Finding Paradise

by Barbara Dunlop

  He grinned at her.

  “Yes, of course,” Nora said. “Do you know the airport?”

  “I do.”

  “Perfect. I’ll have the driver meet you at the ground transportation island in thirty minutes. It’ll be an SUV. The Icy Bay Charters logo is on the windshield.”

  “We’ll be there,” he said.

  “Would you like an estimate over the phone?”

  “Not necessary.”

  “Then once you’re here, I’ll outline the meal options and we can go over the contract.”

  “Thanks, Nora. Goodbye.”

  “What did you just do?” Marnie demanded as he ended the call.

  She looked more concerned than excited, and he started to second-guess himself. Had he bulldozed through that too fast? He’d planned on it being a romantic adventure.

  “We’re going to see some whales,” he said, stilling and watching her expression.

  “On a boat?”

  Then it hit him. “Will you get seasick?”

  “Is it a small boat?”

  “Eighty-five feet.”

  “That’s not a small boat.”

  “It’s not.”

  “It’s the sharp jolts that get me, not the rolling motion.”

  He blew out a breath of relief, glad he wouldn’t have to scramble to change plans. “Oh, good.”

  “So, we’re sleeping on a boat?”

  “I thought it would be romantic.”

  Her expression relaxed and she smiled. “Impulsive. But yes, romantic.”

  He gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Do you need anything before we get picked up?”

  She shook her head as they started to walk. “Do you really think we’ll see whales?”

  “If we’re lucky. They’re out there, just swimming around.”

  “I’d like to see whales,” she said, looking eager now.

  They made their way to the ground transportation island, and Cobra was surprised to find the Icy Bay Charters SUV was already waiting for them.

  The driver was in a neat uniform and very professional. He whisked them smoothly to the marina where they chose a five-course dinner including fresh halibut and crab cocktail, and soon they were on the upper deck of the Skipper Five, leaning on the aft rail to watch the city disappear as they headed out into Cook Inlet.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked her. It had obviously been a long and emotional day.

  “Light,” she said, fighting the wind for control of a wayward strand of her hair. “Relieved, like I’m leaving my troubles behind me back on shore.”

  “Maybe we should just keep going.” He trapped her hair with his hand and held it.

  “You think? How long would it take us to get to LA?”

  “LA? I meant the other way. We could find a nice little fishing resort in the Aleutians and tell our friends that we’re never coming home.”

  “Forage for salmon and king crab?” She seemed to find the idea amusing.

  “It’s been done.”

  “I doubt they’d need a lot of legal work at a fishing resort.” Clearly, she wasn’t imagining the same getaway as him.

  “In your get-away-from-it-all fantasy, you open a law office?”

  “I have to work somewhere.”

  He was the one who chuckled now. “You really do love your job.”

  She nodded to that. “And you love yours.”

  “True,” he agreed. He loved his job, and his colleagues at WSA, even Paradise, although it was nice to get away from it once in a while.

  The idea of chucking it all for Marnie was fleeting. Enticing, but fleeting.

  “Still.” She inhaled deeply. “Just for a little while. It’s nice to forget about everything.”

  He pulled her closer, touching his chin to the top of her head. “It really is.”

  “Look!” She pointed. “Is that—”

  “A humpback.” He saw it too, breaking the surface on the starboard side.

  “Wow, that is big,” she said as the whale’s barnacle-crusted back arched out of the water, its tail breaking the surface then smacking back down.

  It was only thirty feet out from the boat, and a small wave rolled their way.

  “There’s another,” Marnie said, excitement in her voice.

  “This is closer than I’ve ever been,” he said, taking in the breathtaking size of the animals.

  “Oh!” she cried out as one of the whales breached the surface, its white underbelly flashing in the long rays of the sun.

  It splashed down, and Cobra reflexively wrapped himself around Marnie to protect her from the salt spray. But they both still got wet.

  She laughed, shaking out her wet hands. “Good thing we brought a change of clothes.”

  The pod of a dozen whales paralleled the boat for about half an hour, breaking the surface as they swam, spraying from their blowholes, and occasionally breaching as they moved farther away before disappearing into the depths.

  “Mr. Stanford, ma’am.” A crew member who’d earlier introduced himself as Paul approached them from behind.

  “That was thrilling,” Marnie told him as they turned.

  Paul gave her a bright smile. “It’s nice when the whales cooperate. When you’re ready, the chef has set up dinner on the view lounge on the main deck. You’ll be just in time for the sunset.”

  “Thank you, Paul.”

  “I think this is a perfect date,” Marnie said as they made their way down to the roomy master cabin.

  They changed into dry clothes then climbed back up to the main deck, finding an elegantly set table surrounded by glass on three sides. The view was spectacular, the sun streaking the sky pink above the gentle waves, the rocky shoreline and the mountain peaks.

  They sat down to a bottle of wine and a smoked salmon avocado appetizer.

  Marnie gave a contented sigh as she took a sip of the chardonnay. Her cheeks were rosy, her green eyes bright and her gorgeous hair was combed out and fluffed up, framing her beautiful face.

