Hard Landing

by Davies, Shirleen

  “Run?” The look on Connie’s face had them all laughing.

  “I’m taking Connie to the steakhouse tomorrow with Paul, Reb, and Shelly. Why don’t you join us?” Trey moved the short distance to stand next to Jesse. He was close enough to smell her shampoo and sense the tension in her body.

  “Good idea,” Paul added. “Get away from the boneheads you live with for a night.”

  “I don’t remember you calling them that when you came over last week for Tony’s lasagna.”

  “It was a lapse.” Paul grinned. “Seriously, come with us.”

  Jesse looked at Trey. “That might work.” She kept her voice even in an attempt to hide the excitement she felt at his invitation. Expecting this to be some grand turnaround was too much, yet she couldn’t stop herself from hoping.

  “Come on. I’ll walk you out.” Trey opened the door and followed Jesse to her Jeep. “I’m glad you came today.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, but he couldn’t stop his eyes from locking on hers, searching for anything that would tip him off as to what she was feeling. Being close to her was too much of a temptation and he didn’t want to blow the fragile connection that had begun.

  She didn’t retreat into the safety of the Jeep, choosing instead to keep the short distance between his body and hers—just enough space where each could feel the attraction tempt them. Jesse wanted to reach up, cup his cheek, and run her fingers over the dark stubble that had begun.

  “I’m glad I came too.”

  Her tentative smile was too much for Trey. Maybe he was reading too much into it, but perhaps he wasn’t. He raised a hand to her face, caressing it with a finger, then tilted her chin up. He placed a quick, soft kiss on her lips, then stepped back.

  “Tomorrow at the steakhouse.” His voice had grown rough, even from that one brief encounter.

  “I’ll be there.” This time Jesse did seek the barrier of her Jeep, started the engine and pulled away. She looked in the mirror to see Trey still standing at the curb, watching as she increased the distance between them.

  Jesse looked at the steering wheel and saw her hands shaking. She gripped the wheel tighter and took a deep breath. Once more she cautioned herself not to read too much into the simple kiss, yet her body still vibrated from the touch, and she couldn’t stop the hope in her heart or the fear which accompanied it.

  ******

  Her morning run was long and brutal—by design. Jesse needed to clear her head and get a grip on her raging emotions. She hadn’t slept for more than a couple of hours and felt the lack of sleep with each step.

  Jesse had chosen to run along the Kings River. There were a few fishermen out, seeking bass and enjoying what was turning into a beautiful morning. She kept promising herself to rent a small boat with gear and go out on the river, yet it still sat on her list of to-do items, ignored and pretty much forgotten—except when she’d go on a run. Jesse had grown up on the bayou, fishing for redfish or whatever she could get. It had been a lot of years since she’d taken a rod and reel in her hand and experienced the peaceful feeling of sitting in a boat while she waited for a bite. Next weekend, she told herself, knowing she mentally promised herself the same thing each time she drove to the river.

  She made a turn and headed back to her Jeep waving to some of the fishermen as she ran past. Jesse looked up at the sound of the small, private jet that flew overhead. It reminded her of the MacLaren plane and their trip to Fire Mountain. It had been one of the best weekends she’d had in a long time, and she remembered the anticipation she felt at the prospect of returning. So much had happened since then. Jesse wondered if she’d ever see the ranch, and Trey’s family, again.

  ******

  “That’s it, Trevor. Great job, son.” Trey had Trevor in the backyard pool where Marissa and Miranda lived. He’d asked them to watch Trevor that night while the adults went to dinner, and the request had turned into an invitation for everyone to join them at their pool. It was the twins’ family, Trey, Trevor, Connie, and Paul. Trey had been surprised when Paul had accepted—he wasn’t one for socializing with the neighbors. This time, however, there was Connie to encourage him—and it hadn’t taken much. Reb and Shelly had plans, but Shelly had found a swimsuit she thought would fit Connie and brought it over.

  “Do it again, Mr. MacLaren. I want to get a picture,” Marissa called as she lifted her cell phone to her face.

