Bayside Wishes

by Stacy Claflin

  "I can check my schedule."

  "You're great." The bride smiled at Freya. "The kids adored you."

  "Thanks. I know a thing or two about photo shoots." And it was kind of nice being on the other side for a change.

  Marcel and Freya headed back inside. "We make a good team. What do you think of me asking your sister about hiring you on to help me? You're in between jobs, right?"

  "Yeah."

  "Is it something you'd be interested in?"

  "It was fun. I could give it a try. You know, see how it goes helping you with their ceremony."

  Marcel's eyes lit up. "I get an assistant."

  Freya laughed. "We'll see how it goes."

  They went back to the office and Freya looked through more pictures with Dakota.

  "When you have time," Marcel told Dakota, "we've got to talk."

  Dakota arched a brow. "Another one of your ideas? This ought to be interesting. Let's chat once I've got the photos picked out. I'm determined to get this done today."

  "You know my number. Bye, ladies."

  "Bye," Freya and Dakota said.

  "Did you find any favorites?" Freya asked.

  "I've narrowed it down somewhat, but I want your opinion." She went over to another folder. "What do you think of these?"

  They sat for what had to more than an hour, going over images.

  Dakota's phone rang. "Logan. Maybe he heard from Morgan. Hold on. I'm going to take this."

  "Sure." Freya got up and stretched her legs. They were sore from sitting in the chair for so long without moving around.

  "Logan, what's up?" Dakota asked.

  Freya studied some pictures on the wall—all wedding stuff, of course.

  Dakota gasped. Freya turned around to see her sister covering her mouth with her free hand. The color had drained from her face. "Oh, no."

  "What?" Freya exclaimed.

  "Is he going to be okay?" Dakota sat back down in her chair, staring at something on her desk.

  "No. I'll take her. Don't worry. Thank you, Logan." Dakota put her phone away and glanced up at Freya. "You're going to want to sit."

  The room spun around Freya. "What is it?"

  "Sit."

  Freya took a deep breath and sat back in her chair and stared at Dakota.

  "There's nothing else to do but say it. I wish I could soften the blow."

  "What is it?" Freya cried.

  "Nico's been shot."

  It took Freya a minute to comprehend the words. The room seemed to spin out of control. "Shot?"

  Dakota nodded. "Logan just heard. He—"

  "Is he okay?"

  "It sounds like it. He's in surgery now."

  "Where was he hit?"

  "From the sounds of it, he was shot a couple times before going down. We're probably better off getting to the hospital."

  Freya leaned her head against the chair and took a few deep breaths. "You don't know where he was hit?"

  "Logan thinks he had on a vest, so it probably didn't hit a major organ."

  "Then why's he in surgery?"

  Dakota jumped up from the chair and pulled Freya from hers. "Let's find out."

  Freya's stomach twisted in knots on the drive over. If he was hit in the arm or leg, he would be okay. He had to be. Tears blurred her vision, but she didn't bother wiping them away.

  Once they arrived at the hospital, she followed Dakota in a daze. Somehow, they ended up in a waiting room. Freya stood in front of a fish tank, watching tropical fish swim around.

  Someone tapped her on the shoulder. Dakota.

  Freya stared at her, unable to speak.

  "The doctor can answer your questions now."

  "Okay." Freya followed her to a row of chairs. The doctor introduced himself, but she didn't catch his name. They all sat.

  Dakota spoke first. "Being shot in the arm is the best place, isn't it, Dr. Yamamoto?"

  His mouth curved down. "There is no good place to be shot. Gunshots to the arm can be complicated and dangerous, despite what most people believe. Half of all injuries lead to permanent damage."

  Freya slunk back into the seat.

  "We always worry about the brachial artery, but Nico's wasn't hit. Other major concerns are if the shoulder joint is hit, it can cause paralysis. There's also the risk of nerve damage."

  She stared at him. What was he saying? She cleared her throat. "What about Nico's injuries?"

  "He was extremely lucky. It was a through and through, not hitting anything serious. He suffered a break in the same arm, most likely from the way he landed on the ground."

