Every Storm (34 page)

"All right. I'D just wander around until you're off."

Her confused look told him every normal thought had flown from his head and he hadn't explained his presence.

"I stopped by your house," he said, "but your grandfather said you were working. I told him I'd bring you home."

"Oh, okay. The employee exit is on the east side of the building. I'll come out as soon as I can."

"No hurry," Johnny told her, moving calmly on his way.

Watching him, Max wished there was something calm about her just now. Her heart felt like a trip-hammer. She was only too glad that no other customers came in before the store closed. Fueled by extra adrenalin, she left the department in perfect order and was out the door in record time. Johnny was standing nearby, and ther,e was still plenty of light to find him.

"Long day?" he asked.

"Not too bad. The woman you saw wasn't very pleased, but then she never is."

"So most of your customers are regulars?" Johnny asked, holding the door for Max to slip inside.

"For the most part, but we get plenty of new faces all the time."

In silence Johnny maneuvered the car from the parking lot and onto the street. Max felt nervous, and in an effort to cover it said the first thing that came to mind.

"I didn't see you on Sunday, did I?"

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"No, my family took a little weekend trip."

"Oh, how nice. Where did you go?"

"My uncle has a lake house. We went there."

"Sounds fun."

"It was. It never has been in the past, but this year it was great."

"Why was it different?"

"Because we're different," Johnny said without conceit. "My dad didn't understand that he was to be leading the family. My mom didn't get that either. It didn't go very well with it the other way around."

"I don't think I've ever met your parents, but they sound like wonderful people."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not easy to be told you're wrong, and change is hard, but now they've found out they need to grow and they're working on it. That's pretty special."

"Yeah, I guess it is. Even my sister is doing well. She loves that dress you helped her buy."

"It looked nice on her."

"I'll tell her you said that," Johnny put in and then laughed a little. "She'll want her hair cut as soon as she sees yours."

Max's hand went to her now shoulder-length locks.

"Why is that?"

"She thinks everything about you is perfect." They were now in the Archers' driveway, and Johnny turned to look at her, his eyes far too serious. "She's just finding out what I've known all along."

When Max didn't have a snappy reply, Johnny climbed from the car. He opened Max's door before informing her that her mother had invited him for pie.

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"Apple pie," he told her as they walked to the door. "I just might offer to drive you home more often."

Max laughed with more than just humor; she was relieved. He sounded like the fun-loving Johnny she knew. Her heart was already trying to gallop ahead of her. If Johnny kept talking the way he had in the car, there would be no stopping it.

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August was hot. Lorri knew the earlier she got into the yard to water, the better it would be. Not bothering to do anything more than pull on a pair of shorts and an ancient blouse, she headed out to soak the yard, singing quietly all the while.

Activity went on in the house behind her, but she didn't notice, not even when someone came from inside, sat on one of the patio chairs, and waited for her to finish. It didn't take long. Lorri turned off the water, coiled the hose and started inside. She stopped when she saw Rigg. Even when he stood to his feet, she stayed still on the grass.

Rigg was a man of tremendous patience, something for which he had never been more thankful. Knowing how patient he would need to be in the coming days and weeks, he now waited for Lorri to speak or move toward him. She finally did walk his way, never once taking her eyes from his.

"I missed you" were the first words out of her mouth, her hands coming out to touch him. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, every moment." Rigg had taken her hands in his.

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Lorri continued to look up at him. It was so dear to her now. She loved him. She loved him with every fiber of her being.

"Are you here for the weekend?" Lorri asked, trying to think clearly.

"Yes, staying at Jim's."

"When do you have to head back?"

"Tomorrow, sometime after lunch."

"So we have all day?"

"All day."

Lorri smiled and Rigg laughed a little.

"In fact, we're going out to dinner tonight," Rigg told her. "Just the two of us."

"I would like that."

"I think your mother is making breakfast. Shall we go in?"

Lorri nodded, not able to stop looking at him. Her heart had come to a place of resignation, a place of low expectations. She had not expected him to keep in touch for too much longer. She thought the letters would become fewer and fewer and then end altogether. A visit from him had never crossed her mind.

"How about some coffee?" Ruth offered, trying not to weep over the look on her daughter's face. This had been a hard secret to keep. Rigg's coming and his intentions while there had been known to them for a while now. But Ruth also knew her daughter. And with that knowledge she realized that things might not end the way everyone hoped.

"Hi, Rigg!" Max suddenly said, coming into the room wearing her bathrobe. "I didn't know you were here."

"I just arrived," he said, giving her a hug.

Dean was working on eggs and bacon, and Ruth was taking muffins from the oven. In a short time, they feasted, Dean asking

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God to bless them all through the weekend and give Rigg safety in his travels.

"What will you do today?" Dean asked of the young couple.

Lorri had no plans and looked to Rigg.

"The coast?" Rigg asked Lorri. "Since it's so warm?"

"Sure. Which beach?"

"I think Sand Hill. How does that sound?"

"I'll pack a picnic."

And just that simply, the day was full. They ran away like children, sat on the beach, got too much sun, and dozed and talked all day. And the talk only continued when they changed for dinner and went out for the evening.

