When Sparks Fly (Pine Ridge Romance Book 2)

  When Sparks Fly

  Holly Stevenson

  Copyright © 2019 by Holly Stevenson

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be

  reproduced or used in any manner without written

  permission of the copyright owner except for the use of

  quotations in a book review.

  To Lowe, for teaching me about kindness, patience,

  integrity, (and of course, a love for Star Wars). Basically,

  you're the best big brother in the universe.

  Get Your FREE book!

  Join Holly’s newsletter today!

  Chapter One

  “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Denver, where the local time is 4:27 p.m. Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until the plane has come to a complete stop and the seatbelt sign is turned off. On behalf of your Denver-based crew, we’d like to thank you for choosing Synergy Airlines, and hope you enjoy the rest of stay here in Denver or wherever your final destination may take you.” Leah replaced the speaker in its cradle and leaned back in the jump seat with a sigh. She was home.

  After a long week of travel, she was ready to get back to Pine Ridge and see her mom. She’d spoken with her friend Olivia, who was her mother’s caretaker while she was away. It sounded like things were going well, but Leah always felt better when she could see her mom for herself.

  “What are your plans for the weekend?”

  She turned to Bonnie, her coworker in the jump seat next to her, and shrugged. “Nothing too exciting. How about you?”

  Bonnie frowned, deepening the slight wrinkles in the corners of her mouth. “You’ve given me that same answer every time we come home. How can a pretty girl like you not have plans on her time off? It’s not right.”

  Leah smiled. “Oh, I have plans. I plan to go grocery shopping and to take my mom to her doctor appointment tomorrow morning.” She paused, wrinkling her nose. “And of course, there’s that plumbing issue on the main floor bathroom I need to call on.”

  Bonnie frowned. “You see? This is exactly what I’m talking about. You’re twenty-five years old, single, and so stunning you make the passengers’ heads turn, and yet all you have planned is a long list of to-dos on your weekend off. You work hard serving passengers all week. You deserve to have a little fun.”

  Leah lifted a shoulder. “I also plan to take a long bubble bath, and I’m meeting some friends for dinner tomorrow. How’s that?”

  Bonnie lifted an eyebrow. “Any eligible men among those friends?”

  Leah chuckled. “No. Just four of my close friends from Pine Ridge.”

  “Well then, how about meeting Kenny for lunch?”

  And there it was. Bonnie had been trying to set Leah up with her son ever since she’d found out Leah was single. Kenny sounded like a nice guy, and from the pictures Bonnie had shown her, he was handsome. But Leah wasn’t interested in dating. Between her job as a flight attendant and taking care of her mom’s early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, there was little else she had time for. She was fine on her own. There were circumstances beyond her busy schedule that forced her to be fine with it. But Bonnie didn’t need to know those details.

  As soon as the seatbelt light dinged off, the passengers sprang out of their seats like jackrabbits, clamoring to be the first off the plane. Leah was grateful for the distraction as she and Bonnie unbuckled from their seats. Maybe Bonnie would forget the question and Leah wouldn’t have to answer. They stood in the galley near the jetway and thanked the passengers as they deplaned. Out of the corner of her eye, Leah saw Captain Mitch Harrison move toward them from the cockpit. He stood next to Leah and nodded at the passengers who thanked him for the flight as they left.

  Leah had to bite her lip to keep from smiling as she saw a few women’s eyes bulge when they noticed Mitch. It was always fun to watch the reactions of the female passengers when they realized how good-looking the pilot who’d been flying their aircraft was. At a little over six feet tall and with the build of an athlete, Mitch was a double-taker. In his street clothes, he was impressive, but in his pilot’s uniform? He was heart-stopping hot. Rumor was, he’d even been contacted by Synergy Airlines to do some modeling for advertising, but apparently, he’d declined.

