Read The SEAL's Second Chance Baby Online

Authors: Laura Marie Altom

The SEAL's Second Chance Baby (15 page)

BOOK: The SEAL's Second Chance Baby
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Marsh asked, “How do you even know who she is?”

“I might be old, but I'm not dead. She's a looker.”

Mabel pitched a rice bag at his head.

“Ouch!” Wallace held out his hands. Warding off a future attack? “Precious, you know you're the only girl for me.”

“I'd better be,” Mabel said.

“If you two are done, Effie and I have news.” Marsh cleared his throat.

“Yes.” Effie put down the scissors she'd been using for the rice bag ribbons. “While the boys are outside and Cass is down for a nap, we thought it would be the perfect time to tell you...” Her mouth suddenly went dry. This was a big deal. She glanced to Marsh for reassurance, but his sexy grin only made her heart pound faster. Would she ever grow accustomed to him being her man? Did she want to? Being awed by him was half the fun of this ride she suddenly found herself on with no seat belt. “Grandma, Wallace...”

Mabel shrieked. “Oh, my stars, you two are getting hitched!”

“I'll be damned.” Wallace rose from the recliner he'd bought himself and had delivered to shake his grandson's hand, then hug Effie. “Congratulations, you two. We're going to make this the best damned wedding this state has ever seen.”

“You've made me the happiest woman alive.” Mabel's hug was even stronger than Wallace's. “I haven't wanted to say anything, but ever since Cassidy was born, hon, you've had a sadness in your eyes that hasn't once lessened until that day Marsh came straight from the hospital to see about his horse.”

Effie remembered. But if she were honest, her attraction for Marsh had been piqued while he'd still been in the hospital—when Wallace told her about what happened to Tucker. Her heart had ached for Marsh, yet at the same time she'd longed to help him see there could be a vibrant future worth living on the other side of tragedy. The kind of future that up until now, she wouldn't have believed possible.

“We'll need to find you a dress first thing in the morning,” Mabel said. “And Wallace, since Marsh and Effie will want to invite their own friends, do you think we should have more food?”

“That's a darned good idea,” Wallace said. “I'll have the caterer make double our original order.”

“Slow down,” Marsh said. “None of that's necessary. Effie and I will be perfectly happy with a courthouse wedding.”

“That's right,” Effie said. “We don't want to take anything from your big day—especially with it being only a couple weeks away.”

“Hogwash.” Wallace waved off her concern. “You two will be married with us, and that's final.”

Marsh didn't look so sure. Was he already having doubts?

Effie left her grandmother to take his hand. She gave him a reassuring squeeze. “What do you think?”

“We'll do whatever you want.” He said the words, but did he mean them? Or was she once again overanalyzing?

“What she wants—” Mabel slipped her arm around Effie's waist “—is to be part of our fabulous wedding. Right, sweetheart?”

Actually, no. The whole thing sounded overwhelming, but Mabel and Wallace looked so excited by the prospect that Effie didn't have the heart to disappoint them.

“Sweetie?” Mabel gave her a nudge. “You want to be married at the same time as us, right?”

“Sure.” Once again, Effie found herself looking to Marsh, only his focus was on the TV, where Shakira shook her assets in a skimpy sequined number. Did he have a straying eye like her ex? Was this marriage doomed before it had even started?

“Marsh?”

“Sorry.” He switched focus back to her. “I was just thinking how great you'd look in a shiny getup like that.” He pointed at the screen. “When y'all were at the dress store, did you see anything similar? Only with more coverage?” He reddened while pointing to Effie's curves.

“Nope.” Effie shook her head. Who knew her groom was a closet fashionista? “But I'll see what I can do.”

She'd been silly to worry—about anything. Fate had brought Marsh to her, and no way would it be so cruel as to take him away.

Chapter Sixteen

“Hey, man. Heard through the grapevine you're getting hitched?”

