Finding Us

by Allie Juliette Mousseau

  “You don’t suck at anything.”

  I felt the tickle of his presence at my ear. “Oh, there are things I like to suck at.”

  “Nate!” I reached out to slap him and, of course, missed.

  He laughed. “Curb, gorgeous. You’re taking a step up now.”

  I felt the change in the air as we entered the mall and heard the overhead music and people talking. Nate continued to guide me another twenty feet.

  “We’re stopping here for a second. I need to check the map.”

  “The curiosity is killing me!” I squealed.

  “Okay, we’re off,” he said and took my arm in his. It must have looked like he was leading a blind person, although I was positive blind people moved faster than my snail like pace.

  “Alright!” Nate burst. “This is going to take forever. You’re getting a ride.” He scooped me into his arms as if I were a bride.

  “OUCH! Nate!” I cried out as his arm rubbed over my shoulder.

  “Oh, shit! Sorry. I forgot,” he admitted. “Okay, here, let’s try it this way.”

  He picked me up and, instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist.

  “Fuck!”

  “What is it?”

  “My tat! Shit.”

  We both started laughing like lunatics.

  “We’re a perfect pair.” I laughed, imagining the rub he must have gotten over his forearm from my jeans.

  “Fuck it. Just hold on.”

  I locked my hands around his neck, and I realized he was carrying me with the support of one arm.

  He walked pretty fast despite my weight.

  “You should see all the people who are watching us!” He chuckled deliciously.

  I laid my head onto his shoulder; the smile on my face was starting to hurt.

  “Yeah, you go ahead and breathe your hot sweet air over my neck,” he teased. “I’m already turned on enough in this position, remembering what happened last time we were in it.”

  At that I nibbled deviously at his ear.

  “Jules …”

  I twisted my tongue around his lobe, then licked up the curve and down around his inner ear.

  “Jules!” His gait was getting wobbly and his breathing was changing.

  So I pulled his lobe between my teeth.

  “Julia! That’s it, you’re not playing fair!” He started poking into my ribs. Nate knew I was ridiculously ticklish.

  “SHTOP!” I refused to let go of his ear.

  “You made me to do this!” Nate attacked my sensitive armpit.

  I let his ear go and jerked away as if his fingers were a snake, struggling in his arms.

  “Jules, you’re going to make me drop you!” he warned playfully.

  I threw my head back, laughing!

  He kept tickling me all over. “Nate! You won!”

  “What did I win?”

  I squirmed. “I stopped. Now you stop!”

  “Hell, no!” Then he whispered, “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

  “Nate! Put me down, I’m all ticklish now!” I was still giggling.

  “But we’re not there yet!” he protested.

  I kicked my legs in an attempt to escape. His bum arm was to my advantage.

  “Okay, okay!” he said as he let me slide down him. My feet touched the floor.

  He was still laughing. “Here, just lean against the wall for a sec.”

  We both caught our breaths.

  “Hmm.”

  “What is it?” I asked, still fully deprived of my sight.

  “Well, it’s not really my original destination, but it was one option.”

  I squeaked, “I want to see!”

  “You want to hit this one first?” he asked.

  “Yes!” I thrilled.

  He was quiet and turned me away from him. His fingers gathered under the fabric of my blindfold, and he whispered, “Surprise.”

  The smile faded into a shock I couldn’t hide from my face.

  “Ben Moss.” I was dreaming. Four sales associates were smiling at us. They had definitely caught some of our antics.

  “This is it, Jules,” Nate declared as he bent to one knee. “You answered the question the other night, and I’m banking on the fact that your answer’s going to be the same, but I have to do it properly, with a ring.”

  OH MY GOD!!!

  “Julia Grace North, would you spend your life with me”—I listened, speechless, another smile brewing with tears under the surface—“as my wife?”

  “Yes, always, Nathaniel.”

  He stood back up and stole a soul possessing kiss while the sales associates applauded.

