Wrecked for You

by Mayer, Kristin

  She stood with a determined look. “I’m ready to start living my life.”

  I nodded. “Good. We can stay at the motel by the airport. With this weather, there’s no way we can fly out tonight. We can spend that time figuring out some things and talking.”

  “Let me get my stuff.”

  I stood. Kory leaned in and pressed her lips against my cheek. It was hard not to turn my head. Mere inches separated our lips. She took a step back, locked her eyes with mine, and whispered, “Thank you for saving me.”

  “Maybe, in different ways, we’re saving each other.”

  “I hope so.” Her beautiful blue eyes sparkled. “Did you mean what you said to me that night after I said I loved you?”

  It was my turn to answer honestly. “Yes, I did.”

  Even with all this shit stacked on us, I wanted to be by Kory’s side—not to fight her battles, but to be there as she conquered them.

  She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “It won’t take me long. I’m only going to pack the stuff I bought with the money I earned while I worked in Ketchikan. There’s a suitcase in the hall closet. Would you mind bringing it upstairs. I’m going to write my parents a letter so maybe they won’t try to search for me. Can you give me about twenty minutes before you come up?”

  “Of course.”

  When Kory went upstairs, I slowly sat on the couch. If Kory marrying Landon resulted in millions of dollars, I doubted either family would let her go that easily. The book I read was some fucked-up shit. People who went to those extremes weren’t going to walk away without some sort of fight.

  I pulled out my phone and called the only person I knew I could get solid advice from right now.

  “Hello?” Drake answered.

  “I need your help.”

  Chapter Five

  Kory

  My stomach was in knots as the plane approached Skagway. The entire night, I’d tossed and turned after going to bed. Everything felt upside down. But, at the same time, I felt liberated. It was odd. Hayden and I had stayed up talking about our lives—with no restrictions—until one o’clock. Before, we’d kept the details about ourselves to a minimum. Then like a gentleman, he’d gone to his own room. That alone had me ready to say screw it and ask him to stay with me.

  I missed being in his arms.

  It was hard not having him in my bed, but I think we needed to find our way back to each other emotionally before we slept together. Things were too fresh. And I wanted to make sure we had something more than sex between us. I smiled thinking about the conversation last night.

  We’d been sitting on the couch in the two-bedroom suite, munching on popcorn Hayden had purchased at the front desk.

  “This is nice,” I’d said, feeling almost happy for the first time in weeks.

  “It is.”

  For a while, the sound of crunching popcorn was the only sound in the room. We hadn’t figured out what we were going to do when we got to Skagway. I had about five thousand dollars to my name. Over the summer, I’d worked two jobs—waitressing at Maggie’s diner and helping her with the books. Maggie had been amazing to me. She’d let me live in her one-room apartment above the diner for a ridiculously low rent. I’d answered her ad on a whim while I was still in Washington and had been thrilled to get the job. Finding that job had been like fate stepping in.

  While we’d been munching, Hayden’s phone had vibrated with a text message. “That was Drake. When I talked to him earlier, I asked if he knew of anyone renting a place.”

  On the way to the motel, Hayden had mentioned that he’d brought his brother up to speed with the situation, which I understood. In the morning, he’d be showing up with a stranger. His family, with the exception of Drake, had never heard of me before.

  I was still anxious to see how things unfolded but excited to carve the way for my future. “What did he say?”

  “His fiancée, Alexa, has a place she wants to show you.”

  “Wow, I’d love to look at it.”

  Hayden had cocked his head to the side and watched me for a second. “You said earlier that your parents would come if they could find you.”

  “Yes, I think they would.”

  I had never disobeyed my parents. What they would do… well, I wasn’t sure.

  “I want to propose something.”

  Cautiously, I’d said, “Okay.”

  “Wherever you decide to live, I think I should live with you. My place is about thirty minutes from Alexa’s. It’ll be safer. We don’t have to jump into bed together. We can be… roommates.”

