Chapter 1
The Wedding Flight
Smoke and Laura’s Wedding
Chapter One
Laura smiled to herself as she stared out at the lake.
Piper chuckled beside her. “Damn, girl. You look like the cat who got the cream. It’s good to see you so happy.”
Laura turned to her. “Thanks. Sometimes it’s hard to take it all in. You know better than anyone what it was like when we were kids. It’s hard to believe the way my life has changed.”
“Yeah. I always knew you’d go places, though. Neither of us were cut out to stay there.”
“No, we always knew we were destined for greatness, right?” asked Laura with a laugh.
“I don’t know about greatness, well, you, yeah, but me? I just needed to get out of the trailer park. That was success in my eyes.”
“That was just a first step. Look at you now. You moved your mom out of there, bought her that little house, learned to fly. You’re a pilot; you’re doing great.”
Piper nodded. “I suppose, but compared to you? I feel like I fell short.”
Laura frowned at her. “You did not!”
Piper shrugged. “I know that—really. I thought I was doing okay. I mean, when you say you’re a pilot, it gets you a lot of respect, but I’ve always felt like a fraud.
When you say that, people think it’s glamorous and that it pays well.
” She laughed. “They don’t get the reality of flying cargo.
The long hours, the cheap motels, and the horrible pay. ”
Laura nodded. “So, why don’t you make a change?”
“You don’t think I’ve tried? It’s hard as a woman.
The cargo airlines will take anyone; they have huge turnover with their pilots.
It’s almost like a rite of passage. Guys get their ratings and build their hours, then start applying to fly for the airlines.
As soon as they’ve got enough time in the cockpit, they get hired to fly people around instead of packages.
It never happened for me. I used to think maybe I just wasn’t as good a pilot, but I’ve accepted over the years that it’s just because I’m a woman. ”
Laura shook her head. “I hate that. You wouldn’t think it’d still be that way.”
Piper shrugged. “You wouldn’t think so, but it is. Anyway, I’m not bitching about it. I’ve accepted it. But I am starting to think about a change. Mom’s been gone a year now. She was the reason I stayed.”
“Now you’ve got no ties there. You could go anywhere. You could stay here.”
“Nah, I like it here, but I don’t think so. I’ll figure something out.” She stared out at the lake. “It sure is beautiful. You can see for miles.”
Laura smiled. They’d followed the trail out from the plaza at Four Mile and hiked up into the hills. She remembered the first time she’d hiked up here—with Smoke. They’d sat on this very log. “It is. I’ve grown to love this place.”
“I can see why. And I can’t wait to meet this Smoke of yours. You’re sure he’s not going to mind me being here?”
Laura laughed. She hadn’t seen Smoke for ten days. He was in San Diego taking a training course. “He’ll mind, and he won’t mind. We never seem to get any time alone together, but he’ll be glad to meet you. I’ve told him so much about you.”
Piper shook her head. “I’ll make myself scarce when he gets back. I’ll get a room at the resort, or I’ll be on my way.”
“No, I don’t want you to do that.”
“I don’t want you to miss out on time with your man because of me.
You’re going to be leaving a couple of days after he gets back.
I’ll either stay at the resort for the weekend, or I’ll just go and explore.
I came out to California planning to just drive and see the scenery.
It only occurred to me this morning to call and see if you were around. ”
“Let’s see what happens.” Laura knew Smoke would be happier if Piper were gone before he got back.
They’d both been looking forward to this weekend.
It was going to be their first weekend at home together in months, and she was leaving for Nashville on Monday morning.
She got up and turned to smile at her childhood friend.
“Come on, let’s get back. I’ll take you to the resort for lunch, and you can see what you think of the place. ”
~ ~ ~
Smoke checked his watch. The session was dragging on, and he’d told Jason he’d call to check in with him this afternoon. They had a new batch of students arriving on Monday for their initial training, and he knew things would be crazy back at the flight school.
He smiled as he listened to the instructor drone on.
He was usually an attentive student—when it came to anything to do with flying.
He’d be the first to admit that his attention started to wander when it came to the administrative side of things.
He was finding it even harder to focus today.
His mind kept wandering to Laura, and to the weekend.
He couldn’t remember the last time they’d had a whole weekend together.
He couldn’t wait. He loved their life. They were both busy doing what they loved, but they loved each other, too.
