Date: 2018-01-02 05:00:00+00:00
Description: Evan Archer and Ryley Clarke have had their share of adversity. With a fresh start in a place they love, they’re trying to put everything behind them and start anew. As their big day approaches, they hope a new house will be the only stressful event they have to deal with, and the past remains . . . well, in the past. Will Evan be able to live in peace with Ryley and EJ, or will the mystery around his fateful mission continue to unravel?

HERE WITH US

THE ARCHERS BROTHERS

HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN

© 2022

The right of Heidi McLaughlin to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000. This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, scanned, stored in a retrieval system, recorded or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

COVER DESIGN: Sarah Hansen: OkayCreations.

EDITING: Edits by Amy / Briggs Consulting

Created with Vellum

CONTENTS

1. Evan

2. Ryley

3. Evan

4. Ryley

5. Evan

6. Ryley

7. Evan

8. Ryley

9. Evan

10. Evan Jr.

About the Author

Also by Heidi McLaughlin

CHAPTER 1

EVAN

As soon as I pull up to the curb, Ryley rushes out of the car and up the stairs of the two-story home she’s had her eye on for months. Denying her would’ve been selfish. When she started hinting that she wanted to move back to California, I knew it was because of Lois, Penny, and her mom. When we moved to Washington, it was to get away, to hide from what was going on. I needed to protect Ryley and EJ and monitor Brigadier General Harold Chesley. However, with Ted Lawson and his father, Admiral Jonah Ingram, behind bars and Frannie dead, being away from our family didn’t seem to make sense anymore.

The truth is, even though my relationship with my mom is strained, it isn’t with my sister, and I’d like to spend more time with both of them, we well as my brother, Nate. We still have a lot of rebuilding to do, as far as our relationship goes, but we’re getting there. I know deep down he did what I asked. I guess I never thought he’d take it as far as he did. Since our lives have calmed down, I’ve seen a therapist to deal with my issues. It was my choice because I needed someone impartial to listen to me about Nate and Ryley’s relationship. There are times when I can’t stop thinking about them being together. I know I was presumed dead, but I feel like he took my request to watch after Ryley to the extreme. I never meant for my brother to take over my life, especially where my son is concerned. I’m still waiting for EJ to call me dad, and at this point, I’m starting to think it’ll never happen. That right there increases the anger I still have for Nate.

EJ and I merge from the truck and head toward the back of the trailer. He walks next to me with his matching work boots on. When we sat him down to tell him we were moving back, he was more than excited, even though he had already made some friends in Washington. Living here means he’s with his grandfather, which I know Jensen will love. Honestly, being near the Clarkes will be better for all of us.

Also, being back here means Ryley will be closer to her bridesmaids, making our upcoming wedding easier for her to finish planning. I’m told I need to show up when I need to be in places, smile when the camera is facing my way, and find my way to SEAL beach the day of our wedding. As if I wouldn’t be there. I’ve been waiting to marry Ryley for as long as I can remember.

EJ holds Deefur by his leash and stands back while I lower the gate on the pull-behind trailer. A moving company is bringing our big stuff in a few days, but Ryley didn’t want to stay in a hotel or at her parents' until they arrived, so we packed our essentials and towed them behind us.

“We have a lot of stuff,” EJ says as he climbs up the ramp.

I stand behind him with my hands on my hips and sigh. I thought about asking McCoy and Rask to come by and help but didn’t want to bother them on their weekends. McCoy is busy being a father and husband, not to mention training would be SEALs, and Rask went back to active duty, which surprised me, although he has nothing else but the Navy. His parents still haven’t come around, and as far as I know, he’s given up on trying to convince them. Can’t say I blame him.

“Can I help?” EJ asks as I start pulling boxes out.

“Yeah. Why don’t you take Deefur and put him in the backyard?” I motion toward the house, and EJ nods. He takes off running with Deefur trotting along right beside him. Ryley’s still in the house, and I have a feeling she’s making her way through each room, posting sticky notes where she wants everything to go.

I survey our new neighborhood, trying to see who is peering out their windows right now. I hate thinking everyone has an ulterior motive where my family and I are concerned, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that people are watching. This area is full of military families. It wasn’t what I wanted, but Ryley fell in love with this house, and I can’t deny her anything. Ryley has given up so much. I just want her to be happy.

A line of cars pulling onto our street grabs my attention. They’re going too slow for the speed limit. My hand instantly goes to the piece I have in my waistband. I know I’m being over the top, but once you go through the shit I have, you can’t be too cautious. Frannie may be dead and Lawson behind bars, but I’m not convinced every player in the massive cover-up has been caught.

The lead car slows as it nears me, and the grip on the metal handle tightens, and I start to pull the gun out as the somewhat tinted window rolls down. “What’s up, asshole?” Tucker McCoy leans out of the window, laughing and smiling as his car passes by. The truck behind him is Justin “Rask” Raskin with my sister in the last vehicle.

My hand finally relaxes once everyone is out of their cars. The screeching of Ryley turns my attention toward the house where she’s running down the stairs toward Penny. They meet halfway and crash into each other in a fierce hug, and then head into the house without a backward glance. My reservations about moving back here quell when I see how happy Ryley is.

“You missed me so much you had to move back?” Tucker McCoy slaps me on my shoulder. I finally release my grip and bro-hug McCoy. He knows why we are back. It’s not only because of him and his family but also the Clarkes, my sister, Rask, and Raymond “River” Riveria. River’s around, but things haven’t been the same since we rescued Penny. Unfortunately, River fatally shot Frannie, and I don’t care how much damage someone does to you. Shooting your wife has an effect on you that is hard to shake.

“I couldn’t live without your charming good looks.” We both laugh until he steps aside for Rask.

“About damn time. I need more family down here,” he says. His words hit me square in the chest. I’ve often thought about visiting his parents but realize they won’t listen. Their son died as far as they’re concerned, and Rask is an impersonator. Hence one of the reasons I fear there are more players out there trying to bring us down.

“Well, thank Ryley. Moving back was her idea. I’m just along for the ride.”

The guys make room for my sister, Livvie. She hugs me tightly and whispers into my ear, “Thank you for coming back. I’ve missed you, EJ, and Ryley.”

“You’re welcome, Tink.” I kiss her on her cheek, and when she pulls away, she hides her tears.

“Aunt Tink,” EJ yells, getting all of our attention. He rushes down the steps and launches into her arms. Livvie catches him flawlessly and twirls him around in the air. Seeing them together is another reason why moving back was the right decision. EJ needs his family. When I came back, I uprooted him from the life he was accustomed to, thinking I was doing the right thing. I’m not sure if either decision to move to Washington or return to California is what’s best, but I want him to grow up surrounded by people who love him. EJ needs to be a boy, a kid who runs around and plays, gets dirty in the mud, and rides his bike until the sun goes down. He shouldn’t have to worry about who could be lurking in the shadows. That’s my job.

“Not that I want to break up this happy reunion, but these boxes won’t haul themselves into the house.” I point to the small stack I already pulled out and to the trailer. McCoy and Rask each grab a box or two. “Ryley will tell you where they go. She has a system.”

Ryley’s system of packing and unpacking the boxes is unique. Instead of labeling the boxes by room, she numbered them, and if I know her, everything is corresponding inside the house. She swears this will help us unpack effectively.

“I’ll take this one,” EJ says as he squats to lift a box. I watch, waiting to see if he’s going to struggle with the weight, but he seems to lift it like a champ. But I’m still cautious, so I follow him inside with Livvie right behind me.

“It’s good that you’re back.”

“I know,” I tell her. “Things will be different.”

Her heavy intake of breath doesn’t do anything to calm my nerves. There’s tension between her and our mother. They live in a house divided. Livvie is on my side while our mom favors Nate and still feels he should be with Ryley. Never mind that Nate and Cara have been together for a while now, and to my knowledge, Nate hasn’t made any unexpected trips to see Ryley. When he does come visit, Cara is there. Why my mother can’t seem to grasp her sons are with the women they’re meant to be with boggles my mind. However, I do know she’s not shy about sharing her distaste with Livvie, which puts her in an awkward position.

Inside, the house is bustling with noise. It’s not the head-splitting stressfulness that comes with moving, but a sweet sound that I can only liken to happiness and belonging. Ryley’s voice filters through the air, giving direction to all of us. Ryley pauses when she sees me in the doorway. Her mouth quickly morphs into a smile that spreads from ear to ear. Ever so slowly, she moves toward me, never taking her eyes away from mine. I bend, setting the boxes down on the floor so my hands and arms are free to touch her.

“Archer,” she says as her fingers brush my hair away from my ear. There’s something about the way she says my last name that drives me insane. My hands lock behind her back, pulling her close until her body presses against mine. I thought I was happy our friends came to help, but now I want them all to leave so I can be alone with her, in our new home. “Thank you.” Her lips briefly press against mine. The kiss doesn’t last nearly as long as I’d like, but we have an audience, and I’m not about to embarrass her. I’m saving that for the day she finally becomes my wife.

“For what?”

“For this house. For moving us when you weren’t sure it was the right thing to do. I don’t know why, but being here feels right. Coronado is our home.”

“Yet, we met in Washington. One could easily say our home is there.”

Ryley nods and pulls her lower lip in between her teeth. “One could, but our lives started here.”

“I beg to differ. Our lives started the day I threw the football at you.”

“At me?” she cocks her eyebrow.

“Errant throw, but clearly someone was helping us along, making sure we met.” And thank God we did because she would’ve met Nate the next day, and I … well, I don’t want to think about what it’d be like not to have Ryley in my life. I’ve already lived it once. “We can argue all day about where we should or shouldn’t live. If being here makes you happy, I’m happy.”

“But I want you to be happy here.”

I lean down and kiss her, holding my lips there a bit longer than she did. When I pull away, I lightly cup her cheek. “As long as I have you and EJ, I’m happy. We could live in an igloo in Alaska or a tiki hut in the middle of the desert for all I care. As long as we’re together, my life is complete.”

Ryley rises onto her toes and kisses me again. “I love you. Now put those boxes in the kitchen.” She tries to pull away, but not before my hand swats her on her ass. She lets out a little yelp as she hurries away from me. I do as I’m asked and deposit the boxes into the kitchen before heading back out to the truck.

CHAPTER 2

RYLEY

The sun barely peeks over the horizon, casting a soft glow into our room. Evan’s pressed against my back, holding me tightly. He’s been this way since we moved back, and I fear he’s going to live with a constant internal battle, wondering if we’re being watched or not. Part of me wishes I hadn’t suggested we move. I wouldn’t if I had known he was going to be on edge. Evan tells me he’s happy, that he’s fine, that moving was the right thing for our family, but I wonder if he’s ever going to stop looking over his shoulder.

Soft lips brush over my shoulder while a strong arm pulls me even closer to his warm body. I smile and snuggle into the embrace of the man who is so close to being my husband. Our wedding day is finally within reach. We’re down to weeks, no longer months, and I can’t wait to walk down the sandy aisle to marry my best friend as the waves of the Pacific Ocean crash into the shore. My mom is finally able to walk on her own, and I told Evan once she could, we’d marry. Seeing her take those first steps without any assistance was one of my happiest days.

“Are you ready for today?” Evan’s lips ghost over my skin, causing goosebumps to pebble all over. I shiver, even though I’m not cold.

“I suppose today will be like any other day with our family and friends.”

“Mhm, something tells me you’ll be pampered.”

I roll over his arms to face him. “What do you know, Archer?”

“Nothing,” he says, smiling. “I swear.”

“Why do I not believe you?”