  Freya closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

  "Nico's going to be in a lot of pain for a while, but the good news is that he'll be able to return to work without any limitations."

  "So he can get shot again." Freya frowned.

  "Hopefully not. He's still sleeping, but you can see him if you'd like."

  Freya sat up. "I can?"

  He nodded. "Just don't throw any wild parties while you're in there."

  Dakota shook his hand. "Thank you. Can I go with her?"

  "Like I said."

  "No parties?"

  "Right. If you have any other questions, just have one of the nurses page me." He shook Dakota's hand and then Freya's before leaving the room.

  Dakota turned to Freya. "Are you ready?"

  "To see Nico in a hospital bed?" She thought back to the donut shop that morning. "He told me he loves me."

  "And he'll tell you again and again." Dakota squeezed her hand. "Come on. Having you there will help him recover faster."

  "You think so?"

  Dakota dragged her to nurses' station and got directions to Nico's room.

  When they got there, everything was silent, except for a machine that beeped every few seconds. Freya's feet were frozen to the floor. Nico lay in the bed with tubes attached and a cast taking up most of his arm.

  "Go over to him," Dakota whispered. "He needs to hear your voice."

  A lump formed in her throat. Tears stung her eyes. Freya took a deep breath and forced her legs into action. She stood at the edge of the bed by Nico's good arm and stared at him. She shook.

  He'd been so strong that morning. Now…

  Dakota put her arm around Freya's shoulder. "Talk to him."

  She wiped her eyes and took his hand. It was so cold. She turned to her sister. "Can you get him another blanket?"

  "I'll ask the nurses. Maybe they need him a certain temperature." Dakota left the room.

  Freya held Nico's hand between both of hers. "Nico, I'm here. It's Freya."

  He didn't respond. Not even the fluttering of an eye.

  She ran her hands over his hair and kissed his forehead. There were some scratches along his face. She kissed each one. "You gave me a real scare, you know?" Her vision went blurry. She blinked the tears away and one fell to his arm.

  Nico stirred, but didn't wake.

  "I'm going to stay here as long as they'll let me."

  Dakota came in and opened a closet Freya hadn't noticed. She pulled out a blanket and spread it over Nico. Then she pulled a chair over to Freya. "Have a seat."

  She sat and leaned her head against Nico's arm. Dakota put her hand on Freya's shoulder.

  "If you need to get back to work, you can."

  "It's covered. Don't worry about it. I'm here for you—anything you need."

  Freya rubbed the back of Nico's hand and took a deep breath. She begged him silently to wake up. But maybe he needed the sleep and she was just being selfish.

  Dakota's phone beeped. "Logan just texted me. He's here and says the nurses will only let two people in here at a time. Mind if I go out there so he can come in?"

  "Sure." Freya didn't budge.

  Dakota squeezed her shoulder and then walked away.

  Freya glanced up at the clock. An hour had passed somehow.

  A couple minutes later, Logan came in. "How is he?"

  "Sleeping."

  H
e came over and embraced Freya. "He's going to be just fine."

  She nodded and clung to her big brother, just as she'd done many times as a child. "I'm glad you're here."

  Logan tightened his hold on her. "Do you need anything? Water? Coffee?"

  Freya shook her head. "I just want him to wake up. I need to hear his voice."

  A nurse came in and checked Nico's vitals. "He's doing well. Better than most."

  "Is he going to wake soon?" Freya asked.

  "He should. The anesthesia should have worn off by now. Now it's just a matter of waiting until he's ready to join us." She left the room.

  Logan leaned over Nico. "Hey, man. Time to wake up. You've got a beautiful woman waiting for you."

  Freya cracked a smile and shoved Logan.

  "It's true." Logan grinned at her. "You going to be okay for a minute if I grab some coffee?"

  She nodded.

  "Sure you don't want some?"

  Freya shrugged. "I'm all right."

  "I'll take that as a yes." Logan winked and left the room.

  She leaned over the bed and brushed her hands over his hair again. His head moved to the side and his eyes fluttered under his closed lids.

