Every Storm

by Lori Wick

  But Ruth had other plans. As soon as the service was over, she sent Max on an errand. This was not lost on Rigg, who also noticed that Ruth slipped away, leaving Lorri free for conversation.

  "I'll have Miss Archer home early" were Rigg's last words at the front door on Saturday night

  Lorri didn't comment at that moment, but just as soon as she could manage it, she called him lieutenant, putting a slight emphasis on the word.

  "Lieutenant?" Rigg asked, having put Lorri in on the passenger side and climbed behind the wheel.

  "Miss Archer?" Lorri shot right back, her voice carrying no heat.

  Rigg sighed. "I don't mind telling you that your grandfather scares me to death."

  "Grandpa? Why?"

  "I'm a lowly lieutenant; he's an admiral."

  "Not for much longer. You'll be a civilian in June, and he'll be one in August."

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  They were headed down the street now, and Rigg was in a quandary. He knew he couldn't explain the rest of his thought process. He was working hard not to have impure thoughts about Lorri Archer, but men still knew the way other men thought. At times he would catch the admiral's gaze on him and feel caught, even when he'd done nothing!

  "So my grandfather is the reason you have to call me Miss Archer?"

  "I'm just trying to be respectful. I don't want to overstep."

  "If you were overstepping, I wouldn't be on this date."

  Rigg glanced at her. "Is that how it works?"

  "Both my mother and grandfather have to approve. I'm sure you understand."

  "Yes, I do, but I still get pretty nervous around him. I can't tell what he's thinking."

  "He's not going to be quiet and let me walk out the door with a man he doesn't trust. You can trustmeon that."

  Rigg nodded. This was not the way he thought the evening would start, but maybe it was for the best. He glanced at Lorri's profile, wondering what she was thinking. "What would you like me to call you?" he finally asked.

  Lorri looked at him, smiling a little. "My name," she said simply.

  "Ah, but you have several. I've heard Lorraine come out of your mother's mouth, usually when she's scolding you. I know that your grandfather calls you Lorri, and Max calls you Raine. As you can see, I'm at a loss."

  Lorri smiled over his dilemma and suggested this, "I'll tell you what: You decide what you want to call me tonight, and I'll decide if you're Donovan or Rigg."

  "Not sailor? I rather liked that."

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  Lorri felt her face heat, glad that the interior of the car was growing dim. They rode in silence until they arrived at the restaurant, when Rigg decided he wanted the details out of the way. While they waited fdr the maitre d' to come for them, he bent to where Lorri stood in front of him and spoke into her ear.

  "Lorraine," he said softly.

  Lorri turned her head just enough to look up at him, not even working to hide the emotions she felt.

  "Is that going to be all right?" Bigg asked, his voice still low.

  "If Rigg is all right with you," Lorri just managed, rather lost in his eyes.

  "It's fine," Rigg got out before the maitre d' came for them.

  It was the start of a perfect evening.

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  Ttomty

  Lorri let herself quietly into the house but noticed right away that a light burned in the living room. She was glad to see it was her grandfather. His glasses perched on his nose, he sat with a book and looked up when she came in.

  1"Hi," Lorri said, bending to kiss his cheek and then sitting on the closest chair.

  "Hi, yourself. How was your evening?"

  Lorri smiled, her look dreamy. "It was wonderful. He's so nice, Grandpa."

  Dean smiled at her.

  Lorri's eyes suddenly darted to him. "He's afraid of you!"

  That Dean was not surprised or dismayed by this announcement was immediately clear.

  Lorri's mouth opened. "You don't mind, do you?"

  Dean was still smiling when he answered. "Tell me something, Lorri. Whose car will Rigg be more careful with, mine or his?"

  "Yours."

  "That's right. It's not all bad that he remembers there's a man waiting at home for the car to be returned in perfect order."

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  "I'm not a car, Grandpa."

  "No, but you get my point, don't you?"

  "Yes. And you don't need to worry. He was a perfect gentleman."

