I threw my head back and laughed. “So now he’s a horny bastard?”
“Well, yeah. I mean he’s doing the nasty with my baby sister.”
She walked up next to me as we walked into the parking garage. Before we got to the car, my phone went off.
Grabbing it, I smiled and showed Meagan the text from Jase.
Jase: I’ll love you forever, Taylor.
Pushing her finger into her mouth, she made a gagging sound.
“He must have landed.”
I hit his number. “That’s weird. It went straight to voicemail.”
“Maybe he sent that before he took off and it just came through.”
Staring down at my phone, I chewed on my lip. “Yeah. Maybe.”
When we pulled up to my place, Colt and Scott were sitting on the porch. An uneasy feeling quickly swept over my body.
Something was wrong.
“A welcome party!” Meagan said as she jumped out of the car and reached in the backseat for her damn bath bombs that stunk up my car.
I checked my phone again and still nothing from Jase. Calling again, it went to voicemail. My heart started pounding as I sat in the car with my hands trembling.
“Something’s wrong. He should have landed over an hour ago.”
My body went numb. I forced myself to get out of the car. I stopped dead in my tracks when Layton came walking out of the cabin.
Please don’t do this to me. Do not do this to me!
The thought of something happening to Jase hit me right in the chest as I felt my heart drop.
The look in Layton’s eyes told me everything I had feared was about to come true.
Meagan dropped her bags and quickly came back over to my side. “Taylor, baby, breathe for me.”
I hadn’t even been aware that I wasn’t breathing. “Wh-what’s happened? I had a feeling something happened.”
My eyes burned as I fought to hold my tears back. When Colt walked to the other side of me, I felt my legs go weak.
This is just a dream. It has to be a dream.
Layton walked up and stopped just in front of me.
“Taylor, sweetheart. I . . . I need to tell you something.”
Shaking my head frantically, I mumbled, “No. Please don’t, Layton.” My chin trembled as I repeated my plea. “Please don’t.”
His eyes filled with tears while he cleared this throat. “Ryder called. He was meeting Nate and Jase in Wyoming and . . . their plane didn’t land on schedule. The Denver airport said an unexpected storm popped up.”
“No,” I whispered as I let my body go while Colt held on to me. My body felt cold. I could hear Layton talking . . . yet at the same time it felt as if I was drifting away.
“They lost them on radar as they were coming out of the Rockies and into Wyoming. A search plane is already on the way to where they first lost them.”
A search plane.
My head started to hurt. It felt as if someone was taking a hammer to it and hitting it as hard as they could. “Layton . . . please . . . no.”
“Sweetheart, let’s not give up hope, but . . .”
My eyes caught Whitley standing behind Layton. She had been crying.
Everything went numb. Nothing in this world mattered if I didn’t have Jase to live it with.
“But there is a chance the plane . . . the plane might have . . .”
I shook my head frantically as sobs racked my body and my legs gave completely out. Meagan and Colt went to the ground with me. Meagan wrapped me in her arms as I started screaming out Jase’s name.
It’s a dream. That’s all this was.
A horrible, awful nightmare.
Taylor
I sat on Jase’s bed and stared out at the setting sun. It had been four days since he left me standing in the airport watching him leave. Four days of them searching for their plane only to find nothing.
Don’t give up hope.
That’s all everyone kept saying to me. If they didn’t find them today, they were moving the search area more into Wyoming.
I glanced down at my phone. The last text from Jase was pulled up as I read it again.
I’ll love you forever, Taylor.
When had he sent that to me? Before the plane took off? During the flight? After they—
Swallowing hard, I looked back out the window. My mother, Courtney, and Whitley tried talking softly, but I could still hear them. They thought I was sleeping, but I hadn’t slept more than two hours since Layton told me the plane went missing.
“She won’t leave his room, Amanda. I’m starting to worry,” Whitley said.
“Has she slept today at all?”
I heard Whitley sniffle. “No. And she was at the barn last night when the horse Jase bought her birthed the foal.”
“She wouldn’t leave even with Walker and Layton begging her to,” Courtney added. “I’d give anything to take her hurt away.”
Falling back onto the bed, I closed my eyes.
Jase’s piercing blue eyes invaded my mind. Every time he made love to me, his eyes spoke of how much he loved me. Blazing with nothing but love. I focused on them while I tuned everything else out.
My body ached. Not nearly as much as my heart did. I couldn’t cry anymore . . . it was as if I had cried ten rivers. I had nothing left.
The knock on the door caused me to roll over. Opening my eyes, I looked at the sun as it touched the horizon.
“Taylor? Sweetheart, are you sleeping?” my mother asked softly.
“No.”
She sat on the bed and rested her hand on my shoulder. “Ryder called. They’re moving the search area further into Wyoming. There is a good chance the pilot was able to navigate them to a flatter area to land.”
“If they had landed, someone would have found them by now,” I numbly said.
“Maybe, but that area is vastly uninhabited.”
I had overheard Layton and my father talking last night. Layton had had one too many drinks and the truth was spilling from his lips. He didn’t know I heard every word he said. I had just walked back in from the barn when I heard the two of them talking in his office.
