Hold On to Me

Book 3: Return to Haven

by Jules Bennett

Genres: Family Life; Women's Fiction; Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Jade Mackenzie left her high-society family’s expectations behind when she came back to cozy Haven, and she’s never been happier. But what’s supposed to be a quick trip to Nashville for a cousin’s wedding turns into a disaster when one of the airport’s pilots offers to fly her there. One crash landing and a shared room later, and tattooed, bearded Cash Miller is standing in as her gorgeously unsuitable plus-one — and turning her on in ways she can’t deny. But a relationship? A real one? That’s definitely in the no-fly zone.

Vincent “Cash” Miller doesn’t have much in the world, but he does have pride — and a strict policy not to let anyone trash-talk his friends, not even their mothers. Standing up for sexy, headstrong Jade comes naturally — but so does the bone-deep itch for her he’s always wanted to scratch. Giving in to attraction is one thing, but commitment is another. So why does it feel like together, love might take them to breathtaking heights?

Release date: August 27, 2019

Publisher: Zebra Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

Jade McKenzie would rather point her sporty car in any direction other than Haven, Georgia’s small-town airport. Because heading to the airport meant she’d be flying on up to Nashville for her cousin’s wedding, where she’d be forced to wear a hideous orange chiffon gown guaranteed to clash with her rich, red hair.

Orange? Who the hell chose that as a wedding color?

Oh, but it wasn’t just the dress that had thrust Jade into a foul mood. Pretty much any family gathering drove her to the point of needing an entire bottle of cabernet to get through. Of course, if she had that, she ran the risk of getting a nice red wine all over her tacky dress. If she thought that would get her out of the whole ordeal, she’d gladly make the sacrifice.

Jade never fit in with her family; she never wanted to fit in. The high-class, pinky-dangling, pretentious group just weren’t her people. Since birth, her parents had tried to mold her, to create her into someone she wasn’t. Well, more her mother than her father. He’d passed away when Jade had been a toddler, so she didn’t recall his role in her life. Her mom expected pleated pants, perfectly coiffed hair, and a smile at all times.

There was only one person in the entire McKenzie clan Jade actually wanted to see, and that was her spunky, out-spoken, eighty-year-old nana.

Jade didn’t know where she had ever truly fit in and felt like part of a unit, but she knew who her people were. The people who would have her back and share a glass of wine while discussing a bad blind date. They were her best friends and the sole reason she was still here in this tiny town with more specialty shops than streetlights.

As Jade turned on to the one-lane road leading to the small airport owned by her best friend, Livie Daniels, and her husband, Jax Morgan, Jade smiled. This place had been nearly falling apart when she, Livie, and their other friend, Melanie, had rolled into town over a year ago. Now, through the help of their small circle—not to mention several grants for funding—Livie and Jax were expanding and making this airport something grand for the town of Haven.

The movie industry had been all over Georgia for the past few years offering another option, one quainter and more personable, and to celebrities as their main goal once they were officially up and running.

Jade pulled her car up next to the hangar where Jax kept his Cessna Skycatcher. She’d learned quite a bit since coming to town and joining forces to revamp this place. Now she knew the difference between a taildragger and a nose wheel. Things she never thought she’d need to know at the age of thirty-two, but here she was, discovering aviation was not only fascinating, she found the sport rather sexy.

She parked her car out of the way of the construction crew’s mess and shut off the engine. The main building was nearly complete, with the addition to allow for a restaurant and gift shop, and she positively couldn’t wait to get that going. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that this place would become another tourist attraction for the growing town.

As Jade sat there, she imagined various landscape ideas for the bleak grounds. They would need magnolias for sure, plus some lush greenery and accent rocks. It couldn’t get too feminine and had to look professional and classy.

And she was stalling. Jade would much rather think of the manual labor of planting shrubs than get on that plane for a wedding she’d rather give up her favorite running shoes than to attend.

