Page 7 of Hot SEAL, Under Pressure

Hence the reason she was currently single andnotlooking.

But her sorry single status didn’t have anything to do with her SEAL problems now. She needed five SEALs for the reality show and she had to somehow convince Clay, Zach and Nick to do it too.

It all seemed hopeless. She sighed.

Brian cocked up a brow. “Looking pitiful won’t make me help you.”

“I’m not trying to look pitiful on purpose. I just am.”

He sighed. “Okay. Tell me what you need.”

She perked up, eyes widening as she leaned forward.

“Softie,” Alicia mumbled to her boyfriend.

Brian shot Alicia a sideways glance. “I didn’t say I’d help. But maybe I can offer some advice.”

“I’ll take advice.” She’d take anything she could get at this point.

Shelly explained the show concept and Joanne’s decree, as well as the challenges it presented.

When she was done, she asked, “Any ideas?”

Brian scowled. “I hate that I do, but yes, I have a couple of ideas.”

“Oh my God. Thank you.”

“Hang on. No guarantees,” he warned.

She shook her head. “No guarantee needed.”

“All right. For the SEALs who have already been in your reality shows—I’ve seen a couple of episodes and I’ve seen them hanging around here. Even though I don’t know them well, I know their type. You should appeal to Clay first. He’s the oldest.”

“He’s also the most stubborn,” Shelly pointed out. Not to mention borderline scary sometimes.

Brian nodded. “That may be, but he’s the most competitive. You challenge him. Appeal to his competitive nature. Let him know that if he doesn’t do this, it’s going to look like he’s afraid of losing. He’ll rise to the challenge. And when he does, the others will follow.”

“You really think so?” Shelly asked.

“I do.” Brian nodded.

Alicia glanced at her boyfriend. “That’s pretty brilliant.”

“Why, thank you.” Brian beamed.

Shelly was pretty ecstatic herself that her psychiatrist best friend thought this was a good idea. One that would work.

One problem down. One to go.

“What about recruiting the new guys?” she asked.

She glanced around them. There was a table out on the patio making enough ruckus they had to be from the base.

“I was thinking about trying to recruit some guys from here. Like what about the table out there?”

Brian shook his head. “No. I know them. Those guys are active duty. Even if they were willing to use up their limited days of leave for production, the team could still get called up at any time. You want guys who just got out of the teams. They’re available. They’ve got time on their hands and while transitioning out and back to civilian life they’re going to want to prove that they’ve still got what it takes even though they’re out.”

A bubble of hope and joy rose inside her chest.

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