Fire and Rain: A Wildest Alaska Novel Read online

  The operator opened the gate so parents could collect their children, but when Eden tried to take Maverick out of his seat, he shrieked and tried to twist away from her.

  “Can he go again?” Sean took the tickets out of his pocket.

  “There’s no line, so fine by me.” The operator took the tickets.

  Maverick rode three more times before Eden insisted they go. “There are more rides, Mavie. Let’s find the carousel.”

  The rides for small kids were mostly grouped together, so the carousel wasn’t far away. At the sight of the brightly painted horses, Maverick forgot about the helicopters.

  Sean handed over the tickets and watched while Eden rode the carousel with her boy, holding him on the back of a bright green and purple pony. She pointed at something out in the harbor and smiled, looking happier than he’d seen her in months.

  God, she was beautiful. Truly beautiful. Hadn’t he always told Justin he’d married the most beautiful woman on the island?

  Knock that shit off now. Don’t think about Eden like that even if it is true.

  After the carousel, they all climbed aboard the Spin the Apple ride, which Sean remembered from his own childhood. Using the wheel in the center, he gave their apple several good spins, which made Maverick squeal. And then it was time for lunch.

  They sat in the shade of the dining tent, two plates piled high with crab legs, melted butter, and lemon wedges and one with hot, fresh fry bread.

  Sean moaned, the crab melting on his tongue. “God, I love Kodiak.”

  “Fresh from the ocean last night.” Eden dipped some crab meat in butter and fed it to Maverick, who sat in his stroller, mouth open like a baby bird.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  Sean looked up to find a woman with shoulder-length dark hair standing at the end of the table, two school-aged kids behind her—a boy and a girl.

  Eden’s expression darkened. “Mila.”

  So, this was Mila. She was pretty and polished, with bright red lipstick, eye makeup, and salon nails, and a big, glittering diamond ring. But no amount of gloss could hide the hard glint in her eyes.

  Sean disliked her instantly.

  Eden gave Maverick another bite of crab and looked past her cousin to the children. “Hey, Nick. Hey, Lina. Are you two having a good time?”

  “We went on the Star four times!” Nick turned to his sister, a grin on his face. “Lina thought she was going to be sick.”

  Eden shifted her gaze to Lina. “That can happen on these rides. Maybe you should let your tummy settle before you—”

  Mila interrupted Eden, turned to Sean. “I’m Mila Parson, Eden’s—”

  “Eden’s cousin. I know.”

  Mila tried to pretend she was pleased by this, but Sean didn’t miss the way her gaze jerked to Eden for a moment, as if wondering what Eden had told him about her. “And you are…?”

  Eden answered. “He’s Sean McKenna, Justin’s best friend.”

  “Oh.” Mila’s perfectly shaped eyebrows rose, and she surveyed Sean with renewed interest. “You’re the one who survived.”

  “Yes.” Sean followed Eden’s example and spoke to the kids, unwilling to be drawn into a casual conversation about the worst night of his life with a stranger. “Flying on a helicopter can make a person sick to their stomach, too.”

  Lina looked surprised. “Really?”

  “Yeah. The wind can be pretty rough sometimes.”

  “Have you ever fallen out?” Nick asked.

  “Of a helicopter?” Sean shook his head. “No. We’re strapped in.”

  “So, are you two…?” Mila pointed first at Eden and then at Sean.

  “Eating? Yes.” Sean took another bite of crab and saw Eden fight not to laugh. “Have you had your fill of crab legs yet?”

  The kids shook their heads.

  Mila gave a wave of her hand. “They’ll have that for supper. They’re selling eight for two hundred dollars, so I’m going to buy a bag. Come along, kids. Auntie Eden and her friend don’t want to be interrupted.”

  When Mila had gone, Eden looked over at Sean. “God, she gets on my nerves!”

  Sean grinned. “I have no idea why.”

  Eden handed Sean her keys so he could unlock the door. She lifted a sleeping Maverick out of his car seat and carried him inside to his crib, where she removed his shoes and pants and covered him with his favorite blankie. Then she walked out to the living room to find Sean standing in the kitchen, leaning back against the counter, phone in hand.