On a deep sigh, Jade pushed her door open, grabbed her purse, and rounded the car to the trunk. Might as well get this over with. One rehearsal and dinner, one wedding and reception, then she’d be heading back home in two days. That was all she had to survive of her family and then she didn’t have to see them again until . . . well, most likely another cousin got married and she was expected to pretend to be the doting bridesmaid.

The McKenzies had long ago given up asking her to join them for the holidays, for which she was eternally grateful. But there were still certain events she was obligated to attend because her mother never dropped the pretense that they were a loving, close-knit family. She’d only spoken to her mother on the phone a handful of times since “the incident”—her mother’s words.

The incident would be the scandal Jade had the nerve to bring upon their family. Not that her mother cared, but Jade refused to put up with sexual harassment so, yeah, she’d come forward, and she wasn’t the least bit sorry.

Jade jerked her suitcase from the trunk and extended the handle. As she wheeled it behind her, she clicked the key fob to lock her car and pushed “the incident” from her mind. She was over that whole nightmare and she’d come out on top . . . just like she always did.

She may be floundering her way through life, but at least she never failed. And honestly, she was having a good time not knowing what each day would bring. Who knew she’d start sowing those proverbial wild oats at this age?

The hot Georgia sun beat down on her back as Jade made her way across the grassy field toward the back door of the hangar. She gripped the suitcase with one hand and shielded her eyes with the other. The sun’s reflection bounced off the new metal roof and nearly caused her to stumble, but she charged on and reached the door without so much as a scuff to her new gold sandals.

The wind whipped her hair across her eyes and a few strands clung to her lip gloss just as she pushed open the new metal door. The second she stepped inside and shook her hair away from her face, she stared across the hangar and nearly growled.

Could this weekend get any worse?

She shoved her sunglasses on top of her head. “What are you doing here?”

Vincent “just call me Cash” Miller stood beside his Cessna Skycatcher. Jax’s plane sat in the opposite bay, but there was no sign of Jax.

Cash propped his hands on his narrow hips and flashed her that smile that curled her toes and made her wonder why she ever let this man affect her so. Her body betrayed her at every opportunity because while he annoyed the hell out of her, he also turned her on.

Damn him. Nobody infuriated her the way he did. He purposely pushed her buttons, and she could only blame herself. They’d started off on the wrong foot and stayed there for over a year. If she hadn’t been in such a vulnerable place in her life at that time, she could’ve easily handled his charms and tossed them back in his face. As it was, she suffered each and every time she had to be near him.

Because he was sexy as hell and he knew it. Granted, he would never know that she thought so. Oh, no. There was no way she’d ever let him have that leverage. Cash Miller had that whole dark, brooding, tattoo thing going on. He wasn’t the least bit polished, but damn it, he did have those good ol’ boy, Southern manners.

In all honesty, it was simply absurd that she found him attractive at all. He had too much ink, too much beard, too many muscles . . .

Nope. None of that appealed to her—she wouldn’t be so clichéd as to let that delicious packaging hinder her judgment.

Cash didn’t answer; he merely smiled like he knew some secret she wasn’t in on, and Jade tipped her chin and squared her shoulders. She gripped her suitcase handle and started across the hangar, the small heel on her sandals clicking against the concrete.

“Cash, what are you doing here?” she repeated as she came to stand within a few feet of him. “Where’s Jax? And what the hell happened to your face?”

He had quite the shiner on his right eye, which for some asinine reason only added to his badass sex appeal. Probably got in some fight over a woman. That would be just like Cash. Throw punches and then throw a woman over his shoulder and cart her off to his lair.

“It’s good to see you, too, Red.”

He knew full well that predictable nickname grated on her very last nerve, which was why he always insisted on using it. It was like he got off on irritating her.

Well, he’d have to get in line, because her family took that spot for the next few days.

“What did you do to your eye?” she repeated.

