Choosing love, p.1
Choosing Love, page 1
Choosing Love
A Grace & Griffin Novella #4.5
KaLyn Cooper
Black Swan Series
Contents
A Letter to Readers
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
About the Author
Also by KaLyn Cooper
Challenging Love
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Copyright 2018 KaLyn Cooper
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All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction.
Names of characters, places, and events are the construction of the author, except those locations that are well-known and of general knowledge, and all are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is coincidental, and great care was taken to design places, locations, or businesses that fit into the regional landscape without actual identification; as such, resemblance to actual places, locations, or businesses is coincidental. Any mention of a branded item, artistic work, or well-known business establishment, is used for authenticity in the work of fiction and was chosen by the author because of personal preference, its high quality, or the authenticity it lends to the work of fiction; the author has received no remuneration, either monetary or in-kind, for use of said product names, artistic work, or business establishments, and mention is not intended as advertising, nor does it constitute an endorsement. The author is solely responsible for content.
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Editor: Marci Boudreaux Clark
Cover design & Formatting by:
Drue Hoffman, Buoni Amici Press.
A Letter to Readers
Dear Reader,
Welcome to novella #4.5, story #8, of the Black Swan series. This contemporary romance features Griffin and Grace, who got together in Unexpected Love, as they move their relationship forward. As many of us are all too aware, parents can stress and influence even the strongest bond.
Parker “Griffin” Mitchell V was raised in Augusta, Georgia, the fifth generation of a highly political family that included a governor, U.S. Senator, member of the House of Representatives, and multiple state elected positions. As the only son in that generation, his family expected him to carry the family legacy all the way to the White House.
Griffin had other plans for his life which included serving his country as a Navy SEAL. He then went to work for Guardian Security and took the occasional black ops job, usually in support of Ladies of Black Swan, of which Grace is a member.
When he takes Grace home to meet his family, he discovers their plans have not changed, and his love for Grace doesn’t matter. Each time their love is tested, Grace realizes how her upbringing as the daughter of a Baptist minister in Iowa never prepared her for the life Griffin is expected to lead.
Will Griffin choose family expectations over and love, or will Grace make the decision for him by walking away?
Choosing Love is a contemporary romance novella that picks up the Black Swan story at the end of the novel Unguarded Love, but it can be read by itself.
Thank you for purchasing Choosing Love. If you enjoy this book, consider purchasing the other books in the Black Swan series as well as the related Guardian Elite series.
Always,
KaLyn Cooper
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Black Swan Series
Unconventional Beginnings: Prequel (Black Swan Novella # 0.5)
Unrelenting Love: Lady Hawk (Katlin) & Alex (Black Swan Book #1)
Noel’s Puppy Power: Bailey & Tanner (A Sweet Christmas Black Swan Novella #1.5)
Uncaged Love: Harper & Rafe (Black Swan Book #2)
Unexpected Love: Lady Eagle (Grace) & Griffin (Black Swan Book #3)
Challenging Love: A Katlin & Alex novella #3.5 (Black Swan Series Book #6)
Unguarded Love: Lady Harrier (Nita) & Daniel (Black Swan Book #4)
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Guardian Elite Series
Double Jeopardy (Novella #1 Guardian Elite series crossover with Hildie McQueen’s Indulgences series)
Smoke and Mirrors(Novella #2 Guardian Elite series crossover with Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire and Rescue Kindle World)
Rescuing Melina (Novella #3 Guardian Elite series crossover with Susan Stoker’s Special Forces: Operation Alpha Kindle World)
Snow SEAL (Novella #4 Guardian Elite series crossover with Elle James Brotherhood Protectors Kindle World)
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Cancun Series
Christmas in Cancun (Cancun Series Book #1)
Conquered in Cancun (Cancun Series Novella #1.5)
Captivated in Cancun (Cancun Series Book #2)
Claimed by a SEAL (Cancun Series crossover Novella #2.5 with Cat Johnson’s Hot SEALs Kindle Worlds)
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For the latest on works in progress and future releases, check out KaLyn Cooper’s website
www.KaLynCooper.com
http://www.kalyncooper.com/
Follow KaLyn Cooper on Facebook for promotions and giveaways
https://www.facebook.com/kalyn.cooper.52
Sign up for exclusive promotions and special offers only available in KaLyn’s newsletter http://www.kalyncooper.com/newsletter.html
I dedicate this book to the memory of Liz Ivorschi-Braun. Although we lived in nearly half a world apart, her in Romania and me in eastern Tennessee, we often wrote together in sprints through Night Writers Facebook group. Liz was always there to encourage me and helped me a great deal with Smoke & Mirrors. In that novella, a secondary character had Type 1 diabetes, the illness that finally took my friend’s life. Since I was writing this book when she was posting from her hospital bed and eventually passed away, it’s only appropriate that I dedicate it to her memory.
