After they separated, Vince took Matty by the shoulders and said, “Congrats.”
“Thanks.” Matty swallowed as a surge of emotion swelled up and dragged him away in the waves. If he didn’t get a hold of it, he’d be gushing like his mother did at weddings. He glanced at her. Her eyes already glistened as she watched them from the front row of chairs. How many times had she gushed to him since he got engaged about her baby getting married?
“All right, we have one job in this wedding,” Angelo added, walking away with Vince. “We’re on it.”
“What?” Matty asked. “You’re supposed to be up here with me.” His heartbeat sped up.
“We’ll be back.”
Matty stared at his brothers as they headed to the main house. They each wore a casual pair of loose tan pants and a relaxed white button-down shirt and were barefoot, as was Matty, to go along with the easygoing vibe. What did they have planned?
Derek stepped closer. “You nervous, man?”
“Na, bro.” Matty forced a grin.
“Can’t fool me,” Derek said. “You’re fidgeting like you pounded three Red Bulls followed by an espresso.”
It was true. Matty could not stand still as he fretted waiting for Jenna. If he shifted anymore in the sand, he’d probably sink into it and be swallowed.
Derek said, “Congratulations in advance.” He raised his index finger. “But if you ever hurt my sister, I’ll kill you.”
“I wouldn’t blame you. Hell, I’d fall on my own sword.” Matty said. “I’d never do it, though. Never hurt her.”
“I know.” Derek nodded and then laughed. “Who would’ve thought that you pretending to be her boyfriend would’ve led to this?” He motioned around them. He grinned, “I think I should get some thanks for helping to arrange that.”
Matty let out a sound of disbelief. “You are what kept me away from her for as long as I could take it.”
Derek laughed. “Who wants their best friend messing around with his little sister?”
“We were never messing around. I always cared about Jenna.”
“I know that.” Derek spread his hands wide. “And that’s why I got over it after you two blindsided me with the news. Deep down, maybe I sensed it would happen. I’d have to be clueless not to have seen the way you two gawked at each other that night we all met up in Newport.”
Matty grinned. “What can I say? She’s hot.”
Derek groaned and then playfully punched Matty on the arm. “Seriously though, looking forward to officially calling you brother—and finally having you and Jenna visit me in Tokyo.”
“Can’t wait.” Matty nodded. They were spending their honeymoon in Japan, visiting Derek in Tokyo and Vince and Emma in Okinawa before going on an adventure tour.
The music started, drawing their attention. Stepping out from beneath an arch were Angelo and Vince. They walked Trixie as well as Sally, the German Shephard from the canine organization, down the aisle. Sally dutifully carried the pouch with the wedding rings. Matty had bonded to her soon after they’d started volunteering at the canine organization and then later adopted her.
Matty laughed. A Marine and a former SEAL escorting two dogs down the aisle. Did Jenna have something to do with this plan?
After his brothers stepped to the side of Matty, his attention turned to the aisle. The band played and Jenna and her father walked out from under the arch.
Matty’s breath hitched. In that simple, yet elegant silk gown, she appeared radiant. Her chestnut hair was pinned up on the sides with loose tendrils curled to frame her face. He caught her gaze and couldn’t see anything else but her. His heart hammered in his chest like the rapid fire of machine gun, but as she approached, he exhaled. The thunderous panic softened.
It was going to be all right. Everything would be all right with Jenna in his future.
He had his family here, his bride walking toward him. Life couldn’t get any better than this, could it?
He heard his mother’s voice in his head. Oh yes, it can. Grandchildren.
Matty grinned. One thing at a time. Sure, maybe one day they’d have kids. Catherine was already four months pregnant. Let big brother Angelo take that lead, and then Vince could follow. Matty was in no rush—he and Jenna already had three fur babies and he’d secretly spoken to the cat shelter manager about adopting a cat.
Matty caught Jenna’s eyes and she leveled him with a brilliant smile as if reading his thoughts about adding more fur babies to their growing family.
He grinned. They’d have to move into a bigger place.
Jack
Jack ordered a whiskey and soda at his cousin Matty’s wedding reception and then walked over to Vince, another Marine in their family, as a soft jazz song played. “How do you like Okinawa?”
“Pretty good so far.” Vince nodded toward his wife Emma who was chatting with other family members under the shade of the white tent on the beach. “We got a great little place near Naha and spend the weekends exploring the old castles and trying new foods.”
“Mmm. That’s one thing I miss about being stationed there.” After a pause, Jack added, “And the beach. And culture.”
