C.J. reined himself in, but the other two still had tears coming out of their eyes. “Why don’t you guys fire up the plane and I’ll wheel her over once we’ve unloaded.”
Jake and Cole got out of the jet, and the two of them could still be heard all the way down the runway.
“Why are they laughing so much?” Tasha asked.
C.J.’s eyes shone. “Because they like you. And they love to give me a hard time.”
“I don’t understand. Why would they want to do that, when you said your family loved you? Are your feelings hurt?”
“I’m touched by your concern, sweetheart, but you’ve got a lot to learn about men and how they joke around. You know—it’s like how the guys and I tease each other at the station.”
“Oh.” She thought about it. “Yeah.”
“Tasha, real brothers are just like the guys at work. We love to joke and wrestle and tease each other all the time. It’s what guys do. Don’t worry. It’s just something you’ll have to get used to.” He reached out and caressed her cheek.
“Seriously? Boys really never grow up, then.”
He flashed her an ironic smile. “Well, not when we first see each other.” C.J. got their stuff collected. “Now all I need is for you to put your arm around me and I’ll get you to the car. We’ll drive to the plane.”
Tasha didn’t need a reason to hold on to her fiancé. She noticed the extra care he took in picking her up, cast and all. C.J. could be so tender. The more time she spent with him, the more he gave, and the more she understood all the facets of life she’d missed out on, being an only child.
He knew how to love completely.
C.J. STARED AT THE WOMAN he loved sleeping on the gurney in the prop plane. He pushed a stray strand of hair off her cheek. “Thanks for the sedative, Cole. Sleep is what she needs, but are you sure she’ll be wide awake and coherent for the party?”
Jake grinned. “With those comments about her cat, everyone will think she’s crazy, anyway, Jeremiah, so I don’t really see the difference.”
“When we get off this plane, you’re going to pay for that remark, Smokey. You have no idea the hell she’s been through in the last twenty-four hours.” C.J. was still haunted by her close brush with death.
“Sounds like you might need a sedative yourself,” Cole interjected.
“No. I’ve got to be on my guard at all times.” He turned to his brother. “I can’t thank you enough for taking me and Tasha in.”
“Um, that’s going to be a problem. Dad and Mom don’t care about the risks. They had a fit when they found out you were going to stay with me and Sammi and not them. I’m afraid we had to do some rearranging.”
“Like what? Come on, Jake. I was adamant that if I was going to bring risk to the family, we were only going to stay one night at your house. You said you’d stay with Sammi’s grandparents. Why is that a problem?”
“Have you forgotten we’re dealing with Mom and Dad? I’ll let you work it out when we get there. I’m done.”
“Thanks.” C.J. should have known his parents wouldn’t let Tasha and him stay anywhere but with them.
“So how are your burns?” Cole asked C.J.
“I’ve had worse.”
“Considering how pale you are and the way you’re holding yourself, I’d like to look at them.”
“Fine. But I don’t want Tasha knowing about them.”
“Was the fire as bad as it looked on the news?” Jake’s voice had dropped an octave.
“Worse.”
“How did you get out?”
“Dumb luck.”
“Don’t say that,” Jake muttered.
“It’s true.”
“How long is your leave from the station?” Cole asked in a clinical tone.
“I don’t know—until I can handle going back into a burning building.”
“Sounds like you need to get some help.”
C.J. leaned back in his seat. “Tell me about it.”
Cole stared at him. “So you get engaged and decide to go into hiding, instead.”
“The best decision I’ve made yet.”
“She’s a beautiful woman, Chris. I’m happy for you.”
C.J. was done discussing himself. “Hey, Jake? Does Sammi care how dirty you are?” That got a chortle out of the others.
“The only rule is I have to shower before I come in the house.”
“And how do you do that?”
“She had me build an addition onto the back, with a nice big bathroom and laundry room. It’s cut down the smell of fish in the house.”
