Pippa's Rescue (14 page)

What about the ranch? Would Pippa still be the owner?

“Yes. You’ve already arranged the ownership,” Skogul said.

“Come with us. Join me,” Harry insisted.

Basil walked to Pippa and caressed her cheek. Could he leave her? She leaned her head into his fingers, as if she knew it was he who touched her. “As much as I want to go with you, my friend—”

“Don’t say it. Months ago you were in love with a nurse, before that a petty officer.”

He stood and faced Harry. “Stop. She is different.” Basil ignored the shocked expressions on the women’s faces. “I’m in love with her. I want to stay here and be a part of her life.”

His friend lowered his head. Basil almost expected him to shout obscenities about a womanizer falling victim to ordinary human love. Indeed, he had and he’d stand by his decision. She needed him, they needed each other.

Harry looked at him. “I understand. You stood by me when I kept telling you how much I was in love with my angel, even when she wasn’t on Earth. How can I fault you for a relationship with this woman?”

His look of regret almost made Basil change his mind, but he couldn’t. He loved Pippa.

He hugged Harry. “I miss you, but this is what I want.”

Harrison clapped him on the back. “I wish you much happiness and thank you in advance for naming your first child Harrison.”

“Right, and I’ll teach him everything you taught me.” He glanced at the obvious leader, a woman decked in purple. “Could I keep my memories of today and the past few weeks?”

She tilted her head. “Yes. No one can know about us, or we’ll return.”

“Frak. This isn’t going to be good for me,” Skogul said.

“No indeed, you’ll be forced to face your consequences,” said the bossy Valkyrie. “We must return to Asgard.”

“Goodbye, Harry.” He straightened his back. Despite the tears hovering, clouding his vision, he saluted his friend and rushed to Pippa’s side, prepared for whatever was to come.

The massive vortex appeared again. Basil bent to hold onto Pippa until the tornado diminished and the foursome disappeared.

Aidan remained sprawled on the ground.

He waited for the blackout, the possibility of a time warp taking him back to before he knew Skogul. Dating Pippa would be filled with candy and roses the second time around.

Pippa moved and tried to sit. “What happened?”

Basil sat beside her, draped an arm around her fragile shoulders, while giving thanks to having his memories intact. “You passed out. Not enough rest I imagine.”

“I don’t pass out—well, except for the hanging off the cliff thing.” She glanced around as if trying to make heads or tails of what had transpired. He was confident she’d be confused about her fainting because she wasn’t a weakling.

His memories of Skogul, Harry, and Kiara remained sharp and clear in his mind. In addition their leader’s warning flashed in the queue. Given limited time on Earth he’d better not waste it, because they could always return. “Pippa, will you marry me?”

“What?” She pulled back a moment, then a daisy-bright smile spread across her face. “I thought you’d never ask.”

He chuckled low in his throat. If nothing else, he’d have the ability to shock her. “I love you and if you see a future for us together, I’d like to propose marriage.”

He’d continue his search for Wilson, and the mystery of Aidan Hall needed looking into. The vet wasn’t one of the Valkyries, but he’d seen Skogul. Why?

Most of all Basil wanted to spend his remaining days with Pippa.

“Of course I’ll marry you.” She embraced him and he sealed the vow with a kiss.

A word about the author...

jj Keller is a native Hoosier. A dreamer. A writer. A storyteller.

She's married and has two sons. Traveling to exotic locations is something she can't do enough of (even if it's only in her mind) and puttering around in her herbal garden is her favorite pastime. Dedicating time to animal rescue is part of her make-up, something she must do.

Please join her in her fight against cruelty to animals:

www.aspca.org

http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/

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