Skylar (The Halversons #9)

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 you never show 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.

Ignoring the duffle bag of her belongings that Emmett had dropped off, Skylar went to her bedroom to prepare her uniform and pack her suitcase. She’d need to pack more than usual since it was a multi-day trip.

Once everything was prepped, she went through her nighttime routine, then crawled into bed even though it wasn’t very late. The info Denise had sent included the time when she had to be at the airport, and since she didn’t like to be rushed in the morning, she needed to go to bed at a reasonable time.

At pre-departure the next morning, Skylar stood with the rest of the flight crew, preparing to greet the clients who were coming aboard the private jet. Though she was young, she had achieved seniority because of her experience and popularity, which meant she had a place right next to the co-pilot. Jack stood nearest the door, dressed neatly in the company pilot uniform.

“Good morning,” Skylar said with a smile as she shook the hand of the first person to board the plane.

After they’d greeted each passenger, the pilots returned to the cockpit while Skylar and the other attendant went into the large cabin of the plane. Not every company plane required two attendants, but depending on the length of the flight and the number of passengers, there could be two of them serving the cabin.

All too soon, they were preparing for takeoff, and once they had reached altitude, she was up off her seat to take drink requests. That day, most of the passengers wanted coffee or tea, but occasionally there were flights where people wanted an alcoholic drink.

Slipping into professional mode was easy, and, in fact, a relief. Professional Skylar hadn’t just been dumped by her boyfriend. Professional Skylar didn’t have a duffle bag of assorted personal effects that her ex had returned to her sitting on her coffee table. Professional Skylar didn’t have any personal problems.

As usual, her friendly approach to the clients on the plane brought a similar response from them. She was in her element, and very glad for it.

Three days later, she was back in Las Vegas, eager to get to her apartment. As much as she’d enjoyed the distraction of the flights and spending time in some nice cities, she was also ready to be home.

She had a couple of days off, with no firm agenda of activities planned. For the past six months, Emmett had been with her nearly every day that their schedules allowed, which was most of the time.

But now she was alone.

I like it that way.

However, no matter what she might tell herself, the quiet was heavy as she stepped into her apartment.

Standing just inside her door, Skylar pulled out her phone and sent a text to Denise.

Back from the triple. If you need me for any further shifts on my days off, just let me know. I’ve got no plans.

She slid her phone into her pocket, then carried her bag into her bedroom to empty it out. It didn’t take long to put everything in its place. Dirty clothes into the hamper. Shoes onto the rack in her closet. Makeup bag onto the counter in the bathroom.

Though she had appreciated the distraction of the trip, she was also glad to be back in her apartment. Her sanctuary. Her haven.

She’d spent time and money decorating it the way she wanted to, using the interest she’d once had in interior design to create a cozy home for herself. She might not have everything she’d once thought she’d have at this point in time, but she’d built a life for herself that she cherished.

Once her bag was unpacked and she’d changed into her comfy clothes, Skylar made her way to the kitchen to get herself something to eat and drink. She eyed the wine bottle in the fridge, but passed it over, choosing instead to grab one of her fancy bottles of water.

She was in the process of trying to figure out what to make for her supper when the alert for a video chat sounded on her phone. Usually the only person who wanted to chat with her via video was her mom, so it didn’t surprise her to see that was whose name was on the call request.

“Hi, Mom,” she said as her mom’s face filled the screen. When she saw a serious expression on her mom’s face rather than her usual cheery smile, Skylar clutched her phone more tightly. “What’s wrong?”

Her mom didn’t reply right away, making Skylar’s heart sink. “Just rip the band-aid off, Mom.”

“So over the past few weeks, Shiloh has been having some health issues,” her mom began, then paused again.

Skylar’s breath caught in her lungs. Most days, she was able to not think about the child she’d given birth to, except in passing. However, it was as if her body knew that she was receiving bad news about something that had once been a part of her.

“What’s wrong with her?”

“After doing some testing, they’ve discovered she has cancer.”

“What?” Skylar felt like she’d been punched in the gut. “Cancer?”

She reached out to grip the counter, the bite of the sharp edge into her palm mirroring the sharp pain she felt in her heart. Her head spun as she struggled to draw breath into her lungs.

