Every Storm (29 page)

"Is that what she calls him?"

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"Yes. She's got names picked out for their children and knows what color their house should be."

Ruth loved this. "Has Arlene considered writing romances? She might be very good."

It was time for Bible study to begin. The women needed to compose themselves, and it was no easy task. Each time they thought of Arlene, they wanted to laugh all over again.

"I thought of another question," Lorrisaid to Rigg as he worked over the grill. Dean was running late, and Ruth had put him to work.

"Okay, shoot."

"Were you angry at me when I met those other sailors on the beach?"

"Angry at you? Not at all, but I could have strung each one of them up." Rigg flipped a burger and flipped it back. "Did you think I was angry at you?"

"I didn't know what to think. It was all so strange and unsettling."

"Strange and unsettling is too kind. It was foolhardy and ridiculous. Had I been on the scene, it would have looked quite different."

"Why is that?"

"My rank," he said simply, and Lorri only nodded. She watched him work for a time.

"Lieutenant?" she started.

"Lieutenant," he repeated. "Lieutenant." He turned his head to really see her. "I do have a name you know."

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"Do you now?" LorrPasked, her voice light. She wanted to tease him.

"Yes, ma'am. My family calls me Donovan, and everyone else calls me Rigg." He looked her in the eye. "Do you suppose you could try one of those?"

"I'll think about it, sailor," she said, not able to hide her smile.

Rigg's eyes narrowed as he watched her, thinking she had no idea how tempting she was to kiss.

Lord's mind didn't go to kissing, but she was more aware of his interest than he realized. She picked up the meat platter and went inside to wash it off, fully aware that he watched her every move. Not until she was shutting the screen door did she let her eyes meet his, a full blown smile coming into view.

Rigg stared down at the grill, not seeing hamburgers at all. He wanted to take this girl home and introduce her to his family. He wanted to see her or talk to her every day. He knew her family liked him, but he was still trying to read her.

"Are they burning?" Max asked, having just come from inside.

"I don't think so," Rigg said to cover, realizing he hadn't paid attention at all.

"Flip that one," Max pointed and Rigg obeyed. "Ooh, just right."

"It sounds to me like, you want to take over," Rigg challenged.

"Not a chance."\

"Why is that?"

"If they burn, you're in trouble, not me."

"Thanks," he said sarcastically and got a smile much like Lorri's.

"So tell me the name of your boyfriend," Rigg said, watching Max's face.

"I swore off boys months ago."

"Is that right?"

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"Yes, it's much easier."

Rigg looked at her beautiful face, pulled-back hair, rolled-up jeans, and oversized shirt and said, "Something tells me the boys don't find it so easy."

"Now you sound like Johnny."

"Is he someone special?"

"He wants to be, but it's all wrong."

"What's all wrong?"

"His family went to our church a long time ago, so I think he
mightbe
a believer, but he doesn't take Christianity seriously, and there have been too many girls already."

"You need to meet my brother, Mitch."

"Why is that?"

"He does take his Christianity seriously, and he's a gentleman."

"Let me guess: He lives in Santa Rosa?"

Her tone made Rigg laugh, and Dean chose that moment to join them.

"How's it coming?'* he asked, giving Max a quick kiss and offering his hand to Rigg.

"I think I want you to be the judge, sir," Rigg said, gladly surrendering the spatula, afraid he would ruin all the meat.

"It looks good. Tell your mother, Max. We're almost there."

Shortages on wheat meant there were no buns, but they feasted on plain hamburgers and salads, with ice cream for dessert. They ate at the dining room table, and there was no shortage of laughter.

"I was hoping that Miss Archer would not find out why we were named
Every Storm,"
Rigg said at one point.

"Why were you?" Max asked.

"Because every storm that hit the Pacific landed on our boat."

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Smiles met this announcement, so the lieutenant went on.

"It was the night before we made port. A storm came in that tried to blow us out of the ocean. Up until that time, Miss Archer had done remarkably well, showing no signs of seasickness, but not this night.

"I went to the cabin to check on her and she was ready to sell her soul. She promised not to go into the water or disappear again and even to give my bunk back to me if I would just put her off that rocking boat."

Lorri groaned and everyone laughed.

"Why did you go into the water?" Max asked.

"Let's just say I had an urge to swim."

"You didn't care for that, Lieutenant?" Ruth asked.

"She gave me no warning," he said calmly. "My boat was in need of repair, and I had a rather frail female civilian on my hands. I came down the beach to find her in the water."

"What did you do?" Max needed to know.

"I asked her to come out, or rather, ordered her."

"Your voice was less calm that day," Lorri took pleasure in reminding him.

"So was yours " he shot right back, taking just as much delight.

Lord's mouth opened. "I forgot that I argued with you."

"Lorraine!" Her mother sounded mildly shocked.

"I did, Mother" Lorri was still horrified with the memory. "I'd forgotten all about that.",

"The men loved it," Rigg told them.

"They did?" Lorri questioned, looking confused.

"Oh, yes. It went all over the boat that you had stood up to me. They were ready to keep you as a mascot for the rest of the war.":

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Not until Rigg said this did he remember to look at the admiral. He was glad to see a smile in those wise, older eyes.

