Falling Read online

  Shaylie Beck just wanted to go home.

  She managed to snag the last seat on a late flight from New York to Denver. No one thought anything would go wrong. Nobody expected the unimaginable to happen. When the plane crashes, Shaylie fights for her life and is one of only eleven survivors.

  Piper Cole wants answers.

  Why did her fiancée’s plane crash? She lost everything that night, and the investigation is taking too long. To help cope with losing the woman she loved, Piper attends a support group for survivors.

  The friendship Piper and