  “Okay, Trevor, you ready?” When his son smiled, Trey blew a soft breath into Trevor’s face, which caused the toddler to suck in a breath and close his eyes. Trey held tight and dunked his son into the water then pulled him back up after a couple of seconds. Trevor popped up, rubbing his eyes and giggling as Trey pulled him close.

  “Is he taking lessons?” Connie asked from her seat on a lounge chair next to Paul.

  “Not yet. He starts in a couple of weeks. I had no idea you had to sign up weeks, sometimes months, in advance for that stuff.” Trey was still learning the ropes of being a single dad and the pre-planning that went with it. “Trevor’s schedule takes as much planning as my flying,” Trey joked.

  “Is it tough for you?” Paul asked Connie who sat next to him, eating chips and watching the actions in the pool.

  “Not being near Trevor?” Connie asked. At Paul’s nod, she continued. “Yes, it’s hard. I love him like he was mine. I was in the birthing room with Sydney, by her side, the whole time. I’m primarily an emergency room and trauma nurse. I was involved in quite a number of deliveries during my training. Yet, this one was special. I knew Trevor would be a part of my life forever, or at least that’s what I’d thought at the time.” She let out a deep breath and shifted her gaze to the pool. “Guess you never know, huh?”

  “It was good that Trey brought you out.” Paul didn’t say more. He’d been attracted to Connie the moment Trey had introduced her. In all his years, he’d never felt such an immediate connection to someone. He had two days to try to make something work—what that was, he didn’t know, but there was an attraction between them he wanted to explore.

  “I’ve actually had thoughts of trying to get a job out here to be closer to him.”

  Paul liked that idea. “That sounds like a fine idea to me.”

  She glanced at him, surprised at his quick response. “I don’t know. It’s a big move. Plus, what happens when Trey is transferred or marries? It might be that his wife won’t want someone like me being around.”

  Paul thought of what he’d seen in the front yard last night between Trey and Jesse. He’d been about ready to meet a couple of buddies at a bar not far away, when he’d almost interrupted what appeared to be the first step in a reconciliation. If that was the case, Paul was certain Jessie wouldn’t have any issue with Connie living nearby.

  “You have a couple of days to decide if it’s an idea worth pursuing. In the meantime, relax, don’t worry your time away.”

  Connie laughed and glanced over at Paul.

  “What so funny?” His gaze shot to hers.

  “That’s what my grandmother used to say, and just like that. ‘Don’t worry your time away, Connie,’ she used to tell me whenever I’d stress out.”

  Paul chuckled, remembering his aunt up in Montana. “My aunt used to say it to me any time she realized I was at a crossroads. It was one of her favorite expressions.”

  “What kind of crossroads?”

  “I struggled with accepting the appointment to the Naval Academy. My family lived in Missoula, Montana, and my uncle and aunt owned a ranch about an hour away. I spent a lot of time there on school breaks. My parents had me pretty late in life—they’re in their sixties now. I struggled with being at school all the way across the country.” He hadn’t thought about the decision for years. At the time, it had consumed his thoughts, causing him to miss sleep and almost walk away from a great opportunity.

  “But you accepted. Was it the right decision?”

  “Absolutely. No regrets and my parents are still doing well. Guess you have to take a chance
sometimes.” Paul laid back in the lounge chair, rested his hand behind his head, and closed his eyes. The sun felt good. Being with Connie felt great. He needed to think through some things quickly and decide what he wanted to do about the woman who sat beside him.

  “You two ready to head back?” Trey stood next to Paul, holding Trevor. Both were dripping wet.

  Connie grabbed a towel and reached out to Trevor, who went into her arms without hesitation. She dried him off, dressed him in shorts and a t-shirt, and was ready to head out within a couple of minutes. Both men watched in awe at her efficient movements.

  She set Trevor down, took his hand, and looked at the two men. “You guys ready?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Paul’s mouth turned up at the corners as he grabbed his towel and shirt.

