House for Sale Navy SEAL Included

House for Sale Soldier Included

By Cora Seton

“When are you going to find a wife?”

Lincoln Elliott lifted the last of his parents’ luggage into the bed of his truck, which sat parked in front of the large, white house he’d grown up in on Elliott Ridge. It was June and the sun beat down from a clear blue Montana sky, sparkling on the wind-ruffled water of Elliott Lake. He’d known the question was coming. His parents had returned to the Ridge last week for his brother’s wedding. His mother, a self-designated romantic at heart, would have had to acquire a whole new level of self-restraint to leave town without asking.

The question had been on his mind, too. After all, he was fresh home from a twelve-year stint in the Army. He was working with his four brothers to make their lumber mill profitable again and resurrect the small town his family had owned for generations. Under any other circumstances, it would make sense for him to look for a partner.

Unfortunately, he had a debt to pay before he could do so.

A big one.

He came around to shut the door as his mom settled in the passenger seat. She held out a hand to stop him. “Well?”

“I have no idea, Mom.” He pushed gently on the door again and this time she allowed it to close. As he made his way to the driver’s seat, he counseled himself to have patience. She wasn’t judging him for being single. She was simply in a celebratory mood now that she’d seen Carter, her youngest son, wed.

“You didn’t bring a plus one to the wedding,” his father pointed out from the back seat as Lincoln got in behind the wheel. Sitting beside him, grinning, was Carter’s new bride, Amanda. Lincoln knew she found his whole family mighty entertaining. He supposed it was a good think she didn’t think they were annoying. All the Elliotts were strong-willed.

Stubborn, even.

“You’re right. I didn’t.” He hoped his tone made it clear he didn’t want to discuss the matter anymore. The truth was, he’d be happy to find a woman like Amanda to spend his life with. These days Carter strode around the place brimming with energy and enthusiasm for the future. It had been a long time since Lincoln had felt like that—and it was his own damn fault.

He fired up the engine, backed out of the driveway and drove around the Circle, which encompassed a grassy area at the centre of the community.

When he and his brothers arrived back at the Ridge in April, they’d returned to their childhood bedrooms in number one Elliott Way as if nothing had changed. A month later, Carter moved out again. He’d claimed one of the town’s empty houses for himself and had been partway through renovating it when Amanda arrived. Desperate to keep her here, he’d offered to sell it to her for a dollar. His ruse had worked. Amanda had moved in and the two of them had swiftly fallen in love.

“What happened to Katie?” his mother persisted.

“Who’s Katie?” Amanda piped up from the back seat.

Lincoln sighed. “She didn’t last through my last deployment.” He wasn’t broken up about it, either, which showed she wasn’t the one, as far as he was concerned.

“What about the women around here?” his father grumbled. “None of them good enough for you?”

Lincoln glanced at him in the rearview mirror as he made the turn onto the county highway that led to Chance Creek. He and his dad hadn’t spoken very much during his parents’ time here, which was probably because Lincoln had been avoiding him. Throughout his visit, Carter had tried to get their father excited about all they’d done so far, but while he seemed happy to see Carter married, he hadn’t found much else to praise about their efforts.

“Not yet. Only been here a couple of months, Dad.”

The day Carter had brought their father to inspect their progress at the mill, he’d gone over the contracts they’d managed to secure so far and had introduced their father to some of the temporary workers they’d hired back in April.

“Pretty soon we’ll be hiring permanent workers,” Carter had told him. “I’m working on getting us a contract that will keep us busy for the rest of the year. We can raise the wages we’re paying and attract some real talent.”

Their father grunted. “I remember when this mill ran with full shifts around the clock.”

Lincoln had caught Carter’s eye behind their father’s back and shook his head. There was no appeasing their dad where the mill was concerned. Not until they’d paid back the equipment loans that had gotten their family into this mess to begin with.

Their father was right; they were operating at a fraction of their historical capacity, but if Lincoln had his way, that wouldn’t be the case for long. He was in charge of running the mill now. It was his responsibility to get their capacity up again.

His responsibility to pay those loans.

