Haley took the phone back. “Isn’t anyone going to ask if I’m ready?”
“No. You’ve been ready. You only denied what was inevitable since you two met.”
“I fought a good fight,” Haley said.
“You certainly did. I hope Dirk’s up to handling you.”
“He’s the only one who can.”
Kayla got back on the phone. “When do you two want the wedding?”
“How about tomorrow?” they both said into the cell.
“I’ll call the wives. I’m sure we can be ready by three. Dirk, let Kijika know about his part.”
“Will do.”
Dirk swung Haley around and carried her back to their bedroom. He settled her gently on the bed and brushed his lips over hers. “Tomorrow, you will be Mrs. Dirk Foster.”
“I know. We’d better get my Mom from the hotel and call my brothers.”
“What about your Dad?”
Haley hesitated, “All right. We’ll invite him, but don’t act too nice or he might want to move in next door.”
“My silly wife, I love you now and for forever. I’ll call my Dad and his new wife. You call your mother and the rest of your family.”
Haley walked out into the sunshine. She smiled up at the blue sky and closed her eyes. Then they popped open. “Wow,” she said out loud. “I never knew how good it feels to be truly happy.
Everyone but Haley’s Air Force brother attended. Arthur promised to visit soon.
“I thought I’d get to spend at least another day in luxury,” her mother said when they picked her up at the hotel, pretending to be disappointed.
Haley and Dirk didn’t say a word. Once they were home, Dirk suggested they sit outside. “It’s a beautiful day. I’ll get drinks for us.”
“I’d like iced tea,” his future mother-in-law said.
“I think there may be some in the refrigerator.”
She turned to him. “I can make tea quick if there isn’t any.”
“I’ll let you know. Go sit with Haley.”
In the kitchen, Dirk opened a bottle of Champagne and poured it into tall, slim glasses. Then he fixed a glass of sweet tea for Haley’s mother. Eager to get outside, he didn’t bother with snacks.
Dirk placed the tray on the table. Haley’s mom reached for the tea and then stopped. “Who is coming to join us? I see you have three glasses of…is that champagne?”
“It is.” Dirk handed her and Haley a glass. He picked his up. “A toast to my beautiful fiancée, who has agreed to marry me. Tomorrow.”
“Wow! My plan to give you two time alone worked faster than I thought.” Mrs. Quinn smiled. “To you both.”
“I suggested the hotel,” Haley said.
“Not until I mentioned how I’d always wanted to stay a few nights in a luxurious hotel.”
“You’re right,” Haley admitted after thinking about it. “How sneaky.” She grinned at her Mom.
“It worked on two stubborn people, and I love it. Tell me all about the plans. Oh, and I will leave directly after the wedding.”
“Good,” Dirk said. Then he put his hand out and shook his head. “I’m kidding. I hope you will visit whenever you want and especially keep Haley company when I’m gone.
Mrs. Quinn got up, and they all hugged. “I will visit. When are you going to have babies?”
“Mom, give us a chance to enjoy being married.”
“I will, but not too long. The most important thing right now is for my daughter and me to go shopping.”
“I’ll visit Wolf and Caroline. They’ll tell me how much food we’ll need.”
“I hadn’t thought of food,” Haley said.
“This is getting complicated. Perhaps we should get married at the courthouse.”
“No way,” her mother said.
“Don’t worry. I can handle this part. Enjoy your shopping and get something sexy for tomorrow night.”
“Dirk!”
Her mother laughed. “Very few things embarrass me anymore. By the way, before your Dad gets here and tells you, I’ve sent divorce papers to him.”
“Mom!”
“It’s about time. I lost too many years staying with a man who only thinks of himself. Being around your friends made me realize I’m still young enough to have another life, and I’m flying home after the wedding to put the house up for sale.”
“I can’t believe it.”
“Believe it, Haley. I’ll let your brothers know after the ceremony and rejoicing is over, and you’ve left on your honeymoon.”
“Will you be happy?”
“Yes, Haley. I am already by making the decision.”
When her mother kissed them and went into the house, Haley shook her head. “I’m dizzy. I never expected so much change so fast.”
Dirk pulled her into his arms and looked down at her face. “You’re dizzy. The woman who killed the bad guy and threw me to the ground with a rocket?”
Haley’s face went red-hot with embarrassment. “Yes, I got dizzy then, too. I’d never killed anyone, and I didn’t see you.”
“I’m teasing, honey, but I am proud of you. What a woman. I’d better never get you angry.”
It was a perfect day. Dirk glanced around at all the families that had come together to celebrate his special day with Haley.
Their group had certainly grown. Jackson and Kayla’s Jacob played with Kijika’s son, Brodie. The two dogs, Scout and Sampson, ran around them barking and having fun. Dacey Rose, Kijika’s daughter, held his hand as she stood at the edge of the water and splashed with her feet.
The ceremony had gone well, and all the speeches and congratulations were finished. Haley’s father remarked how pleased he was she’d gotten some good sense and changed her job and married the right man.
Dirk glanced at his wife. He had his arm around her. “I hope you don’t hold what your father said against me and decide to change your job back.”
