Christmas Diamond, a Novella: Inspired by The Jewel series and the Virtues and Valor series

by Hallee Bridgeman

  "Faith!"

  She turned at the sound of her name and saw her boss, Elizabeth Gaines, waving at her from just inside the doors. Happy to see someone she knew right away, Faith smiled and walked to the woman. When she saw who stood next to her, she almost stopped in her tracks. Tony, his wife, and TJ were all right there. It had been three days since the time on the beach, and Faith had found herself thinking of them several times a day.

  "Faith, I would love to introduce you to our sponsor and host for the air show, Mr. Tony Viscolli, his wife Robin, and this is their son TJ," Elizabeth introduced as she reached out and pulled Faith toward her.

  Tony Viscolli.

  In that moment, Faith Green suddenly realized that Tony Viscolli was the Tony Viscolli. This was his hotel, even. That made TJ the eldest and only son of the Tony Viscolli. She could feel her eyes widen at the realization as all the pieces clicked into place.

  Elizabeth looked at Tony. "Faith is our very best pilot. She flies our North American Na-16 in the show."

  Tony smiled and held his hand out. "I had the very great pleasure of meeting Faith a few days ago. If I had known your last name, I would have contacted you sooner. It is such an honor to see you again," he said. "I never had a chance to properly introduce you to my lovely bride."

  Before Faith knew what happened, Robin enveloped her in a hug. "Thank you again," Robin Viscolli said as she stepped back. "If you hadn't been there —"

  "Mom," TJ cautioned, laying his hand on his mother's back. "She was there. You have to stop worrying about it. God handled it. Let it go."

  He turned to Faith and smiled a charming smile that made her heart skip a beat. "We haven't been formally introduced, yet. My name is Antonio Francis Viscolli, Junior. Everyone calls me TJ. I'm very pleased to meet you, Miss Green."

  He extended his hand in greeting. Faith placed her hand in his and immediately noticed how warm his skin felt. "How does one get TJ from Antonio Francis?"

  He grinned, apparently used to the question. "Tony Junior. TJ. Call me whatever you like as long as you promise never to say Francis again."

  "Well, then, TJ never Francis, I am very glad to formally make your acquaintance"

  "The pleasure is mine. And I haven't forgotten our rain check," he said. He had yet to release her hand.

  She had thought he looked handsome in a pair of swim trunks, but she had no idea someone could look so devastating in a tuxedo. "Time is getting short," she said with a flirtatious smile. "You only have until the New Year before I'll be back across the pond."

  "Well, then, I better cash it tonight," he said, bringing her hand up to his lips.

  Faith felt a flush cover her cheeks and realized she didn't know what to say. She could hear Elizabeth asking Tony and Robin what happened, but she couldn't break away from TJ's dark gaze. "I look forward to it," she whispered, retrieving her hand and fighting the impulse to rub the spot where his lips had touched.

  "The chef here is pretty amazing," TJ confided.

  "Sure you have room for supper? Not too full of sea water are you?" Faith teased, making TJ grin.

  In a similar tone he retorted, "I like to think of sea water as more of an appetizer."

  Robin cleared her throat and Faith realized she'd been staring into TJ's eyes. Embarrassed, she shifted her attention to the tall, beautiful blonde woman.

  "I asked," Robin repeated with a smile, her eyes communicating her approval of the dawning attraction between Faith and her son, "how long have you been flying?"

  "Flying?" Fighting the impulse to shake her head to clear it, Faith reached up and touched her pendant, trying to find her center again. "My entire life, really. My grandmother taught me practically since I learned to walk."

  "Really?"

  "She was from America. Texas, to be precise. When she was 19, she flew over to help with the war in Europe. She was in a special band of women they nicknamed the Virtues. She piloted freedom fighters, refugees, and supplies in and out of Nazi occupied France."

  "I know the Virtues," TJ said as he put a hand on the small of her back. "Was Your grandmother Helen Mulberry Green?"

  Faith's eyes widened and she looked back at him. "How is it that you know that?"