“I saw Hudson flirting with some pretty young thing at the wedding,” his dad said, breaking into his thoughts.

“Hudson’s always flirting with someone,” Lincoln said. “It doesn’t mean anything.” He was pretty sure he’d seen his brother putting the moves on at least three different women that night. His brother was like that. Charming. Boisterous. Fun. Identical twins ought to have the same luck with women, but while women flocked to Hudson, Lincoln wasn’t made that way.

“Stop comparing yourself to him,” his mother said as if she’d read his mind. “You’re not interested in flirting with a dozen women. You want one special one who’s going to be just yours.”

What the hell did you say to a pronouncement like that? “Sure thing, Mom.”

His mother waved a hand at him. “Scoff all you want. It’s true. Remember, Elliott men know when they meet the one. Right?” She turned in her seat to face her husband.

“That’s right. Moment I saw you, I knew how it would all turn out,” his father said complacently.

Lincoln thought about that as drove the rest of the way to the airport, his parents pointing out all that had changed and all that had stayed the same in Chance Creek County since they’d last lived here. He didn’t buy the family legend about Elliott men and love at first sight. Any pretty woman could get a reaction out of him. That didn’t mean anything in the long term.

And he wanted something long term. He wanted what his parents had—a partnership that lasted through thick and thin. They’d had to admit defeat and leave their home twelve years ago, and then create a whole new life in a brand-new state. His father had health issues, was taking medicine for his heart and was recovering from a hip replacement. Still, his parents treated each other with respect and care. Were genuinely happy to spend time together. Seeing them dance at Carter’s wedding had eased his fears that a decade in North Carolina might have left them bitter and unhappy.

Still, they missed the Ridge. He’d heard his mother heave a sigh or two when she first entered her old home—especially when she took in the view of Elliott Lake from her old back deck. Once, he thought he’d seen his father close to tears. They’d been down at the beach by the old barbecue pits where his dad used to hold court at family gatherings and community picnics. His dad had always loved to see all his people around him, knowing he provided jobs and homes for everyone who lived on the Ridge.

“A year ago, you could have knocked me over with a feather if you’d told me you boys would all live here and Carter would marry,” Lincoln’s mother said. “I’m so glad he did, though,” she added, looking over her shoulder at Amanda.

“I’m glad he did, too,” Amanda said.

Lincoln hid a wry smile. A year ago, his parents had received an offer for the town from Blake Warrington, who was developing the back side of the Ridge into a golf resort. They would have had to take it if Lincoln and his brothers hadn’t come home and gotten the mill up and running again. Unfortunately, they still had ongoing expenses, loan payments and a large balloon payment coming due next year for the mill equipment they’d bought just before the crash. The clock was ticking. It was late June now. Eleven months and change to go before they either succeeded or had to leave a second time.

Lincoln turned on the road that led to the Chance Creek Regional Airport and found a parking spot near the small terminal. He helped his parents get their luggage out of the truck and wheeled his mom’s suitcase up to the entrance. Inside, the whole party stopped near the departures ticket desk.

“I hope your trip home goes smoothly,” Lincoln told them.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” his mother said. “You take care of yourself. Take care of your brothers, too—and Amanda. Don’t let Hudson get into trouble.”

“I won’t.” It was a familiar admonition, as if he was his brother’s keeper. Since when had he been able to stop Hudson from doing anything? While Lincoln had joined the Army and served with the special forces, Hudson had chosen the Air Force and flying fighter jets. Hudson was addicted to adrenaline. Lincoln was steadier. He liked having his feet on the ground.

“You kids are getting old. I didn’t see Hudson up a tree once this whole week,” his father said. “No logging going on, either. Guess he thinks he’s got all the time in the world.”

“Hudson has been helping with the mill. We needed to get that up and running first.”

“Wait until you run out of logs. You’ll wish you’d done things differently, then.”

“Oh hush,” his mother said to his father. “They’re doing what they can.”

“Plenty of timber left in the High Ridge parcel,” his father said. “Someone should get busy harvesting it.”

“I’ll bring that up with Hudson when I get home,” Lincoln told him. Leave it to his dad to get talkative at the last minute.

