The SEAL's Second Chance Baby Read Online Free PDF Page B

his shoulder and carried him kicking and screaming to the truck.
    Unsure what she’d do if Colt behaved like that with her, she’d bowed to his pressure—a horrible parenting move, but what else could she have done? With Cassidy riding in her carrier, if Colt pulled a stunt like running off, her only option would have been hefting his brother into the cart, then chasing after him.
    Back at Mabel’s ranch, Effie was surprised to find a familiar red Ford pickup in Mabel’s drive. What was Wallace doing at the house? Had he driven himself without a license? More importantly, her racing pulse wondered, had he brought his grandson? If Marsh was even out of the hospital.
    After parking her minivan, she flipped down the visor to check if she looked as bad as she felt—just in case Marsh was feeling well enough to tag along. In a word? Yes. Her once-neat ponytail sagged, and dozens of wispy curls framed her flushed face.
    â€œWhat’cha lookin’ at, Mom?” Remington still sat in his safety seat, but Colt had already unbuckled himself and opened the van’s side door.
    Since she couldn’t tell her son she was checking herself out for a possible encounter with the handsome neighbor, she crossed her fingers behind her back before saying, “I, um, thought I had something in my eye.”
    â€œOh.” He scrambled from his seat to take Cassidy from hers. “Ready to see Great-Gramma?” he asked his baby sister in an adorable soft tone.
    Cassidy grinned, bucking with excitement.
    â€œSure you’re strong enough to carry her?” Effie asked.
    â€œMo-om.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m really big, and she’s really small.”
    â€œOh, well in that case, you can always carry her.” She kept a close eye on the pair while opening the van’s rear door. “How about you start by taking her in the house. Colt and I will grab your school supplies.”
    â€œOkay.” He took his time with his baby sister, being extra careful on the short step to the porch.
    â€œThere you are.” Mabel burst out the front door.
    Wallace followed behind her, then spotted Effie. “Let me help with that. Looks like you’ve got your hands full.”
    He bounded out in front of Mabel to take Effie’s bags.
    â€œThank you.” She eyed her blushing grandmother, whose expression landed between the cat who swallowed a canary and a randy teen who’d been caught making out. “Everything all right?”
    â€œOh, fine, fine,” Wallace said. “Marsh!” He waved toward the barn, where his grandson exited at a snail’s pace. “Come on over here. You should both hear our happy news.”
    Mabel beamed.
    What in the world is going on?
    And how did any man have a right to look so good straight out of the hospital? Should he even be walking? Marsh’s left hand was bandaged. He wore jeans and a white T-shirt with NAVY written on the front in big blue letters. She couldn’t tell which was in worse condition, his battered cowboy boots or his equally shabby brown leather cowboy hat. The closer he got, the more she couldn’t help but wonder how she hadn’t before noticed his eyes being quite so dark. Like decadent fudge pools.
    â€œHi,” she said with a painfully awkward wave in his direction, willing her runaway pulse to slow. “Should you already be up and around?”
    â€œJudging by how crappy I’m feeling, nope.” He winced. “But I needed to check on my horse. Thanks for taking care of him.”
    â€œIt’s been my pleasure. If you want, he can stay here till you feel up to riding.”
    â€œThat’d be great. Thanks.” His half smile turned her knees to rubber. Shame on her. As the single mom of three kids, the last thing she had time for was checking out a cowboy—especially one with even more emotional baggage than her.
    â€œDid you kill the snake that bit you?”