Page 8 of SEAL'S Baby Surprise
“Were you learning to swim?” I ask, glad to take the attention away from things I really don’t want to think about.
Julia shakes her curly head. “Nope. We were looking for beach glass, and I found a spot with lots of pretty bits. But a big wave came along and grabbed me. Your daddy saw and got me before the ocean could.”
“And that,” Austin says, “Is why no one should walk along the beach alone, especially if you are not a strong swimmer. How do you feel about hamburgers, Lee?”
“I would love one,” I reply. The aroma from the grill is making my tummy rumble, a reminder that the lovely breakfast Austin had cooked must have been hours ago.
With a few deft movements, Austin plates a hamburger on a bun with a pile of home fries. “Condiments on the usual table,” he said. “I picked up a chair for you, and a pair of flip-flops. They aren’t fancy, but they will protect the soles of your feet.”
“Over here, by me!” Julia crows. “I picked out the flops. I hope you like pink.”
“I love pink,” I reply. “It is my favorite color.”
“Mine, too,” Julia says, holding out her hands as her father hands her a plate with a smaller burger and smaller mound of fries.
“Remember,” Austin says, “You need to eat the burger, not just the fries. If the bun is too much, then you can take the meat out of it.”
“Thank you, Daddy,” Julia replies, promptly fishing the patty out from between the buns. I wonder why he hasn’t just given it to her naked, since he clearly knows she isn’t going to eat the bread.
Austin brings over his own plate, and we sit in a sort of circle in the gathering dusk, and eat hamburgers and home fries, just as if we’ve known each other forever.
There are cups filled with ice, and our pick of root beer, coke, or sprite in two-liter bottles. It’s a weird feeling to be so free and easy with strangers, but I think I like it.
Ark-Ark comes bounding up from somewhere and receives a plate with a hamburger and a patty of something that looks sort of like a rice cereal. He wolfs it down, then flops in the sand.
“Tell us the story of Ark-Ark,” Julia begs.
“You’ve heard it before,” Austin says.
“But Lee hasn’t heard it,” Julia protests. “You would like to hear the story, wouldn’t you, Lee?”
“Of course, I would,” I agree.
Austin tips back in his chair, takes a big bite of hamburger and chews thoughtfully. Then he says, “Well, you see it was like this . . .”
4
AUSTIN
I smileas Lee settles in to her camp chair. She’s looking at me with those intelligent eyes, and they’re sparkling with interest.
I remember her telling me the story about the nudist colony. Something tells me that, as much as I love a good story, so does she. So, I decide to really lay it on.
“Well,” I start, settling in to my own chair. “The day before I was set to go home, I sat with the head of the K-9 division, watching the dogs train. There was one dog that did everything everyone wanted him too. He took down the bite dummy, he did all of the holds. Heck, he even rolled over when asked. He just also... barked,” I smile.
Lee is definitely engaged. She leans forward, eyes wide. “Aren’t dogs supposed to bark?”
“That’s what Daddy said!” Julia giggled.
I nod. “She’s right. That’s what I said. I turned to the K-9 handler and asked him what was going to happen.”
Lee’s eyes go wide. “Oh gosh. What did he say?”
I made a frown, and my face was serious. ‘“We’re going to have to let him go,” the guy said,” I mimicked in a deep baritone.
“Who?” Lee asked.
I mimicked the deep voice of the K-9 sergeant. “Number 87. If we can’t find a suitable place to home him, we might have to put him down. He’s trained to attack, and that makes him too dangerous to give to just anybody.”
