I tell his family without waiting to see how my words affected him. “He was swimming across the current. Mr. Romano was holding on to a fallen tree in the middle of the river.”
Betsy gasps.
“How Mr. Romano got there is for the investigators to figure out, but he would've surely drowned if Jocko hadn’t swum out and saved him.”
Jocko clears his throat.
I tilt my head and turn back around to look at him. “By the way, what did you say to him when you got there? He was laughing so hard.”
Jocko’s eyes twinkle. “I asked to see his fishing license.”
Everyone laughs.
I turn back to the family. “By this time, Grayson is hovering overhead. A couple of deputies have waded out to stabilize the rescue basket while Jocko swims back with Mr. Romano. They strap him in, then hoist him up to the helicopter. And he waves like he's in a parade, happy as a lark.” I show them, “Of course, we all waved back.”
Everyone laughs again.
I walk over to look Jocko in the eye. “I want you to know, witnessing the way you selflessly saved that man’s life was the most moving experience I have ever had.”
His eyes bore into mine, and the look on his face is the same one that has haunted my nights for the past six years. I smile at him, happy I know what that look means now.
It means everything.
Chapter Ten
Jocko
Jorja's laughing as her phone is passed around. She narrates what's happening at the time the video was shot. “Lucifer was so excited when he heard Jocko coming back. His whole body was wiggling, but he stayed right there until Jocko called him.” She glances at me, and our eyes lock. For a second, my world stops spinning. Her look says, ‘I’m your girl.’ Then she's laughing with Luke and agreeing Lucifer has ‘happy feet.’
I pull my phone out to check the time. It is 9:30. If the party hasn’t broken up by 10:00, I’m faking fatigue.
Chief brings a beer. “The world has righted itself, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. It has.”
“I trust you won’t let her off the hook.”
“I don’t intend to.”
“Good. I'll leave you to it, but if you run into a situation you need advice on, don’t hesitate to ask.”
I take a draw on the beer. “I appreciate that. I’m formulating my rules of engagement now.”
He claps me on the back. “Don’t take no for an answer.”
“I won’t.”
Aunt Betsy joins us, sliding her arm around my waist. “It’s good to have you home, Jocko.”
“Yes, ma’am. It's good to be home. Thank you for dinner.”
She squeezes my waist. “Just tell me it was delicious.”
Chief and I chuckle. “It was delicious. Better than I remember.”
She smiles, then nods toward Jorja. “That sweet girl didn’t date after you left.”
I smile, looking at Jorja. Her hair floats as she talks with her hands. “I know.”
“Your goodbye was the talk of the town for months.”
Chief scolds her. “Betsy, the boy hasn’t been home a week. Don’t start in on him.”
She cuts her eyes at Chief, then tells me as she rubs my back, “You pick up right where you left off. She's been waiting for you.”
Chief takes her shoulders, steering her away, giving her down the road about my not needing her matchmaking skills.
Grayson and Sidney walk over. He holds out my truck keys. “We brought your truck from the airport.”
“Thanks.” I take them and stuff them in my pocket.
“I was just telling Grayson that now he knows why I picked Jorja to tell your story for the magazine. She has a way with words that make a story come alive. She's a talented writer.”
Grayson defends himself. “I accused her of setting you two up when she asked if they could go on the rescue.”
“Ah…. Well, thanks for assigning her regardless of the reason.”
She smiles. “You’re welcome. It’s nice to finally meet you. I've heard some wi… wonderful things about you.”
I laugh. “I bet you heard some wild things too.”
“Some raised the hair on my head.”
Grayson butts in. “Listen, cuz, we need a favor.”
“Sure, anything.”
“Luke's spending the night here tonight because Sidney and me….” She elbows him. “Oomph.”
Then she takes over the sentence. “Had a date planned.”
Grayson continues where he was before the elbow. “… are making mom another grand-baby.”
She smiles as if he hasn’t said a word.
I take a long draw on my beer, enjoying the hell out of their playful love.
She, very professionally, asks. “Would you mind seeing that Jorja gets home safely?”
I look over at Jorja. She's taking a beer from Dylan, then they’re laughing. I smirk and look back at Sidney. “Go. I got Jorja.”
She slips her hand in Grayson’s. “Come on, Make Me Moan Malone.”
He looks back at me with a grin as they sneak out unnoticed through the gate in the fence.
Grady walks over to Dylan and Jorja, then leans over to watch the video. They all laugh, and Jorja cuts her eyes at me. I toast her with my beer, and she smiles, then excuses herself and heads over.
Watching her walk to me, happy, I marvel at the perfect way our reunion's gone down. Of all the hundreds of different scenarios I played out in my mind, a rescue wasn’t one of them.
Emerson says behind me. “Grant tells me you would like to continue jumping.”
I turn to her voice and nod as she steps beside me. “That’s right.”
She laughs as Jorja arrives. “It gets in your blood.”
“Yes, it does.”
“What gets in your blood?” Jorja asks.
“Freefalling.”
She gives us a look that clearly says we've lost our fucking minds, and Emerson quickly counters with, “I prefer skydiving or parachute jumping.”
Jorja tilts her head, unconvinced. “It doesn’t matter what label you put on it. It’s still too dangerous for me.”
Remembering her terror in the helicopter, I poke her. “Jorja is truly terrified of flying.”
She sticks her tongue out at me.
Needing as much as wanting to feel her body against mine, I take the bait, lunging for her. Squealing, she thinks about fleeing, but my arms wrap around her before she can take a single step.
Laughing, she thrashes, trying to get away. Her softness and scent plummet my senses, and my balls draw up, preparing for more. Mmmm, this is a bad idea in gym clothes. I shift her to a headlock and practice a little noogie love on her peanut.
She squeals giggling. “Emmy, help me!”
Emerson laughs. “Oh, hell no. You're on your own.”
“Ahhhhh.”
When I release her, I pull her uptight and press her curves into my body. She feels perfect there. Leaving my arm draped over her shoulders, I ask Emerson. “What were we talking about?”
Emerson beams at us as one of Jorja’s hand slips inside my T-shirt, tickling the arch on my back as she slides it around to rest on my hip, and her other hand rests on my abs.