Navy Blue - A Second Chance Romance (Complete)

Navy Blue: Chapter 1

Emily's heart beat for the first time in eight years.

Not the muted rustle that kept her alive, day and night, but a chest pounding, oxygen infused thump. Followed by another, and another, ricocheting through her. The resulting jack hammering in her ears dulled the busy restaurant's hustle and bustle.

Ocean blue eyes she'd once spent hours drowning in stared back at her, swimming in surprise, evident even to a blind man.

Although his eyes were the same and he still towered over her, the man before her was different. The lankiness had rounded out into toned, lean, hardened muscles reminiscent of a long-distance runner. Gone were the overgrown chocolate locks ending in curls that she had loved running her fingers through, replaced by short-trimmed hair buzzed off at the sides. A chiseled chin, cheeks angular, and his nose was off-kilter by the slightest degree.

His lips parted ever so slightly. "Em?"

The syllable swept across her skin, evoking memories of warm, rainy nights, the velvety vocals of Ella Fitzgerald wafting through the air and long, lean fingers skimming her thigh. Her knees wobbled, and she rooted her fingers into the chubby legs of her nephew.

"Who dat?" Ben wriggled in her arms, his baby hands clutching at the air between them. Emily inched along the wood-paneled hallway, perhaps wanting to touch him as well, ensure he was real.

"This is my..." What did she say? Ex-boyfriend? The love of her life? The man who left? "... Finn."

Finn's gaze swiveled between the toddler and her, his jaw settling into granite. Her hand itched to caress the tension away like she had so many times that summer.

Except she had no right to. He wasn't hers anymore.

"Emily, you have to talk to Dad about the car. He's insisting—" Mary barreled past Finn like he was a weed to be trampled on. "Whatever is wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost."

A half sob, half laugh caught in Emily's throat at the irony of the words.

Her sister turned to follow Emily's line of sight and Mary's back stiffened as she recognized the man standing before. "What are you doing here?"

Emily wanted to know the answer to that as well. The last time she'd checked, he'd been on a tour of duty in an ocean half-way around the world. He rarely came back to the United States, and, to her knowledge, he'd never returned to Washington, DC.

Yet here he was, standing in the hallway leading to the restrooms of this overly priced restaurant, dressed in a suit jacket, button-down shirt and dark jeans that looked like they'd never been worn before.

"Dinner." His glare fell on Mary. "Of course."

Mary tugged on Emily's arm. "We have to go."

"No." Emily stood her ground.

"Emily." The eldest of the Montgomery sisters' whine grated on Emily's frayed nerves. "Dad's waiting."

"Let him." There was no way she'd walk away from Finn again. This was her chance.

Mary gaped at her sister like Emily had suggested they eat fried dung beetles for the main course.

"Out of my way, ladies. The baby's pressing on my bladder again." Beth pushed through the trio, separating her sisters as she beelined for the Ladies. Ben lunged for her hair as she hurried by. "Ouch. Let go sweetie."

The three sisters dove into the task of unwinding Beth's long golden strands from her son's clutches and when Emily turned back to where Finn stood, she met nothing but air. He was gone.