The coastal restaurant Rigg had picked was dark and romantic. Lorri loved the atmosphere and the chance to dress up. The meal had been delicious, but now they just sat and talked, tall glasses of tea in front of them.

"I think your nose is sunburned," Rigg told her in the candlelight.

"It probably is," she agreed, touching the offending facial feature. "Do you ever burn?"

"Not easily. Some of the men on the boat did. It wasn't overly fun."

"Do you miss military life at all?"

"No. I like order, but I have that in my life, so I'm fine without having to salute anyone."

Lorri laughed, but something was oh her mind, and she wanted to talk about it. She saw no other way but to start.

"My imagination ran wild when you were gone," she admitted.

"What did you imagine?"

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"That you would meet a nice girl in Santa Rosa and forget all about Lorri Archer."

"That's not going to happen."

"But I wouldn't blame you if it did happen. Long distance relationships are so hard."

"Not when you really care."

Rigg put his hand on the table, palm up. Lorri put her hand in his.

They stared at each other for some moments before Rigg asked, "Do you mind if we skip dessert and go for a walk?"

"Not at all."

Rigg took care of the bill a short time later, and the couple found themselves walking along the beach, Rigg's hand holding hers. Sand crowded into Lorri's sandals, but she barely noticed. It felt so wonderful to be with him, to have him hold her hand.

Rigg suddenly stopped and brought her to rest in front of him, his hands on her shoulders.

"You need to understand that I came this weekend for one reason: to tell you that I love you and want you to marry me."

"Oh, Rigg," Lorri breathed. "I love you so much."

Her hand came out to rest on the front of his jacket, and she could feel the thundering of his heart. It was on her lips to say yes, that she would marry him any time he wanted, when she suddenly came back to earth.

Her head shaking a little as she worked not to panic, Lorri said. "I don't know if I can."

"Can you tell me why?"

As kind and patient as his voice was, Lorri suddenly felt cold, her heart squeezing with pain.

"I'm so insecure, Rigg."

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"No, you're not"

Lorri shook her head. She had no choice but to tell him.

"I don't think I can do it, Rigg. I don't think I can live so far from my family. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I'm not the woman you thought I was."

Rigg put his arms around her, searching desperately for words that would comfort her. For a time he only held her.

"Have I ever rushed you?" he asked at last.

"No."

"Have I ever made you do something you didn't want to do?"

"No."

Rigg moved back enough to see her face.

"I'm not going to start now."

Lorri didn't see where it came from, but suddenly it was there. A ring with a diamond. A perfect gold circle with a small diamond mounted on top.

Amazed by its beauty, Lorri was in her own world for a moment. But it wasn't long before she turned pain-filled eyes to

Rigg-

"Don't

say anything," Rigg stopped her. "I just wanted you to

know I have this. It's not to hurt you or force you to say yes. I'll just keep it, and when you want it, you can have it."

"Oh, Rigg," Lorri said, dying a little over his gentleness. "I wish you could love someone other than me."

Rigg laughed. Lorri didn't expect that. Neither did she expect him to wrap his arms around her and give her a huge hug.

Lorri felt amazed. She was devastated to learn this truth about herself-that she couldn't move away from her family-but Rigg acted as though it were a perfectly normal reaction.

"Shall we walk some more?"

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Lord gawked at him.

"Okay, let me get this straight. You just prop osed; I have to say no; and you want to go for a walk?"

The back of Rigg's hand came up to stroke bj-ler cheek as he asked, "How should it go? Do I storm off the beao -ch because you need more time? Do I plead with you to marry me now? Do I give up my job and just hope for something _ig in southern California?"

Rigg waited, but Lorri had no answer.

"I didn't know how else to do this, love. I wantoned you to know how serious I was, but I'm also a very patient man. S3omehow, some way, we'll be together. We'll live as husband and vs vife and have a whole bunch of little Riggs and little Lorris. And v^ave'll remember this conversation on the beach and the fact that r more time was needed, but that's all it will be: a memory."

"I love you so much," Lorri said, thinking thewere was no one else in the world quite like him.

"And I love you. That's why I know this is go sig to work. We just have to give it more time."

"You mean give
me
more time," Lorri said, feelfeing disgruntled with herself.

"Lorri, I'm not the one who lived in Australia _a for more than four years and was then forced to say goodbye
tcmo
my sister. It's not surprising that you don't want to live far frcz3m home right now."

Lorri realized, not for the first time, that she was harder on herself than anyone else was. She wanted to say y^-^es to Rigg, but she couldn't. Not right now.

"And you'll wait?" Lorri asked him again.

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Rigg bent and pressed a soft kiss to her mouth. He moved back just enough to look into her eyes.

"Yes."

Lorri threw her arms around the man she loved. She squeezed his neck so hard that he laughed with what air he had left.

"I'm ready to finish that walk now," Lorri told him, looking up into his face.

"And when you're ready for the rest?"

Til let you know."

A huge smile coming to his face, Rigg claimed her hand once again, and they continued down the beach.

"He's picked me up every Friday night for four weeks, Grandpa," Max tried to explain. "I just know that one of these days he's going to ask me on a date."