Things Lost In The Fire (50 page)

Brody considered it for a second, then shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t care about my reputation or getting the next hot story. It’s probably time I got a real job.”

Surprise flashed in her eyes. “But you love journalism.”

“God knows I do.” He chuckled, knocking back his beer. “But I had a good run with it. I saw things most people only hear about in history books. I also got shot at a few times, saw a spider as big as your head in North Africa...”

Sadie shivered. “Ew.”

“Yep, good times.” He sighed, part of him desperately missing those days of constant danger and intrigue. “But this is home. And now with you here, I have even less of a reason to get my old job back.”

She smiled and reached for his hand. “I’ll support you, whatever you decide to do.”

“Gee, thanks McRae,” he joked, squeezing her hand and leaning in for a hard and fast kiss. He met her eyes and grinned. “So if I take up a job as a male stripper, you’ll come cheer me on?”

One of her eyebrows rose. “Only if I get half your tips.”

“Ouch.” He winced playfully, tweaking her nose. “Not like you need the money.”

“Not like you need to strip,” she retorted, smiling. “You know, my dad has some connections within the media, he might be able to get you a job. It probably won’t be glamorous, but at least you’d be reporting.”

Brody nodded, giving it some thought. “I guess there’s worse things, right?”

“Not many, but some.”

He elbowed her in the ribs. “Not all of us were made to follow in our parents’ footsteps. I’d be a god-awful lawyer.”

She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. “You don’t have the patience for it.”

“Whereas you have all the right ingredients for a rock star, you just didn’t know it,” he told her, pulling her in close. “It was cool seeing the three of you together today. Kind of weird, too.”

“I know,” Sadie mused, smiling at the memory. “They didn’t argue once. It was bizarre.”

“For the first time they care more about you than their feud.”

“I wish it hadn’t taken them so long to figure it out,” she said quietly, regret in her voice. “But maybe it had to happen like this. I’m just sad we may not have much time to enjoy it.”

“Is she not getting better?”

“She seems okay on the outside, but I can tell she’s tired. I’m going with her tomorrow to her chemo appointment. Dad’s coming, too.”

Brody’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah. Told you it was bizarre.” Sadie shook her head, still in disbelief over it all. “But they care about each other in their own way.”

“He’s just trying to win points with you,” Brody decided, humor in his voice.

“Well, it’s working.”

“I’m glad.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, happy for her. “So, what do you want to do tonight?”

“Isn’t there a Dodger game on?” Sadie asked, lifting her face to meet his eyes.

His teeth flashed in a grin. “Girl after my own heart.”

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

SEPTEMBER 2014

T
HE SMELL of burgers and hot dogs on the grill wafted across the backyard, joined by the sound of laughter and good-old classic rock. Late afternoon sun spilled across the grass, the heat softened by the summer breeze that blew in from the sea.

Sadie smiled as she stepped onto the patio of her father’s home—her home now—a bowl of strawberry and spinach salad in her hands. She stared around at her family and friends, humbled they all showed up for her birthday. Just over a year ago she wouldn’t have imagined they’d ever be together like this.

Happy, safe. Alive.

She went to her mother, who was seated regally at the outdoor dining table, telling some tall tale of her days with Albatross to Tess, Chase, his wife and baby Charlotte. Tommy and Georgina sat on either side of her, filling in the details and calling out the boldfaced lies with big grins on their faces.

Though there’d been times over the last year when Sadie was sure Valerie would give up, she’d pushed through chemotherapy and the surgery to remove the remaining cancer. She’d lost some of her vitality in the process, her hair just now starting to re-grow from the places it had thinned and her face lined with the tired stress of treatment. But on this day, her spirits were high. She was officially in remission, which was more than any of them could have hoped for. What had seemed so bleak an outcome at the start had turned into a miracle.

She survived, at least for now. And that was enough for Sadie to hold onto.

Setting down the salad, she smiled at her mother. They were the closest they had ever been in her entire life. And although things would never be entirely without drama—it
was
Valerie—at least it was better than not having the woman in her life at all.

