Excerpt
A Ferry Merry Christmas
Chapter OneAvery Bond enjoyed studying people. A lot could be said about a person by simple observation. Her gaze floated over those waiting inside the Bremerton terminal for the Yakima, the ferry to Seattle.
Her attention landed on what appeared to be a young businessman who seemed to be in a hurry. He’d glanced at his watch twice in the last ten minutes as if anxious to board the ferry. She couldn’t blame him. It was two days before Christmas, and she imagined he was eager to head to the city to be with his family. Her keen sense of observation was as active as her imagination was. She pictured said man on a quick trip across Puget Sound, looking to finalize a big business deal and promising his loved ones he’d be back in a flash. Perhaps the details had taken longer than he anticipated and now he was nervous, wanting to keep his word.
Avery’s gaze moved to the grandmotherly woman in the seat just down from him. She found her interesting as well. The white-haired woman with the full-length beige wool coat had a large round tin box resting on her lap. The cheerful snowman design suggested it contained homemade cookies or candy that perhaps the maternal-looking woman had made herself. The way she held it firmly within her grip said that a lot of love and effort had gone into the preparation. Avery pictured decorated sugar cookies, thick with frosting and sprinkles, along with a layer of fudge and divinity. She could almost see the smiles of the woman’s grandchildren when they discovered the special treats inside. What captured her attention was the dignified way in which she sat, as though she was comfortable with herself. Avery admired that.
A pang went through Avery’s heart as she continued to study the woman. How desperately she missed her own grandmother. This would be her and Reed’s first Christmas without their beloved Grams. Grams had raised them from the time they were five and eight. Their mother had gotten hooked on drugs and had deteriorated until the state had intervened and placed Avery and Reed with their grandparents. Over the years their mother made several attempts to get her life in order, but it never lasted more than a few months. Sadly, she was dead by the time she was thirty-three. Their father had never been in the picture, and when contacted by the state, he, too, was found unfit to raise Avery and her brother.
It couldn’t have been easy for Grams and Gramps to take on two young kids. They never complained, and showered both children with love and guidance. Gramps went to be with the Lord ten years earlier, when Avery was fifteen. Reed had graduated from high school and was in his first year of college at the University of Washington.
Avery had always found order in numbers; they made sense to her. She’d gotten a degree in accounting and worked at a local firm in the Bremerton/Silverdale area. When her grandmother’s cancer advanced to the point that she needed extra care, Avery had moved back home. Reed, who lived in Seattle, came to visit nearly every weekend until the end. They had both been at Grams’s bedside, each holding a hand, as she peacefully passed from life to death.
When the will was read, they learned Grams had left the house to Reed and Avery. Because the home had been well maintained with a large, vibrantly colored flower garden, it sold quickly. Avery used her portion of the inheritance as a down payment for a one-bedroom condo close to her office. Reed had done the same, opting for a two-bedroom condo in the heart of downtown Seattle. Because he had the larger home, Avery planned to join him for Christmas.
Avery was proud of her brother. He’d done well for himself. With his degree in computer science, he’d been hired by Microsoft upon graduation and had quickly advanced in his career. Over the last year, he’d introduced her to two of his bachelor friends. Avery didn’t appreciate his matchmaking efforts, although she understood her brother had her best interests at heart. Being three years older, Reed worried about Avery living alone, as she often worked late hours, especially during tax season. As far as she was concerned, it was about time for her brother, who recently turned twenty-nine, to settle down himself.
The ferry docked and the sound of the cars unloading was a clear indication that the boat was running on schedule. Those in the terminal were all walk-on passengers. From her position near the window, she was able to view the long line of vehicles waiting to board. The turnaround time was between fifteen and twenty minutes. Because of the Christmas holidays, the ferries were running at full capacity. Avery didn’t envy the crew having to work this rainy, blustery day. Despite the high spirits and good cheer of the season, Seattle’s drizzling, gray skies were as predictable as Santa’s arrival Christmas Eve.
After a few minutes the announcement came that the walk-on passengers could proceed onto the ferry. People scurried ahead to claim the booths with tables next to the windows. Avery traveled often enough to be content with the theater-style seating in the middle of the vessel and was in no hurry, letting others surge ahead. The man with the briefcase was one of the first to board, as if he couldn’t get on the ferry fast enough.
She was at the end of the line when another man—around her age, she guessed—rushed into the terminal and raced to the ticket booth. He didn’t need to be wearing his uniform for her to suspect he was part of the military—sailor, she guessed. Having lived in the Bremerton area for most of her life, she thought the signs were obvious. The clean-cut look, and even the way he walked identified him as being part of the Navy. Bremerton was a Navy town, with a base and shipyard that dominated the Sinclair Inlet. In addition, the Bangor submarine base north of Silverdale also contributed to the large military presence.
The sailor wasn’t hard on the eyes, either, she noted, and in fact was quite handsome. Close to six feet tall, and muscular, he moved with purpose. Her gaze lingered on him for several seconds and she wasn’t alone in her admiration. He seemed to have captured the attention of nearly every woman who remained in the waiting area. With good reason. Though she had a hard time looking away and certainly appreciated his service and dedication to protecting the country, Avery had serious reservations when it came to dating men in the military.
One disastrous relationship had taught her painful lessons and gave her pause when it came to romantic entanglements with those kinds of guys.
Typically, Navy men were here today, gone tomorrow, sailing off into the sunset. The last thing she needed was a broken heart. Her best friend all through college had been burned, too. They’d both learned the hard way . . . although this guy gave her pause.
Her grandparents had made it clear that she wasn’t to date any sailors until after she graduated from college. She knew they would have preferred her to concentrate on her studies before seriously dating anyone, especially a military man. But she hadn’t heeded their advice. During her second year of college she’d fallen hard for Rick Murphy, a sailor, who spoke of undying love and commitment. When he’d gone to sea, she faithfully awaited his return, burying herself in her studies. At first he sent regular texts and emails, but those gradually tapered off. Naturally, Avery had her suspicions, which she rationalized, as she was too in love to lose faith. When her grandmother cautioned her, she made excuses for Rick, unwilling to believe he’d used and abandoned her. When his ship docked, she was at the pier eagerly waiting to welcome him back. Only she wasn’t the only one looking for Rick. His wife was there as well, having flown in to surprise him.
Avery felt betrayed and stupid. Of course there’d been signs, all of which she’d chosen to ignore because she wanted to believe what they shared was real. That was the first time she’d fallen in love, but if this was what love felt like, then she was wary of giving it a second go.
Sick with disappointment, she decided then and there to guard her heart, especially when it came to a relationship with a military man. Grams worried about her and Reed, too, she knew. It was easy to make excuses for why she didn’t date often. She was busy finishing school and working a part-time job as well. What she really needed was time for her heart to heal.
Her current social life was nearly nonexistent. Her time had been absorbed in caring for her grandmother in the final year of Grams’s life. During tax season it was impossible to even think about finding a relationship, as work consumed nearly every waking hour. But Reed was right. It was time for her to get back out there, and she would soon.
The sailor joined her at the end of the walk-on passenger line. “Merry Christmas,” he greeted, coming to stand behind her.
Avery turned her head, and smiled. “Merry Christmas.”
