Chapter 3

The repeated flicks of her flannel-lined jeans as they rubbed the textured metal wall drew just about every eye on the plane as she peered out the window at the snowy glacier below. "Well, at least we're headed over land again."

Dark mahogany hair shifted up and down on the shoulders of her black puffy parka as she stretched her neck from side to side. And when she glanced down at the little blonde boy who sat beside her and drew pictures on the seatback tray, she rubbed at the stress between her eyes with her fingertips. "You know, you're getting a lot better at those big, red fire trucks." A finger slid across the bottom of the page. "Don't forget to sign it this time so I can get top dollar for it when you're rich and famous."

A little pink tongue hung from the side of his mouth while he wrote his name in yellow crayon along the bottom of his notebook paper. "C, H, A, R, L, Y."

In tune with the winds that battered the plane as it made its approach, her fingers took turns as they tapped on the picture. "The first name only, huh? That's a bold move, but I believe it just might work for you."

While his wide, blue eyes pleaded with her, Charly held out his hand. "Can I have a piece of candy? My belly hurts."

Though her years of battlefield nursing prepared her for every potential injury known to mankind, the nuances of dealing with the complicated tapestry of a child's mind ruined her. Still, she always had a warm smile to give him no matter how often he came back to see her. "Sure thing, honeybunches."

The right hip pocket of every coat she wore had a stash of Hershey kisses at the ready at all times, and her shoulder heaved up as she wiggled her hand inside to grab one. "You know Miss Mory always has the good stuff."

When she set the piece of candy wrapped in silver foil on the little table beside her, the flight attendant twisted her lips as she witnessed the exchange. "Can you put on your lap belt, please? We'll be landing in a few moments."

"Yes, ma'am." While she clicked the black nylon strap across her legs, Mory tipped her head to peek at Charly. "You need a hand with your seat belt?"

But a surge of fear dumped into her bloodstream, and the anxiety rebuilt in the tips of her ice-cold fingers. Inch by inch, it claimed her body until the sound of Charly's voice faded into the stale air of the cabin. "No, Miss Mory. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Wove shut like a thick, black blanket, her eyelashes fluttered as she closed her eyes for just a moment. And when they opened again, the little freckle-faced child was gone. A sigh that fogged the window blew from her pursed lips as she gazed back outside to the sheet of white they barreled toward. "Yes, I'm sure I'll be seeing you again real soon, little buddy."

When the roar of the engines powering down jerked the little plane, Mory pulled her gray cable knit beanie down over her sweat-covered forehead. "Here we go." The edges of her fingertips gripped the armrests so hard her knuckles turned white, and her whole body vibrated from the bouncing of her legs.

The pressure shifted in her ears, and when they popped, she flinched at the faded memories of whizzes of gunshots all around her. "Breathe." Despite her fingers being frozen in place, she chuckled to herself for what a coward she was as she concentrated on moving them again while the plane skidded to a stop. "How in the hell are you ever going to go through with this?" The knuckles snapped together as she waved her hands back and forth to get the blood flowing. "Well, at least I won't have to worry about doing that ever again."

Even though it was freezing on the mainland when she left, the salty sea air mixed with the frigid cold on the island was a new level of discomfort when she stepped out into the world again. Her golden eyes teared instantly, and the tip of her nose turned pink as the wind slapped her face. But each step closer she got to the ground at the end of the stairs brought a flutter to her chest, and by the time her snow boots landed on the snow-packed runway, she was breathless.

As she passed the floor-to-ceiling windows covered in the sunblock film, she caught a glimpse of herself and pointed back at her image. "Nope, not ready yet. Just your nerves."

After she gathered her bags from the carousel, her eyes darted around the hanger until she found the sour, wrinkled face of the old white-haired Irishman who came toward her in his fleece-lined flannel and furry hat. "Hello there, lass." The handle of her suitcase disappeared in his palm. "How was the flight over from the mainland?"

A wall of powdery snow roared over the passing cars outside the little airport like the cruelest rogue wave on the ocean, and the dread of being blasted again with the brutal cold made her shake her head at herself for coming there instead of the tropical paradise the nursing agency offered her. "Well, sir, all I can say is that I'm happy to be on the ground again."

The worn strap of her leather duffle crossed over her face and came to rest on her chest as Garrett pulled her suitcase along behind him. "Aye, that's a frightful little jump over the pond, isn't it?"

"Yes, quite." A patch of ice caught the heel of her black boot, and her arms jerked out to catch herself. "Guess it's time to put on the snow tires, isn't it?"

Garrett was kind enough to keep the engine of his light blue pickup truck running, so Mory pushed her hands against the hot air that came from the vents and gave them a smile. The bitter cold drove away most new residents of the little town, and his eyes looked her up and down as he backed out of the makeshift parking space and sized up her chances of making it until Spring. "You've never been to Norway before, have you?"

Though her shoulder drifted upward, and her lips puckered at his question, the extra beats came back to her chest to take her breath away. The tips of her fingers rubbed at the flip-flop under her skin, and a wave of heat rushed over her body. "No, sir." She ducked down just a little to see the rocky ridges of the glacier behind the homes. "But there was a blizzard back home when I left that dumped nearly four feet of snow on the ground, so I don't expect that this will be much of a shock to my system."

The prideful streak on her face could be spotted from a mile away, and he gave her a half-cocked smile before his eyes met the snow-packed road again. "This can be a lonely place, young lady." A pale, crooked old finger rose to point up ahead. "And I must warn you, those vultures will be all over you as soon as you set foot in the pub." While he tapped into the steering wheel, his wrinkly chin moved side to side. "The island doesn't have many single ladies and rarely has the privilege of hosting a handsome one."

The old truck came to a stop in front of the window with the porthole rubbed into it, and Garrett waved at the blue eyes that stared back at him. Like he'd been just barely hanging on his whole existence, when the pound came to Haldir's chest, the corner of his mouth crinkled upward as his body sprung to life. As soon as he saw the outline of the woman beyond the windshield, his breath hitched, and when Bose heard it, he squinted to have a better look at her. "Ready or not, here she comes."