He shrugged as he hooked his thumbs through his belt loops. O-kay. Clearly he wasn’t going to enlighten her. Fine. She wasn’t really in the mood for chitchat.

“Is Jax here?” she asked, glancing around, hoping to see her best friend’s husband ready to save her. “I need to get to Nashville on time so I can relax before the show.”

“I thought you were going to a wedding?” Cash replied, his brows drawn in.

“Show, wedding; same thing with my family. Everything is over-the-top.” She pulled in a deep breath and prayed for patience. “Is he here or not?”

“Didn’t he text you?” Cash asked. “Piper is sick, so he’s home with her.”

Jade looked toward the ceiling and attempted to count backward from one hundred. She made it to ninety-eight before turning her focus back to Cash and forcing herself not to scream. This did not bode well for her sanity today.

“No, he didn’t text me.” She shoved the tall handle on her suitcase down and crossed her arms. “I have to get to Nashville before five o’clock at the latest.”

Cash spread his taut arms wide and assaulted her with that high-voltage smile once again. “I’ll be your pilot for today. Welcome aboard.”

Oh, he knew that announcement would go over about as well as a steak dinner at a vegan convention. When Jax had called because Livie was busy in a town meeting regarding the updated airport renovations and Piper had a fever, Cash had jumped at the chance to take Jade to her destination.

There was something about her that he simply couldn’t resist. Perhaps it was how easy she was to goad, maybe it was the challenge she continually presented, or it could be the fact that nobody had intrigued him quite like her in a very long time.

She shook her head, waves of red hair shifted against her bare shoulders. “Hell no.”

Cash couldn’t suppress his smile. “You hurt me.”

“Oh, please,” she scoffed, rolling those striking green eyes. “Your ego needs to be knocked down a peg or three. Where’s Tanner? He can take me.”

“Working and keeping Haven safe.” Okay, now he really was irritated. “Do you want to get to this wedding or not? Because I’m it and you’re wasting time.”

Jade shoved her hands through the mass of red hair and closed her eyes. He wasn’t sure if she was praying or thinking of ways to drive him out of his mind even further. Regardless, he didn’t care. They may constantly rub each other the wrong way, but Jade McKenzie was drop-dead gorgeous and it was definitely no hardship spending time with her.

Besides, considering his two cousins were in committed relationships with her two best friends, Jade and Cash couldn’t exactly dodge each other.

Livie had married Jax and they were fixing up this airport once owned by Livie’s father, all while raising Jax’s daughter. Melanie and Tanner were planning a Christmas wedding and expecting a baby shortly thereafter.

They were all just one big, happy family—present company excluded, because she looked ready to shoot steam out of her ears and throttle him. So five out of the six were happy family members, so to speak.

“I’ll take your bag.”

He stepped forward but stopped cold when those emerald eyes snapped to him. Wow. Did she rehearse that look in the mirror?

“You fly me there and keep your snarky comments to yourself,” she demanded. “Got it?”

Cash reached for the handle and stepped just close enough to see the faint sprinkle of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Since when did he find freckles sexy?

“No snarky comments? Then what should we talk about?” he asked, pleased when her eyes widened and her lips thinned.

With the most unladylike growl, she marched around him and headed for the Skycatcher. He and Tanner shared this beauty, but they were both saving for something just a little larger. With the airport expansion coming right along, they were going to need something that carried more than three other passengers.

Cash spun around and followed those swaying hips and that mass of red hair. She’d questioned his eye, but there was no way in hell he’d be getting into that conversation. Because as much as he loved to get under her skin, he knew she’d be humiliated if he told her what really happened. He had no intention of ever purposely hurting her, so he let her draw her own conclusions.

Cash didn’t even attempt to help her climb inside because he fully enjoyed keeping all of his limbs intact. He quickly stowed her suitcase and went to retrieve the winch. He’d just completed the preflight check when she’d burst through the door with her hair all about her face.