  Leah had flown with Mitch on the same route for two months, but she still didn’t feel like she knew him well. He always had a pair of wings handy to give to eager young passengers, and he was quick to jump in if any of the crew needed help. But whenever she was around, he was a bit on the reserved side. Which was fine, because his co-pilot, First Officer Sam Rogers, more than made up for any conversation gaps. The guy had the energy of a circus monkey.

  “So, how was the flight, ladies?” he asked, emerging from the cockpit and forcing Mitch to take a step closer to Leah.

  “Fabulous,” Bonnie answered. She leaned toward Sam and whispered, “Not even one fussy baby.”

  “Excellent.” He winked.

  Leah smiled, though she didn’t mind fussy babies. She sympathized with their parents and understood that certain things couldn’t be controlled during a flight. She turned her attention to the last passenger making his way down the aisle. He looked to be about her age and kept eye contact with her as he moved closer.

  “Thanks for the flight,” he said.

  “You’re welcome.” Leah smiled, trying not to show her relief at having the last passenger almost gone. Her smile slipped as he handed her a paper napkin.

  “Call me.” He gave her a head nod before rolling his suitcase onto the jetway.

  Leah blinked, noting with embarrassment the phone number scrawled in large bold ink across the napkin. She blushed and quickly tried to hide the napkin behind her back, but Bonnie’s stare and Sam’s loud snort made it obvious she wasn’t fooling anyone. Mitch shifted his weight beside her, and she wanted to climb into the rolling cart and shut the door.

  “Make a new friend on the flight, Leah?” Sam teased.

  She rolled her eyes, willing the blush from her cheeks. “You know flight attendants are always getting hit on.”

  Bonnie scoffed. “I didn’t get a napkin.”

  “You’re married,” she countered.

  “You could get married too, and then you would have a ring to keep the passengers at bay.”

  “Good idea . . . maybe I’ll buy a fake ring to wear during flights,” Leah quipped.

  “Or, you could give dating a try,” Bonnie pressed. “How about that date with Kenny?”

  Leah sighed, but before she could answer, Mitch cut in.

  “Who’s Kenny?” His clear blue eyes flicked her direction.

  For a moment, Leah was speechless. Mitch rarely addressed her directly. She’d begun to wonder if he’d ever even noticed her. “Bonnie wants to set me up with her son,” she said.

  He nodded once and looked away again.

  “Ooo, a date with napkin boy and Bonnie’s son in one weekend?” Sam taunted. “Sounds like you’ll be busy.”

  Leah held up her hands, her blush deepening. She was used to Sam’s antics, but somehow his teasing was more embarrassing with Mitch standing there. “I’m not going out with either one of them,” she said before turning to Bonnie. “I’m flattered that you want to set me up with Kenny. It’s really sweet of you . . . but I don’t think it’s the best idea right now. I’m sorry.”

  Bonnie’s brow creased but she nodded. “That’s okay. Maybe when you’re ready?”

  “Sure,” Leah agreed, grateful Bonnie had taken it so well. By the time she was ‘ready,’ Kenny would likely be long married.

  She did one last walk-through of the plane to make sure everything was in order
before retrieving her luggage from the crew closet. When she stepped onto the jetway she nearly bumped into Mitch, who stood looking at his phone.

  He glanced up as she walked past him, falling into step beside her. “Mind if I walk with you?”

  She looked at him sideways. Two conversations in one day? This was a new record. “Not at all,” she said, managing an easy smile.

  He glanced around as if to make sure the rest of the crew wasn’t within hearing distance. “I was just curious—why did you turn down Bonnie’s offer to set you up with her son?”

  Leah bit her lip. It was obvious Bonnie had put him up to this. She had to hand it to the woman; she was certainly persistent. She almost gave Leah’s friend Savannah a run for her money. Savannah was a wedding planner and self-proclaimed matchmaker who was forever trying to set her friends up on blind dates—most of which went horribly wrong.

  Leah sucked in a breath, not wanting to hurt Bonnie’s feelings. “Kenny sounds like a great guy, it’s just that I don’t have much time for dating right now.” That was the easy excuse. Her go-to when people wouldn’t let the subject drop.