“Rowdy Kingman.” Marsh shifted his cell to his other ear. “How the hell did you get that intel?” Marsh and Rowdy had been on years' worth of missions. The guy was one of his closest SEAL friends, but once Tucker died and his marriage ended, Marsh had quit him cold turkey, just like everyone else in his life. He wasn't proud of the fact. That's just the way it went down.

“You should know I have my sources.”

“Did my mom call you?” Marsh opened the barn door. It was six o'clock Monday morning, and the boys' ponies needed feeding.

Two weeks had passed, and now the wedding was mere days away.

Rowdy laughed. “That secret didn't last long. Seriously, though, man. Congrats. Me and the boys are happy for you, and we want to come out for the ceremony.”

“The hell you do. You and the
boys
want an excuse for a bachelor party.”

“You got me. Grady and Jesse aren't too far from you in Oklahoma, and are leaving the kids with Grandma for a long weekend. Cooper and Millie, too—but heads up. He's pissy about you not having called. He didn't even know you were in the state. Wiley and his girl, Macy, even want to come. It's a freak of nature that we can all get away.”

“Cool.” Marsh inwardly groaned. How had a simple courthouse ceremony blossomed into a circus? If he'd wanted to see his old gang, he would have called them. Rowdy was a good guy—the best. But he had been on the beach the day Tucker died, and Marsh didn't need that kind of reminder showing up on the ranch that had become his safety zone. How did he tell his old friend thanks, but no, thanks? He'd just as soon they all cancel.

“So I'm flying into Colorado Springs Thursday morning. I know that's a long-ass trip for you, so I'll rent a ride. Everyone else is driving.”

“Where are you staying? Pretty sure my bride and her grandmother booked the whole town.”

“True.” Rowdy laughed. “But it's cool. Jesse's folks have an RV the size of Rhode Island. I assume your granddad won't mind if we park at your place?”

“That'll be fine.” On the way to the grain bin, Marsh's head pounded. The familiar scents of straw and leather tack and sweet manure that usually comforted him instead brought on a headache. Why hadn't he told his friend no?

Because he was too chickenshit to hurt anyone's feelings.

Kind of the same way he felt about this ceremony. Oh, sure, he wanted to be with Effie and her kids. But he'd never wanted to make a big deal out of their union. He still wasn't entirely sure he was good enough for any of them.

“Awesome. Look,” Rowdy said, “the CO's giving me shit, so I've gotta bounce. But I can't wait to catch up. It's been too long.”

“Definitely.”
But not quite long enough.
Marsh disconnected the call, then pitched his phone at a stack of hay bales he'd been assigned to haul over to the Grange Hall for Effie and her grandmother to partially cover with fabric, then arrange for seating. The task sounded awful enough that he might rather get snake bit again.

He fed the ponies, let them out to pasture with the horses, then mucked their stalls.

The whole while, he couldn't shake the feeling that he needed to talk to Effie about how he was feeling—as though he'd made promises he maybe couldn't keep. He wanted to, but what if he couldn't?

Right now, she'd be busy getting the boys off to school. But later, once they met up to do the hay, he'd talk to her then.

“There you are.” Wallace moseyed into the barn. He already held a beer. “Just got off the phone with my betrothed, and we'd like you to plan a surprise for Effie with the twins and their ponies. We think if they rode down the aisle, holding both of our rings, that'd be just too darned cute for words. What do you think? Can you make it happen?”

“Yep.”
But don't you think this is a smidge over-the-top? Wouldn't our time be better spent focusing on our vows?
Marsh seriously needed to have that talk with Effie. Wedding hoopla was making him lose sight of his end goal—once again being part of a family.

* * *

M
ARSH
'
S
EYES
TOOK
longer than he'd have liked to adjust to the Grange Hall's dim lighting, but he eventually found Effie high on a ladder, nailing one end of two orange-and-white streamers to the north wall. Her friend Patricia stood on the floor holding the other end.

Mabel and her crew sat at the back of the vast room, messing with what he could only guess were part of the table decorations.

