Tag: San Juan Island

NAVY HOPE Chapter Six

Posted: June 24, 2013 at 8:56 am by Geri Krotow · Comments Off

By Geri Krotow

Chapter Six

He liked the way she tossed her head as though she could wave a wand and make everything easy, no regrets.

Back in college, they’d met in math class, a pre-requisite for both of them as she pursued social work and he was taking a pre-law curriculum. He’d loved teasing her about how much money he was going to make dealing with the world’s problems, while she’d be trying to solve them on a pauper’s pay.

“I read online that you graduated from Penn State, and then went to Catholic University in D.C. for your graduate work. How did you end up here, so far out west?” He was curious but also didn’t think it was fair for her to ask all the questions.

Her eyes narrowed and she bit her lower lip.

Pay dirt.

She was here because of a man. He didn’t see a ring, but a bare hand meant nothing.

“Family circumstances.” She smiled. Professional, smooth and completely impersonal. Yeah, he’d hit a button.

“Touché.”

“I’m not trying to spar with you, Lucas. I really did end up here because of family issues, most of which you’ve probably read about on BTS’s website.”

Before he could offer condolences on her brother’s death, she’d regained her composure, and he watched her as she collected several files from her desk and handed them to him.

“Here’s everything you need for the first week. Your client load, information about the island, the ferry schedule and some travel brochures for Whistler and Vancouver. Do you ski?”

“I love to, but I rarely have time anymore.”

She smiled. “I know what you mean. Life gets in the way, doesn’t it?” She pointed at the folder labeled Fun. “You’ll find information on skiing at Whistler in British Columbia, and Mount Baker on the mainland. You’ll need breaks from the work and even the island.”

“I’m used to a very intense work schedule.” Did she really think he’d need a break from a resort?

“Sure you are. But you’re on my team now, and one of my requirements is that you be as relaxed and happy as possible while you’re here. You’ll project that well-being and confidence to our clients, and they deserve nothing less.”

“Got it.” Actually, he did, and he was impressed by Val’s depth of commitment. As the owner and boss of BTS, she certainly called the shots with her staff in a very different way.

This wasn’t going to be anything like Walter Reed.

Starting with the hot woman in the tight white pants. The girl he’d had the most memorable sex of his life with all those years ago.

She’s your boss.

Holy shit.

He needed space. He’d only been here fifteen minutes, and he already had island fever.

More like Val fever.

He tried to focus on something else. His gaze caught on a pair of woman’s running shoes next to Val’s desk.

“You still run?”

“Yes.” No invitation for him to join her, though.

A good run around the island that was going to be his home for the next six months would calm his nerves and get rid of the sensations caused by shaking her hand.

Awareness.

Need.

A need he’d rationalized ignoring because he wasn’t “ready” yet.

The truth was that a man in his mid-thirties was pretty much ready at all times. For a physical relationship. But sharing emotional intimacies? Nope, he wasn’t going to pay that price.

Lucas did what he always did when his head warred with his instincts.

He decided to throw himself into his work.

“When do I start?”

NAVY HOPE Chapter Three

Posted: June 19, 2013 at 8:57 am by Geri Krotow · View all 2 comments

By Geri Krotow

Chapter Three

“I appreciate your time, sir, but Beyond the Stars is non-profit and I intend to keep it that way.”

Val rolled her eyes at Maggie, her assistant, as she listened to the umpteenth investor who wanted to buy out her resort and make her a very rich woman.

“It’s not about the money, it’s about the military families who need healing. I’m sorry to cut you off, but I’m late for a meeting.”

She stopped herself from slamming down the phone, setting it back on its base with a quiet click.

“Meeting?” Maggie’s blue eyes twinkled in her flushed face.

“Yeah, with you. We always have a meeting on the schedule, right?”

They both laughed and Val let the sound wash over her.

“Thank God my brother left me the money he did,” she said. “Much as I hated accepting it at first, it’s been the cushion we need, so we didn’t have to make this a commercial resort.” She’d argued with her brother’s widow over not taking the money, but her sister-in-law insisted it was what Chet had wanted. He’d left his family well-insured, prepared for the worst-case scenario.

“You’re doing well with the grants from the various veterans’ associations, plus the fundraising we do. And as long as families leave with something positive after their week at Beyond the Stars, what more can you ask for?”

“For the rest of the world to leave us alone.” Val tapped her fingers on the side of her soda can. “I want this place to stay special, to be the safe haven it’s meant to be. I know we need to press to keep the private donations coming in, but it brings in some unwanted attention, too.”

“You’re doing great, Val,” Maggie said again. “Your brother would be so proud of you.” Maggie fanned herself with a Beyond the Stars brochure. “He died too young, honey, a true hero. This is what he would’ve wanted you to do. I have no doubt that the families who come here are blessed with some peace.”

“I’m not denying that, Maggie. I just have to make sure our finances stay in the black.” Val’s heart ached whenever anyone mentioned Chet. She’d never get over losing her baby brother to the war in Afghanistan. But Maggie was right. Beyond the Stars made a difference for other Gold Star families.