  "Are you awake?" she whispered.

  Nico's eyes blinked a few times and then he focused on her. "Freya?"

  Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest. "How do you feel?"

  "Where am I? What happened?"

  "The hospital. How are you feeling?"

  "The…?" He appeared to be trying to remember what happened. "I was shot, wasn't I?"

  Freya nodded. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. "But you're going to be just fine. Sounds like the break might be worse."

  Nico groaned.

  Logan came into the room, carrying two coffees. "Look who's awake. How are you doing, man?"

  "I've been better."

  "Yeah, I bet. The nurses tell me you've been giving them a hard time."

  Nico cracked a smile. "You know me."

  Logan handed one of the drinks to Freya and then he turned to Nico. "Some of your colleagues are out in the waiting room. Everyone's rooting for you."

  Nico raised his good arm and rubbed his eyes. "Was it really that bad?"

  "It's just a flesh wound," Logan said in an English accent, like he was quoting something Freya didn't recognize.

  "I'm never going to hear the end of this."

  Logan shook his head. "You're a hero. Maybe you'll get a purple heart."

  Nico laughed and then reached for his side. "Ow. Did I crack a rib, too?"

  "They had to do CPR," Logan said.

  Nico's eyes widened. Freya turned to stare at her brother.

  "Just kidding. But from the sounds of it, you took a good fall. You're probably bruised."

  "Great." Nico moaned.

  "Well, I'll give you two a moment. Everyone will be glad to hear you're alive—I mean awake."

  Nico laughed and then groaned. "You've got to stop doing that."

  "Sorry about that. Glad you're okay. Anything you need?"

  "Other than to go back in time?" Nico asked.

  "I wish I had those kind of powers. See you soon." Logan left the room.

  Nico turned to Freya. "I'm so glad you're here."

  "I wouldn't be anywhere else."

  "And I meant what I said earlier. I love you."

  "I love you, too."

  Twenty-Eight

  Sullivan pulled the car up to the real estate agency and turned to Freya. "Now that you've had some time to think it over, are there any of the houses or condos you want to put an offer in for?"

  Her mind still swam from looking at over a dozen places. "I'm not really sure."

  "Have you at least narrowed it down to a house or condo?"

  Dakota poked her head between them from the backseat. "I'm serious about you staying with me. It's been great having you there. You can pay me rent if it'd make you feel better, but I'm happy to let you keep staying for free."

  "But I'm working now. Wasn't that always the deal?"

  "I don't recall saying that," Dakota said. "If I did, I didn't realize how much I was going to enjoy having my sister live with me. Besides, we can carpool whenever you want."

  Sullivan turned to Freya. "Go ahead and think about it. I know it can be overwhelming."

  "Maybe I should sleep on it." She turned to Dakota. "You're going to get sick of me—seeing me every day at The Chateau and then again at home."

  "Or are you afraid you're going to get sick of me?" Dakota laughed.

  "No way."

  Sullivan opened his door. "Just think about it. If you want to wait, that's no problem. There's always something available."

  Freya frowned. "But if that's the case, I just wasted two hours of your day."

  "Honestly, it was good to spend some time with my sisters. We should hang out more, you know?"

  They both agreed, and they all climbed out of the car.

  Freya paused and turned to Dakota. "Well, if you're sure, I'd love to rent the room from you."

  Dakota grinned wide and wrapped her arms around Freya. "I'm so excited!"

  "I hate to break this up," Sullivan said and nodded toward the building, "but I've got to get back in there. If you decide you want to pursue anything, Freya, just give me a call."

  Freya gave him a hug. "I will."

  Sullivan turned to Dakota. "And if you ever decide you want to sell…"

  She shoved him. "You know I won't, Sully."

  "Never say never."

  "Not when I can see the bay from my house."

  He arched a brow. "From a bathroom?"

  "And part of the deck. Get back to work."

  "You know my number. See you guys later."

  "Bye," Dakota and Freya said in unison.

  Freya checked her phone. Still no calls.