  "Of course you're her granddaughter. Her code name was Faith." He looked at her in such a way that she felt her heart rate increase. Quietly, almost privately, he said, "You have her eyes."

  At a loss for words, Faith said, "I'm afraid you very much have the advantage of me, TJ."

  TJ ignored the remark and said, "I would love to talk with you about your grandmother some time. Did she ever tell you about her last mission?"

  Tony laughed and wrapped an arm around his son's tuxedo clad shoulders. "My son is a historian, and that particular conflict is his specialty."

  Faith turned so that she faced Tony. "Is that so?"

  With a nod, TJ slipped his hands into his pockets. "When I was fifteen, I came across a book about Grace Aubertin and what she did in occupied France called Code Name: Grace and I've been hooked ever since. It is absolutely fascinating to me. I've made it my primary course of study in writing my thesis for my Ph.D. The Virtues were amazing and I've collected everything I can on them."

  "Which, alas, has very little to do with operating Viscolli Enterprises," Tony offered with a sigh that was only mostly belied by the loving grin on his face.

  "That's why you have Madeline," TJ said with a laugh. "Leave it all to my baby sister —"

  "Oh, yes. And leave you to your books," Tony said, interrupting him. "I got the message. Despite your difference in age, she'll likely get her MBA before you even finish school."

  Robin apparently decided to change the subject. She slipped her arm through her husband's. "Faith, this air show is Tony's Christmas present to TJ."

  Considering what expenses went into an air show and knowing what Elizabeth charged, Faith couldn't fathom a gift of that kind of extravagance. "I beg your pardon?"

  Tony waved a hand in the air. "It is not entirely just his present. I've worked with the city for some time to bring your show here and helped fund some of it. We brought our entire family down from Boston to enjoy it. But, TJ's love of it is what prompted the initial inquiries. And, unless his mother got him a sweater, he doesn't have any other presents this year."

  "I'm sure mom got me a helmet and a snorkel," TJ laughed as he flagged down a waiter and grabbed a glass of ice water. He held it out to Faith who happily accepted it, if for nothing more than to give her hands something to do. "I can't believe the living granddaughter of one of the Virtues is participating in the show." He looked at his father with a grin. "That was the surprise you were talking about, isn't it?"

  "Si," Tony said, smiling.

  Faith took a sip of water and said, "The North American Na-16 I fly, Texas Diamond, is my grandmother's most prized possession. Gran loves the fact that I've been able to bring so much joy to so many people by flying her at shows like this."

  "Loves? Helen Green is still alive?"

  "Yes, of course. She lives in a home in Suffolk. I've been sending her a post card each day since I've been here."

  Elizabeth interjected, "Faith's grandmother and grandfather both flew in the war. And, her cousin Alfred flies one of our P-51 Mustangs with us. He flies the yellow tail that flew with the 352nd fighter group out of the 8th Air Force. I'll see if I can find him and introduce you."

  "I would absolutely love that," TJ said sincerely. He bent closer to Faith. "What a fascinating family history. I'd love to talk to you more about it."

  Faith took another sip of her ice water. "Well, you know where to find me now," she said coyly, wondering where this flirtatious side of her had come from. Never in her life had she batted her eyes at a man until just that moment.

  A uniformed waiter appeared at Tony's side and said something low in his ear. Tony grinned and turned to Elizabeth. "It would appear that dinner is ready to be served. Let's see if we can get all of these people to their seats." He turned to
Faith. "Miss Green, would you do me the distinct honor of joining my family at our table?"

  TJ extended his elbow and Faith shifted the glass of water to her left hand and laid her right hand over his forearm. He patted the tops of her fingers with his right hand and they proceeded toward the front of the room.

  The Viscollis occupied the head table but numerous family members, in-laws, and close friends apparently occupied the satellite tables nearby. The smiles and interested looks she drew from them as she approached the head table on TJ's arm made Faith feel giddy and nervous all at once. She looked forward to a very interesting evening.

  CHAPTER 3

  FAITH sat on the dry sand and looked out at the ocean. A full moon bathed the beach in a silvery light. It allowed her to see beyond the darkness of the night, but the empty waters and the vacant beach also helped her feel alone and isolated.

