Just once, p.1
Just Once, page 1
JUST ONCE
FOR THE LOVE OF THE FLIGHT SERIES
KATHRYN KALEIGH
To learn more about Kathryn Kaleigh, visit
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JUST ONCE
PREVIEW JUST HAPPENED
Copyright © 2022 by Kathryn Kaleigh
All rights reserved.
Written by Kathryn Kaleigh
Published by KST Publishing, Inc., 2022
Cover by Skyhouse24Media
www.kathrynkaleigh.com
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, or incidents are products of the author’s imagination and used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual people, places, of events is purely coincidental or fictionalized.
Created with Vellum
CHAPTER 1
The old classic song “Be my Baby” spilled from the jukebox of the Cassville Pizzeria.
It was the perfect background for THE Wynter Jordan and Bradford Cooper engagement party.
The restaurant was currently closed to the public. Unlimited pizza and bottles of ice-cold beer for the dozen or so guests. The bottles of beer were flowing and the pizza was in the oven.
Quiet conversation and laughter wove perfectly into the music.
White rosebuds in silver vases on every table. Sparkly white lights draped from the ceiling, amplifying the festive atmosphere.
Sierra Jordan had taken a table for two on the opposite side of the restaurant from the jukebox. She was currently standing up, though, her back against the wall
She’d grown tired of sitting.
Even in her white canvas sneakers, her swollen feet ached. She shifted from one foot to the other.
She felt overdressed in her ankle-length skirt, but her long hip-length wool sweater was not only more casual, but kept her warm. She fisted her hands in the pockets and pulled the sweater tightly around her waist.
Sierra’s sister Wynter had become reacquainted with her childhood sweetheart, Bradford, just two months ago and now they were planning a Christmas wedding next month.
A wedding that was much overdue.
Sierra and Wynter’s parents were here, too, tonight. They’d moved away from Cassville when Sierra was in high school. Rather than deal with Sierra’s issues, they’d merely moved away from the small town that was accessible only by ferry to the city of Madison.
In the city, Sierra melded into the swirl of other troubled teens. She was barely noticed.
Besides, Sierra had been torn away from her social group and though things hadn’t quite settled down, they had changed.
And then there were Bradford’s parents. His parents had moved to Florida just months ago with doctor’s orders.
That had been a shock to everyone, not the least of all, to Bradford.
The Coopers had run the pizzeria in Cassville forever. At least twenty years. They’d abandoned it, giving Bradford full control over whatever he chose to do with it.
He’d decided to keep it. At least for the time being.
Even though Sierra’s parents had driven in this morning and planned to take the late ferry and drive home tonight, Sierra had driven into Cassville herself and booked a room at the hotel.
Things had never completely smoothed out with her parents.
Bradford stood up, Wynter next to him, and lightly tapped a spoon on one of the beer bottles. Both Bradford and Wynter wore huge grins.
Sierra was truly happy for them. She had fond memories of the two of them dating in high school. Before they’d been separated by college.
“I want to thank everyone for making their way here.” Bradford put an arm around Wynter and pulled her close. “I know it’s not the easiest journey to make. What with the ferry and all.”
“Good thing we have a pilot in the family,” Mr. Cooper said.
Everyone laughed, knowing that he was talking about his son Bradford.
Sierra smiled. She knew that Bradford had flown down, picked up his parents, and flown them back up to Cassville.
Just for the engagement party tonight.
She envied the closeness of the Coopers.
Nonetheless, she was pleased for her sister.
Sierra sat back down, relieving the pain in her feet.
She’d come to the party by herself. She wasn’t intentionally being stand-offish. She’d left Cassville during a turbulent time in her life. Before she formed any lasting friendships, so she didn’t really know anyone here other than her family.
And Wynter was the only one she was close to.
Besides, Sierra had decided a few months ago to turn her life around.
And for the foreseeable future that meant staying to herself.
Until June when she was going to be a mother.
With one hand on her baby bump, she looked up and saw him.
Her heartrate shot into a staccato rhythm.
CHAPTER 2
Mike Phillips stood at the door of the pizzeria watching his best friend and fiancé as they celebrated their engagement with their family and closest friends.
The Cassville Pizzeria had always been clean and welcoming, but tonight it also looked festive. With its clear twinkling lights and white rose buds.
He was late.
But in his defense, it wasn’t his fault.
It was the weather. A thunderstorm had hit just outside of Fort Worth delaying his take off.
He’d made up some of that time during the flight. Thankfully there were no speed limits in the air.
He knew everyone here. Having grown up in Cassville, it was something of a requirement.