  “Happy?” he couldn’t help but ask.

  “This day is ending so much better than it started out.” She paused. “Thank you, Cobra. For being here.”

  “Don’t thank me. I’m enjoying this as much as you are.”

  “And for coming after me.” She turned her blown-crystal glass by its stem. “I didn’t realize how much I needed a friend.”

  He reached out and took her hand. “Anytime, Marnie. Anytime you need anything.” He meant it more than he could say.

  She grinned and selected a crostini from the tray between them. “Right now, I need something to eat.”

  “Agreed,” he said, following her lead. It had been a long time since their meal on the plane. He was determined to savor their dinner and every minute of their impromptu cruise. He only hoped it didn’t end too soon.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Too soon they were landing back in Paradise.

  “Thanks for picking us up,” Cobra said to Brodie as they tied the Cessna down at the Paradise airstrip after the trip in from Fairbanks.

  Mia and Raven had come out to meet Marnie, and the three women were hugging and laughing in the parking lot.

  She might have been only fifty feet away, but Cobra missed her already.

  “Was this your plan all along?” Brodie asked, nodding toward Marnie as he put tension on a strap. “Bringing her back here?”

  Cobra pushed a wheel chock into place. “I didn’t have a plan,” he admitted. “I still don’t have one. I’m making this up as I go along.”

  Just then he caught a glimpse of Silas coming out of the office, jolting him further back to reality. Silas was too far away for Cobra to see his expression, but he could guess what it was.

  “So, what’s next?” Brodie asked.

>   “Next I owe Mia a big apology for snapping at her before I left.”

  “You think Silas will let you near her?” It was clear Brodie had heard the story of Cobra’s outburst.

  “I’ll start with him.”

  “Good idea.”

  “It was a knee-jerk reaction,” Cobra said, although Brodie wasn’t the one who deserved an explanation.

  “I know how that goes.”

  “Marnie’s family is a piece of work.” Cobra didn’t plan to mention the criminal angle, even if it was public information for anyone who cared to look.

  “I get it. You were scared—”

  “I wasn’t scared.” Cobra wasn’t driven by fear.

  “I meant, for her.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Maybe.” When Cobra found out she was taking on her father—and worse, that her father was a criminal—he’d dropped everything and hopped on a red-eye. His only thought had been to get between Marnie and the man harassing her.

  “State prison?” Brodie asked him.

  “I guess everyone knows that by now.” Cobra regretted that part.

  “Just a few of us.”

  “It isn’t general town gossip?”

  Brodie shook his head.

  “Good. Thanks.” Cobra started for Silas.

  “Good luck,” Brodie called from behind him.

  Silas saw Cobra coming his way and stopped short. His eyes narrowed and he stood his ground, arms crossed, feet planted apart.

  “I was way out of line,” Cobra said as he came to a halt.

  “You were,” Silas said, his jaw tense, chin jutting.

  “It was from shock.”

  “Doesn’t excuse it.”

  “I know.” Cobra deeply regretted his outburst.

  “Get it under control, man.”

  “I will. I am.” Cobra slid his gaze to Marnie, last night’s emotions returning in force. “She said her family was trouble, but I didn’t know the half of it.”

  The edge went out of Silas’s voice. “And you needed to fix it.”

  “I had to try.”

  “And you brought her back.”

  Cobra could guess where this was going. “She wanted to come back.”

  Silas gave a slight shake of his head. “You’re only putting it off, you know.”

  “You don’t have to keep warning me about that.” Cobra knew he was treading on dangerous ground where his feelings for Marnie were concerned, but he had it under control. They were both adults and were fully aware of their circumstances. Neither of them would be taken by surprise.

  “Someone better warn you. Because it’ll be even worse when she leaves next week.”

  “I’ll take the week.” Hell, Cobra would take an hour or a day, whatever he could get with Marnie. If he was on a pathway to heartache, so be it. There was nothing he could do to stop it even if he wanted to. He cocked his head toward where the three women were talking. “I was going to apologize to Mia again. You okay with that?”

  “It’s not up to me.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Cobra paused. “I really am sorry.”

  “So, tell her.”

  With a nod, Cobra made his way to the women, zeroing in on Mia, wanting to get this done.

  She met his gaze as he approached.

  “Got a minute?” he asked her.

  “Sure.” It was hard to gauge her mood, but she followed him a few feet away.

  “I want to apologize,” he said.

  “Did you know her dad was in jail?”

  Cobra shook his head. “Not right then.” He didn’t have that as an excuse for his reaction. “I knew they were estranged, that she didn’t want to see him or talk to him. I knew he was trying to get hold of her and it had her rattled.”

  “I’m glad you went,” Mia said with the briefest of glances over her shoulder at Marnie.

  “I never should have shouted at you.” Standing here in front of her, he was more regretful than ever.

  Mia gave a ghost of a smile. “Tell me you wanted to protect her.”

  “I wanted to protect her.”

  “Good.”

