Free The SEAL's Second Chance Baby by Laura Marie Altom Page B

it, ignoring bolts of awareness of her not as a friend, but as a desirable woman. He glanced up to find her eyes wide and her pupils dilated. Her lips had been pressed, but now she held them barely parted. Effie Washington wasn’t just pretty, but beautiful.
    â€œThere you two are.” Wallace approached.
    Marsh released Effie’s hand as if they’d been playing hot potato.
    â€œMy lady’s all in a dither about the dessert course. She thinks the wedding cake is enough, but hell, I say let’s have cake, pie and one of those fancy chocolate fountains.”
    Marsh shared a look with Effie, and the two of them laughed.
    â€œWhat’s funny about any of that?” Wallace asked.
    â€œNothing at all.” Effie rose, then shocked Marsh by reaching out her hand to help him from the bench. The gesture was sweet. As soon as he was standing, she let him go. But a pang told him he didn’t want her to.
    Another pang told him he had to. He couldn’t take another loss, and considering how much he’d grown to enjoy Effie’s company, once they inevitably parted ways, no good could come. She’d eventually meet the kind of stand-up rock who could be a great second dad to her brood and adoring husband to her. She deserved all of that and more.
    Hell, if his past hadn’t been such a disaster, he might have even tossed his hat into her proverbial ring, but his days for romance were long gone. If he were smart, he wouldn’t have agreed to spend time with her boys, but now that he’d already given his word, he intended to stick by it.
    Why? Not only was it the right thing to do, but he couldn’t bear being the reason Effie lost her smile.

Chapter Seven
    That night, after three exhausting attempts to get the boys to bed, Effie finally retired to the living room to fold laundry. Mabel was poring through a stack of bridal magazines, searching for the perfect dress.
    It had rained all afternoon, and for once, the temperature was actually pleasant.
    â€œWhat did you and Marsh talk about? You two were gone so long that you missed desserts.”
    â€œSorry. We actually agreed on a trade. Each week, in exchange for a few meals, he’s going to spend time with the boys.”
    â€œHallelujah. That Colt is a rascal. While you were giving Cassidy her bath, I caught him outside, pouring my strawberry jam on an anthill to see what would happen.”
    Effie groaned. “Hope they weren’t fire ants?”
    â€œIf they had been, don’t you think you’d have heard about it by now?”
    â€œTrue...” Effie tossed another tiny T-shirt onto Remington’s pile.
    â€œWallace told me he caught you and his grandson holding hands. Should we plan for a double wedding?”
    â€œNo.” Cheeks burning, Effie folded faster. “Marsh and I are friends—that’s all.” Granted, he was stupid handsome, rocked the heck out of his cowboy hat and Wranglers, and was a serious sweetheart to her boys, but that’s where the extent of her appreciation for him ended. One day she might think about dating, but not now. Not when her children needed to be her top priority and her soul still felt fragile from having her own personal bull rider stomp all over it.
    * * *
    A WEEK LATER on a Wednesday, after the twins had gotten home from school, Marsh had no sooner accepted delivery of the purchase he probably shouldn’t have made but couldn’t resist when she pulled up in her ragtag minivan.
    Summer had returned with a vengeance, and he tugged his hat’s brim lower to shade his eyes from the glare.
    Looked as though the whole gang had come, as not only did the boys shoot like twin rockets from the vehicle, but Effie helped Mabel emerge, and then walked around the side for Cassidy.
    While the twins were occupied with one of Wallace’s corny quarter-behind-their-ears tricks, Marsh sauntered up behind Effie. “Need help?”
    â€œOh, hey. As