“Even if they had landed safely, why haven’t we heard anything? All they keep talking about is how the plane was equipped with an emergency beacon. Why in the hell has it not gone off?” Layton said.
“Layton, don’t give up hope. Maybe they couldn’t get out right away to get help.”
“This is my fault. I should have been the one going. I sent my son who had his whole future ahead of him. I’ve robbed him and Taylor of a life together.”
Leaning over, Layton cried. It was then I turned and headed up to Jase’s room. Taking a T-shirt out of his drawer, I slipped it on and crawled under the sheets where I laid staring out into the darkness.
My mother’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Taylor, I’m worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” I mumbled.
She stood and looked down at me. I could almost feel her eyes penetrating me. “You’re not fine. You haven’t eaten or slept in days. You’ve hardly left this room. You need to get some fresh air and eat. Libby and Luke are here. Everyone has been coming in shifts to help Layton and Whitley and to check on you.”
“I know, Mom. They all keep coming in here and saying the same damn thing.”
I sat up and faced her. “Don’t give up hope? Well, I’m sorry if I can’t be perky and happy while I wait for them to tell me the only man I ever loved . . . the only man I ever wanted to spend my life with is dead!”
She covered her mouth to hold back her own sobs. Dropping her hands, she went to talk but I held up my hands.
“Don’t! Please don’t say something you think will make it better, Mom. Please.” I fiercely wiped my tears away as I looked out the window and then back at her. “That’s the whole thing though . . . I know everyone is starting to think he’s gone.” My chin trembled as I tried to keep talking. “He doesn’t feel gone, Mom. Wouldn’t I . . .
wouldn’t I feel it if he was . . . gone?”
Horror filled her eyes as she looked at me with pity. “Oh sweetheart, I wish I could answer that for you.”
I buried my face in my hands and screamed as she wrapped me in her arms. “I can’t live without him. I don’t want to live without him,” I cried out while she pulled me closer to her.
It was then I felt more arms around me. Dropping my hands, I saw Libby.
“Libby,” I barely said while my mother stepped away and Libby held me in her arms as I cried.
Her hand moved lightly across my back as she softly repeated the one thing no one had told me I could do.
“Taylor, let it out. Just cry and let it out.”
My emotions were beginning to mix together. I wasn’t sure if I was angry or sad. My throat and my chest ached. Looking at her, I shook my head. “He promised me, Libby. He promised me!” I shouted.
Standing, I began to pace across the room. “He was my everything and he’s gone. How am I supposed to go? I can’t go on! Damn it, I don’t want to go on without him.” Tears began to stream down my face as Libby wiped hers away. “He’s gone and I feel so lost.” A sob escaped from my lips as Libby stood up. Holding my hand up to stop her, I shook my head. “I don’t know who to be angry with! If one more person tells me everything will be fine, I’m going to punch them!”
“Grace. We can use Grace for that,” Libby said.
My eyes widened in surprise as I let Libby’s words sink in. “I think Meagan would be the better choice. She used to steal my make-up all the time.”
Libby cracked a small grin. “It’s okay to be angry.”
My lips trembled. “I don’t know what I am, Lib. All I know is I feel so lost without him.”
Libby took me in her arms as we sank back to the bed.
I wasn’t sure how long Libby had stayed in Jase’s room with me. We sat on his bed in silence as I stared out into the darkness.
“Mireya really wants to see you, Taylor. Can you come downstairs and see her?”
With a slack expression, I nodded and slowly stood up. My feet felt so heavy as I followed Libby downstairs.
Mireya was sitting next to Layton and Walker on the couch watching a movie. She was such a little flirt and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw her sitting between them.
When she turned and looked at me, I could see the confusion on her face.
She jumped up and called out, “Tay Tay!”
I forced a smile and dropped down to catch her in a hug. “Hey, princess. Are you watching a movie?”
She nodded her head. “Yep. With Wayton and Walker. I gonna marry Walker!”
My eyes snapped up to Luke who moaned. “I’m not ready for this at all.”
With a chuckle, I turned back to Mireya. “Oh, sweetheart, I hate to tell you this, but Walker has a wife.”
Mireya peeked over at Liza and blushed. “Tay Tay, I love you!”
When her little arms wrapped around my neck something happened. The sadness was still there and weighed heavy on my heart, but something else was there as well.
Something I hadn’t seen until I looked into the eyes of my best friend’s daughter.
Hope.
Taylor
A few hours later, Luke buckled a sleeping Mireya into her car seat while I kissed Libby goodbye. Trey had already fallen asleep a couple hours earlier and was safely tucked into his car seat.
Turning to Luke, I hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for bringing the kids. They were exactly what I needed.”
“We love you, Taylor and there isn’t a damn thing we wouldn’t do for you.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“Let me know if you need anything, okay?” Libby said as she got into the truck.
“I will.”
With a barely-there smile, she took my hand in hers. “I love you, Tay.”
Stumbling on my words, I tried to grin. “Love you too.”
I watched them pull off and drive away and tried to ignore the heaviness in my chest.
Jumping when I felt hands on my shoulders, I turned to see Whitley. “It’s late, why don’t we have a cup of tea and then try and get some sleep?”
