Northwest Romantic Comedies: Boxed Set Books 1-6

by Lia London

  She picked out Jonathan from the crowd without any introductions. He sported the tell-tale reverse raccoon mask tanned onto his face. The man must live in motorcycle goggles year-round.

  “Jonathan Erichs?” She held out her hand. “I’m Chieko Makiguchi of KG…” She stopped herself. Wrong affiliation for this job. “Daisy Parker sent us down to film the spectacle.”

  “Awesome!” cheered Jonathan, shaking a mane of brown, tangled hair. He turned to the assembled crowd. “You guys ready to be on TV?”

  A dozen faces turned beaming, lop-sided smiles to Chieko and she stifled a gasp. When Parker had told them they’d be filming this guy’s special expeditions on the dunes, she never realized it meant this kind of special. All but three of the faces showed the distinctive features of Down Syndrome. The final trio were chaperones or assistants of some kind.

  Barth arrived at her side and whispered, “Oh, this is going to be epic!”

  While the assistants huddled with the group, Jonathan explained. “A couple of times a month, we bring a group of handicapped folks out here to play on the dunes.”

  “Isn’t it dangerous?” asked Barth. “I’ve seen vids, and the bikers catch some serious air.”

  “These are specially weighted ATVs, and we have the helpers do the driving to keep the speeds down. These guys will be thrilled at any speed because of the open air and the hills. It’s super fun.”

  Barth hefted his camera into place. “Mind if I start filming?”

  “Not at all,” said Jonathan.

  Chieko studied his face while formulating her questions. “Where do the riders come from?” she asked.

  “We mostly connect through Northwest Down Syndrome Association. Riders learn about this at Buddy Fest NW in September and sign up with sponsors for excursions then.”

  “Sponsors?”

  “Volunteers who commit to take them to various activities that would be hard for them to do alone. Everything from golfing and fishing to stuff like this.”

  “That’s amazing!”

  A sing-song cry of “Let’s get moo-ving!” sounded from the riders, and Jonathan grinned.

  “That’s my cue!” He waved a hand for them to follow and led them to the group who continued to chant “Let’s get moo-ving!” until they dissolved in giggles.

  Chieko watched with a slack-jawed grin as everyone burst into action. Barth darted around filming, occasionally squinting and frowning at the sun as he tried to stay ahead of the lens flares. Meanwhile, Jonathan and his assistants patiently and efficiently strapped in the first two lucky riders. One assistant remained with the waiting group.

  “You want to come?” asked Jonathan, signaling to Barth. “You can get some great footage from out there.”

  “Got gimbals for arms?” teased Chieko.

  “As a matter of fact…” Barth held up a finger. “Hang on, I’ll be right there.” He opened one of his black cases and pulled out a contraption made of pipes and wires. Popping his camcorder into the framework, he grinned at Chieko. “I do now.”

  He jogged over to the ATV and joined Jonathan, fearlessly climbing in and strapping up. Chieko caught herself tracking every curve of his taut muscles, aware that his whole body moved with a fluid grace surprising for his bulk. As the motors revved and the three ATVs lurched forward, she smiled slyly to herself. His was not a body built for show. Bartholomew Jefferson knew how to move with power and speed, and she definitely appreciated every line of his form.

  Chieko drifted towards the waiting group, her eyes still on the parallel lines each ATV traced in the snow. Delighted squeals sounded as the first driver crested the nearest rise, and beside her, many of the watchers cheered or clapped.

  “Are you all excited to go out there?” asked Chieko?

  “Uh-huh!” The girl nearest to her smiled shyly, blinking through her thick glasses at Chieko. “It’s my first time. My first time on the dunes.”

  Chieko startled at the softness of the girl’s voice and the earnest focus of her gaze on the horizon. Despite the drooping features, her glowing innocence charmed Chieko’s heart.

  “My name’s Chieko. What’s yours?” she asked, unsure if she should speak as if to a child or an adult.

  “I’m Renee. It’s my first time on the dunes.”

  “That’s great. Are you excited?” Maybe interviewing the riders would be hard.

  “I’m not chicken.”