  "Good. I expect nothing less, but he's still a man, and men have areas of temptation, women being the strongest one."

  "Why is that?" Lorri asked.

  Dean shrugged. "It's the way God made us. We can't have excuses, but it's best to know our own weaknesses."

  "When I was on the PT boat," Lorri told him, "I never went into the crew's quarters. But one day I glanced in the door. There were a lot of pinups."

  Dean shook his head. "Some men surround themselves with those pictures and then wonder why they can't stay faithful to their wives."

  "There was nothing like that in Rigg's cabin."

  "That doesn't surprise me. He's different."

  Lorri sighed again and Dean watched her. It wasn't hard to imagine how tempting Rigg would find his beautiful granddaughter, and he debated whether or not he should question her about Rigg's conduct. He knew she was not a kid anymore, but that didn't change his responsibility and concern.

  "Did you feel safe with Rigg?"

  "Yes, very."

  "He didn't touch you or say anything improper?"

  "No, nothing like that."

  Tm glad to hear it."

  "I'm going to bed now. Are you coming up?"

  "Max is out with Arlene. I'll wait for her"

  "Goodnight, Grandpa."

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  Lori Wick

  "Goodnight, honey."

  Not until Lorri left the room did Dean realize he'd forgotten to ask one thing: Did she and the lieutenant have another date on the calendar?

  Lorri's birthday is in two weeks. We're going to The Cove for dinner. Can you join us?

  Rigg recalled those words from Ruth Archer as he parked his car on the street and headed to the front door on the third of May. He and Lorri had been on another date, and he had even been invited for Sunday dinner--all of which he took as a positive sign about the future.

  Rigg rang the doorbell and waited, pleased when Lorri answered.

  "Rigg, hi!" she exclaimed, as surprised as she was supposed to be. "Come in."

  "Thank you."

  "I wish I didn't have to tell you this, but we're not going to be home this evening. We're going to The Cove."

  "Yes, I know," Rigg said simply. "Happy birthday," he added, bringing the flowers from behind his back.

  "Thank you," Lorri said, stunned at his gesture. Then she caught on. "You're going with us, aren't you?"

  "That's the plan."

  Lorri laughed. "Let me put these in water."

  Lorri wasn't gone from the room five minutes when Max joined him.

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  "Hello, Lieutenant," she said, smiling her Lorri smile. "How are you?"

  "I'm fine, Max. Yourself?"

  Max was all ready to answer, but Lorri came back. Unfortunately she was trailed by Muffin, who had taken another captive.

  "Muffin!" Max suddenly hissed, and Lorri looked behind her. In the cat's mouth and trailing down the length of her body was a brassiere. Lorri scooped the cat up and shot from the room. Max turned to Rigg, who was doing everything in his power not to laugh.

  "We'll be right back," she said, scooting after her sister.

  When they returned, Ruth and Dean were already waiting with Rigg, who still looked amused. Max bit her lip to keep from laughing, but Lorri was having none of it. She didn't plan to look at Donovan Riggs ever again.

  "Are you going to spend the entire
evening avoiding my eyes?" Rigg said to her profile. The reservations at the restaurant had been overlooked somehow, and they were having to wait a few moments for a table.

  "I'm so embarrassed," Lorri admitted, still not looking at him.

  "Don't you think it was a little funny?"

  "I would have thought it very funny if you hadn't been standing in my living room."

  Lorri felt the bench shake as silent laughter overcame him, the laughter he had wanted to release as soon as she'd spotted the cat.

  "Ihope," Lorri told him, trying to sound angry, "that if I ever meet your family, they tell me something that turnsyourface red."

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  "Speaking ofwhich?Rigg replied, trying not to laugh anymore, "I'm headed home in two weeks. Would you like to go with me?"

  "Home as in Santa Rosa?"

  "That's right."

  Lorri worried her lip. "You can't get there and back in one day, can you?"

  "No, we would stay with my parents, who have plenty of room."

  Lorri only nodded.

  "Is there a problem?"

