Just happened, p.1
Just Happened, page 1
JUST HAPPENED
FOR THE LOVE OF THE FLIGHT SERIES
KATHRYN KALEIGH
To learn more about Kathryn Kaleigh, visit
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JUST HAPPENED
PREVIEW JUST MAYBE
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
Annabelle Lawson put the cap on her thick highlighter and huffed out a breath at the long yellow streak across the paper. She would have to print a fresh copy when she got to the hotel. She leaned back in the leather seat and braced herself for the next air pocket. There was never just one.
She stared out at the checkerboard of fields below and wondered who the new pilot was. It seemed like every time she flew with Skye Travels Noah had hired someone new. His company was growing like gangbusters, seemingly with little effort on his part.
Of course, Annabelle knew firsthand that a company never grew without considerable effort.
Unfortunately, hers was suffering. A new medical waste removal company had come into Houston and had all but shut Steri-Waste down. Annabelle didn’t care so much about the company, but it had been started by her grandfather, Nathaniel, so she was determined to save it. Besides, Steri-Waste had funded her college and kept her from having to worry about money.
The plane dipped into the inevitable air pocket and Annabelle gasped. She preferred flying with Samuel, but he worked with Noah at Skye Travels now. So she now flew with Skye Travels. Unfortunately, Samuel was out with the birth of his first child, so Annabelle had been forced to fly with another pilot.
Noah assured her that he was top-notch, but she was having doubts. Samuel always went around the turbulent weather. She closed her eyes. In all fairness, she knew that wasn’t always possible. She was just miffed at having to fly with someone new. She’d met the copilot, Beau, but she’d yet to meet her pilot. In fact, from her seat, she could see Beau, but not her pilot.
She really just wanted to get this meeting over with. Over and done. She’d read all the paperwork, had her attorney double-check the contract, and was ready to just sign and get on with other things. Steri-Waste kept her at her standard of living, but more importantly her mother relied on the income. Her parents’ divorce had been bad. The brutal divorce coupled with her father’s floundering oil company, had left her mother relying on the Steri-Waste income. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something that held Annabelle’s interest.
But as executor of her grandfather’s estate, it was just one of her many responsibilities.
She was anxious to get started on next venture – a publishing business. Publishing was something she could get excited about. Medical waste. Not so much.
CHAPTER 2
Brandon Barrett made a swing around Mackinac Island for his own pleasure. He’d heard so much about the island. Somewhere in Time was his sister’s favorite movie of all time and she’d spent her honeymoon on the island during some kind of Somewhere in Time festival. He didn’t know the details, but his sister was intrigued as was her new husband.
He hit the Mackinac Island Airport runway at a perfect angle if he did have to say so himself. It was a short runway to begin with and the plane barely squeezed within the limits the runway could handle.
Feeling rather pleased with himself, he got up to see what kind of passengers he had on board. He’d already been in cockpit when they came in and his copilot, Beau, was taking care of everything in the back.
He stood up, stretched, and turned around to the empty cabin. Surely he didn’t fly all the way up here with no passengers. Beau hadn’t said much, but both of them were preoccupied with their own things. He went to the door and was about to call out to Beau.
Then he heard someone moving about.
He turned and saw her standing up and moving into the aisle.
His heart rate ramped up to full force. She was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
She wasn’t smiling. In fact, when she looked up and saw him, she scowled.
He’d just made an amazing landing and she wasn’t showing any signs of being grateful. None whatsoever.
She put her handbag strap over her head and gathered up her leather briefcase. She was wearing a charcoal gray skirt and matching jacket. She had on a forest green blouse beneath it. As she walked toward him, he saw that she wore a silver chain that sparked with about four tiny diamonds around her neck and diamond studs on her earlobes. Her blonde-highlighted hair was loosely swept off her face. He also noticed that instead of the traditional business heels, she wore flat lace up booties.
One of the side effects of having a sister was learning to notice such details. As she neared him, he noticed a light scent of sandalwood and gardenia. His stomach clutched as he became acutely aware of her delicate femininity.
He smiled and asked his standard question. “How was your flight?”
“Rather bumpy, don’t you think?” She gave him a half smile as she walked past him. Beau was there to help her down the steep steps to the ground.
Brandon rolled his eyes. She really knew how to crush a man’s ego.
As he watched her walk toward the waiting car, he smiled.
Beauty with an edge.
CHAPTER 3
“We make arranged merger, yes?” Jafar Patel smiled at Annabelle. “I bring my son Kabir. In India, his name means great.”
