Dad's E-Mail Order Bride (23 page)

“I’m always civil to Gil.”

Broadway ran on ahead of them.

“And be absolutely charming to Rachel’s guest, Graham, if you want our daughter to come home for Thanksgiving again next year. We both know how intimidating you can be. Let’s show Rachel she can bring anyone home anytime she wants and never have to worry about either of us doing anything other than making her guest feel right at home.”

“The guy
will
sleep upstairs,” Graham declared. “And that’s final.”

“Of course, he’s going to sleep upstairs,” Courtney said. “So there’s no reason to tell the poor boy that he’s sleeping upstairs the second he steps off the plane. You’ll embarrass Rachel to death.”

The plane eased up to the dock.

Broadway barked and wagged his tail.

Courtney slid her arm around Graham’s waist as he put his arm around her shoulder. “Smile and look happy,” she told him.

“Seems like I’ve heard that before,” Graham grumbled.

The second Rachel stepped out of the plane she dropped down and grabbed Broadway in a big hug. She straightened and waved, then reached for her boyfriend’s hand and pulled him along with her as she hurried toward Courtney and Graham.

He was a handsome kid, and one year older than Rachel. Courtney knew Graham would think his curly brown hair was a little too long, and wouldn’t care for the preppy clothes he was wearing. But Courtney also knew Graham had been preppy once upon a time himself, and she would certainly remind her husband of that when he started picking the poor kid apart.

From the hours she’d spent on the phone with Rachel since she left for college in New York, Courtney knew they’d met at Rachel’s first ever frat party, and that Rachel had liked him immediately. He’d walked Rachel back to her dorm to make sure she got home safe and that’s when he’d asked her out.

Courtney also knew Rachel really liked this boy, though Rachel hadn’t told her that. Courtney had heard it in Rachel’s voice. Now she could see it on Rachel’s face.

“This is Brian,” Rachel said, beaming. “Brian, these are my parents, Courtney and Graham.”

“Brian Walters. Nice to meet you both,” he said, sticking out his hand for Graham to shake.

Graham shook his hand. But Courtney couldn’t say he was pleased about it.

“I’ll go get your luggage,” Graham said, heading toward the end of the dock, where Gil was unloading the suitcases.

“Let me help you with those, sir,” Brian called out and hurried after Graham.

“Well?” Rachel demanded.

“He’s adorable,” Courtney told her.

Rachel looked down the dock in his direction, where Brian and Graham were talking to Gil. “Yes, he is adorable, and I can’t wait for Tiki to meet him. She is going to
d-i-e
with envy.”

“Don’t be so sure about that,” Courtney said. “Tiki’s bringing a guest to Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow, too. He’s from Point Baker. His dad owns the store where Yanoo buys his carving supplies. And Hanya says it’s
l-o-v-e.
”

Rachel snorted. “Well, it isn’t quite to the
l-o-v-e
stage with Brian yet, but it’s close.”

“How close?”

“Don’t worry,” Rachel said and grinned. “Brian’s a good guy like Dad.”

That made Courtney smile, too.

Until Rachel’s eyes dropped to Courtney’s stomach.

“You are
huge,
” Rachel said, pulling Courtney’s sweater open to get a better look.

Courtney put both hands on her round belly. “I am not
huge.
I weigh exactly what I should weigh at six months.”

“But you are still going to come back to civilization to give birth to my baby brother, right?”

“Yes,” Courtney said. “Beth and my mother would kill me if I didn’t.”

“Beth is way too cool,” Rachel said. “But I’ll never forget the look on your mother’s face when she came riding up to the gazebo in Hal’s skiff. She looked as if she’d just landed on Mars.”

They both laughed.

As Graham had predicted, his parents hadn’t attended their wedding. But they’d thrown them a huge reception when they came to New York for Christmas that year, the same year Rachel started her junior year in high school in Anchorage.

“How are your grandparents? Are you still seeing them all on a regular basis?”

“My mother’s parents are in Greece and won’t be back until sometime next spring. But Gram Morrison took me shopping the other day while Gramps was playing golf, and she bought me those boots I wanted, so cross those off my Christmas list.”

“Will do,” Courtney said. “I’m just glad we’re coming to New York for Christmas this year. That means you can go to some of the Lamaze classes with me.”

“Ewwww,” Rachel said, “I don’t think so.” But she did reach out and give a quick pat to Courtney’s stomach. “Sorry, Jonah. If there’s any deep breathing going on, it’s going to be mine.”

“Rachel!” Courtney scolded, but she had to laugh.

“Of course, you know when Jonah hits thirteen and realizes what he’s missing stuck out here in nowhere land, he isn’t going to be thrilled about it any more than I was. And that’s when my little brother can come to New York and live with his cool big sister who will show him how the real world lives.”

“Did you hear that, Graham?” Courtney called out.

Graham and Brian walked up beside them, each carrying two suitcases. “Did I hear what?”

“Rachel just told me that when Jonah turns thirteen and starts being a real pain-in-the-butt teenager, he can go to New York and live with his cool big sister.”

Graham looked over at Rachel. “Can we have that in writing?”

Rachel rolled her eyes.

Courtney laughed.

Broadway barked and wagged his tail.

But as Rachel ran ahead with Brian, eager to show him the lodge, Courtney knew something Rachel wasn’t old enough to realize yet. She knew that regardless of Rachel’s insistence that she was too cool for a place like Port Protection, this was a place Rachel would return to with her children someday.

A place where troubles melted away. Where living in such an unspoiled environment had the ability to renew your spirit, give you strength and remind you of how truly remarkable God’s gifts to man really are. And where standing on the deck at first light, watching the fog roll across the cove, made everything right in your world.

When she came, Courtney and Graham would be waiting.

Willing to share such an amazing experience.

DAD’S E-MAIL ORDER BRIDE

Copyright © 2010 by Candace Viers.

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