Not having the energy to argue, I agreed. My parents were staying in one of the guest rooms, but they had excused themselves right before Luke and Libby left.
Walking into the kitchen, I couldn’t help but think of when I blurted out to Whitley that Jase had asked me to marry him.
I glanced down at my engagement ring and dropped down onto a chair. “Bella?” I asked, looking at her.
She smiled and said, “Colt and Lauren have her.”
I shook my head. “I just abandoned her.”
“Nonsense. She’s been fine. If you’d like for them to bring her here, you’re more than welcome to have her.”
“I’d like that if you’re sure you don’t mind.”
Her eyes were filled with love as she replied, “Of course not, sweetheart. This house has always been filled with dogs except for the last few years. Honestly, I’ve missed having a four-legged friend. I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve asked Lauren to bring you a few changes of clothes and some other items, like your toothbrush and such.”
Looking down, it was then I noticed I was completely dressed in Jase’s cloths. An old pair of sweets and one of his high school football shirts.
“You can wear them, Taylor. But I thought you might like some of your own as well.”
Whitley set a cup of hot tea down in front of me while she waited for her own to brew.
“I’ll never love anyone like I love him,” I said as I looked directly into her eyes. “And as much as my heart feels broken, I don’t feel like he is gone.”
A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek. “I feel the same way. He’ll always be with us.”
I wanted to clarify with her what I meant, but she looked so tired.
When she got her tea, she sat down across from me. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but I had to say what I felt.
“I don’t think he’s dead.”
Her eyes lit up.
“Wouldn’t we feel it if he was? I’ve felt so empty these last few days. But when I saw Mireya, something happened. It was as if a light switched on and I started thinking clearly. My mother told me I was tired and needed sleep, but that’s not it. I feel it in the depths of my soul that he isn’t gone.”
She covered her mouth as she closed her eyes. It took a few moments before she dropped her hand and opened her eyes. With a smile, she simply said, “You just said what I’ve been wanting to shout from the roof-tops.”
I reached my hand out for hers. “I’m not giving up hope until they find the plane and tell me he’s gone. Until then, I’ll be on my knees praying for him to come back to me.” Pressing my trembling lips together, I whispered, “He has to come back to me.”
Jase
Five days earlier
“Is everyone okay?” Tess yelled out.
“Yes . . . I’m . . . okay . . . I think,” I said as I tried to adjust my eyes. The plane looked like it was filled with smoke or dust.
“Mr. Montgomery? Are you okay?”
Nate moaned and then let out a string of cuss words. “I think my leg might be broken.”
Glancing over to Nate, we both shook our heads. “William landed the plane safely . . . somehow,” I said as I got out of my seat and made my way up front to check on him.
“William, are you okay?”
“Yeah, my ankle is stuck and I can’t get it out. If you can pull that back some, I think I can get it out.”
I pulled where he pointed and it moved just enough for him to pull his leg out.
“Is it broke?” I asked while helping him out of the seat.
He shook his head. “No . . . I don’t think so, but it’s not normal either.”
Looking out the front window all I saw was sand. “Where the hell are we?”
William followed my stare. “I’m guessing n
ear or in the Red Desert in Wyoming. I need to work on trying to get the radio working at the very least. We lost power when the lightning hit us . . . twice. It fried everything.”
He looked at me and frowned. “Including the emergency beacon.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah, which means when they realize we’ve gone missing they’re going to be looking in the wrong area.”
Pulling my head back in confusion, I asked, “Why?”
“They’ll assume we crashed in the area will be where they lost radar. We need to somehow let them know we made it a lot farther from where they think we should be.”
Gripping his shoulder, I smiled. “How in the hell did you fly this plane with no power?”
“It wasn’t easy, I’ll tell ya that. The sand though at least made for a lighter impact. How are Tess and Nate?”
“Nate thinks he broke his lower leg, Tess seems to be okay, but we should all let our adrenaline settle and then assess how we feel.”
William agreed. “We also need to start looking at food and water. Who knows how many days this plane will be our home. I’m going to guess no one has a cell signal?”
“No.”
“Let’s turn off the phones and save the batteries.”
“Mine’s already off, but I’ll let Tess and Nate know to do the same.”
After things settled, we discovered Nate had indeed fractured his lower leg. We were able to put it in a splint and find something to act like crutches so he could get around.
While Tess was helping Nate, she gasped and held onto her wrist.
“Let me see it.”
“It’s fine,” she softly said. Her eyes said something different.
“Tess, your wrist is probably broken with the way it is swelling. You probably did it when you hit the ceiling of the plane.”
With a slight nod, she replied, “I thought so, but I was holding out hope.”
“Let’s make sure to count out the pain med’s to ration between the three of you. William isn’t sure if his ankle is just badly sprained or if it is broken.”
She gave me a weak smile as I reached down for a bandage and began wrapping her wrist.
After making sure Nate and Tess were okay, I walked up to William. Bending down, I handed him the screwdriver he was blindly reaching for. “Tess and I found a few cases of bottled water along with some peanuts and bags of chips. Plus, I have some protein bars in my luggage we can divide up.”