Mile High Love Read Free Page A

know.”

CHAPTER TWO
     
                  
Cassie sat in her car, staring out the front windshield at the edge of the
McNary Field air strip.  She refused to let herself look up, knowing all
too well the sights, and sounds of an air show.  She only let go of the
steering wheel when her aching hands couldn’t grip it any longer.  The
drive from Portland to Salem had been easy enough, but as she sat, motionless,
unwanted memories crept up on her.
                  
She remembered looking up, as always with pride in her heart as her husband
flew by.  He was a great pilot, with a license to fly just about anything,
but it was the little stunt planes he loved best.  The way a plane
maneuvered and twisted in the midst of a stunt was far more challenging than
commuter flying.  She’d never really understood it, but his confidence
always touched her, and made her feel more at ease when she watched.  She
had absolute faith in his promise never to put himself needlessly in danger
just to pull off a difficult stunt. Her eyes welled with tears as she bent her
head bent forward to rest on the steering wheel. She never should have returned
to an air show and placed herself in such a vulnerable position.  Earlier
today she was so sure she could handle it, that nine months was more than
enough time to forget about a crumpled heap of metal, bursting into flames, taking
the last of a lifetime of hopes and dreams away from her.  She knew she
was lying to herself again, trying to force something that was never going to
right itself.  She looked over at her purse as she started the car and
remembered the picture of her daughter.  “Dammit.”  She hit her hand
against the wheel and turned the engine back off. 
                   This business is the only thing I have left. If I run now, what kind of
future will Abby have? 
                  
“I can do this.” She tried to give herself a pep talk, and wiped her red rimmed
eyes clear.  “Andrew was right, I just need to focus on the work.” 
She opened the door and walked quickly, not allowing herself any extra time to
change her mind.  Her heart leapt through her skin when the show planes
did a sweep directly overhead, but she kept her eyes forward, glued to the
crowd for a sign of either one of her newly acquired partners.
                  
Wes must have recognized her instantly, she decided, since she’d only just
reached the edge of the seating area when he showed up beside her.  “Is
everything okay?”  He asked casually, “I mean, are you sure you’re all
right with this?”
                  
Cassie was familiar with his voice, but it didn’t stop her from jumping when he
touched her shoulder.  “Of course, why?”  She tried to play dumb but
it was obvious by his reaction that he knew about her husband’s accident. 
“Okay,” she continued, more deliberate than before.  “I guess if we’re
bearing our souls... if I felt I had any choice at all, this is the last place
I’d be.”
                  
Wes looked around and shrugged.  “Well, everything’s pretty much under
control for now, so there’s really no reason for you needlessly upset yourself
by coming here.”  He paused, noting by the look on her face that she
wasn’t all that impressed by his new found concern for her. “What I mean is
that we could meet anywhere, at your convenience, but it doesn’t have to be
right now or here.”
                  
At least he had the good manners to try and correct himself she thought
wryly.  “I think enough things have been seen to without me being around
if you know what I mean,” she winked at him, letting him know she wasn’t about
to be put off.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you didn’t want me here,
now why is that?”
              
“I have no idea,” he threw his hands up, and flashed her that fake smile she
was