A SEAL's Struggle

by Cora Seton

  Ever since, Leslie had puttered after Win everywhere she went. Win was beginning to think she was going to lose her mind.

  The sun was shining brightly overhead, as it had been for days. Winter was long gone. Leaves were unfurling on the deciduous trees, and there was birdsong in the air. It would have been lovely if Leslie wasn’t watching her like a hawk.

  “Do you mind?” Win asked. “This is personal!”

  “Is it Angus?”

  “No.” Win supposed Leslie was smart to ask. She and Angus did text now and then, despite the ban on being alone together. Some of the other women at Base Camp had eschewed their cell phones as a way to give themselves more time to focus on their artistic pursuits, but she’d refused to give hers up since she’d been back.

  “Prove it.”

  Win sighed and turned the phone around. “It’s my father. Would you want me to listen in when you talk to your family?”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide.” But Leslie took the hint and moved away, lingering by the greenhouse door to watch her, though, even if she couldn’t hear her. Byron and the others followed her. Byron asked Leslie a question, and she answered it distractedly.

  “Who was that?” Julian demanded when Win lifted her phone to her ear again.

  “Just a nosy cast member.”

  “You should be careful. Some of the intel we’re getting says people on your show are digging into our background.”

  “Of course they are. I’m in the spotlight until I marry Angus. They’re digging up dirt to make me more interesting.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “Then you probably shouldn’t be a politician,” she pointed out. “Our family has been scrutinized forever, Dad. Don’t worry; I won’t spill the beans about what you and Mom just pulled. It’s way too embarrassing that I fell for it.”

  He had the grace to pause, if not ashamed by his actions then at least ashamed by being caught in a lie.

  “We aren’t a normal family, so you can’t expect everything in your past to be normal. That doesn’t mean it should be dragged through the mud for everyone to see.”

  She wondered if he was talking about the kidnapping. Her parents didn’t like to talk about it these days because they were afraid to give other potential criminals ideas.

  “I won’t expose our family.”

  “You already have.”

  “Wow,” Win said. “Really? I’m the one who’s causing problems?” She hung up. She wasn’t going to find any peace keeping company with liars and drama queens.

  She continued to the greenhouse, her usual enthusiasm for working with the plants dampened by Leslie’s hovering presence.

  For the rest of the morning, Leslie kept so close that they collided several times while they were working. When Leslie trailed her to the bunkhouse for lunch, then tried to follow her right into the bathroom, Win lost it.

  “Shouldn’t you be watching Angus?” Win snapped.

  “I need to wash up, too,” Leslie said innocently. The bathroom was large, with a stall for the toilet on one end, a shower on the other end and a sink and mirror in between.

  “Wait your turn,” Win said loudly enough that several other people in the bunkhouse looked their way.

  She tried to calm herself. Angus was firmly on her side, but she had the uncomfortable impression that Leslie had something up her sleeve. There was a certain smugness to the young woman these days.

  It rubbed Win the wrong way.

  “I know how devious you are, rival,” Leslie returned, standing her ground. “You’re like a mongoose in a hen house, so I’m keeping my eye on you. Besides, I’ve got a surprise for you today, and when it arrives, I want to be there to see it.”

  “I don’t want any surprises.” Win tried to close the door between them.

  Leslie blocked it with her foot. “None of us do, yet you gave me a good one last week, didn’t you? Snuggling up with my fiancé.”

  “You’re not engaged.”

  “Not yet. Soon, rival. Very soon.” She pulled her foot back, and since Win’s weight was against it, the door slammed shut, startling her. She straightened, locked the door and went to stand in front of the mirror. She wasn’t looking her best. She hadn’t been sleeping well. Her belly was getting big enough that lying on a mat on the floor wasn’t comfortable no matter where she did it. Avery had begun sleeping in the bunkhouse as well, in solidarity, she said. Win wondered if she was missing Walker, even though the two of them rarely spoke.