  He slipped his phone back into his pocket. “I think we wore the little man out.”

  “He had a great time today. We both did.”

  “And I got to meet your cousin Mila.”

  Eden laughed. “I loved how you handled her nosy question. Did you see her face?”

  He shook his head. “I was trying not to make eye contact.”

  “She’s not used to people standing up to her.” Then Eden remembered. “I promised you a cup of nettle tea.”

  “Right.”

  She set a pot of water on the stove to boil and put dried nettle leaves with dried mint into the diffuser of her teapot. “You’re not still skeptical, are you?”

  “About your skills with nettles?” He chuckled. “Absolutely not.”

  “My grandmother has been drinking this tea all of her life, and she’s going to be a hundred in four or five years.”

  “Wait.” Sean gave her a puzzled look. “She doesn’t know how old she is?”

  “She says ninety-six. But my mother and aunties say she’s ninety-five. She doesn’t have a birth certificate.”

  “Wow.”

  While they waited for the water to boil, Eden got down two mugs and a jar of honey and shared her grandmother’s story. “Her family came from Afognak. She grew up living the old ways—seal hunting, gathering plants for food and medicine, and fishing. Then she met my grandfather. In her lifetime, she went from a traditional subsistence lifestyle to living in a house with electricity, driving a car, and traveling by airplane. Can you imagine that?”

  Sean shook his head. “My great-grandfather had a farm in Illinois. He grew up with horse-drawn wagons, barn-raisings, and kerosene lanterns. He used to talk about how incredible it had been to watch men walk on the Moon. He died when I was still little, but I remember thinking he was ancient. To experience that kind of change in a single lifetime...”

  “How does a person keep up with that?” The kettle whistled, and Eden poured the steaming water into her tea pot and carried the pot to the table to steep. “I hope you like—”

  She tripped over something and dumped hot tea and wet nettle leaves down the front of Sean’s shirt. “Oh, God!”

  He gasped, shot to his feet, and caught her, the front of his T-shirt soaked.

  She set the teapot on the table and darted back to the kitchen. “I’ll get a cold cloth. God, I’m so sorry! I hope the burns aren’t bad.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Eden stuck a washcloth under cold water, looking over her shoulder to see Sean pick up one of Maverick’s toy trucks.

  He set it on the table. “You could have broken an ankle.”

  “I should have been more careful.” She hurried back to Sean with the cold washcloth. “This should help. I’m really sorry.”

  He slid the washcloth beneath his T-shirt. “It’s not bad. No blisters.”

  “Let me at least wash your shirt. I’ll get you one of Justin’s to wear home.”

  “It’s no big deal, really.”

  “I can’t let you wear that back to base.”

  He drew the T-shirt over his head and handed it to her. “If you insist.”

  An unexpected frisson of desire shot through her, and Eden couldn’t help but stare. His tanned skin was red where the tea had scalded him, but that’s not what held her gaze.

  Firm pecs with flat, tan nipples. A six-pack. A trail of light brown curls that disappeared beneath his jeans. Years of pulling people o
n litters into helicopters had left him with well-developed triceps and biceps. But there were scars, too—small surgical scars where they’d repaired his right biceps and shoulder.

  Distracted, Eden reached out, ran her finger along one of the scars. “Does it still hurt?”

  “Sometimes.”

  Eden caught herself. “I’m sorry. I … uh… lost my train of thought. Mom brain.”

  “You were going to wash my shirt.”

  “Oh! Right.” Cheeks flaming, she turned and hurried toward the laundry room, hoping he hadn’t noticed her staring. “I’ll just drop this in the washer and grab you a clean, dry shirt.”

  “Eden, you don’t have to do that. I can wash it myself. I don’t want you to—”

  “It’s no trouble.” She was already halfway down the hall and needed to get away.

  What the hell was that?

  She’d seen Sean shirtless plenty of times. Out fishing with Justin on Justin’s boat. At the beach. All those times the men had played football at the park. She and some of the other Coast Guard wives had whispered together about how ripped he was, how handsome his face was. But Eden had never reacted like this.

