A Marine's Second Chance: A Marine for You/SEALed for You Crossover Novella Read Online Free PDF Page A

military, and deployments had played havoc throughout Jeffrey’s youth. Jeffrey had wanted his father to come to his football and basketball games, but too often his duty had interfered. It wasn’t until he was older that he realized his attitude was selfish, but by then it was too late. She encouraged him to fix the situation between him and his father, but whenever she brought it up he told her, “I don’t know how to fix it. There’s too much water under the bridge now.”
    Stepping into their room, she wondered if they could change things just as she was beginning to change things with him. “Maybe you can help bring them closer together. You can force your daddy and granddad to work things out.” She could almost picture their little girl with both her dad and grandfather wrapped around her little finger. There I go again, thinking I’m having a girl. Even as she scolded herself for thinking that way, she couldn’t help but be excited at the possibility.
    Without any time to spare, she hurried to change and touch up her makeup before her in-laws’ arrival. The last thing she wanted to do was leave D alone with them when she was doing her a favor by sticking around, even without their parents’ presence.
    Setting her eyeliner pencil aside, she leaned closer to the mirror and took in her appearance. There in the mirror, her father’s eyes shined back at her, so full of suspicion and a darkness that she knew lingered within her. The tiny bump in her nose made it seem as though her nose was broken at one time, but it hadn’t been. Instead it had been a gift from her mother’s side. Would these features be passed on to her child? She hoped their child would take after Jeffrey’s natural good looks, but at the very least, she hoped they wouldn’t have the same doubt hidden within their eyes as she did.
    “They won’t because they won’t witness the same shit D and I did.” She snatched the pencil off the bathroom counter, determined to make her eyes look different. The darkness might be within her, but the world didn’t need to see it whenever they looked at her. “The dark cloud hanging overhead that won’t go away…that’s what I am. How did Jeffrey ever fall in love with me when I’m such a pessimist?”
    The doorbell rang, echoing through the house, and a moment later D’s voice carried down the hallway. “Take your time. I’ll get it.”
    Tossing her eyeliner pencil into her makeup bag, she stepped back and let out a sigh. “Here goes nothing. Hopefully they take it better than Mom did.” Even with her nervousness about how the Dorsets would handle the news, she knew they’d take it better than her own mother did. Mr. and Mrs. Dorset were a normal family, at least compared to what she had to judge them against. They’d welcome the new addition to their family just as they welcomed her.
    “It’s so good to see you again.” Judy’s voice was almost musical as she wrapped her arms around D as if she was another daughter.
    “You too, Mrs. Dorset.”
    “Now none of that Mrs. Dorset stuff.” Judy had been adamant that they call her by her first name, or Mom.
    Five years ago when Wyoming joined the family, she had been reserved when it came to calling Judy Mom, fearful she would be too much like her own mother. Now it was nice to have someone down to earth and sane to consider a mother, even if it was only through marriage. Soon she’d be a grandmother and at least their child would have one sane grandmother in her life. For the first time since she found out she was pregnant, excitement bubbled within her and she wasn’t sure if she could make it until dessert to make the announcement, like she planned.
    “Mom…” Wyoming stepped out of the hallway from where she had paused, watching the two of them. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
    “We’re a little early, but you know Peter, he hates to be late.”
    “You’re always welcome here. Where is he?” Expecting him to stroll