Which conjured up yet another mental image to add to his ever-growing fantasy list where Jade was concerned.

Cash made quick work of hooking up the winch and easing the plane from the hangar. This wouldn’t be a long trip, but long enough that they’d have to talk, and likely the incident from two nights ago would settle between them until they brought it to light.

Because two nights ago Cash had seen firsthand what happened when Jade became upset and disgraced. It was in that moment that Cash had wanted to slay every single one of her dragons.

Instead, Cash had allowed some asshat to punch him just so Cash had a valid excuse to flatten the guy to the ground. Cash wasn’t typically a fighter, at least not now that he was a grown man. But when he witnessed this jerk making a spectacle of Jade, Cash had lost it—and he wasn’t the least bit sorry either.

It had been an interesting night, and one he didn’t necessarily want Jade to discover. There was no reason to add more salt to her already exposed wound.

Once the plane was in position, Cash took the winch back into the hangar and put it away. Now he was ready to settle in for a four-hour ride. He’d drop her off, refuel, and head back. They could get through this like adults. He vowed to be on his best behavior and not irritate her . . . at least not too much.

Cash had rescheduled his clients for the day and his assistant manager was more than capable of running the gym without him.

As much as Cash loved being a gym owner and personal trainer, he didn’t miss an opportunity to get back into the sky. Flying had been his outlet and stress reliever during his stressful times—like his wife leaving him and his father turning to the bottle to cope with reality.

The extra income didn’t hurt, but he’d fly for free because there was something so peaceful about being up in the clouds. Problems didn’t exist, there was nobody to interrupt you, time passed without a worry, and he was actually looking forward to the long trip.

Cash climbed into the cockpit and settled in. He fastened his belt and grabbed a set of headphones from the center and handed them to Jade. She put her sunglasses on, shoved her hair back, and settled the earpieces in place before adjusting her mic well below her chin—a clear sign she wasn’t in a talking mood.

“So who’s getting married?” he asked, simply because he couldn’t help himself.

There went that vow to not agitate her, and they hadn’t even made it to the runway yet.

Cash concentrated on checking the windows, the belts, his flight log. When she didn’t answer, Cash glanced sideways. He wasn’t disappointed to see those vibrant eyes glaring back at him.

“Are you trying to make small talk?”

He smiled. “I wasn’t trying. I was succeeding.”

“Yeah, well, I’ll have to do enough small talk and smiles this weekend,” she explained as she focused her gaze straight ahead. “I don’t have the mind-set right now.”

Going through the familiar routine, Cash checked the wings and gauges. Even though he knew every single motion by heart, he still double-checked with the list that stayed in the pocket of the door. Most aviation accidents stemmed from lack of awareness or rushing or even omitting preflight checks. Flying may be a fun, relaxing sport, but there was still the need to be safe and smart.

“I take it you’re not chummy with the bride?” he asked as he eased the plane forward.

Jade let out an unladylike snort. “If you knew my cousin Ruthie, you wouldn’t ask that question. I just can’t believe she found someone who’d want to declare ’til death do they part.”

Cash couldn’t help but smile. He reached across and tipped up her mic closer to her mouth, which earned him a swat of her hand.

“Since we’re going to be chatting,” he explained.

Cash lined the plane up at the end of the runway and did one last check of gauges and wings. He announced his departure into the headset and started down the runway. As he picked up speed, he caught from the corner of his eye Jade’s clenched fists and white knuckles.

A gentleman wouldn’t call her on it, but . . .

“I didn’t know you were afraid of flying.”

“I’m not afraid of anything.”

Cash wasn’t going to point out that her teeth were clenched and there had to be nail marks on her palms.

He lifted the plane and started their ascent. Through the headset came her swift intake of breath. If anyone else sat in that seat so close to him, Cash would’ve reached across and offered a comfort squeeze. But Jade was tough and she was proud. She didn’t want to appear weak—just another reason why the other night shouldn’t be brought up.