  “I was hoping you’d say that … again.” Nate smiled at me so lovingly. “The store’s yours. Pick your favorite ring. If you want to, you could choose three favorites and I’ll surprise you with one of them.” He came close and whispered in my ear, “If you don’t find your favorite here, Tiffany’s is on the second level.” He laughed. “I didn’t trust us trying to get up the escalator.”

  I hugged him again and held him close. So much had happened in a few days. I had been ready to run away from him, but managed to be brave and followed through. And so had Nate; he overcame his fear when the bigger fear of losing me was presented to him. He’d been brave and finally claimed what he really wanted. My mom and dad loved to tell the story of how they’d had their first date and five days later my dad had proposed. That was twenty-eight years ago. Nate and I were on our way to that same fairy tale ending.

  “Are you okay?” Nate verified. “Are you sure? ’Cause, baby, I know I’m moving fast and if you need time—”

  “I don’t need any time.” I shook my head, smiling and serene, with a peaceful calm that felt so right. “It’s all you, Nate. It’s always been you.”

  “Oh,” I whispered. “By the way, I love Ben Moss Jewellers.”

  He beamed and took my hand. Together we stepped up to the counter. “Good afternoon, I’m Nathaniel Morrisey and this is my bride-to-be, Julia North, and she’d like to choose her engagement ring.”

  This task wasn’t hard for a girl who’d imagined what every intricate detail of her wedding day would look like. I found a round diamond set in a band of white gold and surrounded by smaller diamonds that created a lacy snowflake pattern.

  The jeweler went to hand me a sweet white velvet box with the ring in my size when Nate freaked.

  “STOP!” Nate intercepted it. “That’s my job.”

  The lady laughed and shrugged, a little embarrassed, and stepped back.

  “May I have your hand?” He bowed at the waist before me.

  “Yes, you may, my knight in shining armor.” I held out my left hand with graceful form.

  Nate captured my hand in his, kissed it romantically, and then carefully slid the engagement ring over my finger.

  It was perfect.

  We were so excited to get home and talk to my parents and share our news with our friends that we drove through most of the night, slept in a rest stop to catch a few z’s and got back to the ranch the next day.

  As we were driving down the lane to the house I asked him, “Are you nervous?”

  “I’m sweating, shaking, and my palms are clammy. Yeah, I’d say so.”

  “They love you,” I reminded him.

  “We’ll see how much,” he said lightly.

  “Just relax.” I brushed my hand—the one with the sparkling diamond ring—over his upper thigh.

  “That is not going to help!” He grinned and laced his fingers between mine to stop me. “I have an idea.” Nate swerved to the side of the road and snapped up his cell phone.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Calling to prepare them … and me.”

  I turned away so he wouldn’t see me trying not to laugh at how nervous he was.

  “Hey, Colt … How are you?” He listened. “Yes, sir.” He listened some more. “I wanted to know if I could sit down and talk to you and Suzanne … Yes, sir, thank you Colt.
” He ended the call. “So, you called your mom and prepped her for us coming, huh?”

  “Yeah, I have your back.” I smiled.

  “What did you tell her?”

  “Just that we needed to talk with them.”

  “You could have told me.”

  “And miss this? No way.”

  We both laughed, and some of the nervous energy abated.

  At the end of the drive I saw my mom and dad sitting out under the open gazebo. It was a great space to enjoy the summer afternoon air. We parked and walked up. The closer we got the harder Nate squeezed my hand, until most of the circulation was entirely cut off.

  “Hey, you two!” my mom said excitedly as she walked over to give us both a hug.

  My dad stood up and approached us with a little less enthusiasm, but I caught a hint of the grin in his eyes. “Nate.” He reached out for Nate’s hand, and they shook.

  “Colt.” Poor Nate swallowed hard.

  My dad gave him a strange look then turned his attention to me. “Hey, baby.”

  “Hi, Daddy.” I gave him a hug, took a step away and held my hands behind my back.

  We all stood quietly, waiting for someone to start the conversation.

  My mom blurted, “I’m sorry, but I’m going to explode! I’m so excited you two are finally together!”

  “What do you mean together?” My dad asked her, a little indignant, then looked at Nate.

  “Um, sir … Colt …”

  My dad gave Nate a sour look.