Maggie continued to fan herself.

“You okay?” Val asked. She didn’t like the beet-red tone of Maggie’s skin.

Maggie groaned. “I’m perfectly healthy. These personal ‘power moments’ are all part of a normal menopause, according to Doc Maura.”

Val wanted to give Maggie a big hug but knew it might embarrass her. It had taken two years to convince Maggie she was right for this job. To work on an isolated island at the edge of the North American continent, with the goal of benefitting the families hardest hit by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“What about ginger tea? I heard ginger might help.”

Maggie laughed. “If anything really worked, I’d be rich off the cure for hormone hell.” Maggie flapped her hands as if she were shooing away flies. “Don’t you worry about my problems. By the time you get to this point in your life, there’ll be a cure for hot flashes.”

Val smiled. Maggie wasn’t here for the paycheck. She was here because she was a Navy widow, a Gold Star family member. She’d lost her husband and been left with three teenage boys to raise. This was back during the first Gulf War, when the support system for Gold Star families hadn’t been as strong as it was today.

They went back to their usual routines at their respective computers.

“You sure you’re ready for this?”

Maggie’s voice broke through Val’s desperate attempt to keep her mind off the man who’d be walking into her office thirty minutes from now.

“Yes, I am. He’s probably married or at least involved, and even if he’s single, I’m not looking.”

Maggie snorted. “Honey, that’s the exact attitude I had before I met Mike.”

“If it didn’t happen with Bob, it’s not going to happen.” She’d ended the relationship with her long-term boyfriend from Seattle two years ago. “I was comfortable with him. We had so much in common. But it wasn’t enough to keep us together when I moved here.”

“‘Comfortable’ was your first mistake, Val. The man who’s best for you won’t be the one you’re most comfortable with. He’ll be the one who sets your teeth on edge and makes you a better person, all at the same time.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Do you really think this man won’t remember you?”

This wasn’t the conversation she wanted to be having before their new employee showed up. He’d been a college boyfriend…briefly.

He broke your heart.

Yes, he’d broken her heart—but wouldn’t any boy have back then? She’d been young, he’d been her first, and it wasn’t as if he was ever anything other than wonderful to her.

Except when he didn’t come back junior year. He’d disappeared from her life with virtually no explanation.

“It’s in the past, Maggie. Fifteen years ago. Anyway, how many people remember who they dated in college?”

“You do. And it’s been a while since you dated. You’re too isolated out here. Not to mention that if you ever want some kids of your own, sooner is best.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, Maggie. But just because I’m plowing through my thirties doesn’t mean every eligible male is a potential father for my babies.”

Maggie giggled.

Val knew she’d want male companionship again. And yes, a family. But not yet. Beyond the Stars was too new, and she couldn’t foresee a time when she’d willingly leave San Juan Island for the mainland. She’d invested her entire life in BTS and was determined to see it flourish.

“I need to get this schedule straight before he shows up.”

“I’ll leave you alone. For now.” Maggie’s voice was soft, but her steady gaze let Val know that this conversation was far from over.

NAVY HOPE Chapter Two

Posted: June 18, 2013 at 10:07 am by Geri Krotow · Comments Off

By Geri Krotow
Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Books S.A.

Chapter Two

As the boat continued its lurching journey, Lucas focused on Valentina DiPaola, owner and director of Beyond the Stars military family healing retreat, and once his first real girlfriend after high school. They’d been together for an entire semester before he’d had to leave unexpectedly at the end of sophomore year. His family in Philadelphia had shattered, thanks to his father’s drinking and his mother’s nervous breakdown. He was the oldest child and his little sister had needed him to be a steady care provider. His dreams of joining the military had been delayed but he’d managed to finish his degree locally, then serve in Navy Special Forces for a couple of tours before he started medical school.

He’d never told Val what a mess his family was. That wasn’t something he’d been willing to do when he was twenty, and when he’d matured enough to realize he had nothing to be ashamed of, it didn’t matter anymore. She was long out of his life; too much time had passed.

He was grateful that Val hadn’t rejected his application for this counselor’s position. She’d communicated through her assistant from their very first reply to his email inquiry about the open counselor’s job.

He thought she’d nix it when she read his résumé and found out who he was.

But she’d been more concerned that he wasn’t a counselor but in fact a psychiatrist. There’d been a brief flurry of questions about his being overqualified for the position, but when he’d agreed to the full six-month employment period she’d hired him. She’d explained that the six-month term was a benefit to both parties: Beyond the Stars was located on San Juan Island, a remote part of the country accessible only by ferry or airplane. Val knew she couldn’t expect employees to sign on for longer, at least until they’d seen the place. It was beneficial to him as the employee, since he’d be free to leave at the end of six months, which Lucas planned to. The time on San Juan was his respite from what he considered his primary calling.

His specialty was helping war veterans, especially those with PTSD. The six-month leave of absence from his job at Walter Reed was a sabbatical of sorts. He wouldn’t be dealing with vets at Beyond the Stars but instead, the families left behind by those who’d died in the service. The wartime widows, widowers and surviving children.