"That," Rigg finished, "was before they learned you were an admiral's granddaughter."

Dean had a good chuckle over this last bit of information. It was still a little hard for him to picture his Lorri on a PT boat, but it delivered her back safely, and that was all that mattered.

"Were you ever assigned to a PT boat, Grandpa?" Max wanted to know.

"Transported on them," Dean replied, and then regaled them with some stories about his own ocean adventures. Some of his tales made Rigg's adventures seem tame.

"How was your week?" Lorri asked Rigg as they worked on the dishes later that evening.

"It was fine-busy, but I like that. How about yours?"

" Josie's birthday was Wednesday," Lorri said, the event still very much on her mind.

"Was that hard?".

"Yes, but then I knew it would be. The hardest part was thinking about my mother. Josie and I had been together in the past years; Mother and Josie hadn't."

"I wish I had known your sister," Rigg said, carefully drying a plate.

"Look at Max if you want to see her. She wasn't as talkative or inquisitive, but now that Max is older, they could have been twins."

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The kitchen was silent for a time, but then Rigg plunged in, heart pounding, hoping it wasn't too soon.

"I was thinking it might be fun to go to dinner some night. Do you think you might be free next Saturday?"

"I think so," Lorri told him, feeling breathless with surprise and excitement.

"Do you want to let me know?"

Lorri nodded. "I'll check with Mother to make sure she doesn't have plans."

Before they knew it, the dishes were done. Lorri couldn't remember it ever going so fast. Max was waiting for them in the family room and wanted to play a game. Lorri and Rigg agreed but should have known better. Max won three games in a row. For some reason, Lorri and Rigg found concentration a little bit taxing.

Rigg felt he was making progress. This Sunday when he sat with the Archers, Dean moved down the pew a ways, and Max came to sit by him. Lorri was still on the other side of her mother, but she was slightly closer. What he didn't bank on was Max's curiosity.

"So were you born in Santa Rosa or in southern California?" she asked.

"Santa Rosa."

"Were your brothers born there?"

"Yes."

His short answers didn't give her much encouragement, but Max was not easily put off.

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"Do you hope to live in southern California for a long time?"

Rigg couldn't stop a smile.

"I hope so. Where do you hope to live?"

"Right here," Max said simply, and then opened her mouth to have another go.

Rigg's shoulders shook with silent laughter as the music leader stepped behind the pulpit and Max was forced to close her mouth.

"I'm not done with you" she whispered, fighting a smile.

"Thanks for the warning."

But Ruth had other plans. As soon as the service was over, she sent Max on an errand. This was not lost on Rigg, who also noticed that Ruth slipped away, leaving Lorri free for conversation.

"I'll have Miss Archer home early" were Rigg's last words at the front door on Saturday night

Lorri didn't comment at that moment, but just as soon as she could manage it, she called him lieutenant, putting a slight emphasis on the word.

"Lieutenant?" Rigg asked, having put Lorri in on the passenger side and climbed behind the wheel.

"Miss Archer?" Lorri shot right back, her voice carrying no heat.

Rigg sighed. "I don't mind telling you that your grandfather scares me to death."

"Grandpa? Why?"

"I'm a lowly lieutenant; he's an admiral."

"Not for much longer. You'll be a civilian in June, and he'll be one in August."

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They were headed down the street now, and Rigg was in a quandary. He knew he couldn't explain the rest of his thought process. He was working hard not to have impure thoughts about Lorri Archer, but men still knew the way other men thought. At times he would catch the admiral's gaze on him and feel caught, even when he'd done nothing!

"So my grandfather is the reason you have to call me Miss Archer?"

"I'm just trying to be respectful. I don't want to overstep."

"If you were overstepping, I wouldn't be on this date."

Rigg glanced at her. "Is that how it works?"

"Both my mother and grandfather have to approve. I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, I do, but I still get pretty nervous around him. I can't tell what he's thinking."

"He's not going to be quiet and let me walk out the door with a man he doesn't trust. You can trust
me
on that."

Rigg nodded. This was not the way he thought the evening would start, but maybe it was for the best. He glanced at Lorri's profile, wondering what she was thinking. "What would you like me to call you?" he finally asked.

Lorri looked at him, smiling a little. "My name," she said simply.

"Ah, but you have several. I've heard Lorraine come out of your mother's mouth, usually when she's scolding you. I know that your grandfather calls you Lorri, and Max calls you Raine. As you can see, I'm at a loss."

Lorri smiled over his dilemma and suggested this, "I'll tell you what: You decide what you want to call me tonight, and I'll decide if you're Donovan or Rigg."

"Not sailor? I rather liked that."

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Lorri felt her face heat, glad that the interior of the car was growing dim. They rode in silence until they arrived at the restaurant, when Rigg decided he wanted the details out of the way. While they waited fdr the maitre d' to come for them, he bent to where Lorri stood in front of him and spoke into her ear.

"Lorraine," he said softly.

Lorri turned her head just enough to look up at him, not even working to hide the emotions she felt.

"Is that going to be all right?" Bigg asked, his voice still low.

"If Rigg is all right with you," Lorri just managed, rather lost in his eyes.

"It's fine," Rigg got out before the maitre d' came for them.

It was the start of a perfect evening.