Evan shrugs and kisses the tip of my nose. “I don’t have a clue about these things, Ry. I’m just guessing that a bridal shower’s the time when the bride gets pampered by her friends.”

“And what will my groom be doing?”

“Standing in the background, admiring my soon-to-be wife.”

Evan and I lean in simultaneously, and his body starts to roll over mine. That is until our bedroom door bursts open, and we’re attacked by fifty pounds of dog with a slobbery tongue. I scream out while Evan wrangles Deefur away from us, and EJ laughs in the doorway.

“Time to get up,” EJ shouts. Since we’ve been back in California, I’ve seen a difference in him. Before, he was a kid, going through the motions of a daily routine. Now, he’s jubilant and excited to do any and everything he can before the sun goes down. I know a lot of that has to do with my father and the fact that he picks him up every day for fishing, hunting, shooting, and any other sport-type activity they can do.

“Hey, bud,” Evan says as he sits up, while I choose to whine that it’s too early when in fact, I’m not sure what time it is.

“Papa and Grandma are here. They’re trying to be quiet and said not to wake you, but—”

“But where’s the fun in that, right, bud?” Evan says.

“Of course!” EJ lifts his hands up as if waking us is a no-brainer.

“Fine, we’re getting up, but only if you make me some coffee,” I tell my son, who readily nods and calls Deefur to follow him. Deefur will do anything EJ asks him to do. I love their relationship but have often thought about adding another dog into the mix. Deefur is getting up there in age and often can’t keep up with EJ’s fast-paced way of life.

Evan pulls our covers to the side, leaving me no choice but to get up. Of course, with my father being here, Evan will want to visit with him. He and my dad have a special bond, one that cemented solidly after Archie died. My dad was there for Evan and Nate, by their side, as they buried their father. Men like Jensen Clarke are hard to come by, and I thank him every day for being an example to the men in my life.

Evan is up, out of bed, and dressed before I can even begin to swing my legs over the side. Lately, sudden movements have caused my stomach to spin and my head to become lightheaded. My mom says it’s the heat, and I’m not accustomed to it yet, but I’m not so sure. Sometimes I feel off and slightly paranoid, although I don’t have a reason to be. I’ve yet to say anything to Evan out of fear he’ll think someone is watching us. I don’t necessarily think that’s the case, but one can never be too sure. I’ll never forgive myself for moving us back here if someone is.

The cold hardwood floors feel good against my bare feet. Maybe my mom is correct in her thinking. It’s so much hotter here than Washington. I don’t remember the heat being so unbearable before.

I point the shower dial more toward the blue rather than red. My body shivers as I step under the spray. The cold is a welcomed relief. I tell myself I’m going to call the doctor, but the reality is, I won’t. I’m sure that whatever I feel right now is paranoia or anxiety.

By the time I’m out of the shower, dressed, and my hair and make-up are done, my house has come alive with varied voices and music. When I get downstairs, decorations in my wedding colors of purple and cream adorn every possible free space in my family room, and my mother is barking out orders to the guys. Evan walks with his hands full of white folding chairs and kisses me softly. He lingers there, waiting for my reaction. All I can do is smile at him and thread my fingers through his hair.

“Finally,” I mumble.

“Finally,” he replies.

My father and Tucker march into the room without a second glance toward me. They lift my couch seamlessly and maneuver it out of the room. If I had known my sister-in-law and best friend were planning to have my bridal shower here, I would’ve insisted this room stay sparsely decorated to avoid what’s happening now.

“Ryley,” my mother’s voice grabs my attention. She walks toward me with just a slight limp. We hug much longer than need be, considering I saw her last night, but I’ll never be over the fact that she almost lost her life because of the situation we were all put in. I’ve come to realize I’ll never have the answers I want or need for closure either.

“Mom, you didn’t have to do all of this.” I look over her shoulder just in time to see Evan lift his recliner. He heaves it over his head, causing his shirt to ride up a bit on his stomach, showing off a small sliver of his abs.

“Ryley!”

“Huh?”

My mom shakes her head, but she’s smiling. “You know I used to look at your dad like that. Sometimes I still do.”

“Ew, Mom. Just… no.” She’s laughing while I’m mentally bleaching my brain. I do not need to hear about my parents, ever.

She rolls her eyes and brushes me off. I can talk about men with my girlfriends, but not my mother. “Listen, Olivia and Lois will be here soon. Are you sure you want to stay? I could send you the store to go shopping.”

Shaking my head, I watch as Evan and Tucker come back into the room. They were close before they deployed, but they’re more like brothers since everything went down. More than Evan is with Nate. Evan’s lack of trust in Nate bothers me, but it’s not like I can sit him down and demand he forgives his brother. I see both sides of the argument and choose to stay neutral. I love Nate because he’s my best friend and was there for me when I needed someone the most. I’m madly in love with Evan but fear he doesn’t always see things this way. “No, I’m fine,” I tell my mother. “I’ll help or do whatever.”

“It’s your bridal shower. You should relax.”

I give her a soft smile. “I’ll relax when I’m…” I trail off, not willing to say the adage of relaxing when you are dead. My brush with death is all too real and something I hope I never experience again.

Each time I try to help, someone pushes me aside, and I find myself doing odd things around the house. Opening and closing doors when people need to go in and out and helping Livvie and Lois carry food in. Originally, my shower was supposed to be a surprise, but Lois inadvertently sent a text to me instead of Livvie. From that point, I insisted it be at my house. I just didn’t count on my furniture being moved. I wanted a chance to show it off and figured having a housewarming party, and bridal shower would be overkill. I also insisted that this party be for Evan as well. I figured the guys could man the grill, drink a few beers, and have a good time while the wives played silly games and ooh’d over the blender we registered for. The only gift I know Evan’s curious about is whether or not I come away with any new lingerie, which, honestly, I’m hoping not. I can’t imagine opening a nightie in front of my parents.

Justin arrives with a present in his hand. I greet him at the door, kissing him on the cheek. Since we’ve been back, he’s spent more and more time over here. His story saddens me. There have been times when I’ve picked up the phone to call his parents. To ask them what their issue is and why they don’t believe him? Why don’t they believe us? But know deep in my heart, it wouldn’t do any of us any good. They believe he’s dead, and there isn’t anything any of us can do to change that.

“The guys are out back,” I say, pointing down the hall.

“Thanks,” he says, but instead of heading that direction, he veers toward Livvie, where she’s setting up a table. From where I’m standing, I can tell he’s leaning into her, and if I’m not mistaken, her cheeks are flush. I know they spent some time together when Evan and the rest of the team returned because he had Justin guard Livvie and EJ, but by the looks of them now, I’d say something is going on, or maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, and I’m reading too much into a friendly gesture.

Lois calls me into the family room. Everyone I love is standing there, under a sign that reads ‘Mrs. Archer’. My eyes land on Evan’s, his smile beaming, and when he winks at me, my knees go weak.

“Let’s get this party started,” Penny screams out. Only the women join her. The men look very uncomfortable.

“Come on, guys,” My dad says as he motions everyone to leave the room. “There’s cold beer waiting for us.”

“Sit here, Ry,” Livvie says, pulling me toward the seat that’s in the middle of the room. “Now, we know this isn’t a huge party--”

“Everyone who needs to be here, is here,” I tell her. I don’t know if she’s talking about her mom missing or what, but sometimes it's best my future mother-in-law stay home.

“Right, well, let’s get right to the presents. This one’s from me.” Livvie hands me a box and steps back. Of course, I tear at the wrapping paper as fast as I can, rip the lid right off and push away the tissue paper, only to have my mouth drop open when I see the contents. Nestled inside are two dark purple garters. One has the name “Archer” dangling from it and the other a beaded heart. “One is for you to throw, and the other is for you to keep or give to Evan on your wedding night. I figured you’d want as many mementos as possible.”

I stand, not worry about the box and pull her into my arms. “Thank you, Olivia.”

“You’re welcome. I’m just thankful you’ve forgiven me.”

I nod into her shoulder before releasing her. Neither of us has ever brought up the fact that she was not so nice to me when I started dating Nate. I get it. She’s loyal to Evan. I should’ve been also.

The rest of the afternoon is much the same. Sure, the things I had on my registry ended up as gifts, but each of my friends gave me something to remember the occasion. Penny bought my shoes, the pair I had been eyeing for a long time. Lois gave me the most exquisite pair of earrings. While I, in turn, gave my bridesmaids all matching pairs.

“What are those boxes over there?” I ask, nodding toward the pile in the corner.

“Those are for you and Evan to open tonight,” Penny says with an evil glint in her eye. “Each one of us picked something out for you.”

“Each?” I ask as my eyes land on my mother.

“Oh yes, Carole was the dirtiest of us at the stores,” Livvie says, much to my horror. My mom shrugs as if this isn’t a big deal.

“Oh, God,” I say, covering my face while the women around me laugh.

CHAPTER 3

EVAN

My therapist says I need to rebuild my bond with Nate, which I get. We’re twins, and the connection between us is unbreakable. Not to mention, he’s my right-hand man when it comes to my security business. I get why things happened the way they did, but that doesn’t make facing him any easier. When it comes to combat and protecting our families, Nate and I see eye-to-eye, but when Ryley and EJ are in the mix—that’s when I have an issue. I don’t want to share them with my brother, even though he’s very much been a part of their lives. It’s a hard road to travel right now.

I’m staring at the brown, nondescript clapboard building of a shooting range where the guys and I are meeting today when Nate pulls into the parking spot to my right. This is part of my bonding exercises with my brother—shoot guns and play GI Joe for a few hours. Honestly, after the bridal shower the other day, I need this. As much as I loved being at the shower for Ryley, I need to recharge my man card.

Nate and I get out of our respective vehicles at the same time and meet in front of my truck. We don’t hug. It’s not because I don’t want to because I think part of me does. It’s because hugging him seems awkward right now. Instead, I say. “Hey, how was your flight?”

Nate splits his time between here, Washington D.C., where my security firm has a field office set up, and Las Vegas, where Cara is on assignment, likely trying to take down some mafia syndicate or infiltrate some underground gambling operation. She’s reticent about what she’s doing, and if Nate knows anything, he doesn’t say. Personally, I think Cara has the coolest job and one I wouldn’t mind having.

“Not too bad,” he says. “I flew to Vegas to see Cara and then drove here. The drive is nice. I find it peaceful.”

“So, I take it Cara didn’t come back with you?” Ryley expected to see Cara at the bridal shower even though her RSVP came in as a maybe. We knew Nate wouldn’t make it, and I can’t really say if I missed him or not. This situation we’re in is odd. Technically, I’m his boss, and I trust him with my business. But when it’s personal, my feelings toward my brother are all over the place.

Nate shakes his head and looks away from me. The temptation to ask him if everything is okay sits at the tip of my tongue, but I bite back my question. Do I want to know if they’re having trouble? No, I don’t think I do, but only because I don’t want Ryley to know. The jealousy I feel when it comes to my fiancée and my brother is genuine and uncomfortable. As Nate’s brother, though, I should ask him and offer some advice if it's warranted. Not that I have much to offer, but it’s the brotherly thing to do.

“Cara’s working,” he says as he shuffles his foot over a pebble. “This case she’s on . . . it’s a tough one. I wish I could help her.”

“Can we help her?” I ask. Cara did a lot for us after my team returned from Cuba and was instrumental in helping us figure out what the hell had happened in the six years I was gone.

“Possibly,” Nate says. “I’ll ask her and see what we can offer. I suppose having access to a couple of CIA liaisons isn’t a bad thing.”