  Win was sure Walker lay awake most nights. So did Avery. In fact, all them struggled to sleep, including Byron, pining after Leslie she was fairly sure, although he was always the first of them to succumb after Leslie did.

  After lunch, during which Leslie stuck so close to her Win was tempted to jab her with a fork, she brought her dishes to the kitchen and made her way to the door, intending to get back to work in the greenhouses. Leslie followed, of course.

  “Hold on, rival. Your surprise should arrive any minute.” She raised her voice. “In fact, everyone, gather around. You’re going to want to see this.” Conversations dipped and then continued again, but people began to drift closer as they finished their meals.

  “Who’s that coming up the lane?” Clay asked, peering out of the window. “I don’t recognize that truck.”

  “Just you wait.” Leslie bounced on the balls of her feet. “You all are going to be so surprised. And happy, too,” she added. “Because I’ve fixed everything. I’ll get my man, and you, rival, will get him, too.” She sent Win a broad smile that gave Win the chills.

  “You found someone who’ll conduct a bigamous marriage ceremony?” Savannah quipped.

  “Nope. Someone even better.”

  Clay ducked closer to the window and whistled. “Angus, you’re not going to believe this.”

  Chapter Eleven

  ‡

  What had Leslie done now?

  Angus moved reluctantly to Clay’s side, but by the time he did, whoever was approaching the bunkhouse was already on the front step, too close to the building to see through the window. He drew back and waited for Leslie to open the door, tension tightening the muscles in the base of his neck.

  “There you are,” Leslie cried, reaching to pull the newcomer inside. “Did you have a good flight? Was there a movie playing? Do you like action films when you fly, or do you prefer something more soothing? A lot of people don’t like planes much, but I do. You’re actually safer in a plane than on the street in a car, did you know that? Anyway, come meet your bride-to-be. Win, come here.” Leslie turned and stepped out of Angus’s line of sight, so that he got his first good look at the man.

  “Holy crap.” All around him the others murmured in shock and surprise.

  Win looked as if she’d seen a ghost. He could only imagine his own face. No, scratch that—he didn’t have to imagine it. It was standing three feet away looking back at him.

  “I didn’t know you had a twin, Angus,” Addison said slowly, the first of them to regain the power of speech.

  “I don’t.” But he had cousins, a half dozen of them, and if he wasn’t mistaken, he was looking at one of them—the grown-up version of a boy he hadn’t seen since he was eleven.

  “Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” the man demanded in the kind of thick Scottish accent Angus liked to put on when he was joking around. “It’s Douglas! Douglas Holmes! Don’t you remember me? Your own kin?”

  “Of course, I remember you.” Angus pulled himself together and stepped forward to shake the man’s hand. He and Douglas had been grand friends once upon a time, until he’d left Scotland with his family and immigrated to the United States. Douglas had been consumed with envy about Angus’s upcoming adventure. He’d always had a thing about the United States. Liked to try on an American accent, copy the heroes in American movies. When he’d learned Angus was moving there, he was fit to be tied.

  Angus had been far less enthusiastic about the prospect of leaving Scotland. At
eleven, he’d been wildly in love with his first girlfriend, Davina Glassford, heartbroken at the thought of leaving her and everything else he cared about.

  A week after his flight took off, he learned Davina had transferred her affections to Douglas. He’d had no doubt that his nearly lookalike cousin had charmed the pants off her the minute he’d left.

  “Look at the two of us!” Douglas threw an arm around Angus’s shoulder and turned to the others. “Still twins, just like the lass said!”

  “What… are you doing here?” Angus’s voice sounded strangled, as well it might. All the crew members in the bunkhouse had focused their cameras on this scene. Soon the whole world would see him faltering and fumbling his way through this surprise. He hadn’t made such a fool out of himself since the show started.

  “I’ve come to marry your girl!” Douglas exclaimed. “Since you’ve seen fit to toss her over for this new one.” He gestured to Leslie with his free hand. “We heard all about it and figured we’d better keep that bairn of yours in the family. Always thought Win was a beauty. Never did see what she saw in you, but hopefully she’ll see the same thing in me, eh?” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

  “Are you serious?” Angus lunged at him, as if they were still two boys scrapping in his family’s front room, but Clay quickly stepped between them, nearly receiving the punch Angus intended for his cousin.

