Page 56 of Married to a SEAL

The rest of the group chuckled. Only Sarah could get away with shushing the commander of the SEAL team. He didn’t exactly appear upset about it though, Rebecca thought with a smile.

“To Ice and Rebecca,” Christopher said, holding his beer high in the air. “Rebecca, I know you can do better than his sorry ass—”

The other men chuckled as Patrick growled beside her.

“—but I’m damn sure Ice couldn’t do any better than you.”

“Here, here,” Patrick agreed, his eyes blazing with heat.

Christopher looked to Rebecca. “You’re officially part of our SEAL family now. Although who am I kidding—you were ever since you and Patrick first started dating. I knew he was head over heels for you when he had the rest of the team guarding you 24/7. And I’ve never seen him look at anyone the way he looks at you. I wish both of you a lifetime of happiness, because no one deserves it more. Congratulations!”

Beer bottles clinked together, and the women toasted their champagne and sparkling juice. Lexi grabbed a fork and began lightly tapping her glass, signaling it was time for them to kiss. Rebecca felt heat rising in her cheeks as all eyes landed on them, but Patrick smiled and pulled her close, ducking down for an intimate kiss.

His large hand spanned the small of her back, and with his large frame surrounding hers, suddenly everyone else faded into the background.

“Hoorah!”

“Kiss the bride!”

After the cheers died down, conversations continued on around them.

“Let’s get something to eat,” Patrick said. “I plan to fully enjoy Blade taking over grilling duties tonight.”

“I still can’t believe you did this,” Rebecca said.

“Technically the rest of the team did. I just kept it a secret.”

“So who do you think will tie the knot next?”

Patrick smirked. “The hell if I know. My only concern is the woman in front of me.” Their eyes locked for a moment before Patrick handed her a paper plate. He piled his own plate high with food as some of the other guys on his team walked over.

“The CO said you’re back on active duty,” Christopher said, taking a swig of his beer. “Guess we’ll see you Monday morning?”

“Affirmative,” Patrick replied, his eyes sweeping toward Rebecca.

She looked toward him worriedly, knowing this moment had been coming. He was a SEAL. She’d known that from the moment she’d met him. She’d known in the back of her mind that he could be injured—killed.

“It’ll be good to have you back, Ice,” Evan said, slapping him on the back. Evan had been injured in an explosion a year ago and had been sidelined from the team for a month. Rebecca knew the rest of the men were glad that Patrick would be back in training with them, but she couldn’t help the worry tugging at her heart. They were having a baby now. They were married. Part of her felt like she had that much more to lose if something were to ever happen to him.

“Hey, why so melancholy?” Alison asked.

Rebecca glanced over at her best friend. “Just thinking.” She absentmindedly rubbed the slight swell of her stomach.

“Everything’s going to change in a few months.”

Rebecca laughed. “I’m more worried about Patrick going back to work with the team than having a baby.”

“They’re the best at what they do. You know how it was for me when Evan went back—I mean, we weren’t even officially together until he was injured. But you got a second chance with Patrick. I mean, would he even have suggested getting married if he hadn’t been injured like that?”

“Not right away. Neither of us were in any sort of hurry, although he had already picked out a ring.”

“Exactly. His accident just hurried everything along. Things have a weird way of working out sometimes.”

Rebecca turned toward the sudden burst of laughter over near the grill and saw Christopher eyeing a burger that had landed on the ground. “Let me try again!” he said, flipping a second off the grill and neatly catching it on the platter.

The guys broke into cheers, and Patrick’s heated gaze caught hers.

Alison laughed beside her. “That man looks pretty damn happy.”

“Christopher or Patrick?” Rebecca asked innocently.

Alison gently elbowed her in the side. “Your husband. Your husband looks completely smitten with you.”

Rebecca glanced at her best friend. “The feeling is mutual. And I’m pretty damn happy right now, too.”

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