Rising Hope by Edie James
HARD LANDING CHAPTER 3
Alone at thecontrols of the new Phenom jet, Jack Reese pushed the engines to their limit. The weather from San Diego to Hope Landing was favorable. At max speed, they’d touchdown at eighteen hundred, less than three hours after Bob Spencer’s urgent call.
His hands tightened on the yoke. Kelli was in trouble. Anger pulsed like a hot coal in his stomach. He took slow, even breaths, consciously pushing away the nasty mix of fury and concern.
Emotions got people killed.
That wasn’t going to happen to her. Not while he was on the job. He breathed in the new plane smell and considered the gleaming instrument panel while he thought through a reasonable protocol. Not that there was much to think about. His job would be simple; create a plan to keep her secure, then execute it. That he could do with his hands tied behind his back. Hope Landing was far from the war zones and bleak, third world hotspots he and his team had operated in before Admiral Knight had hired them away from the Navy to form his private tactical company.
And now he had even better resources at his disposal than when he was a SEAL. As the operations chief of Knight Tactical, he had a handpicked team of commandos, and the best equipment money could buy. Keeping Kelli safe and running this coward to ground would be child’s play.
Facing her after ten years gone, not so much. Her father had been a mentor. A parent, even…until Jack ran away from a future with his daughter. Or ran toward the adventure and excitement SEAL life offered. He much preferred to look at things that way. It had taken a lot of years to rebuild a long-distance relationship with Bob Spencer.
He and Kelli had never made the effort.
“You’re pushing her pretty hard there, Cowboy.” Austin, Jack’s best friend and second in command at Knight Tactical, angled his big body into the copilot’s seat and buckled himself in. “These engines don’t have two hundred hours on them. the admiral said to take good care of his baby.”
Jack grunted. The six seater jet was their employer’s favorite new toy. It was a mark of the man’s decency that he didn’t hesitate for a moment to send Jack and his three available teammates off in it the minute Kelli’s father had called for help.
Austin settled the headphones over his wide head and adjusted the attached mike closer to his mouth. He studied the scenery far below. “So I finally get to see Hope Landing.”
“Yup.” Jack scanned the blanket of trees below for signs of the familiar runway.
Austin shook his head. “I can’t believe you’ve never been back.”
“Not since college. No reason to.”
Austin eyed the expanse of forest and the jagged, snow-topped mountains. “Looks cold for April.”
“It is.” Jack watched the peaks drift past as the jet hurtled across the sky. All but the lowest were still covered with a good deal of snow. Spring came late to the High Sierra.
After years of sand and heat, he missed that.
Austin was staring at him.
“What?”
“I’m trying to imagine you small.” He spread his hands in front of him. “I see a little Jack Reese running around town in a tiny flack jacket. Baby commando.”
Jack laughed at that. “I was more of a skinny skateboarder.”
“That I cannot picture.” Austin drummed his fingers on his muscled thigh. “You okay with this, man? You and Kelli didn’t leave things in a good way. Hernandez and Olivetti and I can handle this if you want to pass.”
“Not necessary.” Kelli couldn’t still be angry, right?
“Whatever you say.” The new leather upholstery squeaked as Austin turned to face him. “You know, I always thought you messed that up. This might be the man upstairs giving you a second chance.”
Jack snorted. “I deserve a lot of things. A second chance with Kelli isn’t one of them.”
“Whatever you say.”
Jack grinned as the broad valley that cradled the airport came view. Thank you, Lord, for that excellent timing. “We’ll be on final in a minute. Tell Hernandez and Olivetti to get ready.”
Austin switched on the cabin’s communication system. “Buckle up, boys. We’re wheels down in two.” He flipped the switch back off and settled back into his seat, all the while giving Jack a hard look.
“What?”
“It’s been three years since her divorce. Plenty of time to heal.”
Jack stared at the battle-hardened SEAL across from him, incredulous. “When did you turn into such an old woman?”
“Joke all you want, bro, but the Lord works in his own mysterious ways. That’s all I’m saying.”
Jack ignored his friend as he deployed the jet’s landing gear and concentrated on lining up his approach. He and God hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms for a while now. Besides, after the way he’d disappeared from Kelli’s life, it would take more than a heavenly miracle for her to want him back.
Any prayers he made, he’d reserve for keeping her safe.
* * *
Click HERE to join my newsletter and download the first book FREE.
Also available in Kindle Unlimited