  “Mr. North,”—Nate’s voice sounded even shakier now, and he shut his eyes and held up his index finger—“just give me a second … please.”

  Nate took a deep breath as my dad crossed his arms over his chest with an intimidating, nail splitting expression on his face. He projected and personified the rough, ranch owner businessman he was; he had built his empire from the ground up as a ranch hand and horse trainer—just like Nate was—and now owned hundreds of thousands of acres of land for his cattle and horses and, on top of that, had struck black gold out on the Brakken Oilfield. He was tough and could give men a decade or two younger a run for their money.

  My mom looked like she was about to crack up.

  When Nate opened his eyes it looked like he’d unearthed some balls. “Mr. and Mrs. North, I’m very much in love with your daughter.” He gazed down at me. “I have been for a very long time, but have only now been able to realize she’s in love with me as well.”

  I smiled at him lovingly, encouragingly.

  “We’d like to be married and are asking for your blessing.”

  “Is that so?” my dad said in a scolding tone.

  Nate replied, “Yes, sir.”

  “Well, it’s about Goddamn time, son!” my dad exclaimed and wrapped Nate in bear hug.

  I rolled my eyes, and my mom squealed and ran to hug me again. That’s when I unveiled the engagement ring!

  My mom screamed, “OH MY GOD, IT’S GORGEOUS!” She yanked my hand toward my dad as if I wasn’t attached to the other end of it. “COLT! Look at it!” She started crying.

  My dad held my hand. “Boy, I knew you had it in you.” He glanced at Nate, then back at me. “Are you happy, sweetheart?”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, very happy. That is, if you didn’t give Nate a heart attack, Dad!”

  The three of us turned to Nate, whose entire body suddenly relaxed, and we all busted up.

  “I only have one little girl! You didn’t really expect me to pass up the opportunity to scare the living hell out of you, did you?” my dad deadpanned.

  My mom scooted around the table, reached under it and pulled out an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne. “Congratulations!”

  “Hey!” I grinned. “How did you—?”

  “I got it out of my daughter-in-law,” Mom crowed as she unearthed the champagne flutes.

  I squeezed my eyes together, knowing what was coming next.

  “You told Livie?” Nate was exasperated. “How? You’ve been with me the whole time.”

  “I texted her a pic of the ring from the rest area in Lethbridge.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I should’ve known I’d be walking into a trap.”

  We all laughed and Dad popped the top and poured the bubbly treat into the glasses.

  We talked about how it all happened, our camping trip—mom kept calling it a honeymoon—the rodeo, Sam’s race, and Caleb and Piper.

  My dad broke in, “Well, you’ll both need a proper place to come home to, ’cause downtown isn’t like it used to be, and I’ve seen your apartment.” Dad eyed Nate. “I’m thinking we build you a house anywhere on the property you’d like to be. Consider it your wedding gift from your mother and me.”

  Mom smiled huge, and it took a moment for his words to sink in.

  I hugged my dad. “Have I told you how lucky I am to have you as my parents?”

  “And it never gets old,” he replied.

  Nate hugged them both too.

  “If anyone deserves it, it’s the two of you,” Mom said, full of emotion. “Okay, enough of the tears, are the two of you planning to catch Josh’s fight?” Mom asked.

  “Yeah, we were going to take one of the planes out this evening,” I answered. “Did Caleb and Sam already go down?”

  “They left this morning. Andy’s on call tonight,” Mom explained. Andy was one of the three pilots who were on the roster.

  “I can give him a call,” Dad said. “When do you want to take off.”

  “We both need to get some things together,” Nate said as he looked at his watch. “Say three hours from now?”

  My dad nodded and stepped away from the table to talk on his cell.

  “Okay, I’m going to run back to my place to shower, unpack and repack.” Nate stood up.

  “I’ll be doing the same,” I said, and Nate gave me a kiss.

  “Aww! It’s so amazing to see you two finally together!” Mom came and put us both in a loving stranglehold. “Okay, you two kids, go.”

  She sat back down and Dad waved us away. When we were a little distance from them Nate said, “Pack that little black number.”

