“Okay.” Kit handed the Marine her mug. “There’s supposed to be fog in a while.”
“Damned stuff.” Ruston shook Hawk’s hand. “Fly safe. We’ll need a ride out of this place in another week or so.”
Hawk lifted his chin in acknowledgment.
As he tucked Kit into the cockpit, he saw the men working on stringing up the food storage wire between two trees. He’d also left them some bear-proof containers to use on the ground.
After strapping in, Kit donned her headphones.
He tossed a salute at Ruston and Foreman, then lifted into the sky and started the flight toward home.
Unfortunately, before they were halfway down the mountains, billowing white fog had started to conceal the passes.
Damn. He shouldn’t have brought Kit.
“That doesn’t look good,” she said quietly.
“Nope. We need to set down for the night.”
“But—Aric.”
“He’ll be safe. Best if we get you home to him in one piece.”
Her eyes widened, but although her hands tightened in her lap, she stayed calm.
Hell of a woman. A touch could send her into a panic attack, but a possible helicopter crash? She had it under control.
“We land, spend the night. The sun and wind will lift the fog in the morning.” He handed her the satellite phone. “Let Gabe know.”
“Right. Okay.”
As she talked with Gabe, he circled, keeping high enough the phone would work.
“He says he’ll let Frankie know.” Kit turned off the device. “And that she’ll like playing godmother.”
Frankie adored Aric. “Yeah.” Hawk dropped them into the next valley, searching for a spot to land.
Near a stream, the fog was patchy enough to see the ground—and there was a small flat clearing just calling his name.
He took them down.
Why did her phone always ring any time she left it upstairs?
Grumbling, Frankie ran up to the master bedroom. There it was. She’d left it on the dresser when she changed. Gabe’s name showed on the display.
“Hey, Gabe. What’s up?”
“The fog is going to keep Hawk and Kit from making it back tonight. They’ll spend the night in the mountains.”
Cavalo. Her knees went weak, and she dropped onto the bed. “Are they all right?”
“They’re fine.” Gabe’s easy-going laugh was reassuring. “Hawk’s flown into enemy fire, at night, into shitty terrain. A little fog isn’t a worry.”
“But what if he doesn’t make it down?”
“He stayed high enough for the sat phone to work to give me a call and has probably already landed. He had a spot picked out.” As if he could feel her heart speeding up, he added, “Relax. Hawk’s careful, especially when he has passengers.”
The reassurance was what she needed. And really, he’d probably be even more careful with having Kit along. Frankie had seen how his hard face softened when he talked with her bestie. And when she’d asked Kit about him, her friend turned red and flustered…and her face softened too.
Frankie’d decided she’d be hands-off, although, okay, she was totally cheering them on. “What about camping? I mean, it’s going to be cold and everything.”
“He carries everything he’ll need for both of them.”
Of course he did. The man had been raised by a survivalist, right? “If they call again, you can let them know Aric’s safe with me.”
“Thanks, Frankie.”
Shaking her head, she returned to the others in her living room.
On the sectional, Audrey and Lillian were discussing the newly purchased portable school buildings.
At the dining room table, JJ sat between the two children, drawing pictures for Aric. He loved when he could get someone to freehand designs for him.
“What color should our bird be?” JJ asked.
He held up a crayon.
She just raised her eyebrows. “What’s color is that?”
Grinning, he shouted out, “Pink!”
“You’re right.” She took the crayon. “It will stand out nicely in this snow.” Grinning, JJ started working on a…a penguin?
In pink? The poor bird would hide in shame. Smothering a laugh, Frankie winked at Regan, who was giggling.
Now…how in the world was she going to tell Aric about his mom?
“Oh, there’s a worried expression,” JJ said. “Was it a bad call, Frankie? Is there a problem at the roadhouse?”
Audrey looked over the back of the couch. “You law enforcement types are such pessimists. That’s exactly what Gabe would ask.”
“Not the roadhouse.” Trying to be discreet, Frankie waved toward the wall of windows that faced the courtyard. “See how pretty the lake is?”
JJ gave her a puzzled look. “I can’t even see the lake for the fog.”
“Exactly. Gabe heard from someone who’s spending the night elsewhere. Because of that white stuff.”
Catching on, Lillian, Audrey, and JJ glanced at Aric. Since their rescue, the boy hadn’t spent a night without either Kit or Hawk to put him to bed.
Frankie bent and kissed his silky-soft hair. He smelled like a child who’d had a wonderful day. Of grass and mud. Chocolate smeared his chin from when he’d helped her make chocolate chip cookies.
He tipped his head back to look up at her with his endearing crooked smile.
Cazzo, she loved him. She pulled in a breath. How to give him the news?
Maybe start with family? She went down on one knee beside him. “Hey, Aric, did your mama tell you I was there when you were born?”
“You were?”
“Uh-huh. I was in the hospital with her and got to hold you.” She made a baby-holding curve in one arm and patted it. “You were only this big. That was the day she asked me to be your godmother.”
On the other side of JJ, Regan stopped coloring. “What’s a godmother?”
“A godmother is kind of like having a second mother.” Frankie patted Aric’s knee. “That’s why, when your mama said the pissers wouldn’t let you leave, I came to help.”
“Papá said you flew all the way from New York.” Regan looked at Aric. “It’s a really, really long way, and he said Kit was lucky to have Frankie for a friend.” Her voice dropped. “That’s the kind of friend I’m gonna be.”
“Oh, baby.” JJ made a choking sound and put an arm around Regan. “You already are.”
Frankie thought so too.
“Godmuvver,” Aric said slowly, as if trying on the word for size.
Frankie leaned against him. “Mmmhmm. So whenever your mama can’t be with you, you have a second mama to watch over you.”
She’d wait until after supper to tell him that tonight was going to be one of those times.
Little forehead wrinkled, Aric started coloring again…because he was a young man who liked to consider things carefully. The damn PZers had obviously taught him what happened to children who acted before thinking.
Frankie’s heart ached. “Want me to draw the next penguin?”
Aric studied her with solemn eyes, then handed her a purple crayon.