Finding Kenna
SEAL Team Hawaii, Book 3
Susan Stoker
Contents
Blurb
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
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
Also by Susan Stoker
About the Author
From the moment she jumped on his back during a training exercise, Kenna had Marshall “Aleck” Smart’s attention. He wants to know more about the gorgeous, bubbly waitress who tried to “save” him. A lot more. In fact, he wants to know everything. A little hypocritical, since he plays his own cards close to the vest. Experience has shown once women learn about his trust fund, it’s often game over…even as instinct tells him Kenna may be the exception.
Kenna Madigan is mortified she almost landed on the hot Navy SEAL’s head when jumping into the ocean to “rescue” him. In her defense, she’d thought he was drowning. Luckily, he wasn’t mad. Exactly the opposite—he promptly asked her out on a date. Their connection is intense from the start, and Kenna suspects he’s too good to be true. As it turns out, she’s right. Marshall has a big secret, and the discovery causes her some humiliation…partly because of her own judgmental assumptions.
They no sooner weather that bump in their relationship when they find themselves facing an even bigger challenge—an unforeseen life-threatening situation. Turns out, Kenna may get a chance to rescue her SEAL, after all…
** Finding Kenna is the 3rd book in the SEAL Team Hawaii Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2021 by Susan Stoker
No part of this work may be used, stored, reproduced or transmitted without written permission from the publisher except for brief quotations for review purposes as permitted by law.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Edited by Kelli Collins
Cover Design by AURA Design Group
Manufactured in the United States
Chapter One
“Let me get this straight,” Carly said with a huge shit-eating grin on her face. “You jumped on the poor man? You couldn’t figure out anything else to do to try to save him than literally jumping on top of him?”
“Shut up,” Kenna grumbled with a small grin. “I mean, it wasn’t like I meant to land on him. I misjudged.”
“Apparently,” Paulo said wryly as he leaned on the edge of the bar.
“And they were SEALs?” asked Kaleen, on duty behind the bar with Paulo.
“Yup,” Kenna confirmed. “I was running along the Ala Moana Park out by the Magic Island Lagoon, minding my own business, when I looked over and saw him floating facedown in the ocean. I didn’t think. I took off my shoes and shirt and jumped in to save him. But, as you all know, he didn’t need saving. He was watching his friends under the water, who were doing some sort of military training. I was embarrassed as hell and couldn’t believe I’d actually done that.”
“I swear that’s like the best meet-cute ever,” Kaleen said.
“What’s a meet-cute?” Paulo asked.
“Seriously?” Kaleen asked.
“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t serious,” Paulo returned.
Kenna smiled at her coworkers’ ribbing. She loved working at Duke’s. The other waiters and waitresses were all pretty cool and it felt like working with a large family rather than coworkers. The restaurant was located in the heart of Waikiki on Oahu and was pretty much always crowded. It was at the back of the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, situated right on the beach.
The restaurant was named after Duke Kahanamoku, who was a native Hawaiian, six-time Olympic swimmer and water polo medalist, as well as the father of modern-day surfing. There were three of the restaurants in Hawaii and three in California, all well known for their cocktails and decadent hula pie dessert.
It was Friday night, which was always busy at the restaurant, and that meant great tips.
“A meet-cute,” Kaleen explained patiently, “is when a guy and a girl meet in a super cute and unique way.”
“So only a guy and girl?” Paulo asked.
“Well, no, I guess not.”
“I mean, is it a meet-macho if it’s two guys who are into each other? Or a feminine-frolic if it’s two women?”
“Shut up,” Kaleen said, rolling her eyes at her coworker.
Kenna had always enjoyed the banter between the two bartenders. They were reason one thousand and twenty-two why she loved working here.
It was also well-known around Duke’s that Paulo really wanted to find a serious boyfriend, so they all tried to set him up at least once a night. So far, everyone—including Paulo—had struck out. A shame, because he was one of the best guys Kenna knew. Always volunteering to walk someone to their car and insisting all the waitresses text when they got home.
“What’d I miss?” Charlotte, another waitress, asked as she rushed up to the bar with her tray and drink order from one of her tables.
“Kenna was about to explain why she thought inviting the Navy SEAL she jumped on top of to hang out here tonight was a good idea,” Carly helpfully offered with a grin.
“It wasn’t that I thought it was a good idea, but he asked if he could see me and my brain kind of short-circuited,” Kenna defended.
“He said seven, right?” Kaleen asked.
“Yes.”
“Well, it’s seven-fifteen. He’s late,” Paulo said with a frown.
“The traffic down here sucks,” Kenna said, defending Marshall despite not even knowing the man.
“You gonna ask Vera to put him in your section?” Charlotte asked.
“Not sure Alani would like that,” Paulo said.