  "Not exactly. It's just that I haven't been away from Mother since I arrived home. There's been no reason."

  "Until now" Rigg said, not catching how serious the suggestion was for Lorri. "I've written about you to m'y folks, and they would like to meet you."

  "What did you write exactly?"

  "That I'm seeing someone."

  "I would like to meet your parents," Lorri said, not having fully worked out her thoughts.

  "So do I take that as a yes?"

  The face she turned to him bothered his heart. Her eyes, suddenly huge and vulnerable, reminded him of her condition on the island.

  "Why don't I check with you later," Rigg suggested.

  "I don't know if I can," Lorri said, panic overtaking her without warning.

  "It's all right," Rigg said reassuringly, never dreaming his invitation would be this upsetting. "We'll talk about it another time."

  "I'm sorry" Lorri began, but Rigg only shook his head.

  "It's fine. Don't worry about it."

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  "Lorn?" her mother said when she saw her daughter's face. She glanced at Rigg, who looked apologetic. "What's the matter?" Ruth asked.

  "Nothing," Lorri told her. "I just panicked over something. It was silly of me."

  Ruth didn't want to, but she let it drop. Max and Dean had returned from seeing to the reservations, and they were soon seated at their table. As soon as they ordered, however, Lorri excused herself. Ruth waited only that long to check with Rigg.

  "Can you tell me what happened?"

  "I asked her to come home to Santa Rosa with me in two weeks to meet my folks. She said she hasn't been away from you since she got home." Rigg looked as helpless as he felt. "I didn't realize it would upset her. I'm sorry."

  Ruth looked to Dean, all sorts of questions in her eyes.

  "It's all right," Dean said to everyone. He knew something had gone on in his absence. "We're still in new territory here. Lorri does very well, but she's still the same person who had a terrible ordeal less than a year ago. It's impossible to know how everything's going to work out."

  There was no further conversation on the matter until Lorri came back. All eyes on the table watched her, and she knew what the conversation had been. She turned to Rigg.

  "Did you tell them how silly I was?"

  "Nothing like that. Your mother just checked with me, and I explained."

  Lord's eyes went to Ruth.

  "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry."

  "Don't worry about it."

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  Lorri did her best to do just that. And in truth, the evening was not spoiled. Not until she climbed into bed did she remember Rigg asking her to go home with him. She sighed when she thought about how she had behaved. She doubted if he would ever ask again.

  Rigg was at the Archers' front door as soon as he dared Saturday morning. People were up and dressed but moving slowly. He asked to talk to Lorri, and they went into the living room.

  "Bring your whole family," he began. "Come to Santa Rosa with me and bring your grandfather, mother, and sister."

  Lorri was unbelievably touched. "You would do that? Invite everyone just So I would go?"

  "I want you to meet my family. It's a bonus if your family can meet them too."

  Lorri sat for a moment.

  "I'll be nervous. I'll make a fool of myself and embarrass you."

  "That's not going to happen."

  "Why are you never nervous?"

  "Who told you I was never nervous?"

  "I can see it," Lorri explained, thinking it so obvious. "You're always in charge and composed."

  Rigg shook his head, his eyes going heavenward.

  "Okay, let's take this apart piece by piece. I'm so calm and in charge that I have to have my niece along in order to come and see you. Then I try a new church and find you there. Do I come up and speak to you? No. I keep coming because I enjoy the church and can see you, but come up and talk to you? Never."

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  Lorri's mouth had started to curl into a smile. She had not seen him like this before. He was exasperated and seemed desperate for her to believe him.

  "You would dare laugh at my pain?" he asked, bringing a full smile to Lorri's lips.

  Rigg watched her, not wanting to push but anxious to know what she thought of the idea.

  "Lorraine," he finally said. "What do you think?"

  "I think I should check with my family."

  "Okay," Rigg agreed, but Lorri sat there. Rigg stared at her, trying not to laugh.

  "Oh!" she suddenly started. "I could do that right now."

