Born Ready
Page 18
“Chief!” one of Carl’s men called out, coming up on deck from the galley. “We’ve found a man being held hostage in the hold. He’s weak and dehydrated but we think it’s Jack Birchard.”
“DAD?” JACKIE CROUCHED in front of her father.
Carl Dugan’s men had brought him out of the hold and eased him down on the galley couch. His lips were dry, his color pale. He looked so frail.
“Jackie,” he croaked and reached out to touch her face. “You’re here.”
She wrapped her arms around him. He was so thin. He hugged her in return. The man was not given to displays of emotion, so the hug shocked her, as did the husky sound of relief in his voice.
“What happened?” she whispered.
In a slow, halting account, he told her how a month earlier he and Gary had argued over Jackie’s research on the Key blenny. Her father had decided she was correct and wanted to back her and demote Gary.
Gary had struck him on the back of the head, rendering him unconscious, tied him up and stowed him in the hold. Then he’d dismissed the crew of the Sea Anemone and brought on Chemo and Hector.
Guilt chomped at Jackie. While she’d been nursing anger toward her dad, he’d been held prisoner on his own ship.
Scott stood behind her, shifting from foot to foot. She realized he wanted to go after DeCristo and that submarine.
She turned. “What are you still doing here?”
“Supporting you,” he said staunchly.
“Scott, there’s no need. I’m a big girl. I can take care of my father and myself. Get on that chopper with Carl and go after DeCristo. You need to be in on that interdiction. For the sake of your father.”
He looked like she’d given him the best present he’d ever received. “You’re sure?”
“Go, go. I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“I won’t be long.”
“Take all the time you need.”
Their eyes met and she felt the full power of his love. “You, Jackie Birchard, are the most awesome woman in the world.”
Then Scott was gone, climbing up the steps toward the deck and the waiting chopper.
“You’re in love with him,” her father observed.
“I am,” Jackie said, completely unabashed by her feelings.
She went to the galley kitchen, got him some water and made him a sandwich from what she found in the refrigerator. How many times had she made him sandwiches over the years? It had been their staple meal. Carl had left two of his Coast Guard officers behind to look after her and she made them sandwiches, too.
“Guess what?” She held his glass of water for him as he ravenously tore into the ham sandwich.
He arched an inquisitive eyebrow, his mouth full of sandwich.
“I found Starksia starcki.”
Her father’s eyes rounded in surprise. “You did?”
She grinned. “I did. They were right where I told you they’d be.”
“My smart girl,” he praised. “You were right and I was wrong.”
His praise made everything she’d gone through worth it. “Thanks, Dad.”
Then, through a tumult of emotions, they talked, clearing up a lot of old misunderstandings between them. He apologized for not believing her about the Key blenny, and Jack Birchard never apologized for anything. It was the moment of Jackie’s greatest triumphant. Garnering not only her father’s respect, but his apology, as well.
“I’m not the easiest person in the world to live with, Jackie. I know that and I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too, Dad,” she said, forgiving him everything. How could she not? He was her father. Besides, she had plenty of flaws of her own.
They talked for hours. She told him about Scott and their evolving relationship. And her father listened. Fully, completely and he wasn’t once dismissive.
Jackie stole occasional glances at the clock. She couldn’t help fretting about Scott. He was out in deep waters facing off with a drug lord. Anything could happen.
It was one in the morning and her father’s eyes were heavy-lidded. He’d been through a lot.
“You need to get some sleep, Dad. We have a lot of stuff to sort out, but tomorrow is soon enough for that. You’ll have to go to the police and give a statement about being kidnapped by Gary. It’s going to be a media circus.”
“We could use the opportunity to talk about the Key blenny.” He got up to head for his sleeping compartment. “And how your research is going to save Starksia starcki from extinction.”
“You mean it?”
“What did I teach you about publicity?”
“When you get media attention, milk it for your own purposes.”
“Glad to see you listened to a few things I’ve said.”
“Get some sleep, Dad.”
“Your man is going to be all right.”
“It’s that obvious that I’m worried.”
“You love him. How could you not be worried? You have my blessing.” Her father smiled. “Not that you need it.”
“Thank you. That means a lot.”
He leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Good night, daughter. It’s good to have you back.”
WHILE JACKIE AND HER FATHER were reconciling, Scott, Carl and a cadre of other Coast Guards arrested DeCristo just off the coast of Cuba, retrieving his submarine.
With the help of the device Jackie had affixed to the sub’s hull, they’d easily tracked the drone straight to DeCristo. They had more than enough evidence to get a conviction for drug trafficking.