Acknowledgments
There are so many people to thank for helping me write this novella. The members of the Black Swan Book Club have become my “go to” women, and I can’t thank them enough for their opinions and ideas. Angie Bengston, Anna Marie Flamini, and Angie Schmidt all named characters. Kristal Allen came up with the title, and Kati Carson found our beautiful cover shot.
My sincere thanks goes to Marci Clark who corrects more Dragon-isms than I care to count, and to my publicist, Drue Hoffman, for another wonderful cover. Last, I thank my husband for his support in turning my hobby into a career.
Rara avis in terris
is Latin for
“a rare bird in the lands.”
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In the ancient world, it was believed that the landing of a single black swan created a change that would affect the entire world.
In today’s world, that change can be seen almost instantly…9/11 is the best example.
Fact: Parents can influence a relationship, good, bad, or ugly.
Fact: Our lives are our own to live.
Fact: Men always underestimate beautiful women.
Chapter 1
“I can’t believe you’re married.” Grace Hall held her friend Nita Banks in a tight hug for a long moment. As she returned to emptying drawers in Nita’s suite in the D.C. condominium the Ladies of Black Swan shared, Grace thought about her own wedding. It seemed like ancient history.
Nearly eight years ago, she had married her high school sweetheart in a ceremony almost completely controlled by his mother. Grace had hated the high collared, long-sleeved white dress the woman had picked out for her. She had despised the greasy fried hors d’oeuvres, dry cake, and 1950s music her mother-in-law insisted upon. Most of all, she resented that her father wasn’t allowed to walk her down the aisle because he was officiating. Being a preacher’s daughter, always meant compromises, especially when a powerful church family was paying for the wedding.
Grace had been devastated when her husband’s plane crashed into the Iraqi desert. His mother had been inconsolable. After a year, Grace had accepted widowhood and moved on with her life.
She vowed that when she got married again, her wedding and reception would be fun and filled with her friends. She was a very different person at thirty than she had been at twenty-two. In those years, she had traveled the world and become a strong independent woman. She’d literally flown through Navy flight school, pushed her way through the Joint All-Female Special Operations School to be in the top five of her class, and had been selected to be a member of the elite team called the Ladies of Black Swan. She had also seen, and often caused, death and destruction. She was so far from that meek Iowa preacher’s kid, she often didn’t recognize herself in the pictures that were scattered around her own suite next door.
As Grace packed another box of Nita’s clothes, thoughts of Griffin Mitchell flooded her mind. The former SEAL who ran Guardian Security’s Miami Center had started as a friend and bodyguard, but their relationship had grown into so much more. Now, at the end of every mission, she couldn’t wait to get back on U.S. soil, to him.
Beside her, Katlin Callahan neatly packed a box with military cargo pants in every color from the black, shades of gray, and white of winter camouflage, to the shades of blue they wore when pretending
“I still can’t believe you and Daniel fooled me for months.” Katlin refolded a green cammie blouse. “On second thought, I’m glad I didn’t know the two of you were sleeping together while we were all living in the compound in Costa Rica.”
“You were too busy calling Alex every chance you got to pay attention to your brother and Nita,” Lei Lu accused Katlin as she placed another heavy medical book into a box. “I, on the other hand, have no excuse. I’m not blinded by love, or lust, at the moment. I might need to do something about that. Tori, it’s up to you and me to hold up the party girl reputation of this team. Want to hit a few clubs tonight?”
“No, it’s Monday. Only the alcoholics and lecherous lobbyists will be out partying tonight.” Tori hung another handful of clubbing dresses into a wardrobe shipping box.
“I seriously doubt I’ll need many of those fu—, darn dresses anymore.” Even Nita laughed at her attempt to quit swearing now that she was a mother. “My Saturday nights will be filled with reading children’s books out loud, Disney movies, and popcorn while snuggling on the couch.” She looked down at her new diamond ring, given to her only moments before the thin gold wedding band. “I can’t thank you all enough for being at our new house on Saturday. I’m not going to apologize for the surprise engagement and wedding. Daniel and I wanted all of you there to share in our day.”
Everyone surrounded Nita for group hug.
“I’m just glad you didn’t jet off to Vegas for a quickie wedding,” Lei Lu said as she returned to the floor to ceiling bookshelves. “I’d be really pissed at you if you got married without us. That’s a warning to you, too, Katlin.”
“Thank goodness General Lyon decided to give all of us a whole week off so Nita could go on her honeymoon.” Grace wrapped another of Nita’s colorful watches in paper before she placed it in a box. “Griffin and I are headed to Augusta for a few days. He says turnabout is fair play. Since he’d met my parents, he says I now have to head down to Georgia to meet his.”