  Mitch tipped his head to the side, and she couldn’t help but notice how well his pilot hat complemented his strong jawline. “What’s keeping you so busy?” he asked.

  She shrugged. “Just . . . life.” She didn’t want to expound on her mother’s condition or the resulting implications.

  He nodded, not pressing the issue. “That’s cool. I was just surprised. I thought it was only pilots you refused to date.”

  He met her eyes briefly, sending an unexpected jolt through her chest. Before she could reply, he tipped his hat and moved quickly up the ramp.

  Leah stared after him, dumbfounded. She hadn’t told anyone at work about her no-dating-pilots rule. So how did Mitch Harrison know about it?

  Chapter Two

  Mitch silently berated himself all the way to the employee parking lot. How could he have been so stupid? He knew better than to get involved when it came to Leah Hunter. Everyone knew she didn’t date pilots. He’d heard more than one story about a pilot coming on to her, only to get immediately shot down. He’d even heard of a few of his colleagues making bets as to who could get her to agree to a date, but none had been successful. The stories were entertaining, and he’d laughed when he’d heard about the rejections. But that was before he’d seen her.

  He could remember it so clearly: He’d been waiting in the crew lounge, checking the weather report, when someone accidentally brushed against his elbow.

  “Oh, excuse me.”

  “No problem.” He’d glanced up from his report and his mouth nearly dropped open at the stunning blonde in a flight attendant uniform. She’d given him an apologetic shrug, her deep brown eyes pulling him in so hard he forgot to breathe. She’d smiled and walked away, trailing her roller bag behind her.

  And that was all it took.

  Mitch did recon to find out who she was, only to discover she was the untouchable Leah Hunter. Any hopes of getting to know her better were dashed. He told himself it didn’t matter. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have plenty of dates to choose from. But he couldn’t seem to get Leah out of his mind. So, against his better judgement, he’d found out which route she was bidding for, and bid for the same.

  He’d convinced himself it would be fine, determining to avoid her at all costs. He was like a moth drawn to a flame: mesmerized by the light, but unwilling to get close enough to get burned. He’d been successful in keeping his distance. Until today. He knew Leah had some policy against dating pilots, but when she’d turned down Bonnie’s attempt to set her up with her son, he couldn’t stay quiet. He had to know more—why wasn’t she open to dating? There had to be a reason, and Mitch was determined to find out what it was.

  “What’s with the face? Aren’t you happy to be home?” Sam asked, taking the seat beside him on the employee shuttle.

  Mitch was so absorbed in his thoughts he hadn’t even seen him coming. He leaned back and stretched his arms. “Yeah, it’s always good to get home. I was just thinking about something else.”

  “Something or someone?” Sam smirked. “I saw you walking with Heartbreak Hunter. You know better than that.”

  Mitch shot him a look and glanced around the shuttle to make sure Leah and Bonnie weren’t onboard. He was both relieved and disappointed when he didn’t see either of them. He was always on the lookout for Leah, and maybe he could have pumped Bonnie for more info on the rejection. As it was, he was glad they hadn’t overheard Sam’s comment. He shook his head, forcing a casual tone. “What? I’m not allowed to walk with flight attendants now?”

  Sam eyed him. “You know what I’m talking about. Cozying up to Leah will only lead to heartache. I’m just looking out for you, bro.” He leaned forward. “Not that anyone could blame you for trying. She’s a mega hottie. Legendary.” He looked around again before lowering his voice. “You know Captain Cartwright?”

  “Yeah. I’ve seen him around the crew lounge once or twice.”

  Sam raised both eyebrows. “I once spent a seven-hour flight with him, and he talked about Hunter the entire time. He even cried a little at the end.” Sam snorted. “When Leah turned him down, he practically needed therapy. The poor guy was completely obsessed.”

  Mitch huffed a laugh, but his stomach twisted. Was that what he was becoming? Pathetically obsessed? He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat. “Why do you think she turns everyone down?”