“Should have seen me back in the day. I could climb a tree faster than Hudson ever did.”

“No, you couldn’t,” Lincoln’s mother said. “No one is faster than Hudson.”

“I could, too.”

They were still arguing about it when they said their goodbyes. His father shook Lincoln’s hand before they parted. His mother gave him a bear hug. They both embraced Amanda.

“Come for another visit soon,” Lincoln told them.

“Got my surgery coming up. Won’t be going anywhere for a while,” his father said.

“Hope that goes smoothly, too.”

“It’ll be fine.” His father turned away, but his mother hung back and gave Amanda another hug.

“I’m so glad you’re part of our family now.”

“Me, too,” Amanda said.

Lincoln’s mother turned to him. “Find a wife,” she said again, hugging him, too. “Bring us back for another wedding.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” he promised her and watched them go, cataloging the changes in them since they’d all left the Ridge the first time. He’d been nineteen then. Now he was thirty-one. His parents were in their early sixties. There were more lines on their faces. His father wasn’t as certain in his gait anymore. Lincoln had a feeling the heart surgery he’d had years ago had undermined his confidence, although he’d never admit that. Once as muscular as any of his sons, his arms were thinner now, his face more angular. His hip replacement operation was scheduled to take place in four days. His dad had been nonchalant about it through his whole visit, but Lincoln was sure he was nervous about it.

“Ready to go?” Amanda asked softly when his folks were out of sight.

He nodded but it was hard to turn towards the door out to the parking lot. It killed him to know it was his fault Elliott Ridge had emptied out twelve years ago. Those dark times were nearly over, though.

He was already supervising twenty mill workers along with his brothers. Soon Hudson, and maybe Gage, would peel off to start up the logging operation, but for now all of them helped out in the mill. He was older now. Wiser. He had a lot more experience with the world under his belt.

He wouldn’t screw up this time.

Lincoln scanned his surroundings automatically as he and Amanda walked outside, a habit he’d picked up in the military. A couple to his left were in a heated discussion, showing each other the screens of their cellphones while their little girl bent over a rigid plastic pet carrier, murmuring to the animal inside. Just past them stood a knot of men in business suits, something you didn’t see that often at the Chance Creek airport. To his right, a pretty brunette in periwinkle-blue scrubs rummaged through her purse.

Lincoln focused on her. He hadn’t seen her in Chance Creek before. He definitely would have remembered if he had. Her dark hair was pulled into a ponytail, as if she’d just come from work, but if she was some kind of a doctor or nurse here in town, she must have moved here while he was away. She hadn’t gone to Chance Creek High, like he and every other kid in Chance Creek County had. He’d have to ask around about her.

Find out where he could see her again.

“Thanks for bringing me into town,” Amanda said. “I just need a couple of things at the store before we head back.”

“No problem,” Lincoln said distractedly.

“Mr. Fluffy!”

The childish shriek made Lincoln stop short. An animal streaked past him, heading for the parking lot. The brunette looked up and their gazes met—just for an instant. Her eyes were wide. Her lips parted in surprise.

Something pure and hot shot through Lincoln like a bullet from a gun.

She was the one. She was the woman he was going to marry.

He couldn’t say why or how or—

“Stop! Mr. Fluffy!” A small girl raced past.

Lincoln’s attention snapped to her, and he launched into a run. Girl and cat were heading straight toward oncoming traffic.

Could he reach them in time?

He scooped up the girl in two strides, but the animal was faster. Lincoln kept going—

Hoping against hope he wasn’t too late.

“Gotcha!”

Charlotte Holmes closed her eyes and breathed a thank-you that the handsome, dark-haired man had snatched up the calico cat right before it ran into traffic. She’d watched in horror as first the animal and then its owner—a little girl no more than four or five years old—had raced toward the busy road that led out of the airport parking lot. Shock had frozen her in place. Thank goodness the man now carrying the girl and her cat had reacted so swiftly.

“Audrey, how many times did I tell you not to let the cat out?” the little girl’s father cried. Both parents rushed to retrieve her.