  He wanted to be sure he was reading Mia right. “So, you and me, we’re okay?”

  “We’re okay.” She held up a warning finger. “But don’t you dare hurt her.”

  “I’m not planning on it.”

  The last thing he would do was hurt Marnie.

  “Just so we’re clear,” Mia said.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “So, you’re coming over tonight?”

  The invitation warmed him and filled him with relief. “If it’s okay with you.”

  She moved in a little closer. “I know how it feels to be under a ticking clock.”

  * * *

  * * *

  The town of Balsam Ridge was bigger than Paradise. It was nestled on the edge of Denali State Park, on the shores of a wide, meandering river. Marnie was more than impressed with the setup for the Klondike Challenge—what seemed like miles of temporary facilities stretching up the valley from the town.

  Most of the events would take place in a central field to the north of the town. It was surrounded on three sides by rolling meadows that were dotted with tent encampments. Raven said the field was once a hay farming operation, but the short growing season made it unprofitable, so it had been abandoned years ago.

  Each of the teams set up their own camp on the periphery. The camps themselves had turned into a friendly competition over the years. Since expediting and transportation was a Paradise specialty, the Team Paradise camp was one of the best. For the past three days, Galina had been loading freight and WSA had been flying the cargo into Balsam Ridge, while Peter Gambina and his recruits, including Cobra, had built wooden floors and frames for the Paradise wall tents.

  “This one is ours,” Raven said to Marnie, opening the door to one of the roomy tents.

  Although there was a huge cafeteria tent for all the teams, John Reed and Fredo had also set up a portable kitchen and barbecue area in the middle of the town’s semicircle of tents.

  “Are we worried about bears?” Marnie asked as she walked in through the doorway. The tent was a few hundred yards from where the forest started up the mountainside.

  “Way too many people around this weekend,” Raven said.

  Marnie took in the pale canvas walls that were lit up with sunshine. Roll-up windows on three sides let in sunlight and fresh air. The floor was smooth and spotlessly clean, with two comfy-looking little beds set up at the far end. A small table was between the beds with a battery lamp on top. And they had a cute little wood stove near the wall by the door, with two bright blue, foldable director-style chairs in front.

  “This is amazing,” she said.

  “Not what you pictured when we said tents, I bet.” Raven set her bag at the foot of one of the beds.

  Marnie rolled her suitcase over to the other. “I’m in awe.” She tested the bed and found the foam mattress nicely firm. “I used to think my family did this well.”

  “Camping?” Raven unzipped her bag.

  “Growing up, my parents taught me how to cope with the end of the world, building lean-tos and rotating canned goods in the backyard bunker. You Alaskans built a town in three days. If the worst happens, I’m liking your chances of survival.”

  “You had a backyard bunker?”

  “It wasn’t very big. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend a weekend in it, never mind months waiting for the nuclear fallout to disappear or for the zombies to move on.”

  Raven sat down on the bed and spread her arms. “You’re saying this is better.”

  “So much better.”

  “We’ve got a good location, only a short walk to the wash tent.” Raven pointed beh
ind herself with her thumb. “But we should go together or take bear spray.”

  “So, there are bears.”

  “Not likely, but better to be safe.”

  “If I learned anything growing up, it’s to be prepared.”

  “We can pick up canisters from Fredo.”

  Silas and Xavier, their pilots for the flight over, had been crystal clear that no bear spray was permitted inside the airplane. Canisters could accidentally deploy, and pepper spray in a pilot’s eyes would blind them and cause a catastrophe.

  Marnie noticed a fold-out luggage rack at the side of her bed. “They thought of everything.” She moved aside her suitcase and set it up at the foot, plunking the suitcase on top.

  “We can’t exactly unpack,” Raven said, doing the same.

  “I feel like I’ve been living on the road for weeks now.”

  Not that it had been all bad. She liked hanging out with Mia and Raven too. And the yacht interlude with Cobra had been a dream. She still smiled to herself remembering their night on the water. But she’d had only one night at home in the past few weeks, and all she’d done there was sleep, shower, water her plants and pack a new bag for Kansas.

  “Have you heard how the parole hearing went?” Raven asked. Then she looked flustered. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that.”

  “It’s okay.” While Marnie wasn’t broadcasting the fact that her father and brother were convicted felons, she was through hiding it. “I got a text message from my brother yesterday. They all got parole.”

  “Will you stay in contact with him?”

  “Nope. I didn’t answer, and he probably didn’t expect me to. I was clear . . . I guess it’s more accurate to say Cobra was clear that I was done with them.”

  “Quite the thing,” Raven said musingly.

  “Never seeing my family again?” It didn’t feel like much of a big thing to Marnie. It had been years since she’d seen them, and she couldn’t imagine them being any kind of a positive force in her life.

  “Cobra following you to Kansas.”

  “Oh, that.”

  Raven sat back down on the edge of her bed. “So, that kiss you mentioned . . .”

  Marnie sat down opposite. “We kissed again.” She rocked her head. “And . . . we did more.”