  At nearly one in the morning, no sound but the gentle surf lapping over and over onto the shore broke the silence of the night. Which is why, when someone sat down next to her, a startled cry escaped from her lips and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

  "Sorry," TJ apologized, loosening the bow tie at his neck and unbuttoning the top button. "I thought for sure you saw or heard me coming."

  Faith put a hand to her chest. "Quite all right. Must have been wool gathering."

  So that she would not have to consider just how handsome this man looked in the starlight, she looked back out at the water. The silvery moonlight reflecting on the crystal clear waters shimmered like a diamond mine. She thought about how nice it was to not feel so alone at the moment, surrounded as she was by the raw beauty all around them.

  "I'm really looking forward to the show next week." TJ confided.

  Faith nodded. "Elizabeth does a beautiful job with coordination and choreography. I've flown in a few shows, and hers is by far the best one." She brought her legs up so she could rest her cheek on her knees. She had her face turned to look at him. "If I could only sleep."

  "Jet lag?"

  "Mmm hmm," she said, closing her eyes. "I get it so badly."

  "My father has spent his entire career bouncing from one time zone to another and has never even yawned. It drives me nuts. I get jet lag when the time changes in the fall."

  Faith smiled and opened her eyes again. "What's your father really like? What does he do?"

  TJ shrugged. "Whatever he wants. If a business looks interesting to him, he acquires it." He picked up a piece of driftwood the size of a stick of gum and started breaking it into smaller pieces. "To me, it's overwhelming, thinking about the thousands of little details he has to keep up with every day."

  "So you hide in your books."

  TJ snorted a laugh. "Not too much. But that's what my baby sister says. She's always been there, in his office every chance she could get. She has his mind for it. Me, not so much."

  An only child herself, Faith asked, "What is the age difference between you and your sister?"

  He met her eyes and she could tell he was pleased that she had asked a somewhat personal question. "I'm a little more than two years older than she."

  "Ah," Faith said, nodding. "And how old is she?"

  TJ grinned at her roundabout question. "I think I know what you're asking. I'm just two months older than you, Faith."

  Shocked, she demanded, "How do you know how old I am?"

  He waggled his eyebrows. "I have my ways."

  She could feel the heat on her cheeks and decided to change the subject back to safer territory. "So what are you going to do with your Ph.D.?"

  "Write. Teach. Publish. Teach. I have dozens of ideas. If I didn't have to write so many papers for school, I'd be able to get some books written. This coming semester is my last one. Then I'll start writing for me."

  Faith slipped the shawl off her shoulders and spread it behind her. Then she leaned back, letting the shawl serve as a barrier between her elbows and the sand. "Sitting still and writing. I couldn't sit long enough to write a check, much less an entire book."

  "But you can sit long enough to fly from London to New York."

  With a dismissive gesture of her hand, Faith said, "That's entirely different."

  "Not so much." TJ stretched out on his side, facing her, his head propped up with his hand. He reached over and ran a finger over the bare skin of her forearm. "I really enjoyed you sitting with us tonight at dinner."

  Faith thought back to the dinner and the tables of the Viscolli family. In what seemed like a whirl, she met aunts, uncles, young and old cousins, and lifelong friends. She didn't think she'd ever met a happier, closer group of people in her life. "It was rather amazing. I'm afraid my family is just me and Grandmum. Well, and some cousins."

  "No brothers or sisters?" TJ asked.

  Faith felt a little bit like a school girl with a crush all of a sudden. "Just me. Grew up rather spoiled, I should think. Not like your family."

  TJ gave her a one sided grin. "I have a remarkable family. And they liked you very much. Spoiled or not."

  She felt a flush tinge her cheeks and hoped the night served to disguise it. What she wanted to say was that she liked him very much, but she was afraid to say it. Instead, she just smiled. "I enjoyed talking to Peter O'Farrell. I have a friend who is from the same county as he."

  "You'll rarely meet anyone more faithful to God than that man. You should hear his testimony."