AT FIRST WHEN TASHA awakened, she was disoriented and thought she must be dreaming of the light show on the night of her birthday party. She could hear voices in the background.
The sensation of moving brought her out of her sleepy state. She glanced upward and saw the sky lit up in colors she could find no words to describe.
She turned toward C.J. and felt his rough jaw. The sensation brought a quiver to her body. She remembered how wonderful it was to be kissed by the man who’d brought her to this land of magic.
Where the sky danced with colors of red, blue and white, he’d told her.
“That’s the aurora borealis!” she cried in awe.
C.J. kissed her mouth. “It’s in full swing tonight. Quite a sight.”
“Oh, it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”
In the distance she heard a deep male voice hollering from the dock. “Is that my Christopher?”
“My dad’s coming,” he said against her lips.
“I hear you brought us home a trophy catch!” All the love in the world was in his voice, touching Tasha’s heart all over again.
“Oh, yeah,” C.J. called out. “But you can’t claim this one. She’s mine.”
“That’s my boy.” His voice cracked before he embraced them both. Tasha felt his big body trembling with emotion. She decided she’d come to the land of giants. C.J. had always seemed so big to her, but up here his size appeared to be the norm.
“After we saw the news reports on the computer, I can’t believe you’re both alive. You’re a hero, son.” The three-way embrace grew so tight she could barely breathe, but she felt engulfed by love. She now knew where C.J. had got his affectionate nature.
“When did you become computer savvy?” C.J. asked his dad.
“Since Sammi brought us into cyberspace. I’m hooked now. Here. Let me get her. You must be tired carrying her all day.”
Before she had the chance to say anything, she was swept up by Doug Powell. He smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Natasha. We’re so happy to have you come and stay with us.”
“Thank you. I’m thrilled, too.”
“She’s a looker, Chris. Even in the dark I can see that.”
Tasha, who was turning red, was grateful for the dim light. It was terrible to be so reliant on others. Independent most of her life, she found it difficult to let people cart her around.
If she wasn’t in such pain, she’d try using her crutches and fight it. But tonight she just didn’t have the strength to put up an argument.
“Christopher? Is that you? Is that my son?” A woman’s cry reached them, then other voices called out his name. How strange everyone up here called him Chris, Tasha thought. She’d never heard anyone call him that before. Why didn’t he use that name in San Francisco?
“Hey, Mom!”
“Don’t ‘hey, Mom’ me.”
Tasha watched as a tall, thin woman embraced C.J. “How you and your sweetheart are alive and in one piece is still a miracle to me. I’ve watched you climb out that office window with her at least a hundred times now. You’ve given your father and me the scare of a lifetime.”
Tasha felt so guilty for hurting his family like this, she started crying. “I’m so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Powell. I never meant to put your son in danger. It’s all my fault. I don’t know what to say. All I do is thank him over and over again for saving my life. I’d be
dead if he hadn’t rushed in when he did.”
“Mom,” C.J. murmured. “Don’t go making my fiancée feel bad for something she couldn’t help. I told you not to talk about it.”
“Fiancée?” a younger female voice shouted in excitement. It had to be Sammi. She was holding a baby in her arms, and Jake was by her side. “Congratulations are in order tonight!”
Doug looked down at Tasha. “Is this true? Did our Chris ask you to marry to him?”
“Yes.”
He planted a kiss on her forehead. “Welcome to the family, my dear. Let’s get you inside so we can make you comfortable.”
Doris had gone all teary. “Are you joking, or are you really going to make your mother’s dreams come true?”
“Mom,” C.J. said, “have I ever brought a woman home before?”
“Oh, Chris!” she cried. “What an amazing, crazy time.”
“Doris? We need to go inside so we can toast this occasion.” Doug led the party into the house. Tasha could see it was built on stilts over the water. What a life they led!
What a life she was going to lead. Tasha would be marrying into a family with emotions spilling out all over the place, and a cozy home built beneath a sky of fire.
