CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Mike held Everest tightly to his body as they relaxed on the front porch. The evening rain had cooled things down but another storm was headed this way and this one would bring more than just rain.
“I love the smell after the rain,” she whispered. “It reminds me that everything is new again, fresh.”
“Mmhmm,” he smiled against her hair. “Tanner and AJ said you did amazing today with Mr. Myers. I’m proud of you.”
Everest leaned back looking up at his face filled a smile and the pride in his eyes.
“What? What’s wrong?” he said.
“Nothing,” she said shaking her head. “Absolutely nothing. I don’t think my ex-husband ever told me he was proud of me. Ever.”
“Well, he was an idiot for two reasons now. That and letting you go, although the second one I owe him flowers for.” Everest laughed, shaking her head.
“You know, it didn’t really bother me when I heard but of course now it’s bringing up all kinds of thoughts.”
“Heard what?”
“I heard from an old neighbor that Pete, my ex, remarried. A woman twenty years younger than him and they’re expecting a baby. I thought our age gap was an issue and yet no one seems to care about their age gap or that he’s going to be a father at sixty-two.”
“Unfortunately the world has a double standard. In some parts of the world young girls are forced to marry men four or five times their age. They know nothing else. And yet when they’re young widows in their twenties, no one wants them,” said Mike. She nodded against his chest, nuzzling closer.
“I need to tell you something,” he said holding her. “I don’t know why I didn’t earlier, it doesn’t matter but it might explain how I feel. My father was a firefighter, a good one. My mom died when I was very young, maybe three or four.
“Dad was lost without her and then one day he said he was bringing a lady home for me to meet. He was only thirty-one at the time. The woman that walked in had gray hair. Not all over, but it was sprinkled throughout,” he chuckled.
“I thought she was going to be my babysitter. But she wasn’t.
She was a woman who worked dispatch for the fire department.
Marilyn. She had a big smile and she smelled like roses.
I didn’t know it at the time but she was nine years older than my father.
He didn’t seem to care and I was too young to care.
“As I got older, I realized my father saw much more than gray hair. She was funny and smart, she laughed like the whole world was funny and it made me laugh. She was a great cook. Made the best gumbo ever.”
“She sounds wonderful,” smiled Everest.
“She was. I didn’t see it for a while but she really was. While I was in the Army my father was killed working a chemical fire.”
“I’m so sorry,” she said hugging him tighter.
“It’s okay. I think he was okay with it. He died loving what he did. I came home for the funeral and Marilyn looked so lost, so old. She died three months later. The doctor said it was a broken heart. I didn’t buy that originally but I get it now. I can see how someone might die of a broken heart.”
“Don’t say that,” said Everest. “Please don’t say that. You don’t know what might happen in the future.”
“No, I don’t. But I do know that as long as I’m with you my world will feel perfect.”
Thunder rolled over the property, lightning off in the distance. Luke, Hex, Gaspar and Nine ran down the path, stepping onto the porch.
“Hi fellas,” he smiled. “Need a dry porch?”
“Yes. And no,” grinned Luke. “We’d like to propose something to you Mike.”
“Okay,” he said looking at them with a funny expression.
“You know better than anyone that the law requires communities with a certain population to have a fire department. Now, we know you’re considering retirement soon so we thought we’d be the first to request that you live out here permanently, you and Everest, and become our Fire Chief,” said Hex.
“Now, you’d have help,” said Nine. “We’d certainly assign other men but you’d be responsible for everything. Safety equipment, extinguishers, all of the buildings on the property, everything. Fair pay, cottage, food, all of it.”
“That sounds amazing,” said Everest. “You’d be in charge of all of it.”
“I won’t do it unless you agree.”
“Agree?” she frowned.
“Agree to be my wife and live here with me. Marry me, Everest. Marry me and live here for the rest of our lives.”
She was utterly shocked as the four older men chuckled. Gaspar stepped forward and took a seat in the rocker.
“Everest, I’m about to tell you a story and for that, I’m going to need a little help.”
After the glittering, shimmering gold ghosts appeared, the stories of animals, people talking to animals, an alligator licking her calf, and a pond keeping everyone young, Everest sincerely believed it to be a joke.
But when a male lion sauntered by the cottage and gave a slight roar and then a chuff to the men as they nodded back, she knew she’d lost her mind.
“Honey?” said Mike.
“I’m awake. I know I’m awake because my heart is beating so fast I might drop right here. I can feel the rain and breeze and I can certainly see the ghosts that aren’t really ghosts at all because I can touch them.”
“We are ghosts my child,” said Matthew smiling at her. “We’re just ghosts with a little something special.”
“If nothing else, this explains why everyone here is so beautiful and so handsome. Why all of you are positively amazing.”
“I don’t know if we explain that,” laughed Irene, “although I like to believe we had somethin’ to do with it. You’re a good woman, Everest. We’ve been keepin’ an eye on our Mike for a while. We knew he’d be part of the family sooner or later.”
“We’ll let y’all talk about it,” said Luke as he turned to leave.
“No!” said Everest. “No, I won’t question any of this again. Ever. I won’t question Mike or his intentions. I’m going to trust my gut which usually isn’t wrong. I love you too, Mike. I think I have since the moment you pulled me from the elevator.
“I don’t care how old I am or how old you are. I care that I’m happier than I’ve been in a long, long time.”
“That’s my girl,” smiled Mike. “Mama Irene, I could sure use some help with a ring and planning a wedding.”
“I got ‘ya baby, don’t worry.” While they laughed, hugged and celebrated, Everest stood and stared at Luke.
“I know it can’t be me to do this but I think I have an idea.”
“I’m not going to like this am I?” said Mike. Everest only smirked.
“Probably not.”