“Since I found you and know other men like my brothers and your friends, I’ve blocked out anything he says. You’ve freed me from my total distrust of men.”
“Well, please keep in mind there are still some bad ones out there in the world.”
“Yes, but you and the other SEALs keep them down.”
“I can’t wait to get you alone. When can we leave?”
“How about right now? We’ve eaten, cut the cake, and had some Champagne. The others can stay however long they want. My brothers were shocked at Mom’s news, but accepting. They plan to drive her to the airport. They’ll all be leaving around the same time.” She smiled and whispered, “Let’s go home. I’m sure they can entertain themselves.”
“You’d better believe it.”
Nine Months and One Week Later
“If you encourage me to push one more time, I’ll hit you,” Haley said through gritted teeth.
Dirk grinned. “The doctor said if you pushed more, the baby would come sooner. You’re almost ready. Isn’t she, Nurse?”
The nurse grinned, “Yes, but maybe you ought to wait with your family and friends in the waiting room. I’ll get you when we’ve rolled her into delivery.”
“Go,” Haley said. “I love you, but go.”
“All right. But you’ll miss me.”
Haley tried to laugh as another contraction built.
“He’s gorgeous,” her nurse said after the pain passed.
“Go check out the waiting room. I’m certain it’s full of gorgeous men.”
“Any single ones?”
“A few from one other team, but the other two groups are all married, many with children. Oh, my gosh, this is a hard one.”
The nurse checked her. “You’re ready.” She called the doctor in, and he agreed.
“Let my husband know,” Haley reminded the nurse.
“I’m heading that way. I want to see his friends.”
Haley tried to smile as another contraction hit.
Dirk rushed into the delivery room. “Are you all right?”
he asked as he took her hand and squeezed it.
“It hurts, but I’m excited.”
Their doctor instructed her when to push. To Dirk, it seemed to take a long time before the doctor held the first baby up. “Here’s your son.”
Haley’s nurse wrapped their baby and put him in her arms. “He’s beautiful.”
Dirk leaned over to see his son. “He’s going to look like you. Look at his dark red hair.”
“Would you like to hold him?” the nurse asked Dirk. “Then we have to weight him and check him over.”
“Yes,” Dirk said softly. His son’s eyes opened and looked straight up at Dirk.
Haley smiled at them. “He may have my hair color, but he already has your stubborn square jaw. Oh,” she gasped. “Our other baby is coming.”
A few minutes later, their second son was born. He cried even louder than the first. His little red face got redder. Dirk held him first. “Temper, temper, little guy. You’re mad because you had to wait for your brother.”
Dirk kissed the top of his head, and the baby stopped crying and looked straight at him. “Here, while you’re quiet, meet Momma.” He placed the baby in Haley’s arms.
She brushed the baby’s hair and looked into his eyes. “You’ll look just like Daddy, I bet, except for the red hair.” She glanced over at Dirk. “Maybe the next two will look like me. But these two are beautiful,” she said and handed the baby off to the nurse.
“Handsome, my love, handsome.”
The doctor came around to them. “Did I hear you say the next two?”
Haley explained about the man who sold them their wedding rings and his prediction.
“I’d better tell my friends not to go there before they get married. Maybe he’ll be wrong.”
“To be safe, these boys are going to be five or six before we try again. What’s the best contraception?” Dirk asked.
Laughing, the doctor headed toward the door. When he opened it, he said, “Not having sex.” Then he left and let the door shut.
“That’s not even funny,” Dirk said and frowned at the closed door.
“Don’t worry, honey. There are lots of ways to prevent pregnancy these days. I only have to remember to take my pill.”
“I think the boys will remind you every day.”
Haley smiled at Dirk. “Go out and tell our friends about the boys. I’m sleepy.”
When Dirk entered the waiting room, everyone surrounded him. “I have two healthy sons. Both have red hair, but Haley said they'll look like me because they have my stubborn jaw.”
“Is Haley disappointed one boy didn’t resemble her? You know their looks can change,” Kayla said.
“No, she’s expecting the next set to be girls like her.”
“The old man could be wrong,” Wolf reminded him.
“I doubt it. We’re going to wait until the boys are five or six before trying again.”
They all laughed. “Good luck with that.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re already in love with the boys and sooner than five years, you’ll want to see if you can get a girl or two,” Shadow said. “We were lucky and got one of each on the first try.”
“And you didn’t get a spell put on you, either,” Dirk reminded Shadow.
“True.”
“As soon as Haley’s ready, we’ll celebrate you two and the twins.” Caroline nodded to the other wives. “And we all can’t wait to see them. “Don’t worry,” she added, as all the men’s beepers went off. “We’ll come around often and make sure she gets some rest.”
Haley’s Mom patted Dirk’s back. “I’ll stay until you get back. I’m looking forward to cuddling my favorite grandsons.”
“They’re your only grandchildren,” Ranger said as he waved and headed to the door. The other men were kissing their wives and children goodbye.
“That’s why they can be my favorites.” Haley’s Mom continued. “I’ll take good care of them.”
When the men had gone, the wives gathered around Mrs. Quinn. “We’ll make charts, and you’ll have a helper all the time,” Kayla said.