  “Oh, good,” said Chieko.

  “You’re Chicken?”

  “Um, I don’t know. I’ve never tried.” Chieko’s eyes tracked Barth’s ATV as it traced a wide circle around the other two.

  “You said you’re Chicken,” insisted Renee.

  “Oh. No, I said Chieko. My name is Chieko.”

  Renee nodded emphatically. “Chicken.”

  Chieko blinked and decided to give up on correcting her. She spent the next few minutes meeting the other riders, all the while straining to hear the occasional whooping holler from Barth as Jonathan’s driving got faster. When he flew over a dune and caught air for a few seconds, she sucked in air, afraid of a crash, but when they landed and pulled into a sharp turn, making cookies in the sandy snow, Barth’s jubilant yells sent ripples of pleasure through her chest. She loved his joy for life and wished that part of him would rub off on her more.

  Shortly, the ATVs came lumbering back, and the riders jumped out clapping, stomping, and laughing.

  Jonathan called out for the next round and then pointed to Chieko. “Why don’t you drive for Barth while he gets more footage, and then I can take one of the kids?”

  Chieko gulped. “Me? I’ve never driven one of those things!”

  “Go slow,” said Jonathan. “You’ll be fine. Be sure to position yourself where you can get some good shots.”

  Chieko turned wide eyes on Barth, who now stood beside the ATV, stretching his legs out. “Are you okay with me driving?” she asked.

  Barth grinned and cradled his camera gear in such a way that he could give her two thumbs up. “It’ll be a blast.”

  She sauntered over, trying to steady the trembling in her body. This was a step or two outside of her comfort zone. “You don’t mind if I drive like a little old lady?”

  Something in the way his dimple deepened and his eyes flitted over her face sent a thrill through her. “We can park on the top of a hill, you know.”

  “Park? Like at a make-out point?” she teased. Now she envisioned a delicious tangle of arms and lips and hoped he’d blame her reddening cheeks on the chilly breeze.

  Barth raised his eyebrows and gave his signature shimmy. “You’re the driver, Miss Chieko. I’ll go wherever you go.”

  She pointed a finger at him, trying to convince herself. “Keep the camera running and trained on these riders.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Barth tried not to stare at Chieko’s mouth as she bit her lip. “Have you done this before?” he asked.

  “Nope. No clue what I’m doing.”

  He pointed out the controls and explained as much as he could based on what Jonathan showed him while they drove. “Take it slow,” he said.

  “That’s a very good idea,” agreed Chieko.

  Did she have a double meaning? Was she having second thoughts about their relationship? Was he moving too fast?

  In the past, he never expected more than a date or two—nothing too serious or intimate. But now? Why was this crush growing so much stronger?

  “Aren’t you going to film?” asked Chieko.

  Barth returned to his task. “I’ll wait until we get in position. Why don’t you head that way?”

  The ATV crept in sputtering fits while she learned the sensitivity of the controls, but Barth made a point of not razzing her the way he might if Garold sat behind the wheel.

  “Did you talk to any of the riders?”

  “A few of them, yes,” said Chieko, accelerating up the nearest slope. “One of them called me Chicken because she can’t say my name.”

&n
bsp; “Or she’s seen you drive.”

  “Har har.” She punched the gas and they jolted to the top of the rise before she hit the brakes, causing them to skid in a fishtail. “Aaaaugh!”

  Barth’s left arm shot out to brace her back in place. “I got you!”

  “Thanks.” Chieko maneuvered them awkwardly into place with the ATV facing sideways to the area where the other three ATVs frolicked.

  “Kill the engine, huh?” He unbuckled and climbed out to round the ATV, standing beside her with his gimbal frame. The air closest to them became a flapping whisper, but the rumbling motors below them and on the opposite dunes hummed. “This is a great spot. We’re high enough to see if they go anywhere in those two directions.”

  With practiced ease, he panned the camcorder around the area and then zoomed in closer.

  “Wow, you can see their faces from here!” Chieko’s chin hovered over his shoulder as she squinted at the viewfinder. The light wind kicked her hair against his neck, but she pulled it back. When she’d secured it into her collar, she let her hand fall on his shoulder in a half embrace.

