Page 1 of Skylar

CHAPTER ONE

Perched cross-legged on her couch, Skylar Halverson stared at the beat-up duffle bag sagging on the shiny surface of the coffee table in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at the bag, then looked down at the dark red liquid in her wineglass, swirling it before she lifted the glass to take a sip.

This isn’t going to work. I can’t be with someone who is so closed off most of the time. Like younevershow any real emotions. At least not ones that are necessary for a solid relationship. Not sure why you are so locked down emotionally, but maybe you should go to a counselor or something.

The words played over and over in her head because it wasn’t the first time she’d heard them.

She’d thought that Emmett might be the one who would finally give her the sense of security to trust him with her emotions. Unfortunately, it appeared that six months was too long for him to wait for her to open up, a test of patience he could not endure.

She couldn't quite say that she loved him, but she had cared for him deeply, more than most of the men she had been with. Yet, even her deep care and affection hadn't been enough to bridge the gap between them.

She lifted her glass again, intent on carrying out her plan of drowning her feelings about being dumped yet again.

When her phone rang, its screen lighting the dimly lit room, she glanced to where she’d set it on the end table. From where she sat, she couldn’t see who was calling, and for a brief moment,she contemplated ignoring it. But then, on the off chance that Emmett had changed his mind, she leaned over and grabbed it.

Instead of Emmett’s name on the screen, however, it was her supervisor’s.

“Hello, Denise,” she said as she swirled her glass again. “What’s up?”

“Any chance you’d be available for work tomorrow?” she asked. “Regina is sick and can’t take her New York flight. It’s actually going to be a triple. Vegas to NYC to Miami, then back to Vegas.”

“Who’s the flight deck crew?” Skylar asked, because there were certain pilots she had no interest in flying with unless she absolutely had to.

“Jack Devons.”

He was one of the good ones, and even if he had a co-pilot she didn’t like, Jack did a good job of keeping everyone in line. The older man was well-respected and demanded a level of decorum on the flights he piloted that Skylar always appreciated. In a lot of ways, he reminded Skylar of her father.

“He’s on all three flights?”

“Yep. You’ll have an overnight in New York and Miami.”

Maybe the distraction was just what she needed.

She unfolded her legs and got up. “Okay. I’ll take it.”

“Perfect. I’ll owe you one.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“I owe you quite a few at this point,” Denise said with a laugh. “I just wish everyone was as willing to step up when I need them to, the way you are.”

Skylar was happy to accept any extra shifts that came up. At work, she could simply be a professional. No one cared how she felt. No one cared what was going on in her life. All they wanted from her was a friendly smile and her skill in making rich people feel at ease and catered to.

Her demeanor at work had made her popular among the people who frequently used their company for their private flight needs. Some of their regular clients even requested her.

All of that had made it possible for her to have a nice apartment with no need for a roommate, along with a robust savings account. What she was saving for, Skylar didn’t know, but it gave her a sense of security, knowing that if something happened, she could take care of herself.

“I’ll send you all the details in a minute,” Denise said. “Once again, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

After she ended the call, Skylar headed to the kitchen and emptied her wineglass into the sink. There was no way she wanted to work a flight while hung over. Been there, done that, didn’t want to do it again.

As the dark liquid vanished down the drain, Skylar could only imagine what her mom would have said about her plan to drink away the upset of a breakup. And not for the first time.

She knew that drinking wasn’t a solution for anything. Her parents had made sure all their children knew that they needed to develop healthy ways of coping with challenging situations.

However, with no one around her, she often turned to alcohol to deal with emotions and situations she’d rather not have to face head on.

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