  They thanked the twins and their parents for inviting them before walking out the side gate. Connie let go of Trevor’s hand and let him run up the sidewalk and onto the neighbor’s lawn. At almost seventeen months, he was running most of the time, exploring everything, and forming new words. It all moved fast.

  “I’m going to put Trevor down for his nap, then crash for a while.” Trey threw the wet clothes and towels on the washer and headed upstairs before calling over his shoulder, “We’ll leave for dinner at six.”

  Paul stood next to Connie wondering how to get her out for a while.

  “Hungry?”

  “Famished,” Connie replied.

  “Great. Let’s change and go find something.”

  Twenty minutes later, Paul knocked on Trey’s door and pulled it open. “Connie and I are going to get some food. You want anything?”

  Trey sat against the headboard of his bed, a book in his lap, and tried to keep from nodding off. Even with the baby monitor on the table, he still felt uncomfortable relying on it to notify him when Trevor woke up. “No, I’m good.”

  Paul closed the door. Trey could hear his friend’s truck start up and pull away.

  He thought of Jesse and wondered what she was doing. He reached for his cell phone, almost reconsidered, then punched her number in speed dial.

  “Hey,” she answered on the third ring.

  “Hey, yourself.” His stomach did a flip at the sound of her voice. He needed to say something, but his mind went blank.

  “Trey, you there?”

  “Uh, yeah.” A slight panic dashed through him as he struggled for something to say. “Just got back from the pool with Paul and Connie. They took off to get food, and, well, I felt like calling.”

  Jesse’s heart had skipped a beat when she’d looked at her caller ID and saw it was Trey. Her first thought was that he’d changed his mind about inviting her to dinner, and she’d held her breath. Her relief at hearing his words was tangible.

  “I’m glad you did.” Her words were soft and drifted between them.

  “What have you been doing today?” Trey cringed. It was no longer his right to ask.

  “I went for a run along the river, picked up a sandwich from that little place we like, then came home and started laundry. Pretty exciting, huh?”

  “Excitement is way overrated.”

  “Agreed. What are you doing?” Jesse took a seat on a dining room chair and rested her elbows on the table.

  “Trevor’s down for a nap, so I’m trying to read. Couldn’t concentrate.”

  “Probably tired.”

  “Among other stuff.” Trey paused for a moment. “I miss you, Jesse.”

  Jesse sat up in the chair and ran a hand through her short hair. She let out a breath before answering. “I miss you too.”

  He wasn’t sure how to proceed, yet Trey knew he couldn’t leave the conversation hanging. “I want to try to work things out.”

  Jesse didn’t hesitate. “So do I.”

  “Come back to the house after dinner. I’ll put Trevor down, make sure Paul or Connie can keep watch, and we’ll take a walk—see what happens.”

  “All right. That sounds good.”

  “I’ll see you at the steak house tonight.”

  “See you then.” Jesse hit the end button and set the phone on the table. She blinked a few times, stopping the tears before they could fall, and hoped whatever happened tonight would be a new start for them.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Everyone had a great time at the steakhouse. The food was good, and for a Sunday, the place was packed. Connie had sat on one side of Trevor, with Paul next to her. A couple of hours later they drove back to the house. Paul had no problem staying at the house with Connie. He grabbed a movie and settled down next to her on the sofa while Trey and Jesse walked out the front door.

  “Thanks again for dinner,” Jesse said as she and Trey started down the sidewalk at a slow pace.

  “Glad you were able to come.” Trey reached over to grab her hand and lace his fingers through hers. “I’m sorry I didn’t give you a chance to explain why you needed to move out. I’ve regretted it ever since. Couldn’t get myself to move past the thought that you were walking away.”

  She glanced over at him and squeezed his fingers in hers. “That was my fault. I botched it up, made a mess of things.” She swallowed, then licked her lips. “My concern was about what would happen if Trevor got used to me being around and then we split up. I was afraid of Trevor’s reaction, but also my own. I knew I’d lose two people, not just one, and I got scared. Can you understand?”

