America's Bravest Read Free Page B

scary,” Rachel commented. “I wonder
why. We work in total darkness a lot of times in a fire.”
    “Yeah, but we know we’re in open air most of
the time, we have on our breathing masks and psychologically we
understand we’re not buried in some cave.”
    He felt her shiver, despite the heat.
Reaching beside him, he found her hand and placed his over it.
“That better?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “So, what do you want to talk about while we
wait?”
    “I don’t care.”
    “If they don’t find us soon, you’ll miss your
furlough.”
    “No big loss.” She didn’t sound sad about
that.
    “What were you going to do?”
    She shifted. He could feel the weight of her
body move. “Promise you won’t laugh.”
    “Scout’s honor.”
    “My parents are…were…taking my sister and me
to Positano for four days.”
    “Positano, like in Italy?”
    “They call me
Princess
, remember?”
Her tone was disgusted.
    He chuckled, the sound magnified in the small
room and in the darkness. “Does it bother you, the teasing?”
    “Nah. I understand where it’s coming
from.”
    “How rich are you?”
    “Rich enough to fly to Italy for a few days.
Old money. On both sides, so there’s a lot.”
    “Lucky woman.”
    She waited a beat. “Not as lucky as you.”
    “What do you mean?”
    He heard a heavy sigh. “I envy the Malvasos,
Cap. You’re so loving toward each other.”
    “Yeah, you wouldn’t say that if you knew
about our knockdown drag outs. A few years ago, before my cousin
Jenn married her hubby, her brother Zach physically attacked Grady
on Thanksgiving Day because Jenn was pregnant.”
    “Tell my more stories about them. It’ll pass
the time. And make me feel good.”
    He began talking, filling her in on his
extended family. When she asked about his immediate one, he
recounted how his two brothers lived out of town, how he supported
his mother; and when she asked for information about his ex-wife
and kids, he told her only some of it. Man, he hated his discussing
his failure as a husband, the hurt he’d caused his kids. Especially
now, when those might be some of his last memories.
    oOo
    Later, they were still resting on the piles
of clothes, and Gabe had gotten Rachel to tell him about growing up
in the sterile environment of the Wellington household. They’d
turned to face each other and she could feel the fan of his breath
on her when he spoke.
    “You’re right,” he said after she finished.
“I’d envy the Malvasos, too.” He sighed. “I’m glad you have your
sister to commiserate with.” Her only respite in the Wellington
World was her beautiful, doctor sibling, Alexis, who felt exactly
as she did about their overbearing parents.
    Conversation lulled, neither wanting to voice
the topic they were avoiding. Finally, she said, “It’s been a
while. Check and see how long.”
    His watch told him three hours.
    “They had to have gotten the fire out,” he
told her. “They’re probably bringing in drilling equipment as we
speak.”
    “If they know where we are.”
    Her despairing tone of voice killed him. He
grabbed her hands this time and held them tight. “We’re gonna get
out, Rachel, and when we do, I’ll take you to our next Malvaso
gathering. You can get some good home cooking, and a lot of
hugs.”
    She whispered, “I could use a hug now.”
    A long pause. “Inch over then.”
    Without thinking about the breach of protocol
in the request, she slid closer to him. His chest was as solid and
muscular as she thought it would be, the crook of his arm and
shoulder as comfortable as she imagined. She cuddled in. “Don’t
tell anybody about this when we get out, Captain.”
    “I think we should be on a first-name basis,
down here, don’t you?”
    “Oh, okay.” A pause. “You always call me
Wellington. Why?”
    “Hush and close your eyes. I’m exhausted and
you must be, too. If we’re not rescued in an hour, I’ll explain it
all.”
    “It’s a deal.”
    She heard him inhale. “Your