Annabelle smiled at the young man standing next to Jafar. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Kabir.” He was looking at her with an eagerness that was unmistakably interest in her as a female, not a business partner. She mentally brushed him off and focused back on Jafar. “So, shall we sign the papers?”
“Merger first.” Jafar continued to smile. “You and Kabir merge first.”
What did Kabir have to do with anything? She had been negotiating with Jafar. “She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
Jafar brought his hands together. “Merge.” He took Kabir’s hand and held it out. Kabir turned his palm upward.
“You mean introduction?” Of course. She placed her hand in his, then jerked it back when his grasp began closing over her fingers.
“Marriage.”
“You mean merger?” Was he still confusing the two words? When they’d begun their negotiations six months ago, he used the words interchangeably for awhile, but stopped when she continued to say merger.
His smile disappeared. “Not merger. Marriage.” He pulled a diamond ring out of his pocket and handed it to his son.
Annabelle’s stomach dropped. “No.” She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Marriage required for merger.”
“I can’t.” Annabelle needed to sit down.
“But you want the deal, right?” Jafar stood there holding the ring in one hand, his other hand on Kabir’s arm.
CHAPTER 4
Brandon sat within earshot of the little meeting. They sat on the porch of the Grand Hotel, supposedly the longest porch in the world. The view of the lake from here was breathtaking. The light afternoon breeze kept the temperature perfect. He wasn’t sure why Annabelle Lawson had chosen to come here to meet with some Indian men, but surely she had a good reason. Perhaps they had requested the location.
They didn’t know he was there. He’d been seated on a couch behind a planter spilling over with red geraniums when they’d met on the porch. If he understood them correctly, they were pressuring Annabelle to marry the younger man.
As her pilot, he felt some responsibility for her. Perhaps this was Noah’s influence, but when he flew passengers to a location he stayed with them until they were ready to fly back. He tried to make sure they were taken care of. They often invited him to dinner with them and other social events, but even when they didn’t he typically knew where they were and stayed in the same hotel.
As a result, he’d had some interesting experiences. He’d escorted drunken passengers to their rooms, straightened out hotel reservations, and one time he’d even taken a guy to drop off one girlfriend and pick up another – at the same airport. That had involved tipping a line crew guy to scurry one girl out in a car while the other was coming out.
“I can’t,” Annabelle said.
“But we talked about the merger and you agree.”
“I thought you meant business merger, not marriage.”
As Brandon listened to the conversation, it was becoming more and more clear that this was a major misunderstanding. The business man wanted her to marry his son. Obviously, they’d only just met. And Annabelle wanted a merger, not a marriage.
He rubbed his palms against his eyes. He was a sucker for a damsel in distress. No way he could change that now.
He stood up and went to join the meeting. “Annabelle.” He put his arm around her shoulders in a familiar hug. The top of her head came just to his shoulders. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
She glanced at him with a slight smile. “You’re late.”
He grinned. She was quick. He’d give her that. A little prickly, but quick on her feet. Unfortunately, he was pretty sure she didn’t know his name.
CHAPTER 5
A wave of relief shot through Annabelle at having this conversation interrupted by someone she knew – the handsome pilot from her earlier flight. Relief was promptly followed by a mix of guilt and anxiety. She hadn’t exactly been all that friendly toward him. In fact, she’d been uncharacteristically unfriendly. Critical even. And… for him to put her conversation with Jafar on pause, she needed to know his name – but she couldn’t have told them if her life depended on it. She had paperwork, but it was in the room.
She took a deep breath. She could work with this. “Beau,” she said, placing a hand on his chest. A very firm study chest. He wasn’t wearing his uniform now. He’d changed into a pair of jeans and a pink Psycho Bunny shirt.
The pilot held out his hand and introduced himself. “Hello. I’m Brandon Beau Barrett. Most people call me Brandon.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you Brandon Beau.”
Annabelle smiled and swallowed her gaff. He could have just gone along with her. It wasn’t like they were ever going to know any different.
“I’m Jafar and this is my son Kabir.”
“Shall we sit down?” Brandon asked, ushering them all to a nearby table.
Annabelle had reserved a meeting room for them, but the porch was all but deserted. This would work just as well. Brandon held her chair while she sat and then sat next to her. Jafar sat on her other side and Kabir across from her.
Jafar watched them closely. “What is your relationship?”
Annabelle opened her mouth to answer, but she wasn’t sure what to say. She glanced sideways at Brandon.
He immediately picked up the baton. “I’m her fiancé.”
CHAPTER 6
Annabelle felt a little hitch in her breath. She’d expected him to say friend or perhaps boyfriend at the most. But he’d jumped right in there with fiancé.
She kept her expression blank.