“She’s okay,” the handsome stranger assured them. “So is Mr. Fluffy.”

“No, he isn’t! Mr. Fluffy’s hurt! I let him out because he’s bleeding!” Audrey cried, tears streaking her round cheeks. She struggled in the man’s arms and he handed her over to her mother.

“Bleeding?” Audrey’s father took the cat, who writhed and hissed. Sure enough, its paw was streaked with red.

“He is hurt.” Another woman joined the group, a cheerful blonde who put a hand on the handsome man’s arm. Her wedding ring glinted in the sun and a tiny twist of disappointment filled Charlotte. “I’m Amanda Elliott by the way. This is Lincoln.”

“We’re the Davies—Cliff and Enid,” Audrey’s father said.

Charlotte shook her head at her wayward thoughts. So Lincoln Elliott was married. So what? It wasn’t like she was looking for any entanglements.

Not when she was on the run from a killer.

Charlotte glanced around, scanning the people streaming past out of the airport. Just the thought of Ivan Gasperyn’s eagle-sharp eyes catching sight of her made her shiver. He was cruel and ruthless, and she had no doubt he was hunting her down.

She pushed her dark thoughts aside determinedly and stepped forward to join the group surrounding Audrey and Mr. Fluffy.

“Can I help? I’m a veterinarian.”

At least, she had been until Ivan Gasperyn killed his brother, Lewis, putting an end to her career. The brothers had been raised with unbelievable wealth and privilege, and Lewis had used his inheritance to become a giant in the horse-racing world. Working with him had been a dream come true until Ivan moved back from Europe with a head full of schemes about how to use Lewis’ success for his own purposes.

Now Lewis was dead.

Three days ago, she’d left her home, her job, her possessions and her friends behind and she had no idea when she’d be able to return to claim any of them. Ivan Gasperyn was capable of anything.

She had proof of that.

“If you hold him steady, I’ll just take a look at that paw,” she said to Cliff.

“Thank you.” The man held Mr. Fluffy steady, while Audrey whimpered in her mother’s arms.

As she bent to take a look at the animal’s paw, Charlotte wondered if she had left a trail Ivan could follow. She wasn’t a criminal mastermind. She didn’t even watch detective shows on television. She preferred reality television, although she’d never admit that to anyone other than her closest friends. The people who starred on them got to do all the things she never did. Her job required her to be professional, to keep her emotions in check and to keep her opinions to herself. The people on TV did whatever they wanted and to heck with the consequences.

Charlotte had been on the move since Monday. It was Sunday now. She was so far past exhausted she could barely feel fear anymore. She’d hopscotched the country on seven different flights, paying cash for the last three of them. She hoped that would make her impossible to track, but who knew what Ivan could do?

He had many friends in high places, after all.

“Mr. Fluffy will be just fine,” Charlotte assured Audrey, trying to forget about Ivan for the moment. “Looks like he gave himself a scratch during the flight. When you get home, clean the area and put a little peroxide on it. Mr. Fluffy won’t even notice he was hurt.”

She stepped back as the family thanked her. Cliff put the cat carefully back in its carrier.

“Let’s get Mr. Fluffy home,” he said to his daughter. “He’ll be happier there and we can get him all fixed up. Okay?”

Audrey nodded.

“Thank you. Both of you,” Enid said to Charlotte and Lincoln. “I don’t know what I’d have done if Audrey had been hurt.”

“No problem at all,” Lincoln said. “Bye, Audrey.”

The little girl buried her face in her mother’s neck.

“That was quick thinking,” Charlotte said when the family was gone. “By the time I pulled myself together, you’d already saved the day.”

“I know what you mean,” Amanda said. “I didn’t realize what was happening until it was all over!”

“Just glad I got there in time. Do you have a practice around here? I’ve only been back in Chance Creek for a couple of months and I haven’t had a reason to call a veterinarian yet.” Lincoln studied her, his dark gaze taking her all in. Charlotte wondered how she looked to him. She was dressed in the scrubs she’d been wearing when she made a run for it. She’d managed to buy a change of clothing along the way and now she washed an outfit every night in the sink of whatever local motel she found to sleep in and alternated what she wore. She pulled her hair into a ponytail each morning and didn’t bother with makeup, not wanting to call any attention to herself. Soon she needed to find a place to live, replenish her wardrobe and get a job. Otherwise, she’d blow through her savings in no time.

