The Seal's Second Chance Baby. Laura Altom Marie

then we’ll do homework.”

      “Don’t have any!”

      “Liar!” his twin said. “We’ve got math and a word find!”

      “You’re a tattletale!” The kid in the red shirt that Marsh assumed was Colt grabbed a fistful of dirt and chucked it at his brother.

      “Ouch! You hit my eyeball!” The kid who had to be Remington by default started crying.

      “Colt,” Effie barked, “go to your room.”

      Cassidy’s eyes welled as if she wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.

      “Mommy, my eyeball fell out!” Effie’s youngest son clamped his hand over his left eye.

      “Aw, honey.” She looked to him, her huffing daughter, then Marsh. “Would you mind?” She held out the baby to him.

      “Not a good idea.” Backing away with his hands up, he added, “I’ve got germs.”

      She waved off his concerns and thrust her crying infant into his arms. “By the time you get to your third kid, you kinda give up on the whole germ thing.”

      Of course, Marsh grabbed hold of Cassidy or she might have fallen, but that landed him in the untenable position of feeling as if he were falling. The baby smelled so good and pure. And then there was pretty Effie wrapping her son in an invisible quilt made of love. Had fate not taken everything, this might be his life. Tucker would easily be old enough to have had a baby sister, and his ex had been great with their son.

      “See, silly?” Effie pried Remington’s hand finger by finger to get him to move it. “Your eyeball is not only still there, but I’ll bet it works just fine. Want to check and see?”