  "Want me to take you back to work?" Dakota asked.

  Her body ached. "I could use a nap, actually."

  "Me, too. Looking at houses always wears me out. I don't know how Sully does it for a living."

  "You didn't have to come."

  Dakota shrugged. "I actually enjoyed seeing what was available." She unlocked her car with the remote and walked toward it.

  "Sure you don't mind if I take a nap? I can go back in with you."

  "Yeah. Marcel is going to work you like crazy again on Saturday. Rest while you can." She yawned. "In fact, get some rest for me, too. I have an appointment in an hour."

  Freya arched a brow and climbed into the passenger seat. "I thought you were done meeting with brides for the day."

  Dakota got in. "I have an interview for another assistant. There just aren't enough hours in the day. Word keeps spreading, and we get bride and grooms calling from as far away as a three-hour drive. There are going to be a lot more weekends like the last one."

  "That's great." Freya smiled. There had been weddings and receptions all day long both days—sometimes two at once. One wedding in the courtyard while the other one was in the wedding hall. "I'd offer to help, but I think Marcel would throw a fit."

  Dakota laughed and started the car. "He sure would. Besides, I only hire people who've gone through a course. I doubt you want to take that."

  "Not really. It's fun to help with the pictures." She checked her phone again.

  "Expecting a call from the president?" Dakota teased.

  "No. Nico's supposed to have his cast off. I want to hear how it went."

  "I'm sure you'll be the first one he calls."

  When they got to the house, Freya went up to her room and threw herself on the bed. Every inch of her ached with fatigue. She kept the phone in her hand and closed her eyes.

  The phone rang, waking her.

  Freya accepted the call. "Hi, Nico."

  "Did I wake you? I can call back."

  "I'd rather talk to you. How did everything go?"

  "Great. Not only does everything look better than the doctor expected, but I'm off desk duty."
>
  "I'm so happy for you. Are you going back to work now?"

  "I was thinking of asking a beautiful woman out to dinner, actually."

  "Oh?" Freya asked, trying to keep the teasing tone out of her voice. "Do you think she'll say yes?"

  "I hope so. I really like her a lot."

  "When did you want to take her out to dinner?" Freya asked, already trying to figure out what she would wear.

  "An hour? I want to get cleaned up. I feel like I smell like a hospital."

  "You probably do," Freya teased. "Where are we going?"

  He cleared his throat. "What do you think about giving Roosevelt's another try? I hear they actually have good food."

  Freya's mouth watered. "They do—the best. We definitely need a reset button on that place."

  "Great. I'll pick you up in an hour."

  "Wonderful. I can't wait. I love you."

  "I love you more."

  Freya's heart exploded in her chest as she ended the call. She jumped up and went through all her new dresses. Somehow, none of them seemed good enough. Finally, she settled on a glittery silver dress. She had some pumps that matched it perfectly.

  She hurried into the shower, excited to see him without the cast and stitches. He'd been itching to get them off, though she was sure it was mostly so he could get back out into the field.

  Just as she was putting on the final touches of her makeup, she heard a car pull into the driveway. She added a bit more blush and spritzed on some perfume.

  The doorbell rang and she ran down to get it. When she opened the door, Nico's eyes widened and he looked her over. "Suddenly, I feel under dressed."

  He wore a suit with a Darth Vader tie.

  "You look perfect." She threw her arms around him and gave him a kiss. "How does your arm feel, Lieutenant?"

  He beamed, still adjusting to the new title. "Good as new."

  She grabbed a light jacket and they headed for his car. A beautiful corsage of yellow and white flowers sat on her seat. She gasped. "It's gorgeous. You didn't have to."

  "No, but I wanted to." He took it out of the packaging and slid it onto her wrist.

  On the drive over, he held her hand when he didn't have to change gears. "It's good to have my own car back," he said.

  "I'll bet. That automatic Corolla didn't really say tough cop."

  Nico laughed. "That was probably the worst part of the entire ordeal."

  She squeezed his hand. "And you played a big part in catching Chase's killer."