Page 28 of SEAL Ever After

The guys from base were throwing him an impromptu bachelor’s party at Anchors. As much as he hated a big event like that, he needed to stop by for at least an hour or two and have a beer since the entire thing was for him.

Ironically, most of his team didn’t spend much time at Anchors anymore either. A local pickup joint, it was more for the singles crowd. That didn’t stop the memories from flowing as he pulled open the door. Music blasted over the speakers, conversations went on around him, and ice clinked in glasses.

“Captain Mitchell!” Taylor called out, smiling as she walked by holding a tray of drinks.

“Call me Ryan,” he murmured in a low voice as he nodded, heading toward the back of the bar where his officer friends and SEAL teams were. Taylor was the girlfriend of Mason, one of the guys on the Delta team. He always forgot that she worked here at Anchors.

Other officers from base were sitting at tables in the back, and some of the guys from his SEAL teams were off to the side as well. Although officers weren’t exactly supposed to fraternize with the others, Patrick was about to become his brother-in-law, so it was a bit of a unique situation.

“Sir,” Brent said, tipping his beer toward him as he walked by. “Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials. Two weeks, huh?”

“Two weeks,” Ryan confirmed. “It’s hard as hell to believe it. Let’s just hope nothing big arises between now and then to throw a wrench in our plans.”

Brent chuckled. “I hear you. You can’t exactly have a wedding if you’re stuck on base while we’re out on an op.”

“Ryan!” one of the other officers called out. “Let’s get this man a beer!”

He chuckled as one was immediately handed to him.

“Let’s have a toast!” one of the other men called out. “To the Captain!”

There were loud whoops and hollers as the men raised their glasses and beer bottles. Ryan clinked his longneck against Brent’s and then took a swig.

Hell.

Although it was good to see the guys from base, he was glad this entire bar scene was behind him. Going out for beers every weekend, meeting women—that felt like a lifetime ago, and thank God for that.

“Congrats again, sir,” Hunter said as he and Patrick walked up to Ryan, beers in hand.

“Thanks, fellas. I couldn’t let all my men get married while I stayed single forever,” Ryan joked. He looked back and forth between the two of them. Damn. Each of them led a SEAL team into battle. Patrick was married with a few kids; Hunter was engaged with a kid on the way.

Life would never be the same for any of them.

“And now you two will be brothers-in-law,” Hunter said with a chuckle.

“Life’s changing,” Patrick agreed, taking a swig of his own beer. “But I’m happy for you and Sarah. Speaking of my sister, Rebecca said Sarah and some of her friends are getting their hair done tonight or something?” He raised his eyebrows.

“The hell if I know,” Ryan said with a laugh. “She found some new hairstylist for our wedding. She always looks beautiful, but apparently women need to pay for a special person to do it on their wedding day. And they also have to try out the fancy hairstyles before the actual wedding.”

“Women,” Hunter muttered. “Can’t live with ‘em, can’t live without ‘em.”

Ryan’s lips quirked. “So you and Emma haven’t set a date yet?”

“Negative, sir. We’re waiting until after the baby comes. Emma wants a big, fancy wedding but refuses to do it while eight months pregnant. Hell, I don’t care when we get married. We already live together, and the baby is on the way. We’ve got enough on our plate right now. After we get used to dealing with a newborn, we’ll probably pick a date.”

Patrick chuckled. “I hate to say it, but you never get used to a newborn.”

A waitress came around, bringing some of the guys more beers, and platters of appetizers appeared on the group of tables as well.

“Just between us,” Ryan said, “I’m hoping nothing big comes up between now and the wedding. Obviously, the job and any missions would take priority, but it would just kill Sarah not to get married when we planned.”

“And unfortunately, it seems like there are a few things coming up on the horizon,” Patrick said with a frown. “There’s never a good time to make plans in this business.”

“Don’t I know it,” Ryan agreed.

Hunter set his beer down and turned to the two men. “What about the missing woman down in Mexico? That shit is eating me up, knowing there’s an American teenager still stuck down there.”

“No new intel,” Ryan said. “The woman Ice’s team rescued that’s in Miami is in decent shape, all things considered. I’ve gotten minimal updates due to privacy issues, but I do know she’s been released from the hospital and is resting and recovering at home.”

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