  Sam shrugged. “Who knows? She’s friendly enough, but whenever I’ve seen a guy try to go beyond friendly to flirtatious, it’s like she instantly puts up a wall. Maybe when you’re that gorgeous, you get tired of people hitting on you all the time? I wouldn’t know.” He laughed and slapped Mitch’s knee. “But women are always checking you out, so maybe you can relate.”

  Mitch rolled his eyes. “Please.”

  Sam grinned. “Did I strike a nerve?”

  He ignored the comment, changing the subject. “Are you still up for watching the game tomorrow night?”

  “I’ll have to take a raincheck. Tracy wants to me to come to some family thing tomorrow.” Sam made a face. “To be honest, I’d rather watch the game. Her mom is making some kind of squash soup that she apparently only makes on ‘special occasions.’” He leaned back, giving Mitch a look. “You know what that means, don’t you? Her parents are fully expecting me to propose this weekend.”

  Mitch folded his arms. “Well, aren’t you? I thought you bought the ring.”

  “I did. But,” he squirmed, “I don’t know, man. I’m scared. Is Tracy really the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with? Like, forever?” He blew out a breath and removed his hat to run a hand through his black hair.

  Mitch nudged his knee. “Hey, I’m sure this is scary. I can only imagine how I’d feel if I was about to make a commitment like that, but you love Tracy. I’ve been on enough flights with you to know that. And she’s an amazing girl. Don’t let your doubts and fears get in the way of your happiness.” He looked at Sam. “You two belong together. Make the play.”

  Sam studied his hands. “Thanks,” one corner of his mouth turned up, “I’ll think about it.”

  Mitch nodded and stood as the shuttle slowed to a stop. “Call me after you pop the question and let me know what she says.”

  “You got it.”

  They gave each other fist bumps before Mitch grabbed his suitcase and stepped off the shuttle. The Denver sky was clear and the temperature was a perfect late-May warm. Mitch smiled as he walked to his truck. His phone chimed with a text and he pulled it out of his pocket. It was from his younger brother, Lucas.

  Are you home yet? There’s a Star Wars marathon on tonight. Do you have plans?

  Mitch smiled and sent a reply: I do now. See you in a few hours.

  Cool. I’ll make nachos.

  Mitch pocketed his phone and put his suitcase in the backseat of his blue pickup, tossing his hat on top and loosening his tie before
slipping off his uniform jacket. His thoughts turned to Leah, wondering what she was doing this weekend with her time off. He unbuttoned the top button on his dress shirt and shook his head. A night hanging out with his brother was exactly what he needed to get his mind off of Leah “Heartbreaker” Hunter.

  Chapter Three

  “Hey, guys, I’m home,” Leah called as she set her suitcase beside the entry table and slipped off her heels with a sigh. It felt so good to take them off after long hours on her feet.

  “Hey, Leah,” her friend Olivia answered from the living room.

  Leah smiled and entered the room to find her mom and Olivia playing a game of checkers. The TV was on in the background, as it always was. Olivia looked up and smiled, but Carol’s attention remained on the board.

  “How was your trip?” Oliva asked.

  “Long, but good.” Leah tried not to be saddened when her mom didn’t acknowledge her. Today must not be a good day. “How have things been going here?” She threw a questioning glance toward Carol.

  “Pretty good.” Olivia offered a reassuring smile. “Today has been a little cloudy though.”

  Leah nodded. That was their code that her mom’s memory was foggy. She’d been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease a little over a year ago. At first, things weren’t so bad. She would occasionally forget what she’d been about to say, or where she was going. But as the doctors warned, things were progressively getting worse.

  Leah had been on a trip when she’d gotten a phone call that her mom was wandering down the street, lost and confused. It was horrible—being across the country and frantic with worry. They didn’t have family around, but thankfully Olivia had been looking for a job and agreed to stay with Carol while Leah traveled. They’d begun the arrangement a few weeks ago, and it seemed to be going well. But it didn’t escape Leah’s attention that Olivia looked tired.