“How sick is she?”

“She’s… not well, but she has a good chance of recovery with several treatment options available.”

“So she’s okay?”

“For the moment,” her mom said. “But we’re already thinking of possible future treatments should the initial ones not be as successful as we hope.”

“So she’s having treatment soon?”

“Yes. She’ll be going into the hospital in Coeur d’Alene next week for chemo.”

Skylar didn’t know what to say. It was news she’d never even considered that she’d hear about Shiloh. And she had no idea what it meant long term for the beautiful little girl she’d chosen to carry to term, even though the baby’s father had wanted her to “get rid of it .”

“Is there…” Skylar paused, taking a deep breath and trying to swallow the emotions that threatened to choke her. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Yes. First, I think it might be good for you to come home,” her mom said.

“What? Why?”

“It would mean the world for Charli and Blake to have you here.”

“But no one knows I’m Shiloh’s birth mom,” Skylar reminded her. “So it would seem kind of weird if I came home, when presumably Cole won’t be coming home.”

“Well, that’s the second thing.”

“Cole is coming home?”

“No, but we would like you to contact Aiden,” her mom said, rendering Skylar speechless. “And I think we need for you to consider letting the rest of the family know that you both are Shiloh’s birth parents.”

“Nope.” The panic she felt rise at both those suggestions momentarily chased away the fear that had filled her at the news of Shiloh’s cancer diagnosis. “No. Never.”

She’d always held close the information that she was Shiloh’s birth mom. No one but her parents and Charli and Blake knew the truth. And she’d wanted it to stay that way forever.

When her mom didn’t answer right away, but continued to stare into the phone, Skylar said, “Please, Mom. Anything but that.”

“It’s important, Skylar Grace,” she said. The use of her middle name made Skylar cringe. “It could make all the difference for Shiloh.”

“What do you mean?”

“One option for possible future treatment is a stem cell transplant, which means we need to find someone who would be a match with Shiloh. Close family members are the best chance, but other relatives are also a good possibility. Which is why we need to test Aiden, his family, and ours. I think it would be impossible to do that and still keep her parentage secret.”

Skylar closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. When she opened her eyes again, she stared out the window at the skyline of Las Vegas.

This was the last thing she wanted to do. The moment she’d handed Shiloh over to Charli was supposed to have been the end of her role in Shiloh’s life beyond being an “aunt” to her.

She’d brought the baby safely into the world, but then it was Charli and Blake’s job to guide Shiloh through her life, caring for and protecting her in Skylar’s absence.

And she was absent. She only saw Shiloh once or twice a year, and for just a day or two at a time. It had been the only way she’d been able to distance herself from the feeling of being Shiloh’s mom.

“Think about it, please, sweetheart.” Her mom sighed, the weight of the situation clearly pressing down on her. “We are trying to do what we can to help Shiloh, Charli, and Blake through this.”

Skylar still resisted agreeing to contact Aiden. All she could do was promise to think about it.

“Love you, sweetheart,” her mom said. “Take care of yourself.”

“You too, Mama.”

“We’ll be praying for you.”

Her mom always said that, and Skylar never knew how to respond beyond saying, “Thank you.”

After she hung up the phone, Skylar put the food and water back in the fridge and pulled out the bottle of wine. She couldn’t deal with this news without a little fortification.

Her confusion over what to do held a huge amount of guilt. She was being selfish. She knew that.

Her own feelings should hold no weight in this situation. She needed to do what was best for Shiloh. For her daughter. Nothing else was important. Not her feelings. Not her fears. Not her plans to never reveal the pregnancy and its aftermath.

It looked like she was going to have to contact Cole to ask for details on his best friend, all the while hoping that he’d give them to her without asking why she needed them. But knowing Cole, she wasn’t sure that was possible, especially considering that back when she and Aiden broke up, she’d told Cole she never wanted to talk about Aiden again.

Hopefully, a little alcohol would help give her the courage she needed. She knew her parents would recommend praying, but Skylar didn’t believe as strongly as they did that God was paying attention to their lives.

So she’d leave the praying to them, while she turned to liquid courage to do what they wanted her to.