“That’s not necessary, but it’s so nice.”
“We’ve been doing something like this whenever a SEAL and his wife have a baby,” Caroline added. “But most of the time, the father’s been here, so we didn’t go as often.”
“Amazing, what a wonderful group, SEALs and their wives. My daughter has been especially lucky. I’m glad she waited until the right man came along.”
Kayla laughed and added. “She’s perfect for Ranger. He needed a woman who’d give him a hard time before saying yes.”
“How true, and I heard, Josie, who I liked, has gotten engaged and will be marrying soon,” Caroline added.
“It all ended just right,” Anais said. “Shadow would say it was all planned long ago. But he’d add these two gave the plan a rough time getting it to work.”
Epilogue
When the SEALs returned, the babies were two months old. Dirk looked for his car and saw Haley, and her Mom, each holding a baby. He rushed to their sides.
After kissing Haley, Dirk took a turn holding each son. They’d decided on several names before he left. Looking down on the son he held, he asked, “How do you tell them apart?”
“You’re holding Caden. Online it said the meaning is Spirit of Battle. Mom is holding Aidan, which is supposed to mean Little Fire or Fiery One. Remember, we laughed when we checked those names. Turns out they fit our sons very well. Caden doesn’t do battle unless he feels neglected, or his brother’s hand hits him. They are quite a pair. Aidan will let you know when he is displeased about anything, Caden, not as much.”
“So, I’m holding Caden?”
“Yes, his red hair is a bit darker than Aiden’s. Otherwise, the only difference is a small birthmark on Aidan’s ankle. I swear it looks like a tiny sword,” Haley said.
“That’s an appropriate birthmark for two warrior parents.” Dirk looked more closely at Haley. “Are you happy giving up your sword?”
She leaned across Caden and kissed him. “What do you think?”
“Can Mom take the babies and go to a hotel for the night?” he teased.
“No,” Mom said. “But I’ll put plugs in my ears.”
Dirk gathered them both in his arms with the babies between them. “How can a man be so lucky to get a Mom and a wife at the same time.”
They all laughed as they put the boys in their car seats. As they pulled out to drive home, Aidan opened his eyes and cried out.
“He’s fine,” Haley said. “He is welcoming Dad home.”
Aidan’s hand hit Caden, and he yelled out. “And the other welcomes you, too,” Haley added.
“Damn, it’s good to be home.”
About the Author
Born in Florida, Rachel McNeely’s early dreams included being a movie star. Of course, it didn’t happen. Later, she escaped into daydreams full of fascinating stories. Her friends had to endure her reading those tales to them when she began to put them to paper.
There were detours in her life for marriage, children, and going back to college. But, she continued to be an avid reader and dream of the day she’d have a book published. Once her children were grown and she had time to write, she joined a writer’s group and her dreams of writing and publishing came true.
Books by Rachel McNeely
Special Forces: Operation Alpha:
The SEAL’s Surprise Baby
The SEAL’s Surprise Bride
The SEAL’s Surprise Twin
The SEAL’s Surprise Mission
Others:
His Intriguing Imposter
The Persistent Suitor
The Rouge Suitor
The Warrior Suitor
The American Suitor
The Noble Suitor
The Earl’s Undaunted Bride
The Duke’s Unexpected Bride
The Duke’s Blind Temptation
Sandstones Ghostly Secret
s
Bewitching the Marquis
There are many more books in this fan fiction world than listed here, for an up-to-date list go to www.AcesPress.com
You can also visit our Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/operationalpha
Special Forces: Operation Alpha World
Denise Agnew: Dangerous to Hold
Shauna Allen: Awakening Aubrey
Shauna Allen: Defending Danielle
Shauna Allen: Rescuing Rebekah
Shauna Allen: Saving Scarlett
Shauna Allen: Saving Grace
Brynne Asher: Blackburn
Jennifer Becker: Hiding Catherine
Julia Bright: Saving Lorelei
Julia Bright: Rescuing Amy
Victoria Bright: Surviving Savage
Victoria Bright: Going Ghost
Victoria Bright: Jostling Joker
Cara Carnes: Protecting Mari
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Beast
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Barbie
Kendra Mei Chailyn : Pitbull
Melissa Kay Clarke: Rescuing Annabeth
Melissa Kay Clarke: Safeguarding Miley
Samantha A. Cole: Handling Haven
Samantha A. Cole: Cheating the Devil
Sue Coletta: Hacked
Melissa Combs: Gallant
KaLyn Cooper: Rescuing Melina
Liz Crowe: Marking Mariah
Jordan Dane: Redemption for Avery
Jordan Dane: Fiona’s Salvation
Riley Edwards: Protecting Olivia
Riley Edwards: Redeeming Violet
Riley Edwards, Recovering Ivy
Nicole Flockton: Protecting Maria
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Erin
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Suzie
Nicole Flockton: Guarding Brielle
Casey Hagen: Shielding Nebraska
Casey Hagen: Shielding Harlow
Casey Hagen: Shielding Josie
Casey Hagen: Shielding Blair
Desiree Holt: Protecting Maddie
The SEAL’s Surprise Mate - Rachel McNeely Page 17