“Can’t hurt.” I turn at the sound of someone pulling in. Justin Rask waves from the passenger side of McCoy’s truck. I glance back at my brother and lean closer. “Ry seems to think Rask and Tink have something going on.”

Nate blanches and then pales. We make eye contact and stare at each other. His thoughts are probably the same as mine—we need to put a stop to this—but then I remember she’s not the teenage girl we used to chase boys away from. However, this situation might be different. The man in question is Rask, and I know what he’s been through. Life has not been easy for him since our return, and he still struggles emotionally. I don’t want my sister involved with that kind of shit.

“She’s not old enough to date,” Nate says as he stares into the cab of McCoy’s truck.

I laugh. We used to say this all the time when someone dared to ask Livvie out. “Sadly, she is.”

“Lies.” Nate shakes his head. “We can finish this later.” He nods toward McCoy’s truck, where the guys are heading toward us with their carrying cases slung over their shoulders. McCoy and Rask hug Nate, making me feel two feet tall. Nate and I should’ve made a better effort.

The four of us make our way into the range. McCoy tells us this place has gone through a massive renovation and has been expanded to include an obstacle course. It just so happens that the four of us are dressed in tactical gear—it’s almost as if we don’t own any other clothes.

Inside, Nate and I stop and take everything in while McCoy and Rask continue toward the counter. “Holy shit,” I mutter while Nate replies, with “Uh huh.”

The central part of the store is laid out with pistols, dozens of rifles (even pink ones), ammunition, holsters, and targets. My eyes land on the section called tactical gear, and I feel a little joy in my heart. I elbow Nate and nod in that direction.

“Nice,” he says quietly. I don’t need any new gear, but that won’t stop me from buying it.

McCoy motions for us to follow him to the back. A buzzer sounds, and the door clicks, signaling us to go in. We step into a room, and we’re told to wait until the red light comes on before entering the range. Once it does, we walk in, and each of us finds an empty station. Nate and I end up next to each other, which is fine. Being twins means we end up gravitating toward each other, even if we don’t mean to. It takes me a few minutes to set up my rifle and make sure my ears are covered, before the light turns green. I fire at my target in rapid succession until I’m satisfied. I press the button to bring my target toward me for inspection and marvel at my work.

After a couple of rounds, the owner comes in and asks McCoy to come with him because he has something to show him. The rest of us tag along. It’s mostly out of fear. We trust no one these days.

The owner takes us to the end of the corridor and through a private door. We’re outside, and the obstacle course is before us. “No live ammo out here,” he says.

I almost want to say duh, but I hold back my sarcastic remark.

“It’s not open to the public yet, but a couple of your buddies have been here to give it a test run. When I bought this land, I knew I wanted a course back here that would be worthy of the military.”

“When can we take a stab at it?” Rask asks.

“Anytime you want. I think, for now, it’s going to remain private,” the owner says. It makes me wonder why he wants to do that. With his setup, one would think people would clamor to come here and pretend.

“We’ll definitely try it out next time,” Tucker says. I open my mouth to say we want to try it now, but this could be one of those foot-in-mouth situations. We follow the owner back in, grab our gear, and take care of the necessary ammo checks before heading out to our vehicles.

“Magoo’s?” Tucker asks.

“Hell, yes,” I say, thankful I didn’t push for the course. “Damn, I haven’t been there since you moved into his little yellow house.” I direct my statement at McCoy.

He smiles. “I love that little house. It’s fucking crowded but perfect.”

I suggest Nate ride with me, and he agrees. I never asked him where he is staying but know it’s not at our house. Ryley would never decide to have him stay there, especially without my knowledge. He stores his gun in my back seat and jumps into the cab of my truck.

We follow McCoy and Rask to our favorite bar and make a scene when we get inside. Slick Rick is working, which makes today even better. He brings over two pitchers of beer and four glasses within seconds of sitting down.

I stand and hug the man. He does everything he can to support the SEALs and sailors stationed in Coronado, even removing our images from his dead wall as soon as he found out we were alive and made sure everyone knew it. His most courageous act was making sure we knew an FBI Agent was asking questions about us. And while that turned out to be Cara, Slick Rick protected us when we needed it the most. “How ya’ll been doing?” he asks.

“We’re good. Ryley and I just moved back. It looks like we’re here to stay.”

“And you?” he asks Nate.

He raises his full glass to Rick. “Splitting my time between here, DC, and Las Vegas.”

Here? I mean, I get it. Business headquarters is here, Livvie’s here, but aside from the occasional visit, does he need to be here?

Why am I so jealous of my brother? I pull out my phone, type the question and stare at it. There has to be something deeply rooted within me on why I feel this way about Nate, and it’s something I need to get to the bottom of. Of course, he should be here.

“We need to look for an office space or something,” I blurt out. “I’m sure the last thing Ryley wants is for me to work from home. That equipment takes up so much space.”

“I’ll be here until after the wedding,” Nate says.

“Where are you staying?”

“At the base hotel,” he says. “I have a couple of meetings there, and it’ll be easier for Cara when she arrives.”

“Makes sense. I'll take you by the house before we head back to your car.” I want to finish the sentence with E.J. would love to see you. I know he will but saying it aloud stings. Everything that happened is not Nate’s fault, yet I blame him.

We’re a couple of beers in when McCoy mutters “holy shit” and puts us on high alert. I look toward the door and see River striding toward us. The beast of a man looks nothing like he did the last time I saw him. Killing his estranged wife has done a number on him. He grabs a chair, flips it around, and sits down without a word.

“Long time no see.” We don’t shake hands, hug, or even high-five.

River looks down at the table. “I heard you moved back.”

“Yep, a couple of days now. We’re over on San Luis Rey Ave. You can stop by anytime.”

River nods.

Slick Rick brings over another two pitchers and an additional glass. Rask pours River a beer and sets it in front of him. After everything we went through, River took the brunt of it. For the most part, we’ve been able to rebuild our lives. Even Rask has found some purpose by staying in the Navy—although McCoy and I think it’s because he’s spying on them—but River has been lost ever since we rescued McCoy’s family in Vermont. I’d probably be the same way if I found out my wife destroyed lives.

We act like things are normal—that River is normal—and chat about whatever comes up. I prod Rask a bit, asking if he’s seeing anyone, and surprisingly, he blushes and ducks his head while muttering out that he’s single.

“Well, maybe there will be someone at the reception for you,” Nate says while stifling some laughter. I feel bad for the kid, but not bad enough that I want to bring up our sister. Nate and I will let Rask wait us out a little bit before we broach the subject.

Ryley texts and tells me that everyone is coming over for dinner and to make sure the guys know. I tell them, and we throw some money down onto the table, even though Rick doesn’t charge us. He said after our ordeal, our money isn’t any good in his establishment. We appreciate the courtesy but still pay our tab.

I pat River on the shoulder, and he finally looks up at me. “Come on,” I say. “Dinner at the new place.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“But you are, come on. Let’s go.”

Nate steps in front of River and me behind him, sandwiching him in. We’re a team, and a team sticks together, regardless of what his crazy ass wife did. River had no idea who or what she was when they married, and I’m not going to hold that against him.

CHAPTER 4

RYLEY

“You know, most brides have a dress months before their big day, not weeks,” Penny says as she looks through a rack of dresses. I sigh heavily, knowing she’s right, even though I have a valid excuse.

“I didn’t like any of the dresses in Washington. I looked.”

“Liar,” Lois adds. I glare at her, wishing I could maim her with lasers from my eyes or something. Instead, I immaturely stick my tongue out at her. She laughs because what else is there to do? I’m the bride and everyone has to treat me like I’m a princess.

“Here.” My mom hands me a glass of champagne while Alex, of Alexandra’s Bridal, hands one to Lois, Livvie, and Penny. “Drink this.”

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” I ask her before I take a sip.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing, Ryley. Trying to get you drunk so you’re too wasted to pick a dress and you’ll wear whatever we pick out for you.”

The room goes silent. I stare at my mother, wondering where in the hell that outburst came from. I open my mouth to say something, but for the life of me I can’t think of how to reply. A snicker sounds from behind me and then my mother breaks out in complete laughter.

“Not cool, Mother.”

She keels over with laughter, slapping her leg with her in hand in the process. I’m happy she thinks this ordeal is hilarious. I finish my champagne in one gulp and set the flute on the glass countertop. Once my mom has regained her composure, she pulls me in for a hug.

“I was only joking, dear. Come on, let’s find you the perfect dress.” She leads me to the back room where there’s a semi-circle sofa on one side, massively large mirrors with dressing rooms on the other side, and a pedestal in the middle. There’s a coffee table with more champagne and various fruits.

Alex leads me into the dressing room, which is really a large walk-in closet. “Everything I’ve chosen comes in your size. With your wedding so close we won’t have time to do serious alterations.”

“I understand.”

She doesn’t show me my first dress but helps me slip into it. Once she has it fastened in the back, Alex tells me to turn around. When we first talked, she told me it’ll be my first impression of the dress that will matter the most. So, as I look in the mirror and study my reflection, I know the satin, A-line gown I’m wearing is not for me. It’s poofy and big, and while it’s pretty, I don’t like it.

“Let’s go show everyone.”

“I don’t like it.”

“I know, sweetie. I can tell by the look on your face. Would you like to show your mom anyway?”

I hesitate for a second and then nod. I doubt anything she, Lois, Livvie, or Penny say will change my mind, but their opinions matter. Alex pulls the curtain aside and I step out. Instantly, all eyes are on me, and I can tell they’re not a fan, which honestly, is a huge relief. Before anyone has a chance to tell me, I step back into the room and Alex closes the curtain.

“Well, this is a no.” She laughs as she unzips the dress. The next four are the same. They’re either too short, too long, too sexy, or just not what I’m looking for. I start to think I really messed up by waiting so long to find the right dress for me.

Alex excuses herself, saying she has one more for me to try on. One more. Another jab, although I’m sure unintended, that I’m exhausting all my options. I can’t even look at myself in the mirror right now because I don’t want to see the disappointment etched across my face.

When she returns, she’s carrying an ivory-colored gown, a color I specifically told her I didn’t want to wear. Before I can protest, she holds her hand up.

“The color is wrong, I know. But try it on. I think you might be surprised.”

I nod. At this point, I have nothing left to lose.

Alex tells me to turn around so that I’m facing the wall. While I step into the gown, she says, “This came in the other day. It’s a gorgeous dress and perfect for the beach.” I slip my arms into the straps and glance down at the dress. I’m unsure, mostly because of the color. In my dreams, I’m a bride in the purest white dress walking toward her prince.

“Turn around,” Alex whispers. I do so, but slowly, and when I see my reflection, a tear falls down my cheek. I let out a sob and quickly cover my mouth.

“I thought so too.” Alex stands next to me. “You look radiant.”

I can’t help but nod because I see it, the dress of my dreams, only different. The ivory is embroidered with flowers, leaves and other intricate designs. Alex tells me it’s a double V-neck design with an A-line skirt. None of which matters right now because when I look at myself, I see the bride I want to be walking toward my groom. This dress is the definition of perfect.

“Best of all,” Alex says as she shows me the train. “Is that it has pockets.”

“What?”

She nods and smiles brightly.

My hands run down the fabric until they’re nestled deep within the pockets. “Wow, crazy.”

“Do you want to show your mom?”

Alex takes my arm without waiting for a response and guides me to the door. She steps out and says something to my mom, Livvie and Penny, and then pulls the curtain back. When I walk out, they’re all facing the other direction and I know Alex has done this so they can see me standing on the pedestal instead of walking toward it. She situates the train and then tells them to turn around.

