The SEAL's Baby

The SEAL's Baby
Rogenna Brewer

Engineer, single mom, weekend warriorHannah Stanton is all three–until she's called to active duty by the Navy. Then she becomes a warrior full-time. But that means she has to leave her baby behind while she flies helicopters in support of the Navy SEAL team that includes Mike McCaffrey–her old friend and colleague who also happens to be the onenight stand she never told about her pregnancy.Hannah always meant to tell McCaffrey about the baby, but when was she supposed to do that? A year ago he'd been sent in to a war zone half a world away. Jeopardizing his mission–and his life–with news he could do nothing about wasn't possible. And now… Now it seems too late, especially since he just announced that he likes kids–as long as they're not his. Walking away isn't an option, though, once the Navy sends them on a mission…together.

Had McCaffrey really said that he liked kids as long as they were “somebody else’s”?

“Hannah, wait up.” Her sister pushed the stroller at a slight jog to keep up with Hannah’s military stride. “He didn’t mean anything by it. He thinks—”

Hannah stopped short. “I know what he thinks, Samantha.”

“Excuse me?”

“What’s with you? Flirting with Fallon’s father, pretending to be her mother…”

“I never did any of that. He just assumed.”

Hannah took a deep breath, deep enough for the flush of anger and jealousy to fade just a little. She glanced toward McCaffrey, who was still talking to her mother. His assumptions played in to Hannah’s deepest fears—that in the end it would be her sister who would raise Fallon, not her.

Sammy followed her gaze. “Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe. You and Mom are cut from the same cloth.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means Mom’s going to keep quiet. And you… You button up all your emotions inside that white jacket, and the Navy rewards you for it with those ribbons worn in place of your heart.”

“I’m not emotionless,” Hannah denied. “Do you honestly think I don’t feel anything?”

“Then you deserve a Purple Heart. Because if you’re bleeding nobody knows it. Least of all him.”

Dear Reader,

Women make up about 15 percent of today’s active and reserve military, nearly double that of two decades ago when I enlisted in the United States Navy. One of the proudest moments of my service was when I signed into record that I would protect my chaplain with my life. I’m not sure how I was expected to do that, since the only time I’d fired a weapon was in boot camp. In fact, I’d shot off more rounds on my high school rifle team. Thankfully, it never came to that.

It was, however, a sign of things to come. Of course, we know that women have served and sacrificed in some capacity throughout history. But since the end of the first Gulf War 90 percent of military jobs have been open to women. The Pentagon’s “risk rule” assessment no longer applies and only Special Forces have closed their ranks—with the exception of pilots.

I wanted to explore that exception by taking things one step further. What happens when a single mother goes to war? Who takes care of the baby? How does she handle the separation? This book is about a woman who makes some tough choices to answer the call to duty.

I love to hear from readers. You can write to me in care of Harlequin, at my e-mail address Rogenna@aol.com, or visit my Web site, www.rogennabrewer.com.

Sincerely,

Rogenna Brewer

The Seal’s Baby

Rogenna Brewer

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

For all women who have served their country.

Especially my fellow RomVets loopers—

talented women writers who served in the armed forces.

And my WhatsBrewin and CrewBrew loops—voracious

romance readers who love men and women in uniform.

Commander, Helicopter Combat Support

(Special) Squadron Nine

requests the pleasure of your company at the

Change of Command and

Retirement Ceremony

at which

Captain Jon Jordan Loring,

United States Navy

will be relieved by

Lieutenant Commander Hannah C. Stanton,

United States Navy Reserve (Active)

on Friday, the twenty-fifth of July at ten o’clock

Hangar Nine, Naval Air Station North Island

Coronado, California

Reception

immediately following the ceremony

Officers’ Club, Naval Air Station North Island

Coronado, California

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RSVP.