  I grinned huge. “Got it.”

  He pulled me into a hug. “And those hot red shoes, they remind me of a scene from one of those Natalia Morris novels.” He smiled suggestively.

  Chapter 16

  “Howlin’ for You”

  Black Keys

  The audience had its own pulse, like a shared heartbeat. The crowd’s roar was powerful, as Drowning Pool’s “Bodies” rumbled through the auditorium. In the caged octagon were two warriors. This was an extreme challenge and a relentless battle. I respected Josh’s dedication to MMA fighting, and he was great at it. He was working his way up the ladder of the UFC. Tonight he was the main card event, going up against Carlos Vega in the Light Heavyweight division. If he won, he’d fight for the title belt in September.

  Above the ring were the UFC logos and Jumbotrons with bright neon lights rotating the contestant’s names: North and Vega. The UFC’s Official Voice boomed through the mic and the opponents were introduced.

  I didn’t need the announcer to tell me what I already knew about my amazing brother—he held black belts in both Judo and Jiu-Jitsu and, when not at the firehouse in Williston, divided his time between training at the Grunge Training Center in Denver and becoming proficient in the discipline of Jeet Kune Do in Minneapolis.

  Josh North was a powerhouse of agility, speed and might. He weighed in at 205, was 6’3 and possessed a reach of 83.2. On his bicep and shoulder was a black tribal tat, and in between his shoulder blades on his back was the Jeet Kune Do symbol—a black and white yin and yang surrounded by Chinese characters.

  Josh was warming up on his side of the cage, jumping, swinging his arms, stretching and jogging in place, wearing form-fitting black, white and red shorts with the labels of his sponsors. As his name was shouted, he held his arms in the air like the champ he was and pumped his fists.

/>   Both fighters walked to the center of the Bud Light logo on the middle of the mat as the ref went over a few rules and they touched gloves.

  I could feel my own adrenaline jet through me as I heard, “Here we go!” and the fight began. They wasted no time in their attacks and came at each other with some serious skill! Each threw punches and leg kicks. In almost no time, Josh put Vega in a clinch and landed a few knee strikes before bringing him to the floor and delivering hammer blows. The next thing I knew, the two of them were in a wrestling match with Josh on top. They each worked hard to find a hold that would stick, but both were elite athletes. The horn blew, signifying the end of round one and each fighter took to their corner to recoup.

  Nate, Sam and Caleb were cheering while Piper and I clapped.

  “Have you seen women’s MMA fights?” she asked me.

  “They’re badass!” I answered back. “Hey, what happened in your barrel race?”

  “Came in third. I’d woken up with a vicious headache, then during the ride I got dizzy and off balance. It forced me to slow my pace … thought I was going to fall off Valentine’s back. It lasted a little while then just passed. I don’t know, just one of those fluke things. Still snagged a nice little purse for myself,” she explained.

  “That’s good.” I remembered she hadn’t seen my art. “Ooo! Look at my shoulder!” I spun around so she could move my shirt.

  “You got a tat! Holy shit, it’s gorgeous! When did you do it?”

  “Nate and I got them at the same time in Banff. He has the Big and Little Dippers on his forearm … told me I was his North Star.” I beamed.

  “Aww. You guys are too much. I’m glad you didn’t run off to Seattle.” She hugged me.

  “Me too.”

  Round two started. Josh came in strong, and soon it was obvious he was wearing Vega out, but Vega wouldn’t stay down and backed Josh into the cage wall with some heavy jabs. Involuntarily I gripped Nate’s arm. I hated when Josh got the worst of it.

  Josh was unpredictable though, and spun out off the wall while, at the same time, shoving Vega against it. He leveled a hard, spinning elbow on the side of Vega’s head.

  “YOU GOT THIS, JOSH!” I heard Sam shout out.

  A moment later, Josh got Vega to his back on the mat and held him there, delivering elbow jabs as Vega strived to get a leg lock on him. Vega’s power seemed to be waning, and suddenly Josh came in for the kill with fast, vicious left and right elbows until Vega seemed utterly dazed.