Page 1 of Found Forever

The evening was warm for early June. The crickets sung their nightly lullaby, but it was drowned out by the music pumping from the DJ booth.

Decker was not one for loud parties or music. Not even before his days in the navy, fighting overseas and getting his eardrums pummeled by gunfire.

He liked music, but he liked it at a reasonable decibel. One where he could still hear himself think. A volume moderate enough that if someone cried for help, or there was a siren from an ambulance or fire truck, they’d be able to hear it.

He sat at one of the tables in the big white tent and watched from his perch as dozens of people—his twin brother, Ryker included—danced and grinded on the dance floor.

They were at the Harris Brothers Ranch in Colorado to celebrate their buddy Nate getting married.

Nate and his brother Asher were fellow SEALs, but they retired from active duty a few years ago, deciding that ranch life was more their speed. So now they bred horses, did trail rides, ran a petting farm and offered horse boarding.Their wives also had their businesses on the property. Triss, Asher’s wife, had her therapy clinic where she was a speech pathologist, and Nate’s bride Mieka (Triss’s sister) had just opened up her dance studio. They had acres and acres of land, so why not?

Decker brought the low ball of whiskey to his mouth and took a sip.

He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off the blonde in the yellow dress all night. She was Joanna or Joanie, Mieka’s friend from their days dancing on the cruise ships, and she was stunning. Her smile was brighter than the goddamn sun, her eyes were an interesting blue-hazel, and the way she moved her body as she danced with Mieka, had Decker hypnotized.

She’d caught him looking at her more than once and smiled coyly as she continued to shimmy and shake her hips.

Her blonde curls hung down her back, grazing the back of her dress, but it swayed like willow branches on a warm breeze with her beautiful dancing.

He could honestly watch her dance all fucking night.

Maybe it was the whiskey talking, but he didn’t think so.

He hadn’t said a fucking word to her, though.

Because he had no ideawhatto say.

He’d arrived yesterday with Ryker and they went out with the rest of the crew to Denver for Nate’s bachelor party. It wasn't as wild as Asher’s bachelor party, but it was still wild. Asher’s party—because Nate had planned it—was kind of crazy. And it’d been a joint party with the bachelorettes. But since Asher—who was more reserved and relaxed like Decker—planned Nate’s party, things were far more low-key.

Which was something most of them appreciated today, since none of them were spring chickens any longer and couldn’t binge-drink like teenagers, then get up the next day and act like nothing had happened.

In his prime, Decker could easily drink ten or more ounces of vodka in a night, blackout, then wake up the next morning and run a marathon—he’d done that at least twice.

Not anymore. He was forty-five and feeling his age now.

It was good to see his friends, though.

See his brothers in arms.

They’d been so tight when they were all in active duty, working as an elite SEAL team, then black ops. Now, most of them were married and had families. Aaron Steele has four kids—four! Decker never would have pegged the broody, tattooed redhead for a dad, let alone one to four kids. But he looked happier than Decker had ever seen him.

Rob Cahill married a billionaire heiress, and they had twin girls, then Barnes Wark married Rob’s wife’s sister (also a billionaire heiress) and although they didn’t have kids, and didn’t plan to, they had a fulfilling life in Oregon.

Colton Hastings married Aaron’s wife’s friend after only knowing her for a day. They eloped to Vegas. But years later, they were still happy and had two kids.

Pete Callaghan just found love with Asher and Nate’s cousin, Hannah, and then Asher and Nate were finally in love and starting families.

Then there was Brendan.

Decker’s throat grew tight at the memory of their brother. He took his own life shortly after his daughter Sasha was born, leaving his wife, Molly, and Sasha to pick up the pieces of their shattered hearts.

Everyone’s heart shattered the day they got the phone call about Brendan.

Molly had been invited to the wedding, because none of them turned their back on her after Brendan died. They stepped up and one of them was always there if she needed something. But Sasha had a dance recital, so they had to miss the wedding.

That left Decker and Ryker as the remaining single men from their brotherhood.

Ryker played the field like a star quarterback, but Decker preferred commitment.

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