In a few minutes they’d all assembled in the great room. Doug set Tasha on the couch, where she could stretch out her leg with the cast. Tasha was thankful her mother had come to the hospital with new clothes for her trip to Alaska.
C.J. had remarked several times on how beautiful she looked in the black leggings and blue sweater. In front of everyone he kept rubbing his cheek against the soft sweater. Every so often he stole a kiss, unconcerned that people were watching. Especially Cole.
Nels and Marta, whom C.J. had inquired about earlier, turned out to be Sammi’s grandparents, and C.J. told Tasha when he introduced them, that Sammi, in fact, had met them only recently.
Sammi nodded. “It’s crazy, isn’t it?”
Tasha watched as the kindly elderly couple played with Christina. They looked exactly the way she imagined grandparents should. Both had a sweet and welcoming demeanor, unlike her socialite grandparents, who’d died before she’d ever really gotten to know them.
Nels’s wrinkled face was a testament to the many years he’d spent at sea, but his eyes were a gentle blue and his obviously once-blond hair was white. Marta was tiny with a round face and piercing blue eyes. She wore her gray hair in a bun.
Jake’s wife, Sammi, was gorgeous and petite. To look at her you would think she would be full of herself, she was so pretty, Tasha decided. But she was the nicest, most outgoing person Tasha had ever met. She would have to be, since she was a photo journalist who’d traveled the world before she’d met Jake. It struck Tasha then that they were going to be sisters-in-law.
During the conversation she learned that Sammi’s deceased father had been best friends with Doug years earlier, but C.J. told her that was a whole other story for another day.
Tasha glanced back at the twins’ dad. They certainly had his twinkling blue eyes. In fact, she imagined the three of them would look very similar if Doug wasn’t wearing a mustache. It seemed to fit the older fisherman in his flannel shirt and jeans.
Doug smiled at her. “I tell you, I almost passed out when Jake called and told us about Chris’s heroics.”
“I’d already passed out when he put me in that fireman’s lift,” she teased.
C.J.’s mother studied her for a long moment. Tasha could tell Doris was dying to hear everything. Who could blame her? Her son had just flown in with a fiancée they hadn’t known about. “If you’re up to it, we’d love to hear how C.J. popped the question.”
“Oh, yes! Please don’t leave out details,” Marta put in. “I may be Sammi’s real grandma, but consider myself to be Christopher and Jake’s surrogate one. If the weather cooperates tomorrow after you wake up, you’ll be able to see our house on the other side of the cove. The twins used to ride over and eat all my cookies. They kept Nels and me entertained with their antics.”
Tasha laughed. “I’d like to hear about it.”
“Plenty of time for that, Natasha. I’m dying to know how my boy proposed.” Doris was practically out of her chair. Her energy caused Beastly to get up and bark. The adorable Rottweiler was the funniest dog Tasha had ever seen. She was absolutely protective of Christy, too, just as Jake had said.
“That dog has turned into a barking machine since the baby was born.”
“She’s just doing her job, Mom.”
“Protecting her from family?” Doris said.
“Beastly doesn’t like loud noises.”
“And her bark isn’t loud?” Doris retorted.
Sammi intervened. “Mom, don’t worry. Beastly is excited with all the people in the house. It’s made her extra jumpy tonight. You know how Jake feels about his dog. It took a miracle for him to fall for me.”
“Now that’s not true.” He nuzzled her neck. “It was one look at you and I was hooked.”
Tasha could see the love they shared. She hoped C.J. and she would always feel like that. But because so far their lives were in peril, she feared C.J. would grow bored of her once things calmed down.
Stop it, Tasha. She looked at the diamond he’d given her.
“I’m glad you like the ring,” he whispered against her ear, causing her to turn to him. It surprised her every time she saw so much love in his eyes. Why did she continually question what he so willingly gave to her?
“Tasha? As you can see, we get off topic easily,” Sammi said. “But we’re all really dying to know how he asked you to marry him.”