  “Easy, Angus,” Clay said. “I’m sure your cousin is joking.”

  Douglas laughed over Clay’s shoulder. “That’s right, cousin, take it easy. Come on, it’ll solve all your problems, won’t it? That’s what your new little lass told me.”

  Angus shook off Clay and turned on Leslie. “How do you figure that?”

  “He’s the perfect replacement for you!”

  “Replacement? How did you even know about him?” This couldn’t be happening, but there was Douglas grinning at him as if the whole thing was a big joke.

  “I know how to use the internet.” Leslie looked pleased as punch. “I said to myself, ‘Self, how can I throw my wily rival off my man’s scent?’ And my self said, ‘Ask for help,’ so I did. I put an ad on the show’s website asking for anyone who thought they could keep Win from my man, and Douglas answered. I knew as soon as I saw his photograph he was the one to get the job done.” She turned to Win. “Rival, I bet Douglas here would even let you call him Angus now and then, in the heat of the moment so to speak, wouldn’t you?” she asked Douglas.

  Angus couldn’t believe she’d said that out loud.

  “Well, now, lass, that’s going a bit too far, I think.” Douglas scratched the back of his head.

  But Leslie wasn’t listening. “So, that’s that. I’ll marry Angus, and Win, you’ll marry Douglas, and you’ll never know the difference.”

  “Uh… I think I’ll know the difference,” Win said, finding her voice.

  “He’s not me,” Angus pointed out, a little stung by Leslie’s inference that the two of them were interchangeable. He was nothing like his cousin.

  “And you’re not me, either,” Douglas said stoutly. “More’s the pity. Win here is getting the better part of the deal, that’s for sure.”

  “Oh, hush,” Leslie said. “I’ll whip Angus into shape in no time.”

  “Whip me into shape?” Did she think he needed that? Angus found his anger growing. Win had never mentioned any shortcomings. Who was Leslie to think she’d discovered any?

  “That roving eye of yours,” Leslie said as if reading his mind. “That’s got to go. But it will. We’ll marry and they’ll marry and everyone will be happy, except we’ll have to build another tiny house, which is going to be difficult before the wedding, but maybe you can have Walker’s, except that Avery seems to want it, and now that I think about it I should have found a man for Avery, too, while I was at it, right? She’s been pining way too long, and I don’t think she can forgive Walker for not trusting her, which is interesting because I forgave Angus, didn’t I, but then not everyone is as decisive as I am. I made up my mind to marry Angus, and that’s what I’m going to do, because when I say I’m going to do something I do it, no matter what. Do you have any cousins who look like twins?” she asked Walker.

  The man’s eyebrows shot up.

  “Well, do you? You know, this whole strong silent type will get you only so far, and it’s probably why you and Avery are still on the outs because how can you expect a woman to stop being mad if you won’t even talk to her? Some women like makeup sex, and that’s probably what you’re holding out for, but let me give you a tip, the makeup sex comes after the makeup talk, so start talking, buster.”

  She stared at him for a full five seconds, during which Walker seemed at a loss to find any words at all. Angus didn’t blame him. He was having trouble finding them himself. Leslie rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh. “Oh, forget I even asked, you’re hopeless. I’ll just ask that grandmother of yours next time I see her. She’s over here all the time.”

  Judging by the alarmed looks shared around the room, Angus wasn’t the only one who doubted that conversation would go well.

  “Anyway, Douglas, meet Win, your future bride. Win, meet Douglas.”

  “I’m not marrying this man!” Win shook Douglas’s proffered hand automatically, but she stayed focused on Leslie. “If you really think this guy is the same as Angus, why don’t you marry him?”

  Angus perked up. It was a good question—and it really would solve all their problems.

