under his collared shirts and pleated pants.
    “Well, I guess you must have been. It’s the only reason you show that beautiful face around here.”
    Kyle crooks a finger so that I’ll come close enough for a hug, and I do just that.
    “It’s been awhile,” I agree. “Sorry about that, Kyle. You know, life gets crazy.”
    He holds me at arm’s length and scowls. “Too crazy for old friends you went to high school with?”
    I nod, glancing down at my feet. “There’s no excuse. Especially since you started working for my dad after school, huh?”
    He glances at the stacks of