  Rigg remained seated, and Lorri shot to her feet and found her family in the kitchen. Only five minutes passed before Rigg was joined by the whole gang.

  "I have to be at the base that weekend," Dean launched right in. "But I think Ruth and the girls should go."

  "All right." Rigg was ready to agree to anything.

  "Will your mother welcome a whole houseful of people, Rigg?" Ruth asked on the practical side.

  "As a matter of fact, she'll be fine."

  "We don't want to put anyone out of his room," Ruth began to object, but Rigg brushed it aside.

  The five of them spoke about the trip for a few more minutes and the time they would leave, but not long after, Lorri and Rigg were alone in the living room again.

  "I might need to warn you about my brother," Rigg began. "He's still in high school."

  "Is that a problem?"

  "Not for me, but it might be for Max."

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  Lorri looked confused.

  "There's no way she's going to go unnoticed, Lorraine."

  Lorri smiled, liking the fact that her sister was so lovely.

  "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

  "Yes, she is" Rigg had to agree. "But then I've noticed that beauty runs in your family."

  "That was a nice thing to say."

  "It's no effort to be nice to you," Rigg told her, still watching her face and seeing a small blush cover her cheeks.

  "I'll still be nervous " Lorri felt it only fair to tell him.

  "That's all right. I'm nervous every time I stand at your front door."

  Lorri was still amazed by this. He hid it so well. Having ideas and giving orders just seemed to come so easily

  Rigg said he had things to do, and Lorri did as well, but she gave him coffee, and they talked for two hours at the kitchen table. When Rigg finally took his leave, Lorri couldn't remember a thing she had on her list.

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  Rigg's car was comfortable. Lorri had given her mother the front seat, and she and Max had taken over in the back.

  "Where are the cookies?" Max asked almost as soon as they hit the road, bringing a laugh from her mother.

  "Max, we just started."

 
"I'm hungry. Am I the only one?"

  The rearview mirror was set in such a way that Rigg could see Lorri's eyes. He glanced up and caught her gaze, and Lorri smiled at him.

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  "Okay," Max said, disgusted with the lot. "I can see that this is not going to be the least bit fair. Raine and Rigg are going to make eyes at each other the whole time, and Mother isn't going to feed me!"

  Everyone in the car laughed until Lorri made a suggestion.

  "Why don't you ask Rigg to tell you a little more about Mitch."

  Max didn't mention cookies for the next two hours.

  Max had skipped her afternoon classes, but the late departure still made for a late arrival in Santa Rosa. Nevertheless, Rigg's family was waiting: his father, Del Riggs, his mother, Virginia, and his brother, Mitch.

  Rigg hugged his parents before starting the introductions. From there Virginia took over.

  "Come in and have something to eat,'' she invited graciously. "I won't even ask you to sit because that's what you've been doing for hours."

  "Can we help with something?" Ruth offered.

  "No, I have it all ready. Just come to the table and fill your plate/'

  They were tired, but it felt good to no longer be moving, and Lorri wasn't as nervous as she expected. Rigg, however, had been right: His brother had not taken his eyes from Max.

  "Will he stare like that all weekend?" Lorri asked quietly when he came close.

  "He might."

  Lorri looked tolerant. "I find it hard to believe that you don't have pretty girls in Santa Rosa."

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  "Not that look like you two," he said, adding a wink.

  It was happening again. He was looking at her, and she was having a hard time looking away.

  "Are you hungry?" he asked, needing to be rescued as much as she.

  "Maybe a little."

  "Come into the kitchen and get something."

  They found Virginia in the kitchen.

  "How are you, Lorraine? That trip can be so long."

  "I'm doing pretty well. It's very kind of you to have us, Mrs.

  Riggs"

  "Everyone calls me Virginia, and I hope you will too."

  Lorri smiled at her, wanting them to be friends.

  "Go ahead and eat."

  "She'll try to feed you all weekend," Rigg teased his mother. "She isn't happy unless we're eating."

  "Go on, Donovan. Don't you listen to him, Lorraine."