Doris nodded. “I can’t wait any longer.”
“We all want to know,” Doug stated unexpectedly. He’d looked so peaceful in his recliner, nursing a beer, Tasha had thought he might be asleep.
“Let me start,” Tasha said. “Before the fire, your son threw me the best surprise birthday party a girl could ask for. I had no idea C.J. had paid attention to the little things I loved, like the color purple, and my favorite TV show and music….”
“And I thought I was smitten,” Jake interjected.
“Don’t make fun,” Tasha admonished. “He planned the party with my parents and my party planner, a fellow named Terrance. You have no idea how hard it is to get two rooms at the MOMA.”
Sammi leaned forward. “No way!”
“Yes. It’s my favorite place in San Francisco and that’s why he planned it there.”
“How romantic, Chris. But what is the MOMA?” Doris asked.
“It’s only the most amazing museum of modern art on the West Coast, Mom,” Sammi said. “I have a picture in there.”
Tasha stared at Sammi. “You have a piece in the museum? Where?”
“I’ll tell you later, but right now you have to go on. C.J.—” she turned to her brother-in-law “—I’m so amazed you did this.” Sammi was shaking with excitement.
“That sounds over the top, Jeremiah,” Jake grumbled. “Now I’m going to have to keep up with your party skills to thrill my wife!”
Sammi pecked her husband’s cheek. “The places you find for me are far greater than anything man-made.”
“I call him Jeremiah, too,” Tasha admitted.
Jake smirked. “Does he hate it?”
She laughed. “Not anymore.”
“How did you find out about it?”
“Long story,” Tasha stated.
Sammi looked at Tasha and whispered, “Thank you.” The other woman was glad for the help in getting the conversation moving along.
Tasha winked back, letting her know she was happy to help. The Powell brothers were funny men and definitely romantic. They wanted to make sure the women they loved felt it. She was struck by the realization and how fun it was going to be to get to know Sammi!
“Benny?” C.J. said. “You’re getting off track, so I’m going to continue. We held the event in the atrium and Schwab Room, Sammi.”
“No way.”
“Yes.”
Tasha kept nodding. “He had this light show with music and then he sang to me. It was thrilling. After that we decided to head to my place in Yountville.”
“You have a place in Yountville?” Sammi said. “I grew up in Saint Helena.”
“Isn’t it a gorgeous place?” Tasha cried. “I love Napa.”
“Oh, so do I. My mom and her husband live on a vineyard with their son. She paints tiles and other things. We try to visit as often as we can.”
“Well, you’re welcome to use my villa as much as you want.”
Doris looked at her husband. “Get your stuff packed, Doug. We’re moving.”
“Sorry. I’m not leaving.”
“We went to Sammi and Jake’s wedding there,” Doris explained. “I fell in love with the area.”
“Then the villa is for you to use as often as you like. My family has so many vacation places, it will be fun to take you to them.”
“Ooh…like where?” Doris was so intrigued she completely forgot about everything else.
“So what happened next?” Marta interjected, trying to get the conversation back to the subject of C.J.’s proposal.
Tasha laughed. “I forget. Let’s agree to dispense with the next part. Then I woke up in the hospital and was told that I needed to go into hiding for my safety.” She looked at the floor and then at all the warm, caring people in the room. “C.J. told me he was taking me home to protect me.” She grabbed his hand for strength.
She was thinking of the love she’d felt from her parents, then the love this family willingly gave to a stranger, all because she loved their son.
“My dad and mom agreed it was best, and C.J. said he had it all worked out. I couldn’t believe he was taking me home to meet you. I don’t know how you dare take someone in who’s a threat to your family. Thank you.”
Doug looked at her. “You’re one of us now, and we protect our own.”
“But you didn’t know I was engaged to C.J. then.”
“Oh, my dear Tasha. For our Chris to bring a girl home, we knew you were special. We just figured it was a matter of time before he made it official. We didn’t realize he would propose before he got here.”
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