She nodded. “I know, but they can be a lot.”
Seth hugged her. “Actually, I think they’re just right.”
“Just like you. You’re just right for me.”
Later, Seth decided it was time to call his other family. His teammates.
Mara’s family was amazing. He’d enjoyed his individual chats with her brothers. They were all interesting men, fiercely protective of their sister. An attitude he appreciated.
Years of working in high-pressure kitchens and in special forces had helped him endure the endless questions about why he thought he was good enough for their little sister. Maybe he wasn’t, but the fact that he loved her and wasn’t afraid to tell them so had them all rooting for him.
Her father, James, was a great man. Hard-working, not only in his construction business, but also as a father to nine kids. Nine was overwhelming.
Seth knew he wanted to be a dad. Wanted to watch their kids grow inside Mara, and then run around the farmhouse as they developed into strong people.
But nine? Not a chance.
Unless Mara wanted that many.
With a goofy grin, he wandered into the orchard. He knew he’d be pacing while talking, so outside was better than in.
He’d managed to get all four members of his team on the video call tonight. They weren’t all on the same team anymore. Their recovery processes had meant they’d re-entered active duty at different times and with different attitudes. Clay had chosen to work in the offices rather than return to the front, a choice they all respected.
Brain and Squid were stateside, while Johnny was in Central America dealing with the aftermath of a mission and would be heading home soon.
With them all in the same hemisphere, it hadn’t been as difficult to arrange a call as he’d expected.
Soon, his buddies’ four faces filled the tablet he’d borrowed from Mara, and Seth had to battle back the emotion.
“Babs, so glad you called.”
“It’s great to see you, Babs.”
“Good to be together again.”
“You doing okay?”
“How’s the leg? You still walking?”
“You find a place to do some cooking?”
The flurry of greetings and questions gave him time to swallow hard and answer. “Hey, everyone. It’s great to see you all.”
And it was. Not as painful as it had been in the past. He knew he’d well and truly put his injury into perspective. “I’m a lucky bastard.”
They all cracked up, and Johnny grinned. “No shit. Glad you figured it out.”
He nodded. “I did. It only took an apple farm to help me find my way again.”
Clay’s eyebrows shot up. “For real? I was fifty percent sure you were shitting us about an apple farm.”
Seth flipped the camera around, panning it through the orchard and up into the trees where the apples were growing.
Brain laughed. “Nice. So, who is she?”
He was glad the camera was facing away because another goofy grin popped onto his face at even the thought of her.
Then he decided he didn’t care if they knew he was stupid in love, so he turned it back on himself. “Mara Evans, and she’s incredible.”