  "I would probably enjoy that very much."

  "He's getting old but he's still in great health. He blames corned beef and cabbage."

  Faith smiled a smile that bared her teeth. She really liked this attractive man. "My grandmum's health is starting to fail, I'm afraid."

  TJ met and held her gaze. "It is incredible that she's still living. What a blessing that must be for you to have had your whole life to get to know her. I would love to meet her and talk with her. She's the last one. I checked."

  Faith nodded, feeling her smile fade. Every year as Remembrance Day or the anniversary of the Normandy invasion neared, Faith had to beat back an army of reporters looking for some human interest quote from the war hero. They hounded her grandmother in recent years with a ferocity that fully equaled the anonymity and obscurity that surrounded her for decades after the actual war ended. "The last living Virtue. There's a book, there, I suspect."

  Apparently out of the blue, TJ changed the subject. "Faith, will you join me for dinner tomorrow night? Just the two of us?"

  She turned her body toward him and rested her weight on one elbow. "That depends, I suppose," she answered.

  He reached out and took her free hand, running a thumb over her knuckles. "Depends? On what?"

  Faith raised an eyebrow. "On whether you want to take me to dinner because you're attracted to me. Or perhaps because I saved your life the other day. Or is it because I'm Faith Green, the granddaughter of Helen Green the famous Virtue?"

  TJ said, "There's only one possible answer to those questions."

  Faith raised her eyebrow. "And that is?"

  He smiled his most charming smile. "Yes."

  Faith sat up, her tone very flat. "That's rather what I thought. Pity."

  TJ's eyebrows came together in a sharp frown. "I don't understand."

  "As the son of the very rich and very powerful Tony Viscolli, I should think you actually do understand." Faith pushed herself to her feet and bent down to pick up her shoes and shawl. "Once you have it sorted, you know how to contact me."

  CHAPTER 4

  FAITH sat at a booth in the airport's restaurant. A glass of ice water sat next to a half eaten tuna sandwich, but she ignored the food and drink. Instead, she penned a post card to her grandmum.

  Three days 'til Christmas. Will miss you very much. Can't wait to give you the present I found for you. Be nice to the night nurses. Much love, Faith

  As she looked up from the postcard, she felt her eyes widen when she saw TJ Viscolli march into the café, look around, then head straight for her. He wore a pair of khaki shor
ts, a short sleeved button down Hawaiian style shirt with Christmas trees all over it, and leather deck shoes with no socks.

  He slid into the booth across from her. "Here you are," he greeted with a smile, stripping his sunglasses off and slipping them into the pocket of his colorful shirt.

  "Here I am?" She couldn't help but make it sound like a question.

  "Yes. I've been calling your hotel room since eight this morning, and you don't have a cell phone. It was a bit of a trial to find you." Reaching across the table, he took her hand. "I'm very happy I did."

  With a raised eyebrow, Faith asked, "Why is that?"

  TJ grinned. "Okay, first, because you're beautiful. But also I enjoyed the party last night, especially the times you were telling stories about flying or England. I enjoyed being alone with you on the beach more than anything. And, I definitely want to get to know more about you."

  "I'd like to get to know more about you, as well." Faith smiled, then observed the bruise on the side of his head. "How is your noggin?"

  He reached up and fingered the angry contusion near his temple. "Still a little sore. I guess my guardian angel was on duty."

  "Interesting choice of words." She squeezed his hand and pulled hers out of his grip so that she could sit back against the bench. "I also believe God looked after your safety and made sure you were saved."

  "By you."

  Faith shrugged. "Perhaps. Or perhaps it doesn't have anything to do with me. Could have been anyone."

  "I don't think so." He tapped the table in front of him with a finger. "I think you got a tap on the shoulder from my guardian angel. All that time you spend in the air and all."

  "Perhaps." She put the cap on her pen and set it aside. "Although I'll confess I'm not entirely comfortable with the idea."

  "What could be more comforting than to know that you're in the place where God would have you right at the perfect time? I would — and do — find extreme comfort in that notion."