  The word had sounded odd to me, too, and I’d giggled. “Roomies?”

  “Yeah, and hopefully that leads to benefits.”

  He’d given me a glimpse of that cocky attitude I loved. I’d winked. “I bet it will.”

  Hayden had given me his full megawatt grin. “Good to know.” Then his expression had sobered. “I want you safe. I get wanting independence, and I want that for you, too. But, I want to make sure you’re safe.”

  His presence would definitely make me feel better. “Why not stay at your place, then? I could pay rent.”

  “It’s small. It’s a one-room cabin with a loft bedroom and one bathroom.”

  A loft bedroom meant we’d be in the same bed together unless one of us took the couch. That sounded miserable. “Why don’t we see what Alexa has in mind and the cost. Then we can decide which place.”

  “Perfect.”

  I’d leaned closer and put my head on Hayden’s shoulder. “Thank you for agreeing to start over with me.”

  He’d put his arm around me to draw me closer. “It’ll be that much better when we decide to go there again.”

  I’d shivered at the promise behind his words. “Yes, it will.”

  A bit of turbulence brought me out of my thoughts. I stared up at the cockpit where Hayden expertly flew the plane with his copilot and employee, Anthony. For a second, Hayden turned my way and winked. It made me all tingly inside.

  Through all this, Hayden had been amazing. This morning, he’d held me while I cried. Leaving was harder than I’d imagined. All my life, in some way, I’d known what my future held. Now it was a blank slate. The thought was freeing and terrifying at the same time.

  After thinking about it most of the night, I decided to call my parents before we boarded the plane this morning. I’d blocked the number before I called, just in case. I wanted them to know I was okay and dissuade them from looking for me. Part of me had hoped they wouldn’t pick up, and part wanted to hear their voices. Which was odd considering what they’d done… but maybe not so odd, after all.

  In a matter of hours, I’d left everything I had ever known for a chance at a real life, freedom, and… true love. And if I had to make the choice again, I would give it all up for the chance at happiness. I wanted them to know this and understand my point of view.

  My parents hadn’t picked up.

  I left a voicemail telling them I would reach out at some point. When that would be, exactly, I wasn’t sure. It wouldn’t be until I had a grasp on my new life. Hopefully. So much still hung in the balance. I just hoped Hayden and I were strong enough.

  Chapter Six

  Kory

  Hayden came over the headphones to speak since we were in uncontrolled airspace. I’d flown with him frequently over the summer and learned more than I ever thought I could about flying.

  “Skagway traffic, King Air November 740 Alpha Whiskey ten miles south, inbound to land runway two zero. Skagway.” Hayden’s voice was strong, commanding. There was something insanely attractive about hearing him over the headset speaking pilot talk. Once before, we’d fucked in the back of the float plane after he’d landed in a lake surrounded by mountains. Thinking about it sent tingles along my skin.

  There was no response, which would be the case if no other pilots were airborne or in the area. Throughout the flight, I remained quiet while listening to Hayden and his copilot, Anthony. I had a lot o
f mental sorting out to do.

  There was so much to do. No matter what, I had a place to stay. Sooner rather than later, I would need to find a car, cell phone, winter gear, and other essentials. The five thousand wasn’t going to last long. I would have to plan out a budget. Living arrangements would have a huge effect on what else I could afford. Hayden had insisted that if we rented Alexa’s place, we would split the rent.

  Maybe I could get a waitressing job to help kick-start the inflow of money. I had done well with tips at Maggie’s. Waitressing wasn’t what I wanted to do with the rest of my life, but it was a source of income. As of five months ago, I had a bachelor’s degree, but had never had the opportunity to put it to use. Working while I was in college hadn’t been an option. Hell, I was lucky I’d gotten the chance to get a degree. When I’d brought up getting my master’s, my parents had put a stop to it.

  Again, Hayden’s voice came over the headphones. “Skagway traffic, King Air November 740 Alpha Whiskey, five mile final two zero. Skagway.”

