Chocolate Kisses and Love Filled Wishes: Kissing Bridge Mountain - Book 3 (11 page)

Chapter 22

D
odie and Kacey entered the bakery and the place was in a controlled chaos. Ethel and Carol Landers were busy baking and serving coffee, sweetbreads and sandwiches to the volunteers.

Many of the girls from the cooking classes—including Stephanie, Tassy and Carina—were also there, helping keep people fed and warm.  In a corner, were blankets, cots and pillows that had been donated so people could sleep when needed. It was a 24-hour look-out post.  Ham radio operators were in one corner. A big screen TV had been brought in to monitor the news and weather.

“I hope Earl is okay,” Ethel said to Carol. Earl had the mountain command post up at the lodge where most of the men were gathered for warmth and sustenance between searching.

“Just keep praying,” Aunt Carol said back, thrusting a pan of uncooked loaves into the oven.

Kacey watched them for a moment, but then the TV caught her attention. The news cut in showing footage of the blizzard conditions in the northeast, and then switched back to the normal programming. Suddenly a familiar face came onto the screen.

It was Tanner.

At the X-games event, live in Burlington, Vermont.

Kacey was agape. He must have zoomed all the way there in his Mustang! With all that had happened, Kacey had forgotten all about the X-games being so close by.

Tanner obviously had not. He was beginning to remind her of some cockroach that was impossible to get rid of—popping up in all kinds of unexpected places.

Kacey felt a million feelings flood through her at once.

Suddenly, the TV showed a shot of Brody—getting sprayed with Champagne and laden with first-place medals on the winners’ podium.

Kacey felt a twinge in her heart as she watched “98.” Of course, he was flanked by super models clinging onto him. Kacey felt jealous of each and every one of them. A voluptuous brunette grabbed his face and forced a deep, long lip lock on him. Kacey felt her heart flip over. She turned away from the TV—so as not to watch—but listened as the crowd cheered madly.

Kacey didn’t know if she could hold back the tears. It had all been too much. Now Brody was so close, and yet still so far from her. She wanted to burst.

Dodie noticed Kacey’s pain and her heart hurt for her. She, of all people, knew what it was like to have your heart broken.  She came over and sat by Kacey and took her hand. Their looks at each other spoke all they felt with no words.  The roar of the crowd from the TV drew them back. Kacey watched reluctantly.

The stupid brunette was
still
lip locked with her ‘98.’ Ugh!!! Eventually Brody broke free from the supermodel and held up his medal for the press, grinning from ear to ear.

The camera zoomed in on the X-games Gold Medal around his neck before shooting back to the host of the games. With him was Tanner, beaming. Kacey couldn’t believe she had ever found him attractive.

He looked so smug and egocentric, Kacey wanted to retch.  The host continued, “Now for an inside exclusive by Director and Activist,
Tanner Williams.
”

Suddenly, out rolled the inglorious footage of Kacey that Tanner had shot of her at the hospital—onto the big screen.

Tanner’s voiceover told the grim tale of America’s sweetheart, Kacey Anderson, paralyzed, and her brother, Brad, fiancé of supermodel, Summer Landers, lost in a blizzard.”

The town folk had all quieted now and were staring up at the TV, showing video of Kacey at the hospital—earlier in her wheelchair—with snow pelting down, upon her pretty, bruised face. It was awful.

Perhaps the worst thing about it was Tanner’s shallow commentary, which profiled her as a victim of climate change! He seemed to care nothing for Kacey or Brad’s plight at all, except as it was useful to his platform.

Angry grumblings came from the gathered group at the bakery.

The TV cameras pulled back to show Tanner standing with the host looking intense.

“Kissing Bridge is running out of hope as the weather worsens,” Tanner said dramatically. “Join the fight against climate change
NOW!
”

The bakery crowd was dead silent.

“Disgusting!” Aunt Carol finally declared loudly for all to hear, as she thrust a cup of hot cocoa in Kacey’s hand.

“Darned if I ever sell that varmint another scone!”

The group cheered in agreement.

Aunt Carol bent down and whispered in Kacey’s ear.

“I put a little something extra in that one for you, Sweetheart. Looks like you could use it.”

Chapter 23

I
t was a brisk morning. The weather had actually worsened. People were calling it the worst blizzard in living memory. At least it gave credence to Tanner’s documentary about the worsening weather conditions.

