Loving the Navy Seal
Hidden Hollows Book 5
Lynn Shannon
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
Epilogue
About the Author
More from Sweet Heart Books
1 Sara
Sara Wilson needed a dozen cupcakes, a strong dose of caffeine—preferably a double mocha latte—and several thousand dollars. In that order.
What she did not need was a man. Unfortunately, the town busybodies didn’t agree. At least once a week, a well-meaning interloper came into the Hidden Hollows library armed with a matchmaking suggestion. Oh, it was done under the guise of returning and checking out books, but Sara was convinced they merely came to torture her.
“A sweet, pretty woman like you deserves happiness.” Marie Jenkins stared at Sara over the top of her reading glasses. Her hair was nestled in a bun at the top of her head, several wisps of silver hair drifting around her wrinkled face. “There’s a new junior high teacher in town. Carl Jacobs. He’s very handsome and single.”
“Not anymore,” Jennie, Sara’s assistant librarian, piped up. “Carl is dating someone from the next town over.”
Thank goodness. Sara shot Jennie a grateful look, and the other woman smiled in sympathy.
Marie dumped a pile of romance novels on the counter. “You see? You see there, Sara? If you don’t jump on the good ones, they get scooped up.”
Sara sighed, reaching for her scanner to check the items out. “Mrs. Jenkins, I had the best man a woman could ask for.”
The older woman patted her hand. “I know, dear. But it’s been three years. Don’t you think it’s time to try for love again? Jared would want you to be happy.”
The words stabbed like a dagger in her gut. Jared would want her to be happy. And secretly, in the quiet hours at night, after she’d put her little boy to bed, Sara longed to find love again.
But right now, life was far too overwhelming to even attempt dating. She had a five-year-old to take care of and a library to keep afloat. Romance was better left in the novels. There everyone got a happy ending. No one ended up widowed and broken-hearted.
She finished scanning Mrs. Jenkins’ books. Then she picked up a flyer from the counter. “Have you heard about our new events? For the next two weeks, we’re hosting a Celebration of Reading.”
“Oh yes, dear.” The older woman nodded. “It was quite the discussion yesterday during our quilting circle. Everyone is excited.”
Sara smiled, handing her a few more flyers. “Please, spread the word. We want the whole community to participate.”
Mrs. Jenkins left, flyers and books in hand.
Jennie swiveled in her chair. “Sounds like your plan is working. The Celebration of Reading, I mean.” She grinned. “Not dodging the matchmaking crowd. That’s a losing battle.”
Sara placed a hand on her hip. “Oh, don’t smile at me like a Cheshire cat. You’re thrilled they can’t try their hand at you now that you’re an old married lady.”
“An old married lady with a baby on the way.” She leaned back and rubbed her pregnant belly. Eight months along, and it looked like she’d swallowed a basketball. “Ugh, can’t this sweet girl get here already? She’s stomping on my bladder.”
Sara laughed. “When I was pregnant with Ben, I swear he used to stick his toes in my ribcage and play it like an instrument.”
“Don’t you dare do that to me, baby.” Jennie instructed her tummy, then glanced at Sara. “Seriously, do you think the Celebration of Reading events will convince the city council to continue funding the library?”
“That’s the plan. Mayor Stewart has been positive and supportive.” Sara pulled a cart over to the return box and started loading books. “She loves community events like this. Convincing her to be on our side will go a long way with the city council.”
The alternative? It was too horrible to contemplate. The library her grandmother started fifty years ago, and gifted to the community, would shut down if the city council decided to cut their funds. Sara had to save it. For practical reasons and sentimental ones. There wasn’t any other choice.
“Jennie, go home.” Sara glanced at her watch. Four o’clock. The library closed early on Mondays. “You look beat. I can handle things for the next half an hour.”
She made a face. “Are you sure?”
Sara couldn’t tell if Jennie was upset about getting off early or too tired to think about moving. Probably the latter. “Absolutely. Need help getting out of the chair?”
“That I can still do.” Jennie hefted herself to her feet. “Tying my shoes, however, is a different story. Oh, don’t forget to stop by the bakery and pick up cupcakes for Ben’s baseball practice tonight.”
“Right.” Sara grabbed a pen and wrote a note on her hand. “I have to make up for last week when I forgot the snacks. And the juice. Not to mention yesterday, I neglected to pack his favorite mitt for practice. It’s a wonder Ben still talks to me.”
“No, it’s not. You’re a great mom.”
Sara appreciated the words of encouragement, but there were a lot of crinkles in her Supermom cape recently. She waved goodbye to Jennie and then wheeled the book cart down the main aisle.
As head librarian, she could delegate reshelving the returned books, but there was something innately comforting about doing the job herself. She loved seeing what the patrons were reading. Adored running her fingers over the worn shelves. Enjoyed the muted noise of other people nearby.
For twenty minutes, she strolled the aisles. The teenagers working on a school project in the back corner left, as did the mom and her daughter in the children’s section. Stillness and quiet wrapped around Sara.
She steered over to the romance section and plucked one of the books off the cart. The embracing couple on the cover tugged at her emotions.
She missed Jared. Every day.
He hadn’t just been her husband; he’d been her first love