  The landing gear came down, signifying that we were close. There would only be one more call before we landed. My family had a private jet, but I’d never been able to sit in the cockpit. The precision it took to fly a plane was mind-boggling. And typically, I’d spent flights with my family going over details of some mind-numbing, overly orchestrated event.

  “Skagway traffic, King Air November 740 Alpha Whiskey, short final two zero. Skagway.”

  The small town of Skagway became more visible. During the summer, cruise ships typically used it as the first stop. Skagway was a historic town. During the Klondike gold rush, people landed in Skagway in hopes of becoming rich. They’d stock up on supplies before heading up the treacherous Yukon Trail. From the air, it looked similar to Ketchikan, like one of those picturesque old towns written about in history books. I was already in love with the place.

  Home.

  This was my new home. My fresh start. And I couldn’t wait.

  The wheels touched down. It was a smooth landing with only a minor screeching protest from the wheels as they touched the pavement. We taxied up to the hangar, where the guys did the post-flight checks and shut down the engines.

  Hayden had three planes: a seaplane, this twin-engine, and a smaller Cessna. Most of his income came from booking excursions for passengers on the cruise ships. Hunters also hired him to fly them to remote parts of the state that could only be reached by plane. The size of the excursion and the location determined which plane he used. Prior to today, I had flown in both the seaplane and the Cessna. Today had been the first day in the twin-engine. It had been a smooth flight.

  The door to the plane opened and Hayden came back. “You ready, sweetheart?”

  “Yes.” This was an adventure I couldn’t wait to start.

  I only had two suitcases. The first held some mementos from my childhood—things I held most dear, like the stuffed teddy bear I got from my grandparents when I was sick with pneumonia at two and the water globe I got after seeing The Nutcracker for the first time. Seeing the ballet had been like a dream. Those had been the good days. After I turned five, I’d lost those grandparents to a freak car accident. I remembered being so sad when my parents told me I would never see them again. I never knew my other set of grandparents.

  In my other suitcase, I had some clothes, makeup, and a limited selection of shoes. These were all the things I’d purchased while I’d been in Alaska. By taking only what I’d bought myself, my parents couldn’t use the tactic that I somehow owed them something when I saw them next. I wanted nothing from them.

  As we walked down the stairs, the briskness of the fall day hit me.

  Alaska.

  The leaves were already changing, and soon, the trees and landscape would be covered in snow.

  Oh, how I loved this state. There was something about the clean, crisp air that awakened my soul. I took another deep breath. I can’t believe I’m here. When I’d hurriedly left Ketchikan, I never imagined I would be back.

  The last night we were together, before telling me he loved me, Hayden had casually mentioned meeting his family. It had wrecked me. I’d known I had to leave before I got in too deep.

  Hayden put the suitcases in the back of his truck, and I climbed into the beast. It was strange to think I’d never been in this enormous vehicle before even though I’d been on multiple dates with Hayden. While gigantic, it was clean and smelled of pine. It occurred to me that there were so many things we didn’t know about each other. Before he put the truck in drive, he looked at me. “Alexa texted me. Are you ready to see the place? Or would you like to get something to eat first.”

  If Skagway was anything like Ketchikan, my arrival would most likely not go unnoticed. The tourist season was over, and I would stick out like a sore thumb in a small group of local people. I wasn’t ready for that kind of attention today.

  Finding a place to live would be nice. “Let’s look at the house. I don’t know if I’m up for people right now.”

  “I understand. I’ll text her now.”

  Nervous butterflies swarmed my stomach as I thought about meeting someone from Hayden’s family or soon to be in his family. They must’ve thought I was crazy. “What does your family think about me?”

  “My family doesn’t judge. And Alexa is one of the sweetest people I know. She came from a shitty family. Beyond shitty. They tried to ruin her life. So she understands that sometimes family can be tough.”