Her eyes went to Georgina, who laughed at something Tommy said and tossed back her fiery, shoulder-length hair. She reached for Valerie’s hand and squeezed it affectionately, something that still took Sadie by surprise. After the truth of Lee Walker’s death had come out, everyone had expected Georgina to lash out at Valerie. Instead, the woman hadn’t seemed fazed by the news. It was as if she’d known the truth all along. And in the end, it appeared that the bonds of Albatross were stronger than any of them knew. The death of the scandal brought the band back together for a reunion tour the world had been waiting decades for.

A shout and breathless laughter came from the grassy yard, where Brody was busy throwing a football with Ben, Isaac, and Glenn. Sadie’s grandparents and stepmother Paulette were watching from the sidelines, cheering on Ben with hoots of laughter. Sadie waved to Brody, grinning when he blew her a kiss. She caught her father’s eyes, pleased when he nodded at her with a warm smile. He then tackled Brody for the ball, and Sadie giggled at the resulting scuffle in the grass.

Valerie spotted the brawl and pursed her lips, whistling to get their attention. “In case you’ve forgotten, Ben, we have a show to do tomorrow night. Don’t break any bones. If you do, I’m still making you go onstage. The show must go on, darling.”

Ben chuckled and rose to his feet, holding his hand out for Brody. Both men brushed dry grass off their jeans.

Ben shot Valerie a good-humored look. “All in good fun.”

He grabbed the football from Brody’s hands and tossed it to Isaac, who caught it and tried to dodge around Glenn. Sadie’s grandparents burst into laughter as Glenn snatched the ball from Isaac only to lose it to Ben seconds later, allowing him to run past Brody and score a touchdown. He threw the ball into the grass in triumph and went to his wife, giving her a quick kiss. Paulette blushed and fixed her chin-length dark hair, a hint of a smile curving her mouth.

Brody chuckled and left the game, wandering over to Sadie. Her slender body was draped in a pretty floral sundress that left her lightly freckled shoulders bare.

She smiled as he approached, eyes dancing. “Having fun?”

“Always.” He pulled her in close for a kiss, his lips teasing hers.

Behind them, Tess groaned and Chase whistled.

“Get a room!” Tess called out, laughing.

In response, Brody lifted Sadie over his shoulder cave-man style. He shot a triumphant look at the others. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

“Brody!” Sadie laughed breathlessly as he hauled her inside the house and into the kitchen. He set her down on her feet and cornered her against the kitchen counter, kissing her again. She let out a long exhale, her hands cruising over his chest as her heart began to race.

When he broke the kiss, he grinned at her. “I was going to wait till tomorrow night after the Albatross Reunion show to do this, but you know me. I’m impatient.”

Sadie blinked. “Okay…”

He reached into his back jeans pocket and pulled out a photograph, handing it to her. It was the same one he’d found over a year before of the two of them as teens, smiling with the sunlight glowing in their hair and the naivety of youth so clear on their faces.

“Remember this?” he asked.

Her lips spread in a warm smile as she nodded. “Wow. Yeah, I do. God, we look young.”

“We
were
young.” He watched her closely as she admired the picture, enjoying the flash of nostalgia and humor in her eyes. “You were the best friend I ever had. You still are. I think it’s time I made my best friend my wife.”

He slipped a ring from his pocket and slid it onto her finger before she could even process his words. Her lips parted in surprise as she stared down at it.

“Oh,” she whispered, inhaling sharply and covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked up at him, speechless.

Brody brushed aside strands of her hair, his eyes searching hers as he smiled. “Well, McRae, what do you say? Will you have me?”

She nodded and threw her arms around his neck. When she pulled away, she stared down at the simple white-gold band topped with a sapphire surrounded by glittering diamonds. “It’s beautiful.”

He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and led her back to the patio door, kissing the top of her head. “We can wait to tell everyone if you want. I know how you hate being the center of attention.”

“Are you kidding?” She shot him an excited grin, her arm winding around his waist. “I suck at keeping secrets and you know it. Best to get it over with now.”

He chuckled, opening the door for her to step outside. “Good point.”

She turned to face him and gave him a slow, tender kiss. As she pulled away, she grabbed his hand and dragged him with her onto the patio.

“Come on. Let’s tell everyone the good news.”

“
I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days, to allow my living to open me, to make me less afraid, more accessible, to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing, a torch, a promise. I choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit
.” 

~ Dawna Markova ~

O
N THE day she was born, the world knew her as Mary Jacqueline Hart. When she ran away from home, she simply became Jackie.