  You’re just tired. It’s been a long day.

  Yeah, no. Even she couldn’t believe that.

  She dropped his sodden shirt in the laundry basket and walked to the bedroom, where she found herself standing in the closet, looking at Justin’s T-shirts.

  All at once, guilt assailed her. Justin hadn’t yet been gone for five months, and she was getting turned on by another man? And his best friend on top of that.

  What is wrong with you?

  She drew a breath, tried to pull herself together. Sean was waiting, and Maverick would surely wake up soon. She looked at the T-shirts, picked one of her favorites, and carried it back to the kitchen, certain Justin wouldn’t mind Sean taking one of his shirts.

  She found Sean standing in the kitchen, rinsing the cloth she’d given him in the sink. “I’m pretty sure it will fit. You can keep it. I think Justin would be happy to know you’re wearing it.”

  “Thanks.” Sean took the shirt. “I used that cloth to wipe up the tea. I hope that’s okay.”

  Eden saw that the table was clean and dry. “Thank you.”

  Sean glanced down at the image of the humpback whale fluke on the front of the T-shirt. “I remember this one. Are you sure?”

  Eden nodded, her emotions tangled as he drew it over his head. “More tea—or have you had enough boiling water for one day?”

  It was a pathetic attempt at humor, but it made him laugh.

  He glanced at his watch. “I hate to run, but I really ought to get going.”

  She couldn’t help but feel disappointed—and relieved. “Early shift tomorrow?”

  “I’m on duty tonight.”

  “And you spent the day with us instead of sleeping?”

  “It’s okay. I had a good time. I’ll get some dinner from the galley, head to barracks, and try to get a few hours of sleep.”

  “Thanks for coming with us—and for helping me with Maverick. I’m not sure I’d have been able to face it alone.” She hadn’t stayed around for the Coast Guard rescue swimmer demo, but no one could expect that of her.

  “You’re welcome.” Sean’s gaze met hers, and he smiled—a smile Eden felt down to her toes. “You’re a badass. You didn’t have to go at all, but you did. I respect that. Thanks for a fun day. Call if you need anything, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  With that, he said goodbye, leaving Eden to grapple with her emotions.

  Chapter Five

  May 30

  Sean sat on the edge of the pool, fins on his feet, goggles covering his eyes. He had just come off a busy night shift and wanted to get in some laps before he hit his bunk. He had the place to himself. But he wasn’t alone.

  Over here, Koseki!

  Justin dove, swam with the pool brick through deep water, Trey, Rob, and Scott, doing their best to get the brick away from him. They caught up with him, swarmed him, the four of them wrestling for control under water.

  Sean saw his chance, drew a breath, and swam below them, almost to the bottom of the pool. Justin let the brick drop, and Sean snatched it, using his fins to propel him toward the cones that marked the goalposts. He surfaced and scored a goal just as the others caught up with him.

  Justin surfaced, grinned, gave him a high five. “The AET who outswims the rescue swimmers.”

  The pool room was full of memories for Sean, echoes all around.

  How many times had he and Justin played brick ball here? How many fitness assessments had they done together here? How many laps had they swum? How many sessions of water egress training?

  Sean slipped into the water, drew a breath, and started to swim, using exertion to clear his mind. There was no pain in his shoulder, and the stiffness wore off after the first couple of laps.

  Down and back and down again.

  Okay, McKenna, I’ll race you—five hundred yards and the loser buys dinner.

  You’re on, Koseki.

  Sean kept swimming, pushing himself, but the memories kept coming.

  Sean buckled into his seat. He was in the back this time, Justin in front.

  “Bottoms up!” Justin turned to him, and the two exchanged a fist bump before the lights went out and the vehicle flipped, plunging them into the water.

  Sean unbuckled his belt, felt his way toward a window, popped it, and swam to the surface. He glanced around for Justin and saw him on the other side.

  Down and back and down again.

  “Fish on!” Justin reeled in his catch, rod bending. “Come on, fish!”

