helicopter to the left quickly. Every team member searched the choppy waves for any sign of life.
It took them two minutes to find the mother and daughter bobbing in the cold waves, their dark heads barely hovering over each wave.
“You're on the rope, Marcus,” Allen called to the back, signaling who would take the lead. Larry was the newest member of his team and had yet to make a water rescue. He couldn't afford to lose the precious cargo because of a rookie mistake.
Allen carefully positioned the helicopter with the instructions his crew gave him as Marcus started moving down the wire with the basket. They were geared for the water in thermal wet suits. Larry talked calmly into the radio, telling Allen when to move, when to hold still.
“We've got them. Bringing the basket up now.” Larry sounded happy. They were half way up when a gust of wind caused the chopper to dip dangerously. He held the stick with both hands and for a second, his mind flashed back to five years ago.
“Man down. Man down,” Larry screamed into his ear.
Sara looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. “Wow, you look good, sis,” Becca said from behind her. Her sister was dressed in green leggings and a large Oregon Duck's sweatshirt.
“Thanks.” She turned and gathered her long coat. “Don't wait up.” She smiled as she walked out.
Running through the snow, she entered the Golden Oar and shook off her umbrella. Her heels were just a little wet as she walked through the doors. She was greeted by Iian and Allison. They both looked so wonderful, Allison in her new dress, Iian in a tux.
Soft Christmas lights hung from the ceiling, making everything glow and look magical. There was a huge pile of presents underneath a large Christmas tree which sat by the fireplace near the back wall. She handed her gifts over to an employee who took them and set them amongst the others.
Looking around, she noticed a huge fish tank where there used to be open space. The tank, complete with blue lights and exotic fish, looked great as it separated the bar area from the main dining room.
Employees were handing out drinks to guests and she grabbed a flute of champagne.
“Where's Allen?” Allison walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her.
“Oh.” She turned and hugged her friend. “There was a call. He should be here shortly.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, hoping.
“Well, come on in and see what they've done to the rest of the place.” She smiled and motioned her into the back ballroom.
A large Christmas tree stood in the center under a disco ball. There was a band playing on the stage, and people were slowly dancing around the tree to Christmas music.
Luke and Amber were already there and just seeing how they looked at each other made her heart skip.
“They look good together,” Allison said beside her.
“Yes,” she sighed and looked towards the front door. Iian walked over and, smiling, pulled his wife onto the dance floor. They look good together, too, she thought. Now she was left standing in the doorway, watching the couples spin in circles around the floor.
She was just turning around to walk back to the bar area, when the music stopped short. Turning back into the room, she watched Luke get down on his knee.
“Will you do me the honor of moving in with me?” he asked a very embarrassed Amber. He opened a box and presented it to her.
“Yes! Yes, I'll move in with you.” She laughed as he stood up and they hugged.
They spun around to the cheers of the crowd. But then Amber pulled away. “Actually, now that I think about it. No.”
The whole room went quiet. Every eye was on the couple. “No, I won't move in with you. Not until you say that you'll marry me.”
Several people laughed. “She beat him to it,” Aaron said to Lacey a few feet away from Sara.
Luke smiled, then got down on his knee again,
It took them two minutes to find the mother and daughter bobbing in the cold waves, their dark heads barely hovering over each wave.
“You're on the rope, Marcus,” Allen called to the back, signaling who would take the lead. Larry was the newest member of his team and had yet to make a water rescue. He couldn't afford to lose the precious cargo because of a rookie mistake.
Allen carefully positioned the helicopter with the instructions his crew gave him as Marcus started moving down the wire with the basket. They were geared for the water in thermal wet suits. Larry talked calmly into the radio, telling Allen when to move, when to hold still.
“We've got them. Bringing the basket up now.” Larry sounded happy. They were half way up when a gust of wind caused the chopper to dip dangerously. He held the stick with both hands and for a second, his mind flashed back to five years ago.
“Man down. Man down,” Larry screamed into his ear.
Sara looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. “Wow, you look good, sis,” Becca said from behind her. Her sister was dressed in green leggings and a large Oregon Duck's sweatshirt.
“Thanks.” She turned and gathered her long coat. “Don't wait up.” She smiled as she walked out.
Running through the snow, she entered the Golden Oar and shook off her umbrella. Her heels were just a little wet as she walked through the doors. She was greeted by Iian and Allison. They both looked so wonderful, Allison in her new dress, Iian in a tux.
Soft Christmas lights hung from the ceiling, making everything glow and look magical. There was a huge pile of presents underneath a large Christmas tree which sat by the fireplace near the back wall. She handed her gifts over to an employee who took them and set them amongst the others.
Looking around, she noticed a huge fish tank where there used to be open space. The tank, complete with blue lights and exotic fish, looked great as it separated the bar area from the main dining room.
Employees were handing out drinks to guests and she grabbed a flute of champagne.
“Where's Allen?” Allison walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her.
“Oh.” She turned and hugged her friend. “There was a call. He should be here shortly.” She nibbled on her bottom lip, hoping.
“Well, come on in and see what they've done to the rest of the place.” She smiled and motioned her into the back ballroom.
A large Christmas tree stood in the center under a disco ball. There was a band playing on the stage, and people were slowly dancing around the tree to Christmas music.
Luke and Amber were already there and just seeing how they looked at each other made her heart skip.
“They look good together,” Allison said beside her.
“Yes,” she sighed and looked towards the front door. Iian walked over and, smiling, pulled his wife onto the dance floor. They look good together, too, she thought. Now she was left standing in the doorway, watching the couples spin in circles around the floor.
She was just turning around to walk back to the bar area, when the music stopped short. Turning back into the room, she watched Luke get down on his knee.
“Will you do me the honor of moving in with me?” he asked a very embarrassed Amber. He opened a box and presented it to her.
“Yes! Yes, I'll move in with you.” She laughed as he stood up and they hugged.
They spun around to the cheers of the crowd. But then Amber pulled away. “Actually, now that I think about it. No.”
The whole room went quiet. Every eye was on the couple. “No, I won't move in with you. Not until you say that you'll marry me.”
Several people laughed. “She beat him to it,” Aaron said to Lacey a few feet away from Sara.
Luke smiled, then got down on his knee again,
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