“One thing? You’re already up to three.” Vince noted with a grin. “Anything else?”
Jack took a sip of his drink. He didn’t want to think about what he missed most. Or, who, rather. It had been a year and half since he’d last seen Vivi. She could be anywhere by now—still in Okinawa or deployed to another part of the world.
Jack exhaled. “Better than Camp Lejeune, that’s for sure.” His current and final duty station didn’t have the same ambiance as what he’d experienced overseas.
“How much time do you have left?” Vince asked.
“Six months.” Jack grunted. “And I’m not reupping. The countdown to becoming a civilian again has begun.” He raised his glass as if toasting.
Vince laughed. “Man, you’re gonna leave me to serve out my twenty, too?”
“Being a lifer isn’t for everyone.”
Matty’s laughter rang out from across the beach as he broke away from a small group. Jack said, “I better congratulate your brother while I have the chance. He’s impossible to catch.”
Jack strode over to Matty and patted him on the back. “Congrats, man. Never thought I’d see the day that you would tie the knot.”
“Stranger things have happened.” Matty arched his brow and grinned. “Glad you could make it up for the weekend.”
Jack exhaled. “You don’t know how happy I am to be here.”
“Damn, Jack. I didn’t know you were so eager to see me settle down,” Matty teased.
“Ha ha. Yes, I’m thrilled for you, but also looking forward to joining you, Angelo, and Antonio with being a civilian again.”
Matty gave Jack a playful punch on his bicep. “Hell yeah. Are you going to stick around Boston?”
“Yeah, I’ve been gone too long. After four years in college and four longer years in the Marines, I’m ready to live near my mom and sister again.”
“Nice. We’ll be within driving distance. We can hang out more than the occasional family wedding or funeral.”
Matty’s bride, Jenna, waved him over from near the DJ table.
“It’s time for the first dance. You’re not going to want to miss the moves.” Matty circled his hips in an exaggerated motion.
Jack laughed. “I’m still trying to forget the ones I saw at Vince and Emma’s wedding. Come to think of it—didn’t you catch the garter? And when we said you were the next to get married, you prowled across the dance floor declaring something about being a tiger that couldn’t be tamed?”
One side of Matty’s mouth lifted in a grin. “Just throwing you all off my tail.” He gave a slow turn and raised his hand with a flourish as he walked toward the dance floor set up on the beach. “Coming, my beautiful bride.”
The music began and Matty pulled Jenna close. As he spun her around with a flourish to Etta James’s “At Last,” Jac
k looked on.
He inhaled the scent of the ocean before he took another sip of his drink. Would he ever find himself dancing with the love of his life at his wedding the way he’d seen his cousins do? Since there were zero prospects at the moment, it didn’t seem likely. Besides, he hadn’t found anyone who’d made him feel the way Vivi did during those short, stolen moments together.
For the eight-hundredth time, he told himself to forget her and move on.
Yet, he couldn’t abandon the sliver of hope that he’d run into her one day. It wasn’t out of the question that she could end up at Camp LeJeune when her deployment was over. Anytime he spotted a female Marine with brown hair who stood around her height, he took a closer look. It was never her. And his time remaining in the Corps was dwindling.
Even if he did find her again, nothing would change. A relationship between them was forbidden…
Author’s Note:
If you liked Matty and Jenna’s romance, you’ll love Jack and Vivi’s reunion where he least suspects—a fundraiser gala for a cat shelter!
Read what happens next in Jack - A Second Chance Marine Romance!
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~ Lisa
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Acknowledgments
As always, tremendous thanks to my critique group, editor, beta readers, proofreader, ARC readers, and you, the reader! Thank you for spending time with me with characters I love.
Lisa
About the Author
USA Today bestselling author Lisa Carlisle loves to write stories about wounded or misunderstood heroes finding their happily ever after. They often face the temptation of fated and forbidden love--so difficult to resist!
Her romances have been named Top Picks at Night Owl Reviews and the Romance Reviews.
She draws on her travels and experiences in her stories, which include deploying to Okinawa, Japan, while in the Marines, backpacking alone through Europe, and living in Paris before returning to the U.S. She owned a bookstore for a few years as she loves to read. She’s now married to a fantastic man, and they have two kids, two cats, and too many fish.
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Book List
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Navy SEALs, Marines, and hometown heroes. Each one encounters his most complicated mission yet, when he will find a woman from his past—who changes his future.
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Book 7: COMBUST (vampire / witch romances)
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Book 9: TORCH (a gargoyle shifter / werewolf romance
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Matty: A Navy SEAL Romance Page 19