  The sun overhead could not compete with the warmth of her touch. And was that her breath near his ear? He blinked slowly and allowed himself to sink a little lower, making it easier for her to nestle closer if she wanted to.

  She did.

  Barth’s heart pounded.

  “Exciting, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “I’ll say.” Did it matter if he meant something different than she did?

  “Kind of a pity to mar up clean white snow with all the tracks, though, isn’t it?”

  Her innocent question sent a pang through him. The crisscrossing lines of tire prints blurred the distinction between the white and the brown, and the darker color took over.

  Like when his mom and dad came together and made him and Garold.

  Barth shot a quick glance from Chieko’s pale white fingers on his shoulder to his own brown hands holding the gear. If their genes crossed, would they blend or still feel separate?

  Fingers, bloodlines, sand, and snow. Black and white. Were these things supposed to mix? Sometimes, maybe, they brought about a thing of beauty, but what about now?

  “I want to ride with Chicken!” called Renee.

  Barth burst into laughter next to Chieko, and she glared at him. “She must mean you, cackling like that.”

  “Chicken! Chicken!” Renee bounded up beside the ATV and grasped Chieko’s arm in both her hands. “I want to ride with Chicken. It’s my first time on the dunes!”

  “Do you feel comfortable with that?” asked Jonathan as he herded the next round of riders to their places.

  “Um.” Chieko glanced at Barth, willing him to intervene.

  Instead, he hopped out of the way. “Seat’s all yours, young lady!” He made a show of dusting off the seat and clearing his gear out of the way.

  “I owe you one,” said Chieko, narrowing her eyes at Barth.

  He pumped his fist. “Oh, goodie!”

  “Be scared,” she said, pointing at him. “Be very scared.”

  “Is it scary?” asked Renee with a look of mild panic. “Is it fun or scary, Chicken? It’s my first time.”

  Chieko wheeled around to face Renee and did her best to plaster a reassuring smile on her face. “I go slow, so it won’t be scary.”

  “Is it fun? I want to have fun!”

  Chieko gripped the steering wheel and buried her face on the back of her hands. “You’ll have the time of your life. Buckle up!”

  Barth busied himself strapping Renee into the harness before waving. “Always look both ways at stop signs.”

  Rolling her eyes, Chieko groaned. “Thanks for the tip. Do not film me in any fatal accidents.” She gunned them forward, and Renee let out a squeal of delight.

  “Play it safe!” called Jonathan.

  “Play it safe,” repeated Chieko to herself, every jostle and bump fueling her frustration. These dunes could be a metaphor for her whole life. Up and down, shifting unexpectedly. Hot and then cold.

  What would happen if she played her life safe? If she married Charles because her parents wanted her to? The lack of love would make it easier to shut off her emotions, right?

  She banked hard to the left, and Renee grabbed the dashboard with mittened hands. “Woohoo!!!” she cheered. “Go, Chicken! Go!”

  “Brawk brawk!” replied Chieko in her best barnyard fowl imitation.

  Renee continued woo-ing and hoo-ing with punctuating fist pounds to the dash while Chieko trundled up the steeper of the three dunes facing them faster than before.

  Charles wasn’t hideous, and maybe she could endure a traditional Japanese meal most nights if she could encourage him to work extra long days at the office.

  The ATV caught a few feet of air before thunking down on the other side. Renee cheered even louder, but Chieko’s eyes widened. Someone was going to pee her pants if she wasn’t more careful, and she couldn’t guarantee it would be the handicapped rider.

  Peeing. Diapers. Babies. Would she be expected to have children with Charles?

  Of course.

  Did she want them?

  Ugh. Chieko grimaced. Not if it meant doing that with Charles.

  Her mind flashed to a scene she’d done with Crawford in Who Wants to Be a Soap Star. Her character had presumably conceived sextuplets.

  Crawford. Hmmm. He knew how to make a girl feel like a red-hot sexy woman, but he’d gone and gotten himself engaged or married or something. And she didn’t want him anyway. He was a cheater.