Gold Star families.

You’ll be working for a woman again.

That was how he’d fallen in love with Betsy; she’d been the hospital’s Head of Psychiatry when he’d done his residency. Long hours, intense cases at a wartime pace made emotions run high and created an insistent need for release.

Betsy had been there. Ten years older than Lucas, she seemed to want the same things he did. A partnership, and not just on hospital rounds or in bed. A lifetime commitment.

She’d let him down gently, but he could still hear the roaring in his ears as she’d explained that she was accepting a position in another city; she needed a change.

Taking their relationship to Chicago with her wasn’t part of the plan.

It’d been a mistake to get involved with his boss, a mistake he wouldn’t make again. Judging by her lack of interest in him other than the professional, Val didn’t care about their previous attachment. He hoped she was married and completely unavailable. She still used her maiden name, but a lot of married women did. Even if she was single, he was only here for six months. After that he needed to get back to the real world, wherever and whatever he decided that would be.

The deck shifted beneath his feet and the vibration of the motor ceased. As the ferry docked, he turned to walk back to his car, ready to drive onto the tiny island that would be his home and workplace for the next half year.

NAVY HOPE Begins Today!

Posted: June 17, 2013March 30, 2017 at 9:20 am by Geri Krotow · Comments Off

Welcome to my June online read at Harlequin’s website, NAVY HOPE! Each day I’ll post a chapter, for 12 total chapters. If you want to read this on the Harlequin website, too, or comment on their community pages, you can start here.

I hope you enjoy this glimpse into my Whidbey Island Series!

Peace,

Geri

Navy Hope

By Geri Krotow
Copyright © 2013 by Harlequin Books S.A.

When Val DiPaola founded Beyond the Stars, a therapeutic resort for families of fallen soldiers, she never imagined she’d be hiring her ex. Although Val’s moved on since Lucas Derringer walked out of her life fifteen years ago, she’s never forgotten him. She can’t deny that his experience treating vets with PTSD and his background as a Navy SEAL make him perfect for the job. But the minute Lucas steps onto San Juan Island in Puget Sound, Val knows she’s in trouble. Because she wants him to be part of her life again—professionally and personally.

Only, a lot has happened to both of them since college. At Beyond the Stars, Val and Lucas teach their patients that hope and love can grow from heartbreak. Can they convince each other of the same thing?

Navy Hope is part of the Whidbey Island series, published in Superromance. Find more books in the series here!

Chapter One

January

Lucas Derringer felt as though he was on a clandestine SEAL mission. He wasn’t in a hot dirt bowl ready to take down Taliban fighters, nor was he in a sweaty swamp waiting for the right moment to rescue yet another operative who’d been captured by a tyrannical drug lord. He hadn’t done any of those things in over a decade. Now he treated the men and women who did, as a psychiatrist with post-combat mental trauma expertise.

Who knew that taking a break from his usual routine would trigger such a storm of anxiety?

Instead of fighting for his country in some godforsaken place, Lucas was on a Puget Sound ferry in the middle of what his new job description called “God’s Country.” The wind blew cold as it cleared the morning fog and revealed the majesty of fir-topped mountains that spilled down to the rocky shore. Gulls and eagles soared above him. He’d never seen a more beautiful sight.

He’d never felt more nauseous.

Being away from the sea and airplanes for so long had robbed him of his immunity to motion sickness. He suspected that not being the one piloting the ferry was part of the reason he’d been seasick—and thrown up over the side rail. If only he could’ve simply crossed a bridge after his grueling drive from D.C. But San Juan Island was too far from the mainland and a ferry was his one option.

He’d turned into a landlubber.

Focus on the beauty. This is the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. You’re getting everything you’ve ever dreamed of.

Except for the one woman he’d expected to settle down with. Betsy.

He fought the urge to pull out his cell phone and start scrolling through his Facebook newsfeed, to see if any of his friends had posted photos of her wedding. He understood the importance of facing his feelings, not running away. Hell, his whole career was based on that concept.

Betsy had made her choice and it hadn’t been Lucas. When she’d left she’d said she didn’t want to settle down, but he knew better. They weren’t a good fit; for one thing, they were too much alike.

But he’d loved her.

That was three years ago. Before he’d had a chance to get used to being a doctor.

Yesterday she’d married a man she’d met right after their break-up. Another doctor.

He was over her but his pride still stung.

“Son of a bitch,” he muttered into the wind as he grasped the ferry’s railing and willed his stomach to stop heaving. Puget Sound during a winter squall was no match for his out-of-practice traveling skills.

His job in D.C. was three thousand miles away. He could start relaxing—as soon as this blasted ship docked.

Think about something else.

The new job.

The new boss.

Ironically, the most important woman in his life at the moment was a woman he hadn’t seen since they were just kids, sophomores in college. Did she remember him?

You know she does. You’ve never forgotten her.

Page 2 of 212

Tag: San Juan Island

NAVY HOPE Chapter Three

NAVY HOPE Chapter Two

NAVY HOPE Begins Today!

Navy Hope

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