There’s a collective gasp among them and all three have their hands covering their mouths.

“You found it,” Lois tells me.

“Ryley, this is it,” Penny says.

“Evan is going to faint,” Livvie adds.

“Simply breathtaking,” my mom says as she wipes away fallen tears. This dress must be the one if both my mom and I cried.

“How much is it?” I ask Alex.

“It doesn’t matter,” Mom says. “We’ll take it.”

* * *

My mom drives us to the café near base to have lunch instead of heading to her house where all my bridal stuff is stored. My dress is in the back of her SUV, and I’m nervous about it. Right now, I want it hanging in the closet, where I know it’ll be safe. I can’t leave anything at home because Evan is a snoop, even when he doesn’t mean to be. We talked previously about the whole not seeing the bride before the wedding thing and said it wasn’t for us, but now that I have my dress, now that things seem more real, I think I want that. I also don’t want to spend a night away from Evan, but I might have to make a sacrifice just this once.

Mom parks along the curb and we all pile out of her car. It takes me a second to realize where we are. I stand on the sidewalk and stare at the intersection where it all happened. That day, I had met Cara for lunch, even though I had plans to meet Nate. My life was a mess. Evan, Nate and I were in this love triangle that should’ve never happened, and Evan feared for his life. Someone wanted him dead.

After I met with Cara and she talked non-stop about Nate, I knew then I was going to tell Nate my decision, only I felt like it was more for Nate than me. I texted my mom and asked her to pick me up, and then met Nate for ice cream and handed him his engagement ring back. I left him there, with Cara waiting.

My mom and I weren’t in the car for a minute when a semi-truck plowed into us. I remember everything from that moment: the impact, the smell of rubber, the heat from the fire in the engine. I remember the screaming and all the sailors running toward us. I remember seeing Nate coming as fast as he could, and then my memory goes blank. The car exploded, but not before some guys from base pulled my mom and I out of it. She suffered most of the damages to her arm and leg, and had to be confined to a wheelchair. I broke my wrist, but this was only the beginning of the bullshit we would endure at the hands of Frannie Riveria.

“Ryley,” my mom stands next to me and reaches for my hand, which now throbs.

“This is my first time back.”

“We can go somewhere else?” My mom is tough. She returned to work months later and did everything she could to help Evan and his team figure out what was going on. Sometimes I wonder if anything ever fazes her.

“No, I need to learn to deal with the trauma. I live here now. I’ll have to drive by here all the time.” I turn to go into the café and only to find Penny standing in front of me. She wraps her arm around me and pulls me close to her. We walk into the restaurant together and wait for the hostess to seat us.

“Only the strong survive,” Penny whispers in my ear. She’s right, and she’s the strongest woman I know. What she went through, the lengths she took to keep her daughter safe, I don’t know if I could ever be that brave.

As soon as we all sit down, the hostess brings us a basket of fresh tortilla chips. I reach for one first and dip it into the bowl of salsa sitting next to it. “I missed this while in Washington. I swear, I may have lived there most of my life, but southern Cali has the best food.”

“I agree,” mom says. “This is my favorite cantina. I could eat here every day.”

“Same,” Lois adds as she takes a chip. “So, since no one brought it up at the bridal shower I’m going to. Ryley, are you and Evan going to have more kids?”

The chip I have poised to enter my mouth stops and mocks me. I don’t know whether to set it down or stuff it into my mouth to avoid the question. If you would have asked me years ago if we were going to have more kids and the answer is yes, ask me now and it’s a giant I don’t know.

“Oh, I don’t . . . Evan and I haven’t really talked about it. EJ comes first ‘ya know, with him starting school and—”

“And it’s about time he calls Evan dad, instead of Eban,” my mom says.

“He doesn’t say Eban anymore, and honestly I sort of miss it. The dad thing, I know Evan hates it, but I can’t force EJ to say it. It has to come naturally, at least that’s what the therapist said.”

“I remember the first time Claire called Tucker dad. I think I cried for an hour. I was happy, sad, and every emotion in between.”

“Why?” Livvie asks.

Penny take a deep breath. “I was happy for Tucker, but sad because of Ray. No matter how I look at my life, I spent years thinking my husband was gone, and I married another man who raised my daughter. Ray was a good man, even if . . .”

I set my hand down on top of hers. Evan and Tucker have speculated that Ray was somehow involved, but there isn’t any proof, at least none that they have found. Evan tells me that he’s let this all go, but I’m not so sure he has. There’s a reason Justin Rask is still enlisted, and Tucker McCoy is “working” for the Navy. We have people on the inside and I have a feeling this thing that started years ago is far from over.

CHAPTER 5

EVAN

Years ago, Ryley told me she wanted to get married on our beach—Coronado Beach. I don’t remember when this became our spot, but it did. Maybe it’s because the weather is always perfect, even if it is too hot at times or because this is where my team would get together before we’d head downrange. Whatever made the beach our place, it’s all a moot point now because we live within walking distance and are finally getting married there. It seems like every dream we had as a young couple is finally coming to fruition. I thought after Tucker and Penny exchanged vows on the beach, Ryley would opt for another locale, but she’s never wavered. The only thing that has changed is the guest list. Years ago, it would have been a hundred or so deep. Now, it’s a handful. It’ll be our friends and family—the people we hold close to us. My teammates will be there, my mom and sister, my brother, and my son, and the two people I have considered a part of my life since Ryley and I started dating—her parents. Of course, my bride will be there, walking down the sandy aisle toward me and our son. We’ll finally share the same last name.

Today is our final suit fitting and it’s the last thing I want to do. I’m not a fan of strangers asking me how I hang. It seems like an intrusive question and I’m not overly keen with the store clerks asking EJ this as well. It seems like pants should be made to accommodate whoever, at least that’s how the NWUs are.

Everyone meets at my house. The ladies are dress shopping today, while us men are doing the least manly thing ever. I try not to let it bother me that Ryley hasn’t picked out a dress. She’s had our suits on order for months, but no dress. From what I gather, after looking at all her bridal magazines, this is not normal behavior for a bride. It’s probably a good thing I’m confident in her love for me, and honestly, I don’t care if she wears her robe. I know she’ll be walking toward me as the sun sets over the pacific.

Jensen decides to drive. I sit up front with him, while Nate, Tucker and EJ sit in the back. I stare out the window while Jensen makes small talk with the guys. They’re talking about soccer, which isn’t a sport I follow. I’m down for a Sunday afternoon of watching football with my friends, and love that our new house is accommodating for everyone. Part of me doesn’t want to admit that I’m happy we’re back. I refuse to let my guard down even with Frannie dead and her disgusting piece of shit brother behind bars. Now that I’m back, maybe I’ll pay a visit to Ted Lawson and make sure his life is a living hell. Honestly, hell is too good of a place for someone like him, and death is too easy. Even though I know he’s behind bars, I still look for him on the streets. Same with Frannie. I know she’s dead, but I also don’t buy that there aren't any other players in this game of theirs.

Jensen pulls into the parking lot of a strip mall in San Diego. I must’ve been so lost in thought that I don’t remember crossing the bridge to get off the island. It’s crazy how one thought can pull you away from everything around you. We get out of the car and follow Jensen toward the men’s fashion store. He holds EJ’s hand, while Nate, Tucker, and I walk side by side. There’s a lady walking toward us. She looks at us with wide eyes and then darts out of our way. I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I imagine the three of us look rather frightening. Too bad she doesn’t know we used to be the guys who saved lives. I miss that life and hate that people ripped it away from me.

The salesclerk greets us as soon as we walk in. Jensen gives him our name and tells him that we have an appointment for a final fitting. While the clerk gets everything situated, I take a walk around, for no other reason than boredom. The last time I was in a store like this, it was to get my tuxedo for prom. I took Ryley and it was one of the best nights of my life. We were so young and had the world ahead of us. We thought we were going to conquer the world.

My fingers touch the material on the coat in front of me. While the fabric is nice, it’s not what I thought I’d wear to my wedding. This wedding should’ve happened years ago, before our son was born, with me in my dress uniform. But again, someone took it upon themselves to involve me and my family in their sick and twisted plan. The only positive from all of this is that Ryley sued the Navy on behalf of EJ and won big. Our son is set and probably won’t ever have to work a day in his life if he doesn’t want to.

Jensen calls my name and motions for me to follow him. We head to the back where the dressing rooms and mirrors are set up. Tucker and Nate go first, leaving Jensen, EJ, and I to whistle and catcall when they come out.

“You boys be fancy,” I say when they step out of the rooms. Tucker flips me off and Nate tells me to pound sand. Another clerk joins us and the two of them poke, prod, and pull every which way they can. I chuckle when Nate almost falls over.

“Just wait until it’s your turn,” he says, eyeing me. I salute him.

When they’re done, they change, and the clerks take their tuxes to the counter. EJ goes into the dressing room with me. The last thing I want is for him to have a meltdown because he can’t figure things out. I could have asked Nate to help him, but no. I want this to be an experience we share together. Once I’m dressed, I help EJ tuck his shirt in, and show him a trick by tucking it into his underwear and pulling the flaps down. He thinks it’s hilarious that his shirt is in his underwear, but whatever. It’ll stay tucked in longer this way.

We come out and sure enough, Nate is leading the catcalling. I tell EJ to bow and he does. I take my son to stand in front of the mirror. I want to get a good look at him. He’s growing fast and about to enter the second grade. His mop top hair is a combination of Ryley’s red and my deep brown, and the lucky guy even has curls. The girls are going to go crazy for the curls.

“What do you think?” I ask him while we stand there in our linen suits. The color is a light tan or khaki, I’m not sure what the actual name is. Our dress shirts are white, and thankfully I don’t have to wear a tie or bowtie, neither do the guys.

“We look nice,” EJ says. “Do you think Grace will like it?”

Grace, Carter and Lois’s daughter, who is the same age as EJ is over the moon happy that he’s back. She’s a little upset though because we moved to Coronado instead of San Diego and they won’t be in the same class together, but the playdates are scheduled. EJ informed us that he plans to dance with Grace at the reception. I don’t know if Ryley and I should be scared or what. I’m not ready for my son to have a crush. I feel like I’m still getting to know him.

“I think she will say you’re handsome.”

“What color is she wearing?”

I shake my head. “I’m not sure, bud. You’ll have to ask your mom.”

EJ and I stand there for another long minute, just staring at each other through the mirror. “Are you ready to be my best man?”

He nods. “I even wrote a speech.”

I turn his shoulders so I can look into his eyes. “You did?”

“Yep. Papa told me that as the best man I have to give a speech, so I wrote one.”

“I can’t wait to hear it, son.” Please call me dad.

EJ smiles, showing me that he’s missing his bottom two teeth. I never thought I’d find joy in being the tooth fairy, but damn, it’s been fun sneaking into his room to hide money under his pillow.

After we settle up with the clerk, we head back to the car and lay each suit bag in the trunk. My phone chimes and I step to the side to read the message from Ryley.

My love: I had a small panic attack. Wanted to let you know before someone mentioned it. I’m okay now.

What do you mean, small?

My love: Mom brought us to the Mexican cantina near base. It’s right by . . .

I remember. Are you still there?

My love: Yes.

We are on our way.

I pocket my phone and check with the rest to see if they’re good with meeting the rest of the bridal party at the cantina. Tucker proclaims he’s in need of a margarita, while Nate is suddenly hungry for a burrito. I don’t care what I eat or if I eat. I want to get to Ryley and make sure she’s okay. I know she says she is, but until I can touch and see her, I won’t believe what she’s telling me.