  Sean grabbed a net and positioned himself to scoop up the salmon once Justin got it to the surface. “I see it. It’s a big one—a king. Don’t let it get away!”

  “I’m working on it.” Justin reeled it in bit by bit until, at last, it came close to the surface, silver scales glittering.

  Sean dipped the net, caught the line, and Justin pulled it onto the boat. “That is one big winter king. That must weigh at least twenty-five pounds.”

  Down and back and down again.

  “Abort! Abort! We need to get everyone off the boat and pick them up in the water. They’re cooking meth, and the patient was exposed.”

  “Aborting the hoist. Get out of there, Koseki.”

  Sean surfaced, grabbed the side of the pool, his heart slamming in his chest.

  What the hell was wrong with him?

  The answer came to him in a single word.

  Eden.

  He’d seen her reaction when he’d taken off his shirt—and had felt an answering pull. Her touch had scorched him, made his blood go hot. He’d found himself wanting to drag her against him, to kiss her, to peel the clothes off her body so he could touch her sweet curves.

  No fucking way.

  He couldn’t do that. Eden was Justin’s widow. Yes, he’d always found her attractive. What straight guy wouldn’t? But he’d never been tempted to think of her sexually—until yesterday. He hadn’t been able to take his mind off her since, his thoughts drifting to fantasies of kissing her, caressing her, tasting her.

  And that’s why you’re torturing yourself?

  As painful as they were, memories of his friendship with Justin were easier to handle than knowing he had betrayed that friendship, at least in his head.

  The lights came on, and Captain Walcott walked in. “McKenna? Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” Sean lifted himself to sit on the side of the pool. “I thought I’d get in some laps before turning in.”

  He dreaded trying to sleep, knowing what was waiting for him in his nightmares.

  “How’s the shoulder?”

  Sean rotated it a few times. “It’s good, sir. No pain. My shoulder feels strong.”

  Captain Walcott nodded. “Glad to hear it. Pending a green light from medical, I’m returning you to the flight crews. Leavitt’s paternity leave is ending. Apparent
ly, his mother-in-law arrived from New Mexico to help with the baby last week, and Dalton can’t wait to get back in the avionics shop.”

  Sean grinned. “Understood.”

  Captain Walcott seemed to study him. “Are you sure you’re up for this? What you went through was a Coastie’s nightmare. The Coast Guard can make use of your skills in many ways. You could join an Aids to Navigation Crew.”

  Sean appreciated the offer, but trudging through seagull and seal shit to service lighthouses wasn’t his idea of a challenge. He removed his fins and goggles and stood, water streaming down his body to puddle on the concrete. “I’m eager to get back in the air, sir. Every time a helo took off without me, I felt like I ought to be going, too.”

  Captain Walcott nodded. “That’s how I felt when I quit serving as a pilot. We’ll get you in for a final medical eval, and I’ll add you to the flight crew duty rotation.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “Get some sleep. You all had a busy night last night.”

  With three back-to-back SAR missions, the line crew had run full throttle.

  “Yes, sir.” Then Sean remembered. “Justin’s son Maverick is almost two, and the kid is crazy about firetrucks. I told Eden I’d try to arrange for him to see the big cherry-picker. Who do I need to see to work that out?”

  “It’s fine with me. Check with Lt. Corey Mitchell, chief of Fire and Rescue, just to make sure the time works for them. Let’s do all we can for Eden and her boy.”

  “Yes, sir.” Sean retrieved his towel and headed toward the men’s locker room for a hot shower, promising himself that he wouldn’t cross any lines with Eden.

  It was a promise he intended to keep.

  Eden walked with her grandmother on a forest trail across the highway from Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, a warm breeze making the leaves above them rustle, the air sweet with the scent of earth and growing things. The trail was mostly flat, which made it easier for her grandmother, who was frail and had balance issues.

  This foraging walk had been her grandmother’s idea. She’d asked Eden’s mother to watch Maverick so the two of them could have some time together. Eden was happy to get away for a while, and she loved spending time with her grandmother. So far, they’d found claytonia, fresh salmonberry leaves, docks, and wild garlic.