A SEAL's Oath (SEALs of Chance Creek Book 1) (35 page)

The neatly planted vegetable gardens he’d planned for Base Camp balanced the wildly untamed flower gardens near the manor. His tiny houses were humble and organic, while the manor stood brazen and unashamed on its hill.

The lines and brush strokes led his eye to a fire in a rustic outside fireplace left of center in the canvas. It seemed to dance and spark. But it was the man standing next to the fire with his arms folded that caught his eye. A man so at home in the scene he seemed to own it.

Him.

He didn’t know how she’d conveyed so much with so few strokes of her brush, but he knew exactly what she was saying. That at Westfield, the natural world and man-made world came together in a beautiful whole.

And he was the one who was going to make it happen.

She was predicting the future and creating it at the same time with bold, powerful brushstrokes that resonated in Boone’s soul.

“Do you like it?”

It took two tries for Boone to answer. “I love it.”

“I’m glad.”

“Riley—do you feel this way?” He gently put the painting back down on the bed and faced her.

“I do.”

“I wish you’d put yourself in there with me.” It was his only quibble with the work.

“I am in there. I’m Westfield, Boone. This ranch, this land is as much a part of me as I am of it.”

Boone swallowed hard and looked at the painting again. If that was true, then the message in her painting was far more intimate—and powerful—than he’d guessed.

Riley waited for him to say something. In a flash he knew they’d come to another crossroads. She was standing in front of him at another dance, baring her soul. Asking him with her eyes to say yes.

Boone pulled her to him. “I love you. I. Love. You. And I will do whatever it takes to be worthy of you.” He lifted her chin to kiss her.

“You already are.”

‡

“I
wish you
would have let me hold your wedding at my house,” Maud said, interrupting Riley’s thoughts. Savannah, Nora, Avery, Win and Alice had all helped her dress and were now attending to their own preparations. Her mother had fluttered in and out of the room but had gone to help her husband with his suit. Her father and his wife were already downstairs. Riley was grateful for Maud’s company. She had no misgivings, but nerves were fluttering in her stomach and she didn’t want to be alone.

“That would have been lovely, but it’s important to hold it here. Boone and I are starting a new life together at Westfield. It seems right to hold the ceremony on the land where we’ll live out the rest of our lives. Besides, Fulsom says we have to.”

She didn’t mind, though. Boone had put together a wonderful wedding, especially after Fulsom lifted his directive against Regency life. Once Fulsom changed his mind, Boone had shown her all the subversive tricks he’d concocted to slip a Regency wedding past Fulsom. Freed from all constraints, he’d worked with Mia to make sure every one of Riley’s dreams would come true.

“Have you resigned yourself to tiny-house living?” Maud fluffed out Riley’s veil.

“You should see the plans for our house. I didn’t think anything could entice me to try it, but Clay and Boone are going to build a masterpiece. It’ll be like living in a piece of art.”

“That sounds wonderful. It does my heart good to see you two happy together.”

“One of the best parts about coming to Westfield was meeting you,” Riley said truthfully.

“Oh, hush.” But Maud looked pleased.

“Let’s take a look at you.” Alice came back into the bedroom to give her a final once-over. “That dress looks spectacular on you.” It was made in the Regency manner, with a high waist and a long train. Riley loved it.

“It does,” Savannah agreed, following her into the room. “You look lovely, Riley.”

“So beautiful,” Nora said.

“Stunning,” Avery said, coming to join the circle around Riley. Their bridesmaid gowns echoed the style of her dress.

“I would never have come here if it weren’t for you three,” she said to her friends. “Thank you for coming on this adventure with me and for sticking with it when things got interesting.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Avery said.

“But I can’t believe you’re going to spend your honeymoon in a tent,” Nora added.

“With a film crew following you around, no less,” Savannah said.

“No film crew. Boone made Fulsom sign a contract on that. We’ll have two glorious nights to ourselves at the farthest end of the property. Then it’s time to get to work.”

“I can’t wait to see what the next few months bring.” Savannah stepped beside Riley to check out her own reflection in the big mirror that stood nearby.

“The possibilities scare me,” Nora said dryly.

“It’s certainly going to be interesting,” Avery said.

She was right, Riley thought, turning to look out the window down at the encampment. There was no telling what would happen next.

Boone didn’t think
he’d ever been so nervous in his life as when he stood on the rise of ground where he and Riley had once picnicked and watched Riley’s friends walk toward him one at a time on the arms of his groomsmen. They’d re-used the hay bales and quilts from Andrea’s wedding to set up rows of seats. There were fewer guests than at Andrea’s wedding, but despite the short notice, it was still well-attended by friends and family on both sides. They would be married with the Beartooth Mountains in the distance, then hold the reception on the manor’s lawn where they’d set up tables and fairy lights.

