Page 3 of Her Forever SEAL

“That's because it is carbonated apple juice,” Kayla said.

A knock at the suite door saved Mason from wherever that conversation was heading. He crossed the living room and opened it to find Frannie DeLuca already in motion, which was the only way Frannie DeLuca ever existed, her Tony a half-step behind her with the expression of a man who had learned decades ago that some things were simply going to happen.

“Let me see,” Frannie said, by way of greeting.

She was already past him before he could respond, moving through the living room with her hands clasped and her head turning, taking inventory. She stopped at the orchids by the window and made an approving sound. She looked at the champagne bucket and nodded. She looked at the city view through the window and put a hand to her chest.

“Mason.” She turned to him with shining eyes. “This is beautiful.”

“Thank you, Frannie.”

She was already moving toward the bedroom.

“Frannie—” Mason started.

“Just a peek.” She was already in the doorway, taking in the boxes on the bed, the orchids on the nightstand, the turned-down duvet.

“Are there rose petals?” she asked.

“No,” Kayla said, from directly behind Mason.

Frannie turned. “There should be rose petals. It's romantic.”

“It's also very 2010,” Kayla said pleasantly. “So, no.”

The silence that followed lasted approximately two seconds. Mason winced. Tony winced. Frannie looked at Mason and Tony then back at Kayla. “You’re right, honey. It was so last year, what was I thinking?”

“The orchids are Mom's favorite,” Kayla added, in the tone of someone offering a consolation prize.

Frannie looked at the orchids. Then she looked at Kayla. Then she let out a breath that conceded the point without quite admitting it. She turned to Tony. “Take me out of here before I age another decade.”

Tony put a gentle hand on her elbow. “Come on, Frannie.”

“Come on girls, your Uncle Tony is cooking.”

“Fantastic. Can I help?” Lisa burst out.

“Of course,” Tony grinned. “Food always tastes better when you help.”

The girls grabbed their backpacks, and Lisa looked all over the suite for her phone charger before Kayla suggested she look in the front pocket of her backpack. Which is where it was.

Lisa threw her arms around him first, full-speed, the way she did everything. “Bye, Dad. Tell Mom happy anniversary from us.”

“I will, baby.” He kissed the top of her head.

Kayla waited until Lisa had released him and then stepped forward. She hugged him with both arms, properly, the way she had started hugging since she hit fourteen and seemed to understand that hugs were worth doing correctly. He felt her hold on for just a moment longer than necessary.

She stepped back and looked at him, then perused the suite, the orchids, the boxes on the bed, and something moved across her face that was too old for fourteen and exactly right for who she was. She didn't say anything sentimental. He hadn't expected her to.

“She's going to love it,” Kayla said.

Simple.

He nodded. “I know. You did good, kid,” he whispered in her ear.

She nodded, then turned to her sister, and put her arm around her.

Frannie kissed him on both cheeks. Tony shook his hand and held it for a moment and looked at him with the warmth of a man who had watched Mason and Sophia's marriage from the very beginning and had always been glad of it. Then the door closed and the suite went quiet.