Toby Keith crooned about red Solo cups, and the whole place reeked of pumpkin and cinnamon he suspected came from the mounds of potpourri bags resting on a side table.

“There you are,” Effie said upon spotting him. “Did you bring the hay?”

“Sure. But how come you're doing all of this so early?”

“With all of Mabel's plans, it'll take a good three days to complete this place and the chapel. Plus, Patricia's been kind enough to throw me a shower Thursday night, and I want time to spend with both of our families when they get to town.”

“Right.” He scowled. He'd forgotten about his parents being tossed into the mix. “Speaking of which, Mom called my old roomie and told him about the wedding. Hope you don't mind, but him and some other couples we know are coming.”

“Why would I mind? That's wonderful.” She descended from the ladder far too fast for Marsh's liking. The last thing he needed was for her to get hurt.

Her hug reminded him why he was putting himself through this fiasco—for her. For Cassidy and the twins.

“You do know it's supposed to rain tonight?” he said. “Instead of arranging the bales outside, would you rather I park the trailer under the picnic pavilion so they stay dry?”

“That's a great idea,” Patricia said. “If we run short on time, I can always have our yard crew pitch in to help. The PTA moms want to help, too.”

“Perfect. Thank you.” Now Effie was hugging her friend. She was all teary eyed and gushing and made Marsh feel like shit for having a lousy attitude toward the event that would forever seal their fates.

He had to talk to her—
now
.

“Babe,” he took her hand. “Mind if I steal you for a few minutes?”

“Sure. Patricia, could you please finish? I'll be right back.”

“Take as long as you want. I need to check my email.”

“Great. Oh—and would you pretty please call Dave at the Pumpkin Shack. He promised to be here two hours ago. Four hundred pumpkins aren't going to unload themselves.”

“True...” Patricia nodded. “I'll call now.”

“Sorry, where were we?” Effie blasted Marsh with a smile. “You needed to talk?”

“Yeah...” He drew her outside where fall sun had already melted the morning frost. Where did he start? Or did he keep his damn mouth shut and let her enjoy her big day?

Her smile took his breath away. “It's crazy how much has happened in the last twenty-four hours. I feel like this wedding is on steroids. Part of me is screaming, how can I be marrying you when I hardly know you? But then another part of me quietly reminds myself that deep down, I feel like my soul has always known you.” She tipped her face up, and he couldn't help but kiss her.

She looked so pretty with her hair in a loose bun. She wore denim overalls that hugged her in all the right places and her red long-johns shirt left little to his imagination. What was wrong with him? Not only was she sweet and smart and funny, but a great mom to her three children. In the short time he'd known her, thoughts of her—of all of the Washington clan—consumed him.

Was this wedding out of hand? Sure.

But would he suffer through?

With her as the prize on the closing end? Absolutely.

“What did you need to talk about?” she asked.

Crap. What did he say? His palms were sweaty.

“Hon?” she asked. “Everything okay?”

“Sure.”
Liar.
“I, ah, heard from Wallace that Mabel wants the kids to ride their ponies down the aisle as a ring-bearer stunt. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I'm not sure if either of them is ready to tackle those few stairs at the back of the chapel, so I wanted to run it by you first.”

“Oh.” She cocked her head while thinking. “I see what you mean. Thanks for the heads-up, but they should be fine. It would be adorable. I mean, who's ever seen anything so cute? I'm sure if you have them practice a few times, they'll be fine. Mabel's got the chapel key. Today's nuts—after this, we're finding my wedding dress. But how about tomorrow you bring the ponies and I'll bring the boys and we'll meet at the chapel? Sound good?”

“Yeah.”
No.
But for her, he'd make it work.

* * *

M
ONDAY
AFTERNOON
,
AT
THE
same bridal shop where Mabel had purchased her gown, Effie stood in the dressing room, knowing this dress was the one from the moment she slipped it on. The ivory satin design was simpler than her grandmother's, yet had an old-fashioned glamour she couldn't resist. Strapless, the bodice hugged her in all the right places, making her waist appear smaller. Swirls of beading hopefully gave it the sheen Marsh said he liked.