  Leslie shook her head. “I’m not the kind of bird dog that gets shaken off my scent so easily. I came here with a mission. Marry Angus, whip Base Camp into shape and make this place and these people all they can be.”

  “You take a lot on yourself, don’t you?” Win snapped.

  Color rose in Leslie’s cheeks, but before she could answer, Douglas inserted himself into the conversation.

  “Now, lass, don’t jump to rash conclusions about me,” he said to Win. He was still holding her hand, Angus noticed. “I might just grow on you. Let me squire you around for a bit, keep you occupied while Angus is busy. I’m not saying I won’t try to convince you to choose me, but I won’t interfere with you and my cousin if that’s the way things end up.”

  “I will.” Leslie came to stand by Angus’s side, took hold of his arm and leaned her cheek against his bicep. “Angus is mine, and he’s staying mine. Aren’t they the sweetest thing, Angus?”

  No, Win and Douglas were not the sweetest thing, and Angus had no idea how his life had gone so wildly off the rails. Douglas had always been an outrageous joker, but this was beyond the pale. Why had he even come? He surely didn’t want to marry Win—

  Except, now that Angus thought of it, maybe he did. Douglas had always wanted to move to the United States when they were kids. Maybe he still wanted to. Maybe he was looking at Win as a kind of ticket to his dreams.

  “What makes you think you can just come here and be on the show, anyway?” Angus demanded.

  “He didn’t just come here,” Leslie said triumphantly. “I told Fulsom all about him, and Fulsom said he was the perfect addition to the show.”

  “He didn’t tell me,” Boone said.

  “It was supposed to be a surprise. Call him—you’ll see.”

  Angus wished he had the billionaire in his grip, but he supposed if he shoved Fulsom up against a wall, that would be the end of Base Camp no matter how you sliced it. He itched to go after Douglas. His cousin must have sensed his rising anger because he leaned closer.

  “Look, man, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m here to help you. I’ve watched every episode of the show. We all have. We’ve missed you and your sisters, you know. Even your father. Just because Aunt Fiona cut out on you doesn’t mean the rest of us did. You’re family. And family helps each other out.”

  “The first time I see you in over twenty years, you come after my girlfriend—and I’m supposed to trust you?”

  “I didn’t cause this problem. You two did.” Douglas pointed at hi
m and Win. “And Leslie here said she was going to find someone to romance the mother of your child. Wouldn’t you rather it be me than some stranger?”

  “You’d better not romance her.”

  “I’m right here,” Win snapped. “And I’m not letting anyone romance me.”

  Leslie snorted. “You let Angus romance you every time I turn around.”

  “Because I love him!” Win cried.

  Angus’s heart warmed, and he relaxed a little. He was making too much of this. Win was too smart to fall for his cousin’s wiles, and if Douglas’s presence made Leslie back off, so much the better.

  “I think we all need to take a break, and it’s time for chores,” Boone said. “I’ll call Fulsom and straighten this out.”

  “Douglas, you’ll come help us in the greenhouse, right? That’s where your new lady-love works,” Leslie said.

  “Be glad to. Always fancied myself a green thumb.” He gave Win’s shoulder a light bump with his own, as if they were old friends already. “Show me the way, lass.”

  “I’m not your lass,” Win exclaimed. “This whole thing is ridiculous.”

  Leslie smiled smugly. “This whole thing is brilliant.” She led the way to the door. With a roll of her eyes, Win followed her, Douglas on her heels.

  “Come on, Angus, it’ll be like old times,” he said.

  “It better not be,” Angus growled, remembering Davina.

  “Hold it together for a half hour, all of you,” Boone snapped. “I’m calling Fulsom right now.”

  When Angus made it outside, Leslie was waiting for him, the other two walking ahead. She lifted her chin and smiled triumphantly. “Told you I would fix everything.”

  Win wasn’t sure how she got through that night. Fulsom had declared himself all in favor of Base Camp’s newest inhabitant and said Douglas could stay through the end of the show. After that, they could do what they liked with him.