They brought him to Sector Key West where the D.A. was waiting to book the drug lord. The D.A. had even more good news for Scott. They’d found Juliette Sterns through the marked bills she’d been spending and they’d recovered a sizable portion of the money.
Getting through all the red tape took hours. And while Scott was elated to finally have DeCristo in custody, he couldn’t stop thinking about Jackie. He couldn’t wait to get back to the Sea Anemone and share his good news with her.
By the time everything was completed, dawn was pushing up the day with sunny fingers off the Florida Keys. He rushed home, climbed into his boat and took off to where the Sea Anemone was anchored just outside the estuary Jackie had been doing her research.
When the Sea Anemone came into view, he could see Jackie pacing the bow, clearly as anxious to see him as he was to see her. She wore white shorts and a blue short-sleeved blouse. She caught his eye and smiled broadly.
He killed the engine. “Ahoy there. Permission to board.”
“Permission granted. Get your sexy butt up here, Scott Everly.”
He dropped anchor and scaled the ladder onto her ship. She flew into his arms and covered his face with kisses. Laughing, Scott kissed her right back.
“How did it go?” she asked.
“We got him. DeCristo is going to spend the rest of his life in jail.”
“That’s got to be satisfying—avenging your father’s death, taking drugs off the streets.”
“It is, but you know what’s even more satisfying?”
“What?”
“This.” He squeezed her tight and kissed her again.
She snuggled against him.
“So how’s your dad?”
“He’s sleeping. He was pretty exhausted. Gary has been holding him prisoner for more than a month, but he’s going to be okay. We had a serious talk about our long-standing issues and ironed out a lot of things.”
“That’s wonderful.”
“He gave us his blessing.”
“Oh? What did you tell him about us?”
“That I loved you. I’ve never said that to a man.”
“Jackie,” he murmured and buried his face in her hair. “Thank you for saying it to me. I love you with every cell in my body.”
Her arms tightened around him.
He glanced over her shoulder. “Where are Carl’s men?”
“I sent them home at dawn. There was no reason for them to keep hanging
around. Besides, I knew you would be here soon enough.”
“That confident of me, were you?”
“Absolutely. Any man who could cut through my emotional wall has to be a keeper.”
“So, it’s just you and me?”
“You and me and that hammock.” She nodded toward a wide white hammock strung between two heavy metal support beams.
“You have a wicked mind, Jackie Birchard.”
“It’s one of the things you like most about me, admit it.”
“Mermaid, when it comes to you, I’m a one hundred percent goner.”
She took his hand and led him to the hammock.
MINUTES LATER, they were naked and rocking gently in the hammock, the morning breeze blowing softly over their bare skin. Nothing in her life equaled this sense of celebration as they touched each other, kissed, caressed and sighed together.
She admired his golden-brown skin. His flat belly. His strong muscles. He was hers. This was her man. She ran her fingers down to his thighs. He jerked at her touch as if a jolt of electricity had passed straight through him.
“C’mere.” He pulled her on top of him, kissed the hollow just beneath her lower lip, speaking against her skin, his words sharp-edged and hungry. “I gotta have you. Right now. No more teasing.”
The hammock rocked against their movements.
She splayed her palm over his chest. “Wait.”
“What is it?”
“This is it, Scott. A once-in-a-lifetime love. I’m not the easiest person in the world to live with. I can be self-absorbed and cranky and—”
“Strong and brave and honest and tender and vulnerable and tough.”
“You make me sound so complex.”
“You are.”
“Seriously, Scott. Are you sure you’re really ready for me?”
“Mermaid,” he whispered on a heated breath that warmed the top of her ear, “I was born ready.”
Epilogue
When you’ve found your soul mate, there’s nothing to do but plunge into the ocean of love.
—Jackie Birchard, bride-to-be of Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Scott Everly
SAVE THE DATE EMAIL NOTIFICATION
To our closest friends and family. You are invited to the Fourth of July wedding of Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Scott Marcus Everly and Jacqueline Michele Birchard at 4:00 p.m. aboard the Sea Anemone docked at Wharf 16, Key West, Florida.
We know our union is quick and unexpected, but when you’ve found your soul mate there’s nothing to do but take the plunge. We would love to have the pleasure of your company.
RSVP to Jackie at JackieBirchard@seaanemone.com.
In lieu of gifts please send a donation to your favorite ecological charity.
Hope to see you in Key West.
* * * * *
ISBN: 9781459219168
Copyright © 2012 by Laurie Vanzura
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