The SEAL Bachelor

There was only one thing standing between me and a week of kicking back and digging my toes into the sugary white sand beach in Cabo San Lucas: the promise I’d just made to my foster mother.

“Now I know you’ve got big plans for your vacation, but it sure would mean a lot to me if you could make sure Natalie gets settled when she arrives in San Diego,” Mama Mae said.

“I’d be happy to.” The little white lie rolled off my tongue as easily as Mama Mae’s homemade apple butter melted off a warm piece of cornbread. She never asked for much, and though it would be a major inconvenience, I’d move heaven and earth to follow through on a request from the only mother I’d ever known.

“Thank you, Hunter. I’ll feel much better knowing she has you looking out for her. Are you sure you don’t have time to come home for a few days while you’re on leave?”

“I wish I could, but I need to stay close to base. I’ll be home for Christmas, though. I promise.” It had been too long since I’d been back home to Broken Bend, Texas. As a Navy SEAL, my schedule wasn’t mine to manage. Other guys found that hard to handle, but not me. Besides my foster mother back in Texas, I didn’t have anyone else grumbling about not getting enough of my time, and I fucking liked it that way.

“All right. I love you, son. Thanks again for looking out for Mabel’s niece. I appreciate it.”

My chest burned at the sound of those three little words. They came so easily to her. The fact that I’d never been able to say them back caused me more pain than taking a bullet to the thigh a few years ago. “Bye, Mama Mae.”

She disconnected, and I stood there looking at the number I’d jotted down on the back of a takeout receipt. Putting my vacation on hold for a day or two wouldn’t be the end of the world. I just didn’t feel like I was the right man to check in on Mama Mae’s friend’s niece. But I’d promised. So I sucked it up and dialed the number Mama Mae gave me.

While I waited for the call to connect, I tried to think of what a twenty-two-year-old girl right out of college would be interested in doing her first night in San Diego. I sure as hell wouldn’t take her to one of my regular places.

I needed something safe, somewhere I wouldn’t have to answer a lot of questions or spend all night shooting daggers at any of the smooth dogs who came sniffing around.


Fuck. Even thinking about having to make conversation with a stranger for a few hours twisted my stomach into a tight knot. At twenty two I’d already been through BUD/S training and assigned to Seal Team 3. While other guys were settling into their first jobs and heading to happy hours, I was fast roping into no-fly zones in the Middle East and taking part in missions so secret they didn’t appear on anyone’s radar. The decade separating us might as well be fifty years. I doubted we’d have enough in common to even maintain conversation over a quick dinner.

“Hello?” Her Texas twang came through loud and clear in the only two syllables she’d spoken.


“Hi, this is Hunter Sheffield. Your aunt asked if I’d be able to check in on you when you arrived in San Diego to make sure you get settled okay.”

“Hunter, oh, my aunt Mabel said you might be calling. Thanks for checking in, but I don’t need a babysitter. I’m sure I’ll be just fine.”

My jaw clenched. The last thing anyone would ever think of calling me was a babysitter. “I’m no one’s babysitter, just promised Mama Mae I’d make the call. If you need someone to show you around, or—”

“I appreciate it, but I officially release you from your duty. My aunt can be a bit of a worry wart. Like I said, I’ll be just fine.”


She was letting me off the hook. If the girl didn’t want my help, who was I to argue? “You’ve got my number. If you end up needing anything, just give me a call, okay?”


“Thank you.”

“Okay, then. Have a great day.” Thankfully, I hadn’t changed my flight yet. I’d get bonus points from Mama Mae for checking in, plus not lose a day of vacation playing tour guide.

It was about time things started going my way.


I finished a pot of coffee while I packed the duffel I’d take with me. All I needed were a couple of pairs of shorts, a few T-shirts, and some swim trunks. The next five days were all about relaxing on the beach and getting caught up on a few military thrillers sitting on my e-reader. My friends and I liked to highlight the parts the authors got right when we read fictionalized accounts of the shit we did on a daily basis.

With a couple hours before I had to leave for the airport, I headed to the gym to squeeze in one more session with heavy weights. Once I got to Cabo, I wouldn’t have access to a gym and would get to take it easy with early morning runs on the beach.

After a grueling upper body workout, I was on my way back home when my phone rang. The number looked familiar, but I couldn’t place it. Seeing the Texas area code, I figured it had to be someone I knew.
“Yeah?”

“Hunter?”

“Speaking.”

“Hi, it’s Natalie Burns. We spoke earlier. My Aunt Mabel asked you to check in on me? Her voice lacked the confident sass from earlier.


“Of course. What’s going on?”


She let out her breath in a rush. “My car broke down on the side of the highway. I called for a tow truck, but it won’t be here for a couple of hours. Is there any way you can help me?”

I knew having the chance to get out of town for a few days was too good to be true. “Yeah. Send me a pin of your location, and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Thank you. I’m sending it now.”

I glanced at the notification on my phone. She wasn’t far away. I pulled into the gas station on the corner to make a U-turn. A minor inconvenience, that’s all this would be. I could drop her off wherever she needed to go and still make my flight.

Hoping she wouldn’t mind a stranger covered in sweat since I didn’t have time to run home and shower, I pressed on the gas. Mama Mae said there was a special place in heaven for those who put others first. I sure hoped she was right. Based on some of the things I’d done in the line of duty, doing favors for her might be the only way I’d ever get in.