“You didn’t invite him to meet your parents. He simply followed you to Iowa when your father had heart surgery,” Katlin reminded Grace.
“Yeah, I know.” Warmth filled Grace from deep inside. “He followed me because he loves me.” It had been a good thing that Griffin had been there when she’d been attacked by homegrown terrorists. He had taken the bullet meant for her. She had loved him even before that moment, and her affection for him had only increased since.
Wanting to change the subject away from her, Grace asked, “Nita, where are you going for your honeymoon? Back to the Callahan compound in Costa Rica?”
They had left Central America only two weeks earlier after supporting a Nicaraguan coup.
“No, Daniel wants to go to the house on Smith Mountain Lake. He has great memories of spending time as a family up there. He wants us to make some memories of our own.” She looked up and smiled at Katlin. “I want to thank you and Alex, again, for taking the kids for us last night. The bed-and-breakfast in the Blue Ridge Mountains was perfect. I almost didn’t want to come back, but I missed the kids. I also knew I needed to get completely moved into the new house.”
Katlin smiled ear to ear. “It was our pleasure. I have three years of playing Aunt Katlin with Simon to make up, and baby Bella is just so sweet.”
Daniel had been deep undercover for four years and never told anyone about his children until his six-month-old daughter had fallen sick with Ebola. He had brought her, and his three-year-old son Simon to the Callahan compound in Costa Rica where Nita helped bring the baby back to health.
“It’s just not going to be the same without you here.” Grace’s room was right next door. “I can’t imagine this room empty.”
“This will always be Nita’s room,” Katlin announced to her team. “She’s welcome back here anytime. If we get in late—”
“You mean like we always do,” Tori interjected. “The powers-to-be don’t like us landing Black Swan during the daytime.” She referred to the sleek black Gulfstream 550 jet their team exclusively flew.
“Exactly.” Katlin nodded as she moved to the next drawer. “Nita isn’t going to want to drive all the way out to their house in the middle of the night. She’s going to want to come back here and get some rest before going home to face Daniel and the children. She’ll need a little time to decompress from the mission before morphing into mom mode.”
“You’re right.” Nita looked around the room. “Maybe I should leave a few more clothes here then.”
“I figured you’d leave your weapons bag here, too.” Katlin transferred a stack of black T-shirts and tank tops into the box with uniforms. “I’m sure you’re going to want to have a few handguns for personal protection, but you might want to keep the majority of them here, with the rest of ours.”
“Christ, I’m such a terrible mother.” Nita dropped onto the edge of the bed. “I hadn’t given a second thought to my weapons in the house with small children.”
“I had, and you needn’t to worry about it.” Daniel Callahan strode into the room and went straight to Nita. He kneeled in front of her and took her hands. “Simon was born in a guerrilla camp. He’s used to seeing people walking around loaded down with weapons and ammunition. He, better than any American child, understands what guns can do.”
“But what about other—” Nita’s protest was silenced when Daniel gave her a quick kiss.
“I’m sure as he grows older he’ll have friends over who were not raised with guns in the house. That’s why I’m having plans drawn up right now to build a safe room for you and the kids and an armory. Most of our weapons will be locked up, safely away from the children. I’m thinking about having a small safe built into our bedroom with a palm scanner, but we can talk about that later. Right now, you’ve been gone too long.”
When Daniel bent to kiss his new wife, Grace looked away and busied herself packing the last of the boxes.
She felt Griffin’s presence before she heard him talking with Alex as they made their way through the large condo. When he entered the room, her entire body tingled with awareness. He walked directly to her, wrapped his strong arms around her, and pulled her in for a deep, claiming kiss.
She loved this man! Heart and soul.
They broke the kiss at the same time, as though they were in sync.
“Looks like you ladies have been busy.” Griffin’s gaze wandered to the cardboard boxes stacked four feet high near the door.
“It’s amazing how much sh—, I mean crap, you can accumulate in just a few years.” Nita grabbed a few pairs of jeans and a couple blouses out of one of the boxes before she taped it up. “I’m going to keep a few things here for those late-night arrivals.”
Daniel grabbed the clothes from her and put them into another box. “I don’t care what time you land. I want you home. In our bed. If I can’t pick you up at the hangar, I’ll send a car for you. Either way, if you are on U.S. soil, you’re sleeping next to me.”
“You’re awfully bossy now that we’re married.” Nita stood up and put her fists on her hips.
Daniel cupped her face in both hands. “Angel, I love you. I want to be with you every single moment I can. If that means you crawl into bed at four o’clock in the morning, then so be it. But at least we’re together.”
“I want to be with you, too.” Nita threw her arms around her husband. When they started to kiss again, Grace gazed up at Griffin. He, too, had been watching the newlyweds.