One of the best things I like about Jensen is that the man knows how to drive. He knows all the short-cuts and doesn’t waste any time getting back to the bridge and to the base. When we walk into the restaurant, EJ runs to Ryley to tell her all about his suit, and then asks Lois where Grace is. It seems Chloe offered to babysit Grace, with Carter’s watchful eye in the background.

I motion for Ryley to come chat with me, and she excuses herself from the table. We go outside and I wrap my arms around her, holding her tightly to my chest. “What happened?”

“It seems so silly now, but when we got out of the car, I saw the intersection and it all came rushing back to me. I hate having these thoughts and I haven’t had them in such a long time.” Because we moved. “I just want life to be normal.”

Me too, but it’ll never happen. I’ll never believe Lawson was the ringleader in the entire operation. He was just the one with some power and exercised it.

I cup her face with my hands and tilt her head so she’s looking at me. “We left normal behind in Washington. We talked about this. I’m going to be on alert, all the time, wondering who is lurking in the bushes.”

“We didn’t have normal in Washington. We lived in a secure house.”

“And our new one will be secure after this weekend. Nate and I have everything sitting in that ridiculous small garage. I’ll know if someone even looks at our house sideways.”

“I don’t want to live like we’re in a prison.”

“We won’t be, but you can’t blame me for wanting protection. I need to know who lurks in the darkness. I lost six years with you and EJ, and I don’t want to lose anymore.” Ryley nods and rises up onto her toes to offer me a kiss. I take it, greedily. “I love you, Ry. You and our son are the most important people in my life, and I’ll have to be dead before I let anything happen to you.”

“I know and I love you for it. I just don’t want to be scared. This is where we are meant to live, and I can’t let some demon take that away from me. From us.” She kisses me again. “Come on, the chips are as delicious as I remember and now that you guys are here, it gives us an excuse to order more.” Ryley takes my hand and leads me into the cantina. The seating has been rearranged and now everyone, except Nate and Lois, are sitting with their partner. And on the table is a pitcher of margaritas and a couple baskets of tortilla chips. Suddenly, I’m starving.

CHAPTER 6

RYLEY

I stand with my back to the front door and look at my dining room and then my living room. To me, my house is perfect and everything I wanted in a home. Granted, it’s much smaller than our home in Washington and the one we had before, but space doesn’t matter because each time I step over the threshold, I feel like I’m home.

The exterior color, a flawless mix of blue and teal, is precisely what I hoped it would be. I can easily say the pictures our realtor showed us didn’t do this place justice. The front porch is white, wide, and one of my favorite parts of the house, minus the backyard. I told Evan I plan to sit out there every night, in one of the rockers or on the swing, and say hi to our neighbors because I don’t want to live in fear, even though there’s a nagging voice in the back of my mind reminding me of everything. The other day, when Evan, Nate, and my dad installed the new cameras and security system, I felt like I could fully breathe again. If someone lurks, we’ll know about it.

Inside, everything screams beach house. The walls are a light gray with white molding. The countertops in the kitchen are quartz, and the floor is bamboo with a unique gray and brown pattern. Evan’s office is in our tiny garage since it’s not big enough for our car, and our guest bedroom is yellow. It’s a happy room which always brings a smile to your face when you walk in. Our master has a door that leads to a private balcony and cathedral ceilings. EJ’s room is gray and will get painted blue after the wedding. Whatever he wants, he can have. But it’s the back that I am over the moon about with the two sets of French doors leading out to a deck, hot tub, and pool. When we told EJ our new house would have a pool, he said we made him the happiest boy ever. Never mind the fact that we’re less than a five-minute walk to the beach. The backyard is concrete, which is okay since the front yard has grass for Deefur.

Today is our rehearsal dinner, and we’re having it at our new home. My mom wanted to book the Coronado Yacht Club, but I wanted it here.

I make my way outside and find Nate standing at the grill. Our relationship is hard to explain these days. We’re friends and probably still best friends, but the strain between him and Evan definitely affects us. It’s hard to look at him sometimes and not wonder how things would’ve been different. We crossed a line we never should’ve, and I’m equally to blame for that. Neither of us expected this outcome.

Nate glances toward me and gives me a small wave. I walk down the steps and looked down the driveway since the gate is open. “Where’s Evan?”

He nods toward what would be our garage or Evan’s office. “Filling the coolers. McCoy just pulled in with a truckload of ice.”

“Surely, not a truckload.”

Nate laughs. “This is McCoy we’re talking about.”

I stare in the direction of Tucker’s truck and sigh. He would be the one to pull pranks today. “I guess I better check on them.” Nate laughs again, and I can’t tell if it’s because he’s joking or not. I ease around the corner to find Evan and Tucker in the garage, drinking a beer.

“Starting early?” I ask.

Evan smiles and reaches for me. I’m safe in his arms. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life. “McCoy found a new brew. We’re just testing it out.”

“Well, don’t drink too many. We have a lot of people coming over, and there is still a lot to do.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Tucker says as he tips the bottle toward me.

“And maybe take one to Nate.” I step out of Evan’s hold and watch for his reaction. It’s slight, but the irritation in his features is there. If he had his choice, Nate wouldn’t be around me at all. But then that wouldn’t work for Evan. He trusts his brother to protect his family and run a business, but that’s as far as that goes.

The guys follow me out of the garage and into the backyard, where Tucker hands Nate a beer and tells him all about it. It’s all foreign to me. I don’t really need to know about barley, hops, or any of the other stuff that goes into making beer. I’m not a fan. Give me tequila or vodka, and we can talk.

I head back into the house and start pulling trays of food out. While my mom didn’t get her way with where the dinner would be held, she did get her way on who would cater. She was adamant that I do not cook or prepare anything for the party, and I just had to be home to accept delivery. I’m setting the trays on the table when EJ enters the room.

“May I go swimming?” He’s already dressed in his trunks and has his towel resting on his shoulders.

“Ask your dad. He’s outside right now,” I say this as a test to our son, wondering if he’ll holler ‘hey dad’ or if he’ll wait and assess the situation before he says anything. I am praying for the former. Evan desperately wants to hear EJ call him dad. I follow EJ outside but hang back enough to eavesdrop without anyone noticing me. Sure enough, he walks up to Evan and asks. As soon as Evan gives EJ permission, I head back to my tasks.

“Hey, Ryley,” Tucker says my name as he stands in the doorway. “Is it cool if Chloe brings her swimsuit over?”

“Of course. Grace is bringing hers as well.”

“Thanks.” Tucker waves with his phone in his hand. I suppose this is his way of saying he will text Penny and let her know.

The doorbell chimes, and I take a deep breath before answering. Livvie and Julianne stand on the other side. I had hoped my mom would show up before Evan’s, but no such luck.

“Hello, come on in.” Livvie and I hug. I’m not expecting anything from Julianne and am completely caught off guard when she hugs me. “Thanks for coming.”

“Thank you for the invite.”

“Well, have a look around. The guys are outside, and EJ is in the pool. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Beer?” Livvie blurts out, and her mother’s mouth drops open. “What?”

“Olivia, don’t be so rude,” Julianne says. “I swear you act like you were raised by wolves sometimes.”

Livvie rolls her eyes and then looks at me. “Outside, with your brothers. What can I get you, Julianne?”

“Do you have what it takes to make an Arnold Palmer with some kick?”

“I do,” I tell her. “I brewed the tea yesterday. Would you like a tour?”

She nods, and I show her around the house, saving the kitchen for last. She sits at one of the barstools and makes idle chit chat with me while mixing her drink. This is the first time in ages that she’s said more than ten words to me, and I’m not going to question her motives. I want everyone in my family to be happy.

The doorbell chimes again, and I tell Julianne to take a look at the backyard and see if she can coax EJ out of the pool. Justin, Penny and Chloe, and my parents arrive at the same time, and before I can close the door, Cara gets out of her car. I walk to meet her and give her a hug.

“I’ve missed you. How are things?”

She nods and smiles. “Things are good. Is Nate here? I went to the house first, but he wasn’t there.”

“Yep, in the back, drinking beer with Evan and Tucker. Go say hi, and then I want to show you around the house.” I point down the driveway to where Cara can find Nate and then start heading up the stairs, only to turn around when I hear a door slam. For a brief second, my heart lurches. I guess the anxiety will always be there. I wave at Lois while Carter and Grace head right to the backyard.

“Am I the last one here?” Lois asks.

“Pretty much.” Before we go inside, I tell her about Julianne and how she’s a chatty Cathy today. “I’m going to milk it for all its worth because the whole thin ice game isn’t much fun.”

“Everyone gets happy around weddings. Besides, it’s not like you and Evan just met or are having a shotgun wedding.”

“Right.”

“Right? As in you are or aren’t having a shotgun wedding?”

I look at her oddly. “What are you even talking about?”

She shrugs. “Just wondering if you’re pregnant?”

I shake my head and walk into the house. My mom is holding court in the living room with Penny they’re animatedly talking about something, and I don’t want to know what it is. In the kitchen, I make Lois a drink and then step outside. For some reason, I count the people and notice two are missing. I suspect the same two have something going on and are trying to hide it from a certain someone’s brothers.

Back inside, I head down the hall and stop near the guest bedroom at the sound of hushed voices. The door is left ajar, and I take a peek, only to gasp. I step into the room and close the door behind me.

“Spill,” I say to a very shocked Justin and Livvie. Justin opens his mouth to say something but closes it quickly.

“Please don’t say anything to Evan or Nate,” Livvie begs. “It’s not what it looks like, or it is, I don’t know, but I do . . .” Livvie looks panicked.

“Justin, can you excuse us for a second?”

He nods. “Yes, ma’am.”

As soon as he closes the door, I step toward the young woman I consider my sister. “Are you guys together?”

“No,” she says, shaking her head. “We’ve hung out a few times, almost hooked up once, but nothing really happened. I like him, though, and I feel bad for him. He’s so lost sometimes, without his family, and so lonely.”

“I know, his family—” I don’t finish my sentence. I have nothing nice to say about the Rasks. “I’m going to be honest with you, Olivia. I suspected something was going on between the both of you and said something to Evan. I imagine when he and Nate went shooting, he mentioned it. So, your brothers sort of already know.” I shrug.

“Great. They’ll probably haze him or something.”

“I doubt it. I think, considering what we all went through, the last thing they’ll want to do is scare Justin away. He’s family. They might have the big brother talk, though, but you’d expect that. Justin may have been on Evan’s team, but you’re his sister, his priority.”

“The one rule with them, no dating teammates.”

I shrug again. “Times have changed.”

Livvie and I leave the bedroom and head back outside, where everyone has gathered. This is exactly the kind of rehearsal dinner I wanted. After a few minutes, we all walk toward the beach to meet with the wedding planner from the hotel.

Socialite Wedding Planning is the premier agency for planning beachside weddings. I could’ve done it all myself, with the help of my mom and Lois, but I didn’t want any stress, so I hired April Love to take care of everything.

April greets us when we get to the spot where we’ll marry, right on the sands of SEAL beach. She suggested we find a different location because there’s a good chance we’ll have SEALs in training photobombing our photos. The thought made Evan and I laugh. If they did, we’d be okay with it. April also encouraged us to pick attendants and said no one likes to stand at the altar alone. We won’t be alone, we’ll have EJ, and while we technically have attendants, they’ll sit through the ceremony. Evan and I just want it to be the three of us up there.

She shows us where the chairs will go, where I’ll be before the ceremony starts, and where I’ll walk. April shows Evan where to stand and says we’ll do a couple of practice runs before we all head back to the house for dinner. When she signals to walk out, I slip off my shoes and sink my toes into the warm sand.