Leaning against the closed door, he scanned the familiar faces. There were several people he hadn’t seen in quite some time and looked forward to catching up with. Like Mr. and Mrs. Bradford. They’d always been good to him growing up as Bradford’s friend.
But when his gaze landed on her, he froze.
Sierra Jordan had been much too young for him. Mike was three years older than Bradford. And they were both two years older than Sierra. Five years difference.
Back when he was twenty-one and Sierra had been sixteen, he’d tamped down his attraction to Sierra so fast even he wasn’t sure it had actually been real.
If he hadn’t memorized her every feature, he wouldn’t have recognized her now.
She’d grown up. He did quick math. He was thirty-one. She would be twenty-six herself now.
Her long golden brown hair was styled simply. Straight. With a little curly flip on the ends.
Her lips that had always carried a somewhat impertinent expression, still did.
The song on the jukebox faded into “Waiting for a Girl Like You.”
Just as the music changed, Sierra looked up and saw him.
And in that split moment he knew that the attraction for his best friend’s little sister that he’d so successfully tamped down had been real. And not so very tamped down as maybe he’d thought.
Bradford spotted him right at that moment, too, and after giving Wynter a quick kiss on the lips, dashed over and gave Mike a big man hug.
“It’s great to see you.” Bradford had that look that came only from a man truly in love.
“It’s been too long.” He clapped Bradford on the back. “Skye Travels is growing from what I hear.”
“You hear right. Come on.” He turned. “Come say hi to Wynter.”
Mike walked over to where Wynter stood talking to Bradford’s parents.
It was good to see Wynter, too.
But there was really only one girl there tonight that he wanted to talk to.
But how was he supposed to start a conversation with a girl who no doubt thought of him as just a friend of the family?
CHAPTER 3
“Sierra, come get some pizza,” Wynter said as she breezed by on her way to speak to someone at a table across from Sierra.
“I will.” Sierra waved her off. There was a line right now as Shelley, the pizzeria manager and her two helpers put pizzas out on the counter.
Even though her stomach was grumbling terribly, Sierra didn’t want to stand in line.
“Baby it’s Cold Outside” was playing on the jukebox now. Despite the controversy surrounding it, it was Sierra’s new favorite song.
She loved the happy male-female playfulness of the two vocalists. She may not currently be in a relationship or have any plans to be in a relationship, but she could definitely appreciate the fun of the song.
When Wynter was back at the front table a minute later, Mike leaned over and whispered something to her.
Wynter glanced in her direction and smiled. Sierra’s stomach dropped.
Mike had been Bradford’s best friend when Sierra still lived in Cassville. She hadn’t seen him since she and her family had moved away just before her junior year.
But she never forgot him and she’d know his laughter anywhere.
He’d been handsome then, but was five years older, and saw her as nothing more than a kid who kept getting into trouble.
He was actually the one who’d gotten her out of trouble and not only was she eternally indebted to him, but it was a secret that the two of them shared.
Mike was thirty-one now. And he was hands down the most handsome man Sierra had ever seen.
She’d had an enormous crush on him back when she was a teenager.
Sierra had watched Mike since the minute she saw him standing at the door. He’d joined Wynter and Bradford at their table and just about everyone had stopped by to say hi to him.
When Mike laughed, every nerve in her body reacted. Even across the room after all these years, when he looked in her direction her pulse shot up dangerously.
The crush, it seemed, had survived the test of time.
Mike went to the counter, put a slice of pizza on each of two plates, then as if on second thought, he picked up two bottles of beer by the neck and headed in her direction.
She held her breath and watched him beneath her eyelashes.
He didn’t stop at any of the tables until he got to hers.
He set the beer down first, then the two plates. “Your sister said you like cheese pizza.”
Sierra’s thoughts scattered into a hundred different directions. She did like cheese pizza.
But Mike Phillips delivering pizza to her table was something she never would have even imagined.
“Do you mind if I join you?”
He didn’t wait for an answer, but sat down opposite her and slid a plate of pizza and a beer in front of her.
She stared blankly at him.
“I’m Mike,” he said with a grin.
Sierra laughed before she could catch herself. “Hello Mike.”
She could tell he was a little caught off balance – not quite certain that she remembered him. Him being off balance, oddly enough, put her a bit back into balance.
“Thank you,” she said, picking up her bottle of water and drinking.
Studying her, he bit into his slice of pizza. “How have you been?”
“Good,” she said, then she picked up her own slice of pizza and bit into it. She closed her eyes. The pizza here was heavenly.
When she opened her eyes, Mike was grinning at her.
She blushed.
“Beer?” He picked up one of the bottles.
Sierra shook her head.
Mike shrugged. And tipped his beer bottle back for a drink. “It’s about time these two got back together, huh?”