The bakery was still steeped in chaos, as the search for Brad continued. Kacey sat at a table in the wheelchair, with a cover quilt over her legs. She still had a little way to go before her legs felt better, but she was optimistic about her future. She bit into a slice of shoofly pie, praying for Brad.

She looked up at the door to watch the old group return from their search, their faces downcast, while the next batch headed out, determined that they would be the ones to find the beloved pilot of Kissing Bridge.

              That was when she saw Brody.

He was standing at the door looking uncertain when she noticed him. He was surrounded by men bustling in and out and the commotion of the search.

              “Brody!” Kacey called out, her heart suddenly full.

Their eyes locked full of emotion. 

              Brody ran to her and placed his hands on her legs, ever-so -gently. “I heard what happened,” he said—his eyes flooded with concern—real tears cascading down onto his hands. “I am so sorry. I should never have let you leave.”

Brody touched the wheelchair and looked up at Kacey. The look on his face told her all she had hoped was true. He still cared about her, even if it was because he thought she was a cripple. She caught hold of his hand and tried to explain.

“It’s not—”

Brody stopped her.

“I saw the news, Babe. I know what’s up. I’m prepared to deal with whatever comes with you.”

Kacey caught her breath.

He still thought the worst.

“Kacey, I know I needed time, but I never meant to hurt you. You hurt me too. You lied to me. I thought we were a team.” He took a deep breath and looked at the wheelchair.

Kacey braced herself.

“I’m sorry Brody. You were right. I should have trusted you enough to share with you what was really going on with me. Now look what I’ve gone and done.”

She shook her head. “I’m so stupid. I don’t blame you for not wanting to be with me.”

“What?!” Brody cocked his head and grabbed one of the wheels on her chair and spun it. “Is that why you think I came here—to breakup with you?”

Now the entire bakery was staring in their direction.

Kacey swallowed hard. “Well, I...I don’t want to hold you back Brody. Things are different.”

Brody searched her eyes then gently cupped her face in his hands. “I love you, Kacey.”

              Kacey was stunned.

Those three words! He had finally said them!

          He’d never spoken so openly, so passionately. Kacey was incredulous.

          “You…you love me?”

Brody looked up at her. “Of course I love you, Babe. You’re my Kacey.”

He hugged her gently and she couldn’t help but bursting into tears.

“I thought you were breaking up with me. Oh, Brody, I love you too!”             

The bakery crowd, really unable to not witness the whole event—looked at each other and then deciding applause was in order—broke into uproarious clapping and hooting.

           Brady looked around the room and broke into his signature cocky sideways grin. “I let you go for too long already, Kacey. Whatever the future brings now, it’s you and me, Babe. I’ll roll you around and carry you like a backpack if I have to!”

Kacey caught her breath. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

She wanted to thank God.

Right then, Brody dropped to his knees.

With that, he pulled out a big marquis-cut diamond ring with little diamonds all along the sides. It looked like a diamond snowboard. “I had it specially made.” He smiled sheepishly.

Kacey stared at the ring.

The whole time she had thought Brody didn’t love her, and he had just been attempting the biggest jump of his life!

The leap into a lifetime commitment.

She tried to jump up and hug him, but then winced back into the chair in visible pain.

“Yes, oh yes, Brody, of course!”

He hugged her tenderly.

“I’m afraid I don’t want to hurt you by squeezing so hard.”

She looked at him deeply, the love shining in his eyes.

“Oh, you’re not going to hurt me, 98! I’m going to get better.
All of me
is going to get better.”

Brody looked at her legs covered by the wool blanket. She stuck her stockings out and wiggled her toes and feet.

“I’m going to walk! This chair is only temporary until my hip heals. Heck, I’m going to snowboard. With this bionic hip I might even be better!”

Brody looked confused.

“You. . .you mean you’re not paralyzed like Tanner said, you’re all right? I mean . . . You’re going to be okay?”

She grabbed his face and kissed him with the biggest smile she had ever worn.

“Yes, Sweetheart!”

Brody’s smile spread from ear to ear and he jumped up with a hoot and holler.

“Gosh darn, I’m getting married!”

A cheer went up in the bakery. That was the best news the townspeople had heard all day.