Jade had always been that way. In school she’d been the tough girl. Rich, but tough. Some mistook her for being snotty or too uppity, but Cash never saw her that way.

Oh, sure, she dressed nice and probably used all the proper forks in the right order, but that was her upbringing. Her parents were wealthy and had high expectations. Which was probably why Jade felt she had to attend this wedding. The woman was loyal; nobody could ever deny that.

She’d come to Haven with Livie when her father passed, and Jade had ended up staying. She now lived in Livie’s childhood home, but he honestly had no clue what her future plans were. He knew she’d started teaching hot yoga classes in the next county, and try as he might, he couldn’t get her to come to his gym to teach. He couldn’t even get her to discuss it. Anytime he broached the subject, she instantly came back with the argument that they should never work together.

Once the plane leveled out, Cash risked a glance at her. “All right?”

She blew out a slow breath and nodded. “I’m not a fan of takeoffs.”

“Duly noted.”

“Or landings,” she quickly added.

Cash surveyed the gears and controls. “I’ll be sure to give you a smooth landing.”

“Why don’t we discuss something else?” she suggested. “Or better yet, not talk.”

“For four hours?” he asked, glancing to his controls and then to the bright-blue horizon. “You think you can ignore me that long in this tight space?”

“I could if you’d be quiet.”

Cash shook his head. “Not likely. You can pick the topic if that makes you more comfortable.”

She toyed with the hem of her little black dress, which stopped right at her knees. He really shouldn’t be admiring her tanned knees, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Fine. Let’s talk about that shiner. Did you spar with the wrong guy?”

“Oh, he was the wrong guy all right,” Cash muttered. “Let’s just say I had my reasons for letting him take a swing.”

Jade grunted or laughed, he couldn’t really tell.

“I never would’ve taken you for a guy who let anyone get the best of him.”

Cash ground his molars to keep from defending himself. . . because at the time, it had been more important to defend her. A black eye was nothing in comparison to the way that bastard had treated Jade. Even thinking about it now set Cash off, made him angry all over again. No man should ever treat a woman like she’s not worth everything in the world. Breaking up is one thing, but being a complete bastard is unacceptable.

“So where’s the wedding?”

Jade shifted in her seat and smoothed down her dress. “You really don’t want to talk about that fight, do you?”

“No.”

“Male ego, I get it,” she said with an extra bit of confidence, though she had no idea his reason for the fight. “Fine. We can move on. The wedding is at some country club that no doubt Ruthie’s parents were founding members and are on the board of, or some such nonsense. I’m sure it’s the most prestigious in the state and there will be a flurry of wedding planners and photographers racing around to make sure her day is nothing short of perfection.”

Cash watched the horizon and listened to her sultry voice come through the headset. He’d known Jade since junior high, but it wasn’t until she moved back a year ago that he’d gotten to know her better. Not that they were chummy by any means, but they’d tolerated each other for the sake of their friends.

In school, Jade had been three years older than him and definitely not hanging in the same circles. Cash’s circle had been so minuscule, with only Jax and Tanner. Cash had been too embarrassed to get closer to anyone else. With his mother gone and his dad hitting the bottle every waking minute, it wasn’t as if Cash felt like inviting friends over.

Girls were easy, though. They never expected to come to his house. He dated quite a bit, then ended up in the Air Force and came home and married the first woman he thought he might love. Turned out, there was no love from either of them and he’d been desperately seeking someone to fill a void.

His father’s bottle habit had turned to pills; then he just decided to combine them both and currently was slowly killing himself. Cash had urged his dad to seek help and this time really stick to the program. Each day that passed without a call that his father had checked himself out was a success.

“Don’t even get me started on the dress,” Jade went on, cutting through his thoughts. “I’ll shut up. You don’t need me grouchy for the rest of the trip.”

Cash shrugged. “At least your anger is pointed at someone else, not me.” . . .