Maybe it was better that they got so little time? It certainly kept them both keen.
“Mr. Hamilton?”
He met the instructor’s gaze. “Yes?” Smoke didn’t do well with authority at the best of times, and having to sit here and listen to this kid drill them about admin tasks which he knew he’d be able to hand off to Rochelle once he was back home, was wearing thin.
“I assume you already know which forms need to be completed?”
Smoke smiled through pursed lips. Fortunately, he did and was able to tell the little jobsworth, and rattle off a few more, which might be needed in certain circumstances. That shut him up and kept him off Smoke’s back until the session was finally over.
As he made his way out of the classroom, his phone rang, and he fished it out, knowing that Jason was probably eager to check in with him before going home for the evening. “Sorry, Jase,” he answered. “I only just got out of class.”
He heard a laugh on the other end of the line. “It’s not Jason. It’s me, Cameron. And what are you doing in class, big brother?”
Smoke grinned. “Cam! How’re you doing, man?”
“I’m doing well, thanks. Everything’s ticking along nicely. The folks and Chelsea are all well, business is booming. I just thought I’d give my big brother a call, make sure that you’re okay, too.”
“I am. I’m doing great. I’m down in San Diego on a training course.”
“I thought you knew everything there is to know about flying and teaching other people to fly.”
He laughed. “Not even I know everything. But this course is about being an examiner. Now that the flight school is getting busier, it’s a pain in the ass to book an outside examiner for every check ride.”
“Cool, I’m glad you’re still learning new stuff.”
“Yeah, you know me, I’d get bored if there wasn’t something new to conquer.”
Cameron laughed. “Especially since you’re not out looking for new conquests of the female variety anymore. How’s Laura? Has she finally agreed to set a date to marry your ass yet?”
Smoke scowled. “I’m working on it. She wants to; it’s just a case of when and where and how.”
“Well, you know Mom and Dad would love to take care of the where and the how. They’d love to hold a big wedding at the house. You just need to tell them when.”
“Nope. That’s the last thing either of us want, and Mom and Dad know that. They get it.”
“Ah, sorry, yeah. I didn’t even think. After Anabel, I guess a big society wedding is the last thing you’d want. What about Laura, though? Isn’t that supposed to be every girl’s dream?”
Smoke smirked. “Maybe, but Laura isn’t ‘every girl.’ She ran from a wedding like that herself. We want to do something different, something small and non-traditional.”
“As long as I’m invited.”
Smoke drew in a deep breath. This was something he’d thought long and hard about. “Of course, you’ll be invited. In fact, I’m hoping you’ll want to be my best man.” Cameron was so quiet that Smoke wondered if they’d been cut off. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah. Sorry. I’m just shocked. I thought … I mean … What about Jack, or Pete? You’re all so close. I assumed you’d ask one of them.”
“We are close, but … you’re my brother. I’d like it to be you.”
“Wow, in that case, absolutely. I’d love to do it. It’d be an honor. Thanks, Cole.”
Smoke smiled. “Thank you. It’d mean a lot to me.”
“Me too.”
They were both quiet for a few moments. There was so much Smoke wanted to say, but he didn’t know how to say any of it.
He and Cameron had been close when they were kids.
They’d lost contact in the years that Smoke was estranged from his parents, but now they were rebuilding their relationship.
Well, that wasn’t true. There was no rebuilding to be done; they’d picked straight back up, and having Cameron as his best man was important to Smoke.
He wanted to let his brother know how important he still was to him.
The silence lengthened before Cameron spoke again. “Are you busy this weekend?”
Smoke frowned. He wanted to be busy doing nothing with Laura before she left for Nashville on Monday morning. “Why?”
“I don’t know, maybe it’s crazy, but I’d like to come see you. I don’t have anything lined up for once, and … no, forget it.”
“No, come. It’d be great to see you.”
“Really?”
“Really.” Laura wouldn’t be too mad at him since it was Cameron. She was always encouraging him to spend time with his family.
“Great. I will. Let me figure out what I’m doing, and I’ll give you a call. I don’t have to stay with you guys. I can rent a place or stay at that resort you’re always talking about.
“Nah, you can stay with us. It’ll be fine. Laura will be happy to see you.”
“Okay, but talk to her first, make sure she doesn’t mind. I’ll give you a call tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to you later.”