  A cheater.

  Could she marry Charles and then set him up surreptitiously with some stupid mistress who could take care of the bedroom duty?

  Chieko’s mind spun in circles, and she turned the ATV likewise in the snowy sand. Renee laughed hysterically, barely able to call out, “Chick-chick-chicken!”

  With a frown, Chieko acknowledged that such a plan might be fully plausible, but it would leave her without any loving. The wives in such arrangements could never duplicate their husband’s indiscretions.

  And who would she want, anyway?

  She sighed, squinting back to their starting point.

  Barth, of course.

  “Aaaaugh!” Chieko let out a primal yell, unable to wrangle her emotions into logical cubicles in her heart.

  Beside her, Renee froze, gaping at her. “Are you okay? Are you scared? We can go slower if you’re scared, but this is fun!”

  Chieko stared back at Renee, idling the motor for a moment before she processed the girl’s words.

  “Yeah, I’m scared,” admitted Chieko. She punched the throttle even harder, and the ATV took off near top speed for the lowest rise ahead. As they soared forward at low altitude, Chieko had a moment of clarity. If she didn’t let herself love, the other emotions would die out, too. Anger, fear, and sadness would shrivel up, and she could be a pretty shell. A very rich pretty shell who made her parents happy. Zero emotions had to be easier than too many out-of-control ones, right?

  WHAM!

  The ATV landed and skidded to a stop, toppling Renee into Chieko’s shoulder. Chieko and Renee stared at each other for a moment, as if taking stock of each other.

  “You’re crazy, Chicken,” said Renee matter-of-factly. “You can’t do that.”

  Chieko sighed, connecting the girl’s words with her own most recent thoughts. “You’re probably right.”

  Restarting the ATV, she ambled slowly, very safely back to the start point.

  Barth ran up to greet them, laughing and shaking his head. “That was epic!” He tousled her hair, now blown into a nest of knots. “But you ain’t got the do for that kind of driving. You should shave your head like mine.”

  Renee unfastened herself from the harness and tugged off her mittens. “Can I feel your head?” She clambered awkwardly over her seat, half-kneeling on Chieko’s lap as she grasped Barth’s head. “That’s so cool!”

  She let go and backed away, but Barth kept hi
s body bent over. Turning to face Chieko, he gave her a saucy look. “Did you want to get in on that action, too?” His dimple creased so adorably.

  Chieko palmed his face playfully. “Wow, your head is cold!”

  “No hat.” He stood and pretended to dust off his scalp. “My ears are nearly iced over, too. I couldn’t hear you when you said yes.”

  She snorted and unbuckled herself. “That’s because I didn’t.”

  “Aw, I’m going to feel so left out.” His warm smile showed only a good-natured acceptance.

  “Tell me you got some decent footage.”

  “Oh yeah. I chatted with all the guys left behind here and caught a few action shots of you flying.”

  Jonathan jogged up, eyebrows high. “That was some impressive driving! Maybe a little slower with other riders, but it was perfect for Renee.” He waved a finger between Barth and Chieko. “Any chance you could both go out on a rig with a kid? We might be able to give them second rides each with this many drivers.”

  “Wait, I’ve got to drive now?” Barth squeaked.

  Chieko laughed. “Are you chicken?”

  “Nah, that’s you!”

  She clucked and flapped her elbows like wings. “Put your gear in the truck and let’s do this!”

  As Chieko strapped herself back into the ATV, now with a young man named Justin, she wondered at the mood change for good. She’d been angry, scared, frustrated, and ready to shut down or blow up, and then suddenly Barth’s smile transformed her into a silly, joking idiot.

  But it was fun.

  And so was riding the dunes with handicapped kids in the snow.

  And so was sidling up close to Barth in the truck on the way home, listening to stories of his childhood with Garold.

  Chapter 12 ~ Charles on the Chase

  Barth lay curled up on the couch, waiting for the last round of commercials before Chieko signed off the Saturday evening news. She’d looked extra beautiful this time. Smiling and warm, she’d even mentioned her rides in the Christmas Valley dunes during a moment of banter with her co-host.