  “She sounds amazing.” I looked forward to meeting Alexa. Hopefully we could become friends. I’d never really had a girlfriend that I could be myself with. I’d always been too nervous for anyone to find out the truth about my home life. I had few friends over while I was growing up, never had a birthday party with school friends or a slumber party as a teen.

  As we drove, Hayden told me a little bit about the town of Skagway. It was small—only about eight hundred people lived there. At a stoplight, I noticed two older women in gold-digging uniforms staring intently at us. They each carried a notepad and a pencil.

  Strange.

  “That’s Sylvia and Elvira, the Twiner sisters. They have a newsletter I’m sure you’ll be signed up for as soon as you give them your email. They are the town’s gossips, so to speak. You’ll grow to love them.” He winked.

  Oh my. They waved our way as we passed them, and my hand went up automatically. They definitely put a new spin on paparazzi.

  “They seem harmless enough,” I commented.

  He chuckled. “Don’t let looks deceive you. Hell, those women have a knack for being at the best place at the worst possible time. They do have good hearts, but man almighty, it sucks to be the center of their attention.”

  Hopefully, I’d be able to stay out of their crosshairs. That brought up a good point. “What do I say to everyone when they ask me any personal questions?”

  “What do you want to tell them? Whatever you decide, I’ll relay it to my family and they’ll keep that as the story.”

  It needed to be as close to the truth as possible. “Let me think about it. Maybe that I came up to Ketchikan to try something different. We met, and I decided to move to Skagway. If they ask about my family…” I paused, reality setting in. “I don’t have any.”

  That was easier than creating a family that existed but didn’t. And I wasn’t the type who wanted everyone to know what happened.

  “That works.”

  Chapter Seven

  Kory

  Fifteen minutes later, we pulled up to the most adorable blue, two-story house. The white wraparound porch was to die for. I imagined rocking on the front porch, drinking hot cocoa. The leaves on the surrounding trees were at peak color in vivid reds, oranges, and yellows. I wanted to pinch myself. The rent was going to be steep, but since we’d be splitting it, hopefully we could make it work.

  It was perfect.

  Hayden put his hand on mine. “What do you think?”

  “I love it. Wow. I never imagined… just�
� I have no words. And she wants to rent this place?”

  “That’s what Drake said. Want to hear what she has to say?”

  I smiled and hopped out of the truck. “Yes!”

  An older red Chevy truck that appeared to be in good condition was parked off to the side of the house. The large tree in front would be perfect to have a picnic under during the summer.

  A blond woman, who was about my size and wearing scrubs, walked out onto the porch. She shielded her eyes from the sun as we approached the front steps. “Hey, guys.”

  “I thought Drake was coming,” Hayden said.

  “He’s hoping to stop by in a bit. Inspector came by the Red Onion, so he couldn’t leave.”

  Hayden put his hand on my waist, and I loved the warmth of his touch. “Alexa, this is Kory. Kory, Alexa.”

  I extended my hand for an introductory shake but instead was engulfed in a hug. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Kory. Welcome to Skagway.”

  I immediately felt at ease with her. The unexpected hug was nice, and the nerves that had been building at the thought of meeting Hayden’s family ebbed ever so slightly. I waited for the questions or the judgment, but they never came.

  Alexa gestured toward the house. “So, this place was my childhood home. It used to be a B and B until my mother changed it.” She paused, and I sensed the sadness in her voice. She gave a little shake of her head followed by a sweet smile. “Anyway, that’s a long story to share sometime over drinks. Let me give you a tour and see what you think.”

  “Sounds good.” I was anxious to see the place.

  As I climbed the stairs, my heart sank a little; I’d never be able to afford it. Even half the rent would most likely be too expensive. But this place felt perfect. A new start for a new adventure. The house looked practically brand new on the inside. Light gray paint with white baseboards gave it a perfect feel. There wasn’t any white furniture. That was a welcome sight. But it was still neutral enough that any color could be added to give it the pop it needed.