Jafar glanced at her hand. “No.” He creased his forehead. “You did not mention this during our negotiations.”
“Because I thought you just meant a business merger.” Why was he not getting this? And how could this possibly be happening?
“I see.” Jafar folded his arms.
Brandon pulled her close and kissed her hair above her temple. Little tendrils shot through her body. Though he’d changed clothes, he still smelled a little like jet fuel. When did jet fuel become sexy?
“Why do you not wear the customary ring on your finger?”
Annabelle found that she was getting her bearings. “We’re trying to keep it a secret. My father wants me to marry someone else.”
Jafar stroked his chin. “I see…”
“Only someone with Annabelle’s beauty would have this problem.” Brandon grinned. “I’m very fortunate.”
“When is the wedding?”
“We don’t have a date.”
“December.”
Annabelle and Brandon spoke at the same time.
Jafar smirked. “No. I don’t believe you.” He gestured toward his son. “I think you are merely trying to avoid marrying my son.”
Annabelle scoffed. “Kabir is a very handsome man. But you know that arranged marriages aren’t our custom.”
“And mergers without gain aren’t ours.”
CHAPTER 7
Fiancé? Where had that come from? Brandon kicked himself. It would have been so much more logical to have just said boyfriend. But in his defense, they had been talking to her about marriage. At least he hadn’t claimed to be her husband.
Though at the moment, that may have gone further to solve their problem.
Jafar obviously didn’t believe that they were engaged. He’d already tripped them up on the wedding date. If he started asking more questions, it would become even more evident that they knew nothing about each other.
“What brings you to Mackinac Island?” It was time for Brandon to use his skill of distraction.
“Kabir is looking to purchase property here.”
“A house?” According to Brandon’s sister, it was virtually impossible to find someone selling a house on the island, especially a house with a lake front view.
“Yes. He will buy a house.”
“Have you found one for sale?”
Jafar shrugged. “Not for sale, but when he makes his choice, he’ll make an offer.”
So this family had enough wealth to buy someone out of their home? Or so they seemed to think. No doubt these homes had been in families for generations. And Brandon knew firsthand that the longer property was in a family, the less likely it was to be sold. For any price. “Why here?”
“It is beautiful view.” Jafar waved his arms. “And centrally located in America.”
Brandon read between the lines. Kabir was looking for a green card. Or his father was looking for a green card for his son. Either way, Annabelle had no business being caught up in this. “My love, maybe we should talk about this. In private.”
Annabelle smiled sweetly. “We have talked about it sweetie. And we agreed that this was the best thing for the family.”
“Yes, but Jafar has added complications to the deal that we didn’t prepare for.” He turned to Jafar. Annabelle could yell at him later for hijacking her meeting. Right now he just wanted to get her out of this mess. “What other option would you consider?” Besides, they would expect the man to be the more logical one.
Jafar shook his head. “I see no other options. This was the deal we agreed upon.”
“There was obvious miscommunication.”
“Perhaps if I believed that you are engaged, I would be willing to consider other options.”
“What can we do to convince you?” Annabelle asked.
“There’s a chapel here, yes? Marry now.”
CHAPTER 8
Annabelle felt the floor drop out from beneath her feet. He wanted her to marry now? To marry someone she’d only just met? She hadn’t even known his name until mere minutes ago. She was certain Jafar could see right through them.
Why would Brandon come to her rescue like this? They did need to talk in private. But right now, she just needed to find a way out of this.
“Weddings take months to plan. Families have to be present. We can’t just up and have a wedding.”
“Not wedding. Elopement. Elopements require no planning. You can have big wedding later with your family. What’s not to like? You are here in perfect honeymoon spot. It’s very romantic to have secret wedding.”
Was the irony not lost on this man? He was suggesting that they have a secret romantic wedding. The same man who wanted her to marry his son as part of a business arrangement. His son whom she’d know less time than she’d known Brandon. Not that that was saying anything. “No. That would be improper.”
“Very well.” Jafar waved his hand. “If you change your mind, we will be in the hotel for four days. Until then the merger is off.”
Annabelle watched in disbelief as Jafar and Kabir stood up and walked away.
As they entered the hotel and were out of sight, Brandon touched her shoulder.
“What?” She jerked and faced him.
“What is this about? How did you get into this mess?”
She looked toward the lake, the waves gently rolling in. Mackinac Island Island had always been one of her favorites. She, too, had thought about buying a house here. But, one, she really couldn’t justify it right now. She’d probably barely use it. And two, there was never anything available. Unlike Jafar, she didn’t have the disposable income to offer someone three or four times the market value of a house.