Jericho escorted a pale but beautiful Savannah to her place and came to stand next to Boone. Clay walked a beaming Nora down the aisle and left her with Savannah. Walker, his expression as serious as always, brought a beautifully blushing Avery to stand beside Nora. Boone took in Walker’s solicitude with interest. Cupid had definitely hit his mark on the impassive man.

When Riley appeared on her father’s arm at the head of the aisle, Boone forgot about all of that. He had eyes only for his wife-to-be, who looked more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. She moved with such grace, her gown giving her the look of a Grecian goddess as she stepped slowly down the aisle. His heart filled to bursting with pride that she would be his wife—this woman who’d matched him in passion, strength of mind and joy in life for as long as he could remember.

When she took her place by his side, Boone thought he’d never feel happier than he did in this moment, even if a camera crew was discreetly filming their every movement. He didn’t care. He had two nights—two glorious nights—alone with Riley ahead of him. After that he’d throw himself into building her a home where they would begin to make each other’s dreams come true.

“Dearly Beloved,” the minister said, as the sun set to the west in a glorious show of pinks and purples. “We are gathered here today…”

Boone squeezed Riley’s hand. He hoped she knew how much he loved her.

She squeezed back.

Boone couldn’t help himself. He ducked down and kissed her quickly. The crowd behind them gasped and then let out muted chuckles.

“Ahem.” The minister cleared his throat with mock disapproval. “Wait to the end of the ceremony to kiss the bride.”

“Just one more.” Boone kissed her again. Riley leaned into him and returned his kiss eagerly. The congregation behind them began to clap and cheer. Boone finally pulled back. “Okay, I think I can hold out for a few more minutes. If you talk fast.”

“Will do.” The minister began again. “Dearly Beloved…”

Boone snatched another kiss.

The minister sighed.

“Behave,” Walker said firmly.

“Yes, sir.” Boone smiled down at Riley, who smiled mischievously back up at him as the minister continued with the ceremony.

He couldn’t wait to start their sustainable Regency life.

To find out more about Boone, Riley, Clay, Jericho, Walker and the other inhabitants of Westfield, look for
A SEAL’s Vow
, Volume 2 in the
SEALs of Chance Creek
series.

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Other books in the SEALs of Chance Creek Series:

A SEAL’s Vow

A SEAL’s Pledge

A SEAL’s Consent

Read on for an excerpt of Volume 1 of
The Heroes of Chance Creek
series –
The Navy SEAL’s E-Mail Order Bride
.

By Cora Seton

‡

“B
oys,” Lieutenant Commander
Mason Hall said, “we’re going home.”

He sat back in his folding chair and waited for a reaction from his brothers. The recreation hall at Bagram Airfield was as busy as always with men hunched over laptops, watching the widescreen television, or lounging in groups of three or four shooting the breeze. His brothers—three tall, broad shouldered men in uniform—stared back at him from his computer screen, the feeds from their four-way video conversation all relaying a similar reaction to his words.

Utter confusion.

“Home?” Austin was the first to speak. A Special Forces officer just a year younger than Mason, he was currently in Kabul.

“Home,” Mason confirmed. “I got a letter from Great Aunt Heloise. Uncle Zeke passed away over the weekend without designating an heir. That means the ranch reverts back to her. She thinks we’ll do a better job running it than Darren will.” Darren, their first cousin, wasn’t known for his responsible behavior and he hated ranching. Mason, on the other hand, loved it. He had missed the ranch, the cattle, the Montana sky and his family’s home ever since they’d left it twelve years ago.

“She’s giving Crescent Hall to us?” That was Zane, Austin’s twin, a Marine currently in Kandahar. The excitement in his tone told Mason all he needed to know—Zane stilled loved the old place as much as he did. When Mason had gotten Heloise’s letter, he’d had to read it more than once before he believed it. The Hall would belong to them once more—when he’d thought they’d lost it for good. Suddenly he’d felt like he could breathe fully again after so many years of holding in his anger and frustration over his uncle’s behavior. The timing was perfect, too. He was due to ship stateside any day now. By April he’d be a civilian again.

Except it wasn’t as easy as all that. Mason took a deep breath. “There are a few conditions.”

Colt, his youngest brother, snorted. “Of course—we’re talking about Heloise, aren’t we? What’s she up to this time?” He was an Air Force combat controller who had served both in Afghanistan and as part of the relief effort a few years back after the massive earthquake which devastated Haiti. He was currently back on United States soil in Florida, training with his unit.

Mason knew what he meant. Calling Heloise eccentric would be an understatement. In her eighties, she had definite opinions and brooked no opposition to her plans and schemes. She meant well, but as his father had always said, she was capable of leaving a swath of destruction in family affairs that rivaled Sherman’s march to Atlanta.

“The first condition is that we have to stock the ranch with one hundred pair of cattle within twelve months of taking possession.”