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The Air Station was located just north of San Francisco Airport, and Drew met them just outside the main building. He was in uniform, wearing a navy blue shirt and matching slacks. On the chest pocket was his name Commander Drew Callaway.
Ria had a hard enough time not finding him sexy in normal clothing; the uniform put her over the top, and she couldn't help but feel a bit of pride to be with him.
"Perfect timing," Drew said. "I just got back."
"Did you rescue someone?" Megan asked, her brown eyes lit up with excitement.
"Not today. We flew a training mission. We practice a lot to keep our skills up." He paused, glancing at Megan. "Your bruises are almost gone."
"I know. I'm so happy," she said with a big smile. "I can cover a lot with makeup now. So what are we going to see today?"
"I'll give you the grand tour, starting right here." He waved his hand toward a bright red helicopter sitting on the tarmac. "That's an H-65 helicopter, what we call the Dolphin," he said. "It can fly in any weather, night or day. A typical crew includes two pilots, a flight mechanic and a rescue swimmer. I'll take you inside the hangar so you can actually sit in the helicopter."
"This is so cool," Megan said. "You have the best job."
"I love what I do. It's not only a great job; it's an important job."
"What else do you do besides rescue people from the water?" Megan asked as they walked toward the large helicopter hangar.
"I'm glad you asked," he said with a smile. "We do a lot more than most people realize. The objectives of the Coast Guard are not only search and rescue missions, but also homeland security, maritime enforcement, which includes drug smuggling, and we also get involved with environmental protection." He paused, glancing over at Ria. "You've probably had some dealings with the Coast Guard during your sailing days."
She nodded. "Yes. For most boaters, the arrival of the Coast Guard is a welcome sight."
"Unless you're doing something wrong," he said dryly.
"Right," she said, meeting his gaze.
He opened the door and waved them into the large hangar. "This is the helicopter hangar. The building next door houses our fixed wing aircraft." He took them over to the helicopter and allowed Megan to hop into the left seat. Then he proceeded to explain the console and controls, talking briefly about the basics of flight.
Ria was surprised at how interested Megan was in Drew's talk. Even when he got technical, Megan seemed to follow along, often asking very intelligent questions. Her niece had never shown that much interest in boats. But apparently helicopters were more exciting to her.
"Do you ever get scared?" Megan asked. "Have you crashed?"
"I've had a few harrowing moments," he admitted. "A few months ago we were looking for a boat in trouble off Bodega Bay. The fog layer was below a hundred feet, and we need to hover around fifty feet. We were completely blinded on the way down, and the ship's mast was about thirty feet tall on pitching waves. If we missed by just a little, we could hit the mast and take everyone down."
"What happened?" Ria asked, caught up in his story.
"We made it through the fog, rescued the fishermen, and headed for home."
"Do you ever have to abort?" Megan asked. "Leave someone behind, because it's just too dangerous?"
"We try not to. The motto of the Coast Guard is Semper Paratus, which means Always Ready. And The Coast Guard's Rescue Swimmer motto is So Others May Live." He paused, his gaze somber. "I can't lie and say we haven't lost people, but we save everyone we can save. As a pilot, I have to protect my crew as well as the people who are in trouble. Sometimes it's a tough call."
Ria thought that call would be extremely difficult for Drew to make. He wasn't a man who was comfortable with failure. He set high standards for himself and probably everyone around him.
Drew took them through the engine and prop room next, then gave them a peek into the operations center and dispatch. As he exchanged hellos and introduced them to his coworkers, Ria could see how well liked Drew was and how well respected.
"So that's it," Drew said as they completed their tour. "I wish I could take you up for a ride, give you the true experience."