“Heaven,” I say aloud.

It takes us three times to get it right, and when April declares we’re ready for tomorrow, everyone cheers. Then, Carter yells, “Drinks are on me!” Which is funny since he didn’t pay for a single thing.

On the way back to our house, Evan puts his arm over my shoulder. “Tomorrow is the big day. Cold feet?”

“Not in the slightest.”

He leans down and kisses my nose without losing stride. “It’s been a long time coming. Tomorrow can’t get here fast enough. Do you really have to go to your parents?”

“My parents want one piece of this wedding to have some tradition to it.”

“Overrated,” he says with a smile. I like to blame my parents, but deep down, I want at least one thing to be traditional about our wedding, and if that means I have to give up a night with my Archer boys, I’ll do it.

When we get back to the house, Nate fires up the grill and starts cooking. Penny helps me with bartending while the moms sit out by the pool, watching the kids.

As soon as we serve dinner, Evan stands up and asks for everyone’s attention. “Ryley and I want to thank you all for coming over tonight and for being with us tomorrow. As you all know, I’ve waited what feels like eons to marry this girl, and I kick myself for not doing it when she turned eighteen. Sorry, Jensen.” Everyone laughs. “Whether then or now, the love I have for you, Ryley, has grown by leaps and bounds. From the day I met you and until the day I die, you will always be the love of my life.” Evan holds his beer bottle up, and we all follow with our drinks. “To my bride, tomorrow, I get to call you my wife, and that moment cannot come fast enough.”

“Here, here,” everyone says in unison as Evan leans down and kisses me.

“Are you sure you have to go to your parents?” he whispers in my ear. I nod against him. He sighs. “Fine, you’re forcing my hand.”

“What does that mean?”

Evan says nothing.

He winks.

CHAPTER 7

EVAN

When we decided to move back to California, I thought we’d pick a place away from the Navy, where we could buy some land and raise EJ away from the city; a place without neighbors peeping through their windows and traffic. That’s my hang-up, the number of cars coming and going in residential areas. I have every license plate of every resident in my neighborhood memorized. I’m not taking any chances with my family because I firmly believe evil lurks in the darkness.

One of Ryley’s favorite features of this house is our bedroom balcony. Out here, we can hear the ocean when there isn’t a plane flying overhead. She says the sound of the jets is calming and gives her peace. Each time a Black Hawk or C-130 rises above the houses, I wonder if it’s for practice or something is going on. I miss the SEALs. I miss being part of the action. I miss being needed in a way that’s hard to describe to a layperson. Everyone outside of the military thinks that we like killing people. It’s not that at all—we do what we have to, to keep people safe. That’s the thrill, knowing my successful missions help others sleep at night.

I stand on the balcony and stare over the rooftops of my neighbors, grateful for housing codes that prevent people from building three-story homes. I love the view we have, even if living here puts me on edge.

Tomorrow is my wedding day, a day that should’ve come six or seven years ago, but someone took that away from me and from Ryley. When I returned from the fateful mission that nearly destroyed my life, I never thought this day would come. Thankfully, her love for me prevailed, and when the sun sets again, she’ll be my wife.

I pull my cell phone out and press the button. As soon as my brother picks up, I ask, “Can you come over?”

“I’m on my way.”

Nothing about my upcoming nuptials has been traditional, except for a few things. I haven’t seen Ryley’s dress, and her parents insisted that she spend the night away from me. I can’t remember the last time we haven’t slept in the same house since I returned. Even when we rescued Penny and Claire, Ryley was with me. Even though I know she’s safe at her parents, my heart can’t take it.

A black car with dark tinted windows pulls up in front of my house. I wait a beat for the driver to get out, but they idle at the curb. My hand instantly goes to my waistband, where my gun isn’t. I rarely have it on me when I’m home, but I never leave the house without it. From where I’m standing, I’m close enough to my gun safe should I perceive the threat as real. I reach inside of my room and flip the light switch off. The overhead street lamps offer me enough light to watch whoever lurks in the darkness.

My phone vibrates, and I answer without looking at the caller ID. “Who’s at your house?”

“I don’t know. Are you armed?”

“Of course. Where are you?”

“I’m on the balcony.”

Nate hangs up, and within seconds his car pulls into the driveway, and as soon as he steps out, the other car leaves.

“Did you get his plates?” I ask from where I stand.

“Yeah, Cara’s running them now.”

I head inside and down the stairs to the front door and unlock it for him. While our brotherly relationship is fractured, I trust him when it comes to protecting my family. Nate steps in after I open the front door. “Thanks for coming over.”

“I get it,” he says. “Cara’s on her way. Is that okay?”

“Of course. The guest bedroom is all set up.”

“I don’t think I’m going to sleep much,” Nate says, much to my relief. “It’s probably nothing, but then again, who knows who is still out there?”

“Maybe it’s time we pay our friend another visit.”

Nate nods and stares out of the large picture window in our living room. “Only if we can make sure the cameras are off.” I chuckle and appreciate the way Nate thinks. “Anything hidden?”

I nod. “The usual spots.” I suppose it’s a sad thing to have weapons hidden all over your house, but I’m prepared. If I, or even Nate, needs to defend and protect ourselves, we can. And we will.

“All right,” he says. “Go. I have everything covered here.”

I think about staying, but I know I need to be elsewhere. “EJ’s sleeping. Deefur is in his room.”

Nate nods and keeps his gaze focused. “See you in the morning.”

* * *

It’s been a long time since I’ve snuck into Ryley Clarke’s bedroom. I suppose I could’ve called her and told her I’m coming over, but where’s the fun in that? Her parents’ house is much like ours, a fortress of cameras and motion sensors. The only difference is I have the app to shut them off. As soon as I press the button on the app, I sneak around the back of the house to where the guest bedroom is and wiggle the window. Sure enough, it’s unlocked. I slide it up, climb inside and pull the windowpane back down.

“Took you long enough, Archer,” her voice rings out, and I can’t help but smile.

“How’d you know I’d be over?” After resetting the alarm system, I quickly discard my shoes, jeans, and t-shirt and slip into bed with her. She lifts her head and rests it on my arm. Still to this day, this is where she likes to sleep, snuggled into my chest. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of us sleeping this way.

“I had a hunch.” Her hand roams over my chest, and I shiver. “I can’t remember the last time you did this.”

“I do. It was right before I left for the Navy. We made love on your bedroom floor.”

“We thought we were so sneaky.”

“I’m just lucky your dad never walked in. He would’ve shot me in the ass.”

Ryley laughs. I lean forward and kiss her to stifle the noise. I love Jensen, but I wouldn’t put it past him to shoot me for violating his daughter in his house. Ryley deepens the kiss and hitches her leg over my hip. My hand wanders down her back and over her bare backside. I’ve never been so thankful for her lacy thong as I am now. She wants me. Excitement grows when her hand slips into my boxers.

“Ry,” I say her name quietly in between kisses.

“One last time before we’re married.”

I pull away from her. “Do you think after we’re married things will change?”

“I know they will.”

I cup her face with my hand and press my lips to hers before pulling back. “Ryley, I can assure you that what I feel for you now, I will always feel for you. You’re the love of my life, and nothing gives me more pleasure than pleasing you. I’m going to want you more than ever after we are married, more so because you’ll finally have my last name, and to me, that’s the sexiest thing in the world.”

Ryley smiles, but the glint in her eyes tells me my words haven’t done their job to reassure her. They’ve only spurred her desire even more. “Archer, I want you, and I want you now.” She rolls us over and straddles my lap. On instinct, I move us toward the middle of the bed.

“What about your parents? Should we get on the floor?” The thought of making love to her on the floor sort of excites me and brings back a flood of memories from when we were teens and sneaking around.

Ryley laughs. “Their room is on the other side of the house. I doubt they’ll come down this way.”

“They might if you can’t keep quiet.”

“Don’t worry, Archer,” she says as her hand sneaks into my boxers.

Famous last words.

The second we connect, my eyes roll back in my head. My hands tug at the hem of her shirt and lift it over her head. Ryley’s head falls back as I cup her breasts. When her nails dig into my sides, I submit and let her guide us. It’s crystal clear that Ryley needs this from me. For us. And maybe it’s because we’re doing this on the sly, but the sensation of being inside of her right now is nothing short of extraordinary.

When we’ve come down from our natural high, we lay on our sides and look at each other. “Why did we wait so long to get married?” I ask her.

“I don’t know. I ask myself the same question.”

I shake my head and wish like hell I had an answer. “We’ve lost so much time.”

“The time would’ve been the same, Evan. I think what happened to us would’ve happened if we were married or not. It’s not like we were chosen because we hadn’t tied the knot. Nothing would’ve changed. You still would’ve been gone, and I would’ve lived six years as a widow. The time we have now is what’s important. We’ve built a life, and it’s a beautiful one.”

I let her words sink in and know she’s right. I doubt anything would be different in our lives. “I suppose we’d still be getting married today if . . .” my words trail off. I can’t bring myself to say the words. To this day, I hate that I had to reclaim my life.

“See, it’s meant to be.”

“Meant to be from the moment I hit you with the football.”

Ryley laughs. “I’ve never been so thankful to my parents, then in that moment, for raising an Army brat.”

“Me, too.”

* * *

I’m out of the house before the sun rises. Ryley and I stayed up all night, talking about the past and the future. We want more kids, and she’d like to start trying soon. I’m on board with the trying part. It’s the kids’ part I’m unsure of. Right now, I feel like I struggle with EJ and parenting. He does what I ask, but I feel like we are missing the father/son connection that I desperately want. I was close to my dad and Jensen. He and I have a great relationship, but I see how EJ gravitates toward Nate and can’t help the jealousy that creeps in. Nate deserves credit though and has tried to limit his time with EJ for us to strengthen our bond. My fear is that if Ryley and I have another child, and I’m there from the beginning, what will EJ think? The last thing I want is for him to feel left out.

When I get back to the house, I find Cara sitting at the bar in our kitchen. “Good morning,” I say as I head to the coffee pot and pour myself a mug. I don’t wait for it to cool before taking a much-needed drink of the caffeine.

“Morning. Nate took Deefur for a walk, and EJ is in the shower.”

“Thanks. How did the rest of the night go?”

“Perfect.”

Cara focuses on her laptop, and I can’t tell if she’s telling the truth or not. I suppose if something’s wrong, they’ll tell me after the wedding. I finish my cup of coffee and head upstairs, meeting EJ in the hallway. His hair is damp, and he’s dressed more for the beach than a wedding.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey, good morning. How come you didn’t go with Uncle Nate to walk Deefur?”

EJ shrugs. “He didn’t wake me up.”

“Deefur?”

He nods. “When I woke up, he wasn’t in my room. Cara told me to jump in the shower.”

They’re definitely hiding something.

I place my hand on his shoulder. “Are you hungry?”

“Yeah. Is mom home?”

“No, she’s going to stay with grandma and papa today. I’ll shower, and then we’ll walk down to the food truck and pick up some burritos. Does that work?”

“Yes, sir.”

“All right, bud. I’ll be down in a minute.” EJ starts to walk away, and I call out to him. “Stay in the house, okay?”

He stares at me for a second, and his head drops. He knows I’m paranoid about something. “Okay,” he finally says and walks down the stairs.

CHAPTER 8

RYLEY

When we arrive at our beach location, April greets us. She beams with an infectious smile and reaches for my hands. “You must be loved because someone set up a dressing room for you. Come on, let me show you.” She pulls me along behind her, forcing my feet to move. I look over my shoulder at my mom, who looks like she coerced her face to smile. Why is this my life? Why does a nice gesture turn into thoughts of who is trying to hurt my family or me?