  “I suppose so.” He stopped and turned her toward him, grasping both her hands in his. “You’ve known for a long time how I feel about you. I love you, Jesse, and would marry you tomorrow if you were ready.” He stopped to swipe away a tear that began to trail down her cheek. “We both have concerns about two pilots marrying, and now there’s Trevor. I don’t know how everything would work, yet I don’t want to lose you because of the unknown. We’re two strong, smart people. We can figure this out.”

  Jesse’s heart pounded an incessant rhythm and she felt a surge of excitement at hearing his words. “It would be hard, Trey, facing more obstacles than most couples. The stress and long-distance assignments would be brutal and could pull us apart. The truth is I don’t want to go through the same type of pain I’ve experienced the last couple of months. Not being with you has been torture.”

  Trey pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her, and stroked her hair. “The difference would be that we would have committed ourselves to each other. If we love and trust each other, we can make it through the next few years. After that, we have all kinds of choices ahead of us.” He closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of her head.

  She pulled him tight, then stepped back and looked up into his bright, clear blue eyes. “I love you and want to work this out. Can we take it a day at a time for a while, get used to being back together, and let me get to know Trevor?”

  It all sounded reasonable. “How much time do you need?” Trey leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead, then one on the corner of each eye before trailing kisses down her cheek and capturing her mouth. She rested her hands on his shoulders before moving them up around his neck.

  He moved a hand into her hair and held her to him, deepening the kiss for a brief moment before pulling back and resting his forehead against hers.

  “How much time, Jesse?” His voice was husky and his eyes had turned a deep, midnight blue.

  “Not long. Just until we’re both certain.” She prayed he would agree.

  “All right. But we’ll see each other as often as we can. Agreed?”

  “Yes.” She brushed another kiss across his firm, warm lips, feeling relief, excitement, and fear all at the same time.

  Jesse knew she could work through it all. She loved him and accepted that Trey would do all in his power to make the marriage work. She’d do the same. Jesse just needed a little time to get past her fear of failing and her pain from the last few weeks.

  ******

  While Trey and Jesse were out, Paul briefly explained their history to Connie. She’d known Trey had recently s
plit with someone, but it was a surprise that the woman was Jesse.

  “When you see them together, they do seem perfect for each other,” Connie commented when Paul had finished.

  “They are. I truly hope it works out for them.” They still sat on the sofa. Paul had an arm around Connie and pulled her to him. When she looked up, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her full, soft lips, gently gliding over then increasing the pressure before pulling back and staring into her eyes. She winced at the confusion she saw on his face.

  “That bad, huh?” She offered a tentative smile.

  “No. That good.”

  He claimed her mouth again with his, and each felt the same sensations race through their bodies as with the first touch of their lips. They deepened the kiss while tightening their hold on each other until they were forced to stop from lack of air. “Good Lord, lady. You can kiss,” Paul breathed against her mouth.

  “So can you.” Connie’s heart raced at the impact of their kiss. She couldn’t remember a time when it had seemed so perfect.

  Paul reached for her again before the sound of the front door opening stopped him. He gave Connie a look of regret, then pulled away and stood. Trey and Jesse walked in, holding hands, looking as they had before the split. His eyes lowered to Connie, who still sat on the sofa, hands in her lap, trying to look as if nothing had happened.

  “Good walk?” Paul asked, his voice husky.

  Jesse looked from him to Connie and realized she and Trey had interrupted something. She mouthed, sorry, to which Paul just shrugged.

  “Yeah. It was a great walk. Thanks for watching Trevor. Did he wake up?”

  “Not a peep. We checked a couple of times and he didn’t stir.” Connie pushed herself from the sofa and stood next to Paul. She could still feel the electricity flow between them. “I guess I’d better head upstairs. You know, still trying to adjust to west coast time. I’m looking forward to being with Trevor while you guys are at work. Well, uh, goodnight.” She took the stairs two at a time, then closed the bedroom door behind her.