Standby
Open Skies, Book Four
Becca Jameson
Copyright © 2021 by Becca Jameson
Cover Artist: Originalsyn
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. And resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
All rights reserved.
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.
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Contents
Newsletter
Acknowledgments
About the Book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Author’s Note
Also by Becca Jameson
About the Author
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Acknowledgments
I have to thank my amazing editor, Rebecca, for helping me plot this story! She rocks!
About the Book
Shayla
It’s been months since she broke up with abusive ex-boyfriend, Hawke.
The man won’t leave her alone. He texts, calls, and now he’s stalking her.
She’s exhausted but too embarrassed to share her problem with anyone.
When Jake catches wind Shayla is in trouble, he moves her into his home.
She’s had her eye on him for over a year, but it’s hard to let down her guard.
So she agrees to a bet that keeps Jake at arm’s length.
But Hawke’s getting dangerous and she needs Jake’s help.
Jake
He should have asked Shayla out months ago, but she was always taken.
Now it makes his skin crawl that a pilot is stalking her.
The threatening messages Hawke sends her are very troubling.
Jake will do whatever it takes to stop the madness.
The game they play with each other means he can’t touch her.
But it’s hard to keep his hands to himself. He’s got to convince her she’s his.
And that hurdle could be harder than saving her life.
Chapter 1
“Is something going on with Shayla?”
Hatch looked up from his computer as Jake wandered into his office and took a seat. “You noticed it too?”
“Who could miss it? I mean, we were at Kraft and Christa’s house for an engagement party. You can’t get more exciting than that. And yet Shayla looked anything but happy. Granted, I don’t know her as well as most of the rest of you do, but every time I’ve seen her, she’s been laughing and flirty and fun. At the party, she was withdrawn and quiet. Not her usual self.”
“Believe me, the women are all aware. Bex has been talking to Christa and Raeann about her. They’re planning to confront her and see if they can figure out what’s up.”
Jake frowned. There was no denying he was sticking his nose into someone else’s business. Nor was it any secret that he had the hots for Shayla. He had for a long time. Everyone knew it. Including Shayla. “Is she still dating that pilot?” He cringed just asking the question.
Six months ago, he’d had her phone number in his hand, ready to ask her out, when he found out she’d started dating a damn pilot. He’d missed his chance and he’d been biding his time ever since.
Hatch smirked. “I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure they broke up a while back.”
If Jake had known that, he would have swooped in and picked up the pieces the moment she was available. The woman was sexy as all get-out. Elegant and mysterious. Her gorgeous looks were a gift from her Thai mother. Long straight dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin. She got her height from her Caucasian father. The combination was fucking perfect. She could have been a model if she’d had the interest with her lithe body. Granted, she was only about five-eight but she was by far the tallest of all the women in her posse.
Hatch chuckled. “Sorry. If I’d realized you were that interested, I would have given you a heads up the moment she broke up with the pilot. I’m pretty sure she’s single now though. I’d give you her number, but I’m betting you have it memorized already,” he joked.
Jake shot him a glare and rolled his eyes. “I have her number.”
“What’s going on?” Kraft asked as he rounded the corner and entered the office. Deacon was right behind them. Great. Now everyone in the office would know Jake was asking about Shayla. Not that it mattered. They didn’t have secrets. Besides, if he called her, everyone in their entire circle would know all about it before he even finished asking her out.
Hatch waved them in. “Important meeting. Tank here is gearing up to make his move on Shayla finally.”
Jake rolled his eyes. Good grief.
Kraft slapped him on the back. “About time.”
Jake groaned. “Let’s not get carried away. I was simply asking if anyone noticed she seemed out-of-sorts the other night. Quiet. Reserved. Not herself.”
Kraft’s brows drew together. “Yes. Everyone noticed. Christa, Libby, Bex, and Raeann are going to confront her.”
Hatch nodded. “That’s what I basically told him. If she won’t talk to her friends, what else can anyone do?”
Jake grumbled as he rose from his seat. If Shayla didn’t spill the beans to her girlfriends, she was going to find him standing on her doorstep dragging information out of her by the end of the week. That’s what someone could do.
He wouldn’t ordinarily get up in a woman’s business, but he didn’t like the vibe he got from her. Maybe it was because he’d always paid closer attention to her than anyone else in the room. After all, he’d been eyeing her since he met her at Trent and Destiny’s wedding.
Jake left his three coworkers in Hatch’s office and made his way back to his own. He was kicking himself for not taking note of the fact that Shayla had possibly been available for quite a while now. Business had been picking up. He’d hired Deacon Matthews when Sweets quit to