The dressing room or shed, because that is what it looks like, sits on the sand with wedding decorations on the outside. I suppose those are to alleviate the eyesore the wood structure is, or to deter people from looking inside. I would be one of those people.

April opens the door and gushes about the inside, with its white walls, string lighting, floor-to-ceiling mirror, and vanity. She steps in and does a little twirl. “I’ve had brides do this before, for their outside weddings, but I’ve never been surprised like this when I arrive at the venue.”

Something isn’t right with this.

“There’s a card in the bouquet. I didn’t want to pry.” April’s words linger in the air as I look at the dozen or so roses. I hesitate at the doorway, unsure if I should step in. “Aren’t you going to look?”

I shake my head and glance at my mom for help. How do I tell my wonderful wedding planner that this is a set-up? That there is no way in hell I’m walking into this room?

“April,” my mom says. “I think we’d rather stick with the company provided tent, if you don’t mind.” My mom leans in. “It smells like paint, and the last thing I want is for Ryley to have a headache through the ceremony. You understand, right?”

April looks around and sniffs. “Yeah, wow. I guess I overlooked the paint smell. Let me tell the crew to set up the tent. It’ll only take a few minutes.” As soon as she leaves, my mom is on her phone. I sit down in the sand and fight back the tears. I want to be left alone. I want my family to feel safe and not have to look over their shoulders, thinking the boogie man lurks in the bushes. As soon as the crew members from Socialite Wedding Planning arrive and start setting the dressing room tent up, my mom sits down next to me.

“Evan knows.”

I nod. I should say, ‘of course he does’, but the words won’t matter. Evan will be on edge, and my wedding marred by some psycho determined to ruin our lives.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” mom says. “We are just super aware of our surroundings. For all we know, someone from work did this, or maybe it was Justin.”

“He would’ve said something,” I tell her. She knows this but is trying to make the situation less than it is.

“Evan is with Cara. She’s going to come over and have a look around.”

I sigh. “She shouldn’t have to work on my wedding day.” I shake my head and fight back a wave of tears. “I hate this. I hate living in fear. I hate that this will never end.” My mom doesn’t say anything because she agrees with me. She too knows we’ll always live in peril.

April returns and tells us the tent is set up and asks if we want the roses brought over. My mom tells her not at this time and offers her a warm smile. It’s more polite than flat-out saying no, but I’m sure April wonders what our issues are.

The list is long.

My dad stands by the tent, and when we get there, he instantly pulls my mom aside. I’m left out, which is par for the course. They don’t want to alarm me, but it’s too late. Someone is trying to sabotage my wedding.

I go in and sit down at the vanity and stare at my reflection. For a moment, I close my eyes and take deep, calming breaths. “I will not allow this to ruin my day.” It’s a good mantra to have, and I say it repeatedly until I’ve convinced myself that these people do not matter. Not today, at least.

Lois and Penny are the first to arrive. They gush when they see me and start talking a mile a minute. Lois pours champagne while Penny checks my dress for wrinkles. “Evan is going to fall to his knees when he sees you walking toward him,” Penny says as she holds it out.

“I can’t believe this is finally happening,” I say to my friends.

“Where are you guys going tonight?” Lois asks.

“We have the bridal suite booked at the hotel.”

“How was it being away from Evan for a night?” she asks.

My cheeks heat up, and her mouth drops open. “You didn’t go to your parents?”

“Oh no, I did. Archer snuck into my room.”

“Awe, he missed you,” Lois says while Penny laughs. “I think it’s sweet and romantic.”

“Oh, I’m sure there was romance,” Penny snickers.

Lois looks at Penny and then back at me. She slaps me in the arm. “Ryley Clarke, you’re supposed to stay away from your husband-to-be before the wedding.”

“I can’t help it. Evan’s really hot. And sexy. And has a rocking body. And—”

Lois holds her hand up. “I don’t want to hear about this . . . well, you know.”

Penny and I start laughing, and it feels good to be like this, to push the worry away for a minute or two.

“Have you guys talked about a honeymoon at all?” Penny asks.

I shake my head. Even if we had, it would be canceled now. There’s no way Evan will leave unless we take EJ with us. “We have time.” My voice cracks, and I quickly cover it with a cough. I imagine Penny might know about the shed, but Lois won’t. She doesn’t need to be in the midst of the issues that surround Evan’s team.

Livvie arrives next with our flowers. “Sorry, I’m late.” She sets the box down on the table and pulls bouquets out while I eye her suspiciously. Her cheeks are flush, and the seam of her skirt isn’t centered. I have a feeling if I step outside, Justin will be out there, lingering.

A bit later, my mom comes in and tells us it’s time to stop gabbing and to start getting ready. I sit down, and Penny starts working on my hair while Livvie does my make-up. Lois, my mom, and Julianne sit around and chat, talking about the men and how someone needs to set Justin up with a friend. Each time someone says his name, Livvie stiffens.

When my dad comes in, with April behind him, it’s time to finally get my butt down the aisle. I stand and twirl in front of my dad. “What do you think?”

“I think,” he pauses and clears his throat. “I think you’re the second most beautiful bride I have ever laid my eyes on.”

“Hey,” I say in a teasing tone. Dad holds his hands up.

“Sorry, kiddo. No one can ever replace the vision I have of your mom on the day we got married.”

“Oh, Jensen,” my mom gushes and kisses him. Everyone, but me, ahh’s at them. I just want them to stop.

“My eyes,” I say as I cover them. My mom tells me to stop acting like a prude and then kisses my cheek.

“I love you,” she says. “You’ve got an amazing guy waiting for you at the altar.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Everyone goes with April, giving my dad and me a quiet moment together. He holds my hands and allows tears to fall. “When I look back on my life as a father, I never wanted this moment to come, but now I’m incredibly thankful you and Evan have found each other.”

“Me too, Daddy. I love him so much.”

“I know you do. What do you say we head out there? I know he’s waiting.”

“Lead the way.” I pick up my bouquet and link my arm with my dad’s. He places his hand on top of mine and looks into my eyes for a moment before we start walking out. The music changes, and April holds the tent door open for us. We walk for a bit until we get to the corner.

“Are you ready?”

I nod. “I have been for a long time.”

Dad takes a step, and we round the corner. The people we wanted to witness our day all stand. I hear murmurs as I pass by, but I’m focused on the two guys standing next to the Chaplain. My boys stand there in matching suits with EJ in front of his dad. The hems of their linen-colored pants are rolled, and they’re barefoot, bringing a smile to my face. We debated for a long time on whether they should wear shoes. I’m glad to see they listened to me.

And then my eyes land on Nate, and everything stops. I picture him up there, by the Chaplain, and I find myself looking for Evan, only he’s not here, and the people sitting in the chairs are people I don’t know. My walk toward the altar continues, and Nate reaches for my hand. I stand there, in a dress I don’t remember picking out, wondering how I got there. My heart, it beats, but not for the man in front of me. Something is missing. Deep down, I know I love Nate, but not like I love Evan. There is no comparison.

My vision clears, and my life comes into focus. Evan, with his hand on our son’s shoulder, is watching me with so much love and adoration. He’s who I’m meant to be with. When I finally reach them, I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep myself in check. I want to jump into his arms and profess my love for him, for our family. Unfortunately, there’s a time and a place for that, and it’s not while everyone is watching my every move. I sigh when the music stops, and everyone sits because this means we’re one step closer to becoming husband and wife.

“Welcome, and thank you for being here today to witness the union between Evan and Ryley. Who gives this bride to this man?”

“I do, without hesitation,” my dad says as he places my hand into Evan’s. “Good luck, son.” Everyone laughs, including me.

“Now’s your chance to run,” I whisper.

“Nah,” Evan says with a crooked smile. “I’m right where I want to be.”

The Chaplain reads from his passages. He talks about love and how there isn’t a predetermined timeline for things to happen. I glance at Livvie and then Justin. He’s staring at her, and every time she looks at him, he smiles. The Chaplain speaks about how delicate life is, how we must love wholly, and never go to bed angry at one another because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

When it’s time for our vows, I hand my bouquet to Lois and place my other hand in Evan’s. We’ve chosen to go with the textbook version mostly because we don’t have any issues expressing our love for each other, and it’s nothing we need to share with our friends. Evan and I know how each other feel about one another. He leaves no doubts in my mind that he’s madly in love with me.

I hope I do the same for him.

“Without further ado, I now pronounce you, husband and wife. Evan, you may kiss your bride.”

Evan doesn’t hesitate and smashes his lips to mine. The initial awkwardness eases, and he puts his arm around my waist while the back of his hand strokes my cheek. When we part, he says, “I love you, Mrs. Archer.”

“I love you,” my words dangle in the air. For years, I’ve called him Archer, and I don’t want to stop, and I don’t want to add mister. “Archer,” I finally say. “You’ll always be Archer to me.”

“Fine by me,” he says. We part, hold hands and face our friends and family.

“It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Evan Archer.”

Our hands go up, and we kiss again.

CHAPTER 9

EVAN

I’m thankful this is the only time I’ll ever get married. If I have to smile on command one more time, I may shoot someone. I don’t know who, but someone because this shit is hard. Chin up, move it slightly to the left, now right, look this way, that way . . . the only saving grace in all of this is Ryley. I’ll happily stand next to her for anything. I will say, every time the photographer tells me to kiss my wife, I eagerly oblige.

“Okay, we are done out here. The rest will be during the reception,” the photographer says.

“Oh, thank God. I’m starving,” EJ says, much to everyone’s enjoyment.

“Me too, bud.” With Ryley’s hand in mine, the group of us walk toward the reception. Ryley and I decided to let her parents put the reception together. It’s more of a party anyway, with the important part being our ceremony. Ry and I knew what we wanted there, but for the ending, we just wanted to have fun and relax.

Well, relax as much as I can. I knew something was up last night before I went to the Clarkes. I should’ve trusted my gut and stayed home, but my pride and manhood got in the way. This morning, when I caught up with Cara, she told me the car was a rental and needed a bit more time to track down the renter. I have a feeling she knows who it is but won’t tell me until tomorrow, once Ryley and I have had what little honeymoon we’re going to have. When I met up with Nate, he said he hadn’t slept a wink the night before, so he snuck Deefur out of EJ’s room before dawn and instructed him to “find it,” even though Nate didn’t know what “it” was. He said Deefur went around the property's perimeter with his nose stuck to the ground, and then Nate took him for a walk, hoping the dog would alert to a matching scent. Our dog is getting old, but I still trust him.

And then my day went downhill fast when Carole called and told me about the shack. She knew right off it wasn’t something I had done—or any of us for that matter—and said Ryley knew right away something was off. I hate that our lives have to be like this, questioning everything. During our photos, Jensen had some friends take it to a storage building where we could pull it apart, piece by piece. We have no idea what we’re going to find, but I suspect a listening device and camera. Someone definitely wants to know what we talk about—part of me thinks we should’ve had Ryley use the structure. I could’ve planted some great conspiracies in there.

We reach the tent where our reception is. When Ryley and I walk in, everyone cheers. Once again, we hold our joined hands high in the air. We chose ADD SONG as our first dance, and when it starts to play, I take my bride onto the dance floor. I hold her body to mine, and we sway to the music.

“You know, I think the last time we danced was at your homecoming.”

Ryley’s eyes light up. “Wow, you know I almost stayed home. I thought about bailing as soon as we got to the parking lot or excusing myself to go to the bathroom. I guess it’s a good thing Lois held my hand the entire way into the gym.”

