Ben immediately ushered them all into the den, settling the whole family around closely. He explained what had happened, who Robert was, and what he had been doing.
Not surprisingly, Charlie had shouted, “I did see a bad man!”
He and Violet let the kids ask questions and answered them as truthfully as they could. Throughout it all, his babcia shook her head and finally praised God that the Mayfields were safely at her house during it all. Ben had to agree with his grandmother’s assessment. She had made hot chocolate, and knowing it would be hard for the kids to go to sleep, he and Violet let them camp out in the main bedroom with them. He’d woken the next morning hanging onto the edge of the bed with Charlie pressed up to him, Lily on the other side of her brother, and Violet hanging off the other edge. He’d smiled… and had never woken up happier.
Violet started with Anderson Construction and in no time at all discovered she loved her new job. Daniel Anderson was easy to work with, she had the autonomy to handle the management of the office the way she saw fit, and she finally felt as though she were using her talents and skills. It was a month before Ben finished with the jobs on the two houses and then he started with Anderson Construction as well.
She and the kids never moved back into their house. At first, they wanted the kids to feel completely at ease and unafraid, but soon, it became apparent that they were happy at Babciu’s with their mom and Ben together.
One night, when Violet was out picking up the kids from a playdate, Ben sat down with his grandmother. Asking if she still wanted to sell to move to an independent villa, she’d admitted that she now hated the idea of not being around everyone, but she didn’t want to be a burden to him. They’d hugged as he’d assured her that he had no desire to live apart from her.
“You know, Benjamin,” she’d said with a smile. “Now that this place is fixed up for a sale, we could stick to that plan. Sell it and find a nice house in the suburbs where the kids can have a big yard to play in.”
At first, he’d been stunned by her offer, but she’d patted his leg and said, “After all, a home is anywhere you share it with loved ones.”
That very night while they were in bed, he’d talked to Violet about the idea of selling both townhouses and buying a family home. She’d greeted the news with a kiss and then flipped him to his back and shown her enthusiastic agreement by riding him to an orgasm that made him swear the stars glowed brighter over their house.
It only took a few weeks to find a house that they all loved, and with sellers that were relocating, they were ready for a quick sale. Luck stayed on their side with both townhouses selling within two weeks of each other. Packing, moving, and settling had filled their lives until they finally felt like the new house was their home.
Babciu had a downstairs bedroom with her own full attached bathroom. The upstairs had four more bedrooms, much like her old home, but there were two hall bathrooms besides the one connected to the main bedroom that Ben shared with his bride.
They’d married two weeks earlier in a small ceremony attended by family and friends. As he’d stood at the end of the aisle of the little church with Zig and Heartbreaker standing up for him and a few more of his former teammates in the pews with their women, he’d watched as Charlie and Lily walked down the aisle flanking Violet. He’d said he was marrying her but taking them all on as a family.
A weekend trip to an exclusive hotel on the Inner Harbor of Hope City had been the perfect honeymoon. Neither had wanted to be away from the kids for very long, but a full weekend not leaving their room had been the perfect way for them to start married life.
And now, he stood in the backyard watching Bounder race around as Lily and Charlie played. Looking behind him, he stared through the kitchen window at his grandmother and Violet, smiles on their faces as they worked side by side.
He twisted around as Charlie spied him and raced over, followed by Lily. His arms wrapped around them, greeting them with equal enthusiasm. Violet came to the door and called them in for dinner, a twinkle in her blue-purple eyes as she grinned at him. He turned to jog up the deck steps when one of the neighborhood kids called over the fence.
“Hey, Charlie… can you come over and play later?”
Shaking his head, Charlie called out, “Nah, my dad’s home. I’m going to play with him.” Waving goodbye, Charlie raced into the house while Ben’s feet stuttered to a halt. His chest depressed as air rushed from his lungs, and he blinked the moisture back from his eyes.
Violet let the kids into the house then stepped over, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him in close. “I heard,” she whispered.
He nodded, not trusting his voice.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded again. Finally, he looked down at her, seeing tears in her eyes, and said, “I never believed in forever. Now, all I want is to be your forever husband and their forever dad.”
Her lips curved into a wide smile, and she lifted on her toes to place a sweet kiss on his lips. “I like the sound of that.”
Walking into the house arm in arm, he agreed. “I do, too, babe. I do, too. Forever.”
For the next SEALs in Paradise - Holiday Edition
Hot SEAL, Independence Day by Elle James
For all the SEALs in Paradise - Holiday Editions
Hot SEAL, Heartbreaker by Cat Johnson
Hot SEAL, Charmed by Parker Kincaid
Hot SEAL, April Fool’s by Becca Jameson
Hot SEAL, In His Memory by Delilah Devlin
Hot SEAL, A Forever Dad by Maryann Jordan
Hot SEAL, Independence Day by Elle James
Hot SEAL, Sweet & Spice by Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Labor Day by Cynthia D’Alba
Hot SEAL, Midnight Magic by Teresa Reasor
Hot SEAL, Sinful Harvest by Parker Kincaid
Hot SEAL, Silent Knight by Kris Michaels
Check out Hope City (a series by Maryann Jordan and Kris Michaels)
Hope City Series by Kris Michaels and Maryann Jordan
Brock book 1
Sean book 2
Carter book 3
Brody book 4
Kyle book 5
Ryker book 6
Rory book 7
Killian book 8
Torin book 9
Also by Maryann Jordan
Don’t miss other Maryann Jordan books!
Lots more Baytown stories to enjoy and more to come!
Baytown Boys (small town, military romantic suspense)
Coming Home
Just One More Chance
Clues of the Heart
Finding Peace
Picking Up the Pieces
Sunset Flames
Waiting for Sunrise
Hear My Heart
Guarding Your Heart
Sweet Rose
Our Time
Count On Me
Shielding You
To Love Someone
Sea Glass Hearts
For all of Miss Ethel’s boys:
Heroes at Heart (Military Romance)
Zander
Rafe
Cael
Jaxon
Jayden
Asher
Zeke
Cas
Lighthouse Security Investigations
Mace
Rank
Walker
Drew
Blake
Tate
Levi
Clay
Cobb