AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It took all the time driving from the tavern until Moe parked the loaner car for Breely to get her emotions in check. Had Moe said anything nice or comforting, she would have lost her hold on her tears. She was sad about leaving her new coworkers and boss, but it was more than that. She was going to start all over again, knowing she wouldn’t be fully independent or free of her family’s impact on her life.
She was Breely Brantt, daughter of Robert Brantt, one of the richest men in the world. Therefore, she would always be a target. If not from opportunists looking for ransom money, then from paparazzi chasing a story. Her brief life as Bea Smith, the waitress at the Tumbleweed Tavern, had been rewarding, but a lie. Stan had known all along who she was. It had only been a matter of time before others would have discovered her whereabouts and attempted to capitalize on it.
Her only light in the darkness was Moe. Yeah, she’d only known him a day, but they’d shared their life histories and so much more in that short time. She felt she knew him better than some of the people she’d worked with side by side on the ranch.
If what they’d shared ended up being only a fling, she’d remember their time together as beautiful and intense.
Moe acted as if it didn’t matter that she was the daughter of a wealthy man, but, if he were around her long enough, he’d eventually want out. No one wanted the hassle of living in a fish bowl, every move you made recorded and broadcast in the news or the trash magazines looking for drama, not truth.
Breely’s father had sheltered her from so much. Still, no matter how scary it was outside the tight security on the ranch, she refused to go back. This meant she’d always need a bodyguard and would always have to be on her toes, aware of her surroundings and careful not to put herself in a vulnerable position.
Breely climbed out of the car, reached into the back of the vehicle and grabbed the garbage bags full of everything she owned. She squared her shoulders and marched with Moe to the airplane as if she were marching into her future…or a battle. The two were synonymous.
At least she’d have Moe at her side during the transition from Bea the waitress to Breely the client. She wouldn’t be as alone as she’d thought she was when she’d left the ranch.
Moe tossed her bags into the plane, then helped her get in. He remained on the ground to perform a quick pre-flight check. Then he climbed into the cockpit, filed his flight plan and started the engine.
Breely settled her headset over her ears and adjusted the microphone to a position in front of her mouth.
Everything that had occurred over the last twenty-four hours roiled in Breely’s mind. Through all the images etched indelibly in her memory, the hours spent lying naked in Moe’s arms gave her the most comfort.
Ground control directed Moe to taxi to the end of the runway and finally gave him clearance to take off.
Moe pushed the throttle forward, and the plane gained speed, the hangars lined up along the side of the airfield flashing by in a haze.
Breely felt like the plane, everything blurring around her as she rushed toward her future.
Moe pulled back on the yoke.
The plane left the ground and climbed higher, leveling out high in the sky, Bozeman growing smaller with each passing mile.
A rush of panic threatened to overwhelm her. Breely had the sudden urge to get out of the plane. Now.
But they were already too high. She couldn’t get out. Her only options were to die or ride it out.
Her pulse pounded, and her breathing grew ragged. She was trapped in the plane and trapped in her life. There was no escape.
Moe’s hand closed over hers. “Hey,” he said.
She squeezed his fingers hard, her hand shaking in his. She hoped he wouldn’t notice.
He’d called her a badass.
Being a badass implied she had her shit together.
In reality, she was sitting in the copilot seat of an airplane, quietly losing her shit.
“Breely,” Moe’s voice penetrated her chaotic thoughts.
She grunted in response, unsure she could form a coherent sentence, much less a cohesive thought.
“Look at me,” Moe commanded.
She hesitated at first and then turned to face him, her eyes wide.
“You’re going to be all right,” he said. “Just breathe.”
When she didn’t respond, he squeezed her hand. “Come on. Breathe with me. Out with the old.” He blew out a breath. “In with the new.” Moe pulled air into his lungs, his chest expanding. “Now, let it out slowly.” He released the breath. “Again.”