“Just got here myself.”

“No bags? Or did you forget to pick them up?”

Charlotte looked down, embarrassed. “This is all I’ve got with me.” She lifted her large shoulder bag. “Traveling light, I guess you could say.”

“Are you staying at the Evergreen Motel?” Amanda asked. “It’s the only one in town,” she explained when Charlotte turned to her.

Charlotte hesitated, buying time. Could these people help her? “I was hoping to find a vacation rental. Or even a regular rental. Somewhere less expensive where I can stay long term.”

Lincoln looked her over again and Charlotte had the feeling he was taking in the wrinkles in her clothing and the smudges under her eyes.

“What kind of a place do you want?” Amanda asked. “Something in town? Something in the country?”

“In the country,” Charlotte said firmly. “Something quiet. Where I’ll be left alone.”

“Are you on vacation?”

“Not exactly. I… just a need to get away for awhile. To re-evaluate my life choices. Do you know a place where I could do that?”

We do.” Amanda smiled at her husband and bumped his shoulder with her own. “It’s remote, though. Forty-five minutes from town.”

“Sounds perfect,” Charlotte said. “What kind of accommodation?”

“A house,” Amanda said. “In a ghost town,” she added dramatically.

Charlotte cocked her head. “A ghost town?”

“Elliott Ridge emptied out a little over a decade ago. It’s a company town. My family owns it,” Lincoln explained. “My brothers and I are trying to resurrect the place.”

“There are 29 houses for sale and a bunch more for rent,” Amanda put in. “They’re all really cute. There’s a swimming lake and a big town hall. We even have a library. I’m in charge of that.”

Her smile was contagious and for the first time in a week, Charlotte relaxed. “Sounds pretty wonderful. I love to swim.”

“There’s a lot that needs to be done to get the place up and running again,” Amanda said. “We’re looking for people who don’t mind pitching in now and then. Folks who want to build real community.”

“I’d be happy to help out where I could,” Charlotte assured her. “As for community, that depends on who’s part of it.”

“Of course. We’re good people.” Amanda bumped her husband’s shoulder again. “Tell her, Lincoln.”

“We do our best.” Lincoln was still sizing her up and Charlotte wondered if he had reservations about inviting a stranger to their community. There was a military air about him she recognized. Something in his posture. The way his gaze flicked up to scan their surroundings now and then. She supposed he’d be protective of his wife.

Disappointment tugged within her again. She’d have liked for him to be protective of her.

He’s taken, she told herself sternly.

“We Elliotts pride ourselves on our high standards,” Lincoln went on. “I have four brothers. All of us served in the military for twelve years. We came home a couple of months ago to resurrect our family’s town. We’ve got a lumber mill and a logging operation that we’re bringing back to life. Elliott Ridge was a thriving concern for over a hundred years and we’ve committed ourselves to making it that way again. We’d love to welcome a veterinarian to town.”

“What kind of vet are you?” Amanda asked.

“I specialize in horses.”

“Lincoln has horses. Two of them.”

“I’m sure there will be plenty more on the Ridge soon. We’ve got stables and paddocks,” Lincoln said. “Chance Creek is teeming with horses, too. There’s always need for a veterinarian in a cattle town.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll stay.”

His gaze sharpened. “Do you have somewhere else to be?”

“No. It’s just… I don’t know anyone here.”

His slow smile did something to her insides and Charlotte tried in vain to steel herself against it. “You do now.”

Amanda leaned closer to him. “Lincoln. Is the newcomer deal still on?”

“Newcomer deal?” Charlotte repeated. “What’s that?”

“Something I hope will make you want to stay.”

The Elliotts of Chance Creek Series:

House for Sale Navy SEAL Included

House for Sale Soldier Included

House for Sale Airman Included

House for Sale Marine Included