Page 38 of Triton

19

Erik

I hada brutal week of training out at San Clemente Island. My Team was flown out of Coronado up the coast to spend some time blowing up buildings and practicing raids. We even trained on a full-scale replica of Osama Bin Laden’s compound. Honestly, I had a blast and couldn’t believe that I was lucky enough that this was actually my job. Most days, I felt like I was living in a video game. But even so, I missedAria.

Reception sucked, and Wi Fi was nonexistent. I’d explained this to her before I’d left and she was cool with it. I was so grateful to meet a girl who understood my job—my last girlfriend would always get upset when I couldn’t call, text, or email. Not that I had a choice—I was married to the Teams.

I flew back into Coronado on Sunday and called Aria. She invited me over to her place, but first, I had some shopping todo.

I walked down Orange Ave and went to Holland’s Bicycles. I spent around twenty minutes browsing different bikes before I chose an Electra Cruiser in Seafoam.

I paid for the bike and a helmet. The shop girl eyed me. “Wow. Nice bike. Must be a luckylady.”

I smiled. “She’s not the lucky one; Iam.”

I left the store and walked the bike to Aria’s place when my phone rang. It was that potential client.

“Hello, Mr. Johnson. How areyou?”

“Fine, Erik. Just fine. The CFO will be in town next weekend. I want him to meet you. I was wondering if we could have dinner together next Friday.”

I had to ask Aria to accompany me. “Of course, sir.”

“Wonderful. I’ll make reservations at Addison for 6:00.”

I tried not to laugh. Addison was the same place my mom suggested I take Aria out for a first date. “Wonderful, sir. I’ll be there. Do you mind if a bring adate?”

“No, Erik. Not at all. We will be bringing our wives. I’ll see you nextweek.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m looking forward toit.”

I hung up the phone, excitement racing through my chest. Mr. Johnson was a huge potential client who ran a biotechnology firm. I’d met him at a fundraiser for the Naval SEAL Foundation. Snagging him could take TritonFix to the next level.

I’d ask Aria tonight.

I turned down her street and opened the gate to her yard. Flounder greeted me with a sloppy kiss, and I rubbed his ears. Aria emerged from the house, and her eyes immediately focused on thebike.

“Erik, you didn’t.”

I leaned the bike against the fence and went in for a kiss. She tasted even sweeter than I remembered. “Idid.”

“Did you buy it or rentit?”

“I bought it, champ. It’s all yours.” I attempted to read her face. She bit her lip, and her brow contorted. What was she so afraidof?

I gave her another kiss. “Come on. You don’t trustme?”

“No. That’s not it. I do.” She exhaled. “Okay . . . I’ll give it atry.”

“Good girl.” I kissed the tip of her nose and took her hand in mine. Yet something felt…off. Once again, I experienced the gut feeling that she was holding something back from me. Some grand plan that she didn’t want me to know. That was fine on our first date, but now that we’d slept together, I needed more. I wanted to be with someone who was open and honest withme.

“Let’s walk over to my place and get my bike. We can start the trail from there.”

We strolled by the beach as the tourists whizzed by us in their bikes. I often wondered how many of them were aware that Navy SEALs trained less than a mile away from their vacation.

She touched my arm—her delicate fingers sending spikes of heat through me. “So, what did you do thisweek?”

“A bunch of training evolutions. There’s like a full city built out there. It’s like a special forces Disneyland.”