Chapter Three
Sadie pulledinto the library parking lot and jerked her Toyota Land Cruiser into park. She’d completely forgotten about the monthly SAR meeting until Violet called, all worked up about the new volunteer that had flown for their rescue earlier that day. Sadie had wanted to skip the meeting and stay with Reggie. After a negative parvo test and a clear x-ray, Mark was convinced the darn dog had just eaten something that upset his stomach. So, while she’d rather stay at the kennel babying him, especially with the exhausting day she’d had with worrying about him and the interview that had lasted four hours instead of one, she had no excuses not to go.
Violet zipped her car into the next space and popped out with a smile stretched across her face. She’d pulled her hair into two messy buns on the top of her head like a black bear that had gotten into two open paint cans. Sadie loved her sister’s sense of individuality, how she wasn’t afraid to just be her wild and crazy self. It bled into her art that was bright and, some would say, unconventional, just like her.
“I can’t wait for you to meet the helicopter pilot Dad roped in.” She leaned against the hood of her car and fanned herself like she would faint. “Swoon worthy to the max.”
Sadie rolled her eyes and headed into the library. She never understood Violet’s propensity for the dramatic. Maybe it was her expressive, artsy-fartsy way compared to Sadie’s own grounded tendencies. Guys weren’t just good-looking or nice. They were romance-cover material or the most tenderhearted man ever. She’d flit and flutter like a butterfly from one to the other, landing for a date or two before flapping on to the next.
“I’m serious, Sade. This guy has that whole ex-military, I’ll keep you safe and get the job done persona wrapped up in this delicious package of lean muscle and amazing dimples.” Violet grabbed onto Sadie’s arm and pretended like her knees had buckled. “His name is Bjørn, and I’m telling you, he’s like the personification of a Viking warrior.”
“So, he’s barbaric and grimy, with a beard down to his chest and hair to match?” Sadie asked dryly.
“No, silly.” Violet huffed and swatted Sadie on the arm. “He’s adventurous and hot as all get-out. Think Thor after his hair was chopped short, but before he turned all fat and despondent.”
“So, when’s your first date?” How Sadie wished she could find time to date, though the last debacle with the SAR member from Anchorage had left her a little gun-shy. Few men wanted a woman with scars that marred their body like Sadie’s did.
“Oh, no. He’s just eye-candy, like a statue at the Louvre. Nice to marvel at God’s creative genius but by standing behind the red velvet cord, not by exploring the smooth curve of muscles with fingertips.”
Sadie threw her head back as a deep laugh burst from her. Where did her sister come up with this stuff? Thank goodness Sadie had come to the meeting. She’d needed a good laugh. She opened the door to the library, heading to the stairs to the meeting room.
“So, dear sister, why is the Viking god statue off limits? Married?” Sadie threaded her fingers through her sister’s and swung their hands like they had as children.
“No.” Violet shrugged. “He’s just too old for me.”
“Oh, so he’s ancient, like forty or something?” Sadie asked with mock seriousness.
“No, not ancient. He’s probably just in his late twenties, early thirties. He was a member of that special ops division Dad’s cousin is a part of.” Violet pulled her hand from Sadie’s, tucked her arm around Sadie’s back, and leaned her head on Sadie’s shoulder. “You can’t be part of that division without being in the military for a long time. I’ve found men that age are usually looking for something more permanent, and I’m too young to settle down. But you, on the other hand, are getting up there, so he’d be perfect for you.”
“Getting up there?” Sadie gasped and pushed her sister away. “I’m only twenty-seven.”
“See. That puts you right in his age range.” Violet turned and walked backward toward the open doors to the room. “Not yet ancient, but starting to wrinkle around the edges.”
“Why you—”
Sadie reached for her sister as she turned with a laugh and dashed into the room. Violet shrieked as Sadie grabbed the back of her shirt. Wrapping her sister in a headlock, Sadie rubbed Violet’s head with a noogie she deserved.
“I’ll show you wrinkled.” Sadie couldn’t contain her smile as Violet laughed and bucked like a moose with its antlers stuck in thick brush.
“Girls.” Their dad’s exasperated voice lifted over the giggling.
Both Sadie and Violet froze, then looked up at Dad and spoke in unison. “Yeah, Dad?”
They turned to each other and broke out laughing. Dad’s sigh could be heard from across the room. His mutter was too low to discern words, but his resignation was clear. Too bad he had had no boys. Even after a quarter of a century, he still wasn’t entirely sure what to do with his daughters.
“Can we start the meeting now, or do we need to pull out the boxing gloves?” Dad’s question rushed Sadie back to her early teens when she and Violet would argue nonstop. One day, Dad had thrown his hands up, stomped out of the house, and came back in with two pairs of boxing gloves.
“We’re good.” Sadie rubbed her knuckles on Violet’s head one last time, messing up the bear buns and giving her a funny purple tuft in the middle of her head.
Snorts and stifled laughs sounded around the room as Sadie headed to the nearest open seat. Her gaze slammed into the Norse masterpiece that had to be Bjørn, and she swallowed. Violet hadn’t exaggerated this time. The man was make-your-feet-stumble good-looking. He had an amused smile on his face as he watched her. His stare heated her core and rushed a hot blush to her cheeks.
Great. Nothing like embarrassing oneself completely in front of the new guy. Not that it mattered, anyway. She pulled on the cuffs of her sleeves to make sure her scars were covered. With her arms the way they were, she’d never have a chance with someone like him. Not that she cared. Not really. With the kennel ramping up, she didn’t have time now for anything but focusing on that.
She plopped in the seat and tried to keep her attention on her father. His voice droned on about safety procedures he’d drilled into her over and over again. Her eyes lost focus, and her mind wandered to different ways she could up the difficulty of training for the dogs. She wanted to push them, to test their abilities and learn how she, as the handler, could catch the clues the dogs gave, no matter the situation.
“Last, I’d like to introduce our newest volunteer.” Dad motioned for Bjørn to stand up. “Bjørn Rebel just moved back to Alaska after serving in the army for the last thirteen years. He’s a decorated soldier, flying in the most elite division, known for their ability to get places most believe unflyable.”
The longer Dad talked Bjørn up, the redder Bjørn’s ears got. Sadie pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. Good. She wasn’t the only one embarrassed.