Evan smiles. “It’s a damn good thing, or I would’ve looked like a fool.”

“I’m glad I stayed.”

“I’m glad I came home that weekend to surprise you. It wasn’t easy, keeping that a secret.”

Ryley rests her head on my chest. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to me, Archer.”

“I say the same thing about you.” I hold her tighter as our song plays. I don’t know how this dance is supposed to go, whether we’re supposed to look at each other the whole time or what, but what we’re doing feels right for us. When the song ends, I take a step back and lift her chin so I can look into her eyes. “I love you, Ry.” I don’t need a response. I know how she feels, and she’ll tell me every day and night because she always wants me to know. I lean down and kiss her, much to the delight of everyone.

The DJ announces that the buffet is open, along with the dance floor. I don’t know who I expected to dance first, but I’m not surprised to find Jensen and Carole already cutting a rug. Those two like to party and have a good time. We could all take a lesson from them.

I lead Ryley to our table and hold her chair out. I sit down after her and lean over, “I am a fool.”

She looks at me oddly. “Why would you say that?”

“Because I forgot to tell you how beautiful you look today. I mean, you’re beautiful every day, but this dress.” My eyes move up and down her torso. “I can’t wait to take it off of you tonight.”

“I can’t wait either.”

“And then maybe you can put it back?” I waggle my eyebrows at her. She laughs and nods. I touch the strap on her shoulder and ask, “Are you married to this dress?”

“I’m married to you,” she states matter-of-factly.

“What I mean is, maybe we can have a little fun while you’re wearing it.”

Ryley’s eyes widen. “I love my dress, but thankfully there’s a little thing called a seamstress, so no, I’m not married to it.”

“Thank God,” I mutter.

Lois comes over and whispers something into Ryley’s ear. I'd be worried if it were anyone else, but it’s probably girl talk and doesn’t concern me. Ryley reaches for my hand and stands.

“Where are we going?”

“People want to eat, but it’s rude to eat before the bride and groom, so we’re going to go get our food.”

As soon as we step up to the buffet, the rest of the guests do as well. I had no idea this was a thing and honestly would’ve sat there and wondered why no one ate anything. I carry Ryley’s plate back to our seats and then help EJ with his. He’s growing up so fast and I find I have to catch myself when assisting him. I don’t ask if he needs help. I just offer, and if he accepts, great. If not, I’ll follow behind and wait for him to ask.

“Hey, bud. You got this?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Is it okay if I sit with Grace?”

“Yeah, of course. You can sit anywhere you want. If you need me, just holler.”

EJ nods and reaches for a plate. I stay for a minute to make sure he’s all set before heading back to Ryley.

“He’s going to sit with Grace,” I tell her.

“You’re going to have to have ‘the talk’ with him before too long.”

“They’re not old enough,” I point out.

“With the internet, TikTok, and YouTube, they’re old enough. Believe me, I’ve seen some of the stuff online. And I’d rather he knows now than for it to be too late.”

“I’ll talk to him,” I tell her, although it’s the very last thing I want to do. “We’ll start with respect and how you treat a woman.”

Ryley kisses my cheek. “Thank you, Archer. And don’t forget to use real words, like erection and vagina. Don’t sugarcoat anything.”

“Damn, woman. You really know how to sour a mood.” I reach for my beer and take a drink.

She laughs. “Do you want to be a grandpa in five years?”

It’s a good thing I swallowed before she says this. “Five years, he’ll be . . .”

“A horny kid.”

Ryley’s not wrong. When Nate and I were twelve, we used to love going to our friends’ houses because, more often than not, their dads had a box of Playboys in the garage. Shit got real when we’d come across a Hustler. I don’t want that for EJ. Not if I can help it, at least.

I promise to start talking to EJ about the birds and the bees and the changes his body will go through. When we’re done eating, it’s time for Ryley to dance with her father. They dance to Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder. Jensen spins Ryley around the dance floor while the rest of us look on. And when it’s my turn to dance with my mom, I find that she has changed the song.

“This was mine and your father’s favorite song. We used to dance to it every time he came back from deployment or before he’d leave. I thought it would be nice,” my mom says as Landslide by Fleetwood Mac plays.

“It’s perfect. I had no idea, or I would’ve chosen it.”

When the song finishes, the DJ says he’s open to requests. I have a feeling that before the night is over, he’ll have us on the dance floor, doing the funky chicken. I’m going to need a lot more beer, just in case.

Ryley and I make our rounds. Our guest list is small, and while we know most people, we invited a few colleagues of Jensen and Carole’s. They’re the behind-the-scenes people who helped us unravel the mess we’re in.

Once we’ve thanked everyone, I take Ryley out to dance. I don’t care how I look. I want to remember tonight as being fun and free, and the day after tomorrow, I’ll deal with whoever is fucking with my family. We dance around until the music slows, and then I bring her close to me.

“Are you having fun?”

Ryley nods. “I am. Are you?”

“I am. It’s strange to think that years ago, we probably would’ve had a hundred or more people at our wedding, probably in service people alone, and now, we have barely forty.”

“It’s forty people we love and trust. Our lives are different now. We’re different. Before, it would’ve been a grand affair, but that was years ago. We’ve changed. I want intimate. I love that we’re sharing this moment with our friends and family, and we’ll remember every single bit of it. We know who is here, and we’ll leave tonight knowing we spent time with them.”

There’s a tap on my arm, and I look to find our son standing there. “May I cut in?” he asks, with a hint of laughter in his voice.

I step away from his mom. “Of course.” I put her hand in his and step off to the side, where I find my sister. “Hey, Tink, wanna dance?” I hold my hand out and wait for her to take it. She does and lets me lead her onto the floor.

“So, are you or Nate next?”

Tink scoffs. “I have to find someone first. Nate and Cara seem headed down the path of wedded bliss.”

“Ryley seems to think you have something going on with Rask.”

“We’re just friends,” she says. “He doesn’t have anyone.”

“He always has his team. The brotherhood doesn’t die.”

“It’s not the same. He confides in me. His parents have really hurt him.”

Returning from the dead, after six years, really messed our families up. I was the lucky one, so to speak. My family was where I left them. They had just moved on. McCoy had to hunt for his family while Rask’s parents told him they didn’t believe he was their son. And River, well, he’s another story.

“Just make sure he knows the door is always open. He doesn’t need an invite. If he needs a family, he has one with us.”

“I’ll tell him,” Livvie says.

We finish our dance, and the DJ announces it’s time to cut the cake. I wait for Ryley to walk over with EJ, and then we head to the cake table. “Are we doing the smashing thing?”

“I’d rather not,” she says.

“Sounds good to me.”

The caterer hands us a knife and shows us where to cut. We have to go slow so the photographer can get a million pictures that I’m sure we’ll never do anything with. The caterer then slices the piece we cut into bite-sized pieces and tells us to pick one. Again, we move slowly for the photographer. At the same time, Ryley and I lift the cake to each other’s mouths and gently take a bite. It’s the most anticlimactic thing I have ever done.

The DJ gets on his mic and says it’s time for a toast and that the best man has something to say. Nate comes up to us and asks that we take a seat on the two chairs on the dance floor. We do and find our son standing there with a microphone in his hand.

CHAPTER 10

EVAN JR.

When my papa told me it was my job to give a speech, I thought I was going to puke. I don’t like speaking in front of people and I don’t like writing. But Papa said he could help me if I got stuck. He also said I needed to speak from the heart. When I asked him what that meant, he said that I should write down all the thoughts I have about my parents and make sentences with those words, and then those sentences would turn into my speech.

My parents look happy today, especially my mom. I remember when she used to cry all the time. I don’t think she knows I saw and heard her, but I did. It took me a long time to understand why she was always sad, and then my Uncle Nate explained everything to me.

I clear my throat and hold the microphone close to my mouth like the DJ told me to. In my other hand is my speech. Claire helped me type it and showed me how to make the letters really big, so I don’t lose my place. She’s a good friend.

“Hi, I’m EJ which stands for Evan Archer Junior and I’m the best man. My friends call me EJ.”

Everyone laughs, but not in the way that they’re making fun of me. I look at my mom—she’s beautiful. I see her wink and that makes me smile.

“When Evan asked me to be his best man, I didn’t know what that meant until my papa told me. He said it’s my job to give a speech, so here it goes.” I set the microphone down so I can flip the page over. My papa comes and stands next to me and holds the microphone, so I don’t have too. “Thanks, Papa.”

“Ryley is my mom and I love her. I know I don’t tell her every day, but I think she’s the best mom in the whole world and loves me with her whole heart. I love her with mine too and never want to see her sad. Evan is my dad.” I don’t know why, but a noise causes me to look up and I see my dad wiping something off his face. “I am lucky to have a dad like him. For a long time, I didn’t know him but since he came home, he’s taught me how to fish, throw a football, how to swim and tread water like a SEAL, which is funny because sometimes I look like I’m just standing in the water.”

Everyone laughs because I made a joke.

“I love my parents and am happy they got married, even though we already live together. A kid at school says everything changes but not in our house. I think the only thing that could make our family better is another dog.”

Everyone laughs again, even my papa.

I flip to the last page and take a deep breath. “Thank you, Evan, for making my mom happy. I’m really happy that you’re my dad and that you got to come home to us. I know my mom is really happy too. I love you both, but mostly I want to say I love you, Dad, because I don’t say it enough.”

Everyone claps, but my dad. He’s walking toward me and when he reaches me, I see that he’s been crying. He picks me up and holds me to his chest. “This was the best damn speech I have ever heard in my life,” he says. “I love you so much, EJ.”

“I love you too, Dad.”

* * *

Don’t go far—Choose Us—is waiting for you!

Looking for more books by Heidi? Try taking a Sexcation or get wrapped up in a series, the Beaumont Series with Forever My Girl and the Beaumont Series: Next Generation with Holding Onto Forever.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.

Don’t miss more books by Heidi McLaughlin! Sign up for her newsletter, or join the fun in her fan group!

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ALSO BY HEIDI MCLAUGHLIN

THE BEAUMONT SERIES

Forever My Girl

My Everything

My Unexpected Forever

Finding My Forever

Finding My Way

12 Days of Forever

My Kind of Forever

Forever Our Boys

Forever Mason

The Beaumont Boxed Set - #1

THE BEAUMONT SERIES: NEXT GENERATION

Holding Onto Forever

My Unexpected Love

Chasing My Forever

Peyton & Noah

Fighting For Our Forever

A Beaumont Family Christmas

THE PORTLAND PIONEERS:

A BEAUMONT SERIES NEXT GENERATION

SPIN-OFF

Fourth Down

Fair Catch

False Start

CAPE HARBOR SERIES

After All

Until Then

THE ARCHER BROTHERS

Here with Me

Choose Me

Save Me

Here with Us

Choose Us

The Archers Boxed Set

LOST IN YOU SERIES

Lost in You

Lost in Us

THE BOYS OF SUMMER

Third Base

Home Run

Grand Slam

Hawk

THE REALITY DUET

Blind Reality

Twisted Reality

SOCIETY X

Dark Room

Viewing Room

Play Room

THE CLUTCH SERIES

Roman

STANDALONE NOVELS

Stripped Bare

Blow

Sexcation

HOLIDAY NOVELS

Santa’s Secret

It’s a Wonderful Holiday

THE DATING SERIES

A Date for Midnight

A Date with an Admirer

A Date for Good Luck

A Date for the Hunt

A Date for the Derby

A Date to Play Fore

A Date with a Foodie

A Date for the Fair

A Date for the Regatta

A Date for the Masquerade

A Date with a Turkey

A Date with an Elf