“As I live and breathe.” When Effie left the dressing room to show her grandmother, Mabel instantly teared. “It's perfect. How are you wearing your hair? I think up—and you need pearls. I have just the thing. My mother gave them to me for my first wedding.”

Effie wrinkled her nose. “I thought Grandpa was a cattle rustler. And didn't your marriage only last a year?”

“Doesn't matter.” She waved off Effie's concern. “The necklace is still gorgeous.”

“I'll take your word for it.” Laughing, Effie gave her grandmother a hug, glad Wallace had convinced them to leave Cassidy with him and Marsh so that she and Mabel had quality girl time. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

“I don't mean for just the necklace, but...” Her eyes welled again. “
Everything.
You were right about me marrying Marsh. At first, I wasn't sure. I thought it was too soon. But now I think the timing doesn't matter if it feels right.”

“Amen.” Mabel's big smile was contagious. “Now, go ahead and change so we can get to the mall. Wallace still hasn't told me where we're going for our honeymoon, but he hinted I should pack a couple bathing suits. First of all, where am I going to find a swimsuit in Colorado in October? And second, who wants to see this old body showing so much skin?”

“Apparently, Wallace.” Effie winked.

* * *

T
HE
R
OCK
C
HAPEL
where Wallace and Mabel would say their vows—him and Effie, too—had been built around the turn of the last century at the end of a box canyon that had been turned into a state park. The chapel's pine floor had to be constructed in two parts to accommodate different levels of its sandstone foundation. Because of that, stone stairs connected the two sections.

Honestly, Marsh didn't figure the chapel's caretaker would go for the whole pony thing, but he and Wallace were old friends, and since Wallace had donated enough money to more than cover the chapel's upkeep for the next twenty years, the man must have turned a blind eye to the unorthodox request.

In the shade of three cottonwoods, he unloaded the ponies from their trailer, then saddled them while waiting for Effie to bring the boys.

The day was warm, and the canyon's sunbaked rocks smelled of piñon and sandy soil.

Even he had to admit Colt and Remington would look darned cute riding down the chapel's center aisle.

His cell rang. He assumed it was Effie, but caller ID showed his mother's image. “Hey, Mom. What's up?”

“Surprise! We're at the ranch, but where are you and your grandfather?”

Marsh explained the pony rehearsal. “Wallace and Mabel are at her place with the baby.” He gave them directions.

“Mmm...a baby. Hard to believe you're about to be a dad again with a ready-made family. How does that make you feel?”

“Mostly good.”

“Mostly?” She sighed. “That doesn't sound right. Is something going on you didn't tell me about?”

“Not at all. This just all happened fast. My head's swimming—in a good way. Effie and the boys are amazing. I'm just not sure I'm ready.”

“You were a wonderful father to Tucker. How could you not be ready?”

“You know what I mean. I should've paid closer attention. I should have—”

“Stop right there. Honey, we've been over this a hundred times. What happened was a fluke. A one-in-a-million freak accident that neither you nor Leah could have avoided. Give yourself permission to be happy. From what Wallace has told me, your Effie is beyond perfection. Your dad and I can't wait to meet her, so let's have dinner tonight.”

“Okay, sure. I'll call you as soon as we're finished here.”

“Sounds good. Talk to you then.”

As soon as Marsh ended the call, Effie's SUV rolled down the blacktop lane. On weekends, the chapel was open for tours, but it was closed during the week, which was good. The last thing Marsh needed while teaching the boys how to ride their ponies up and down stairs was an audience. If he got lucky, the little critters would carry the boys on autopilot through the church, but if one of them turned cranky in front of an audience, all bets were off.

As soon as their mom parked, Colt and Remington hopped from the backseat to run toward him.

Effie followed.

“Mr. Marsh!” Colt made it to him first. His pony didn't like the boy's speed and snorted and bucked in protest.

BOOK: The SEAL's Second Chance Baby
12.9Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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