Sierra smiled. “Agreed.” Her feet were uncomfortable again. She would feel much better out of her shoes and in her slippers.
She’d sometimes imagined meeting Mike again. Somewhere.
But after they moved away from Cassville and Wynter and Bradford broke up, she’d given up on seeing him again. Bradford was her last link to Mike.
And here she was back in Cassville.
Wynter and Bradford back together.
With Mike sitting right in front of her.
The difference was she was no longer the troubled teen she’d been when she last saw him.
Oddly enough though, the age difference that prevented her even pretending to herself that he might be interested was no longer an issue.
“Penny for your thoughts.” He’d finished off his slice of pizza and was leaning forward, his elbows on the table.
She shook off her reverie and blinked at the man – the real man – in front of her.
He was even more handsome than she remembered.
And her attraction was even stronger.
“I was just thinking how odd it is to be back in Cassville. It’s almost like taking a trip back in time.” She looked toward her sister, smiling with Bradford. “With my sister and all.”
Mike reached out and picked up the little heart she wore on a chain around her neck. “Oh. I think plenty of time has passed.” He dropped the necklace and leaned back in his chair, his gaze still locked on hers.
A pain shot through Sierra’s stomach, reminding her that time had indeed passed.
And Mike was even more off limits than he had been before.
CHAPTER 4
Mike’s cell phone rang and he reluctantly tore himself away from Sierra. He let the call go to voice mail just long enough for him to excuse himself and step outside.
“I have to take this call,” he said.
She shrugged. “I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah.” At least until after the wedding next month. He picked up their plates, his empty beer bottle and her full one, realizing she hadn’t even touched her alcohol.
The wild child, it seemed had done some settling down.
He stepped outside into the fresh cool air and returned his phone call, pacing down the path toward Bradford’s house. His parents’ house actually, though they now lived in Florida.
Ten minutes later, he turned and started back. Some of the guests were leaving now.
He picked up his pace, hoping to catch another glimpse of Sierra before she left.
He stepped back into the warmth of the pizzeria. The juke box was quiet now and the place was almost empty.
He saw Sierra, her back to him, talking to Wynter. Sierra was wearing a black hip-length wool coat with a light gray scarf. After quickly hugging her sister, Sierra turned.
Mike had been about to step forward. To say whatever inane thing popped into his head, when he froze.
Now he knew why Sierra hadn’t touched her beer.
She had one hand on her stomach, swollen just enough for him to know.
She was expecting.
Whatever hopes and dreams he’d unconsciously entertained shattered and fell at his feet.
If she was pregnant, that meant that she wasn’t available.
Somehow that scenario hadn’t occurred to him.
A big part of him still saw her as a teenager.
But he shifted his thoughts, accepting that she was all grown up.
She stepped forward to stand in front of him. “It’s good to see you, Mike.” There was a wistfulness in her tone. She must have seen the surprise – the shock – on his face.
He glanced at her hands. She wasn’t wearing a ring. “It’s good to see you, too.” And he meant it. He’d thought about her a lot. Too much. Just knowing she was out there somewhere in the world had made him feel better.
She walked past him and a sudden panic swept over him. Whatever her situation was, if she walked out that door, there was very little chance that he would get another opportunity to talk with her.
There would be the wedding of course. But weddings were always chaotic and he couldn’t count on getting a chance then. She might not even come to the wedding alone.
He turned just as she passed. “Wait. Sierra.”
She turned back. Her face was flushed prettily and he realized that’s what they meant when they said pregnant women glowed. “Can I walk you out?”
She didn’t answer at first and he was sure that she was going to say no. Instead she said. “Sure.”
He grinned again. He would have a few more minutes with the grown-up version of the teenage girl he’d crushed on when he was just a little too old for her.
They stepped out into the cool air and she shuddered.
“Where are you parked?” he asked.
“I walked. I’m staying at the hotel.”
“It’s a good night for a walk.” He fell into step beside her. “It’ll be snowing soon.”
She nodded. “Cassville’s pretty in the winter.”
“Since you’re at the hotel, I’m guessing you didn’t move back here.”
“I live in Madison. You?” She looked at him from the corner of her eye.
“I’m in Dallas.”
“Right.” Their footsteps crunched over the fallen oak leaves on the sidewalk. Mike missed the smell of northern winters.
“You’re still a pilot?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Flying gets in the blood. I’m not sure I could stop if I had to.”
A sadness swept over her features. He didn’t like it. He wanted to destroy whatever it was that had put that sadness on her face.
“Don’t I know?” she said. “I was a flight attendant until….” She nodded toward her abdomen.
Mike stopped. Then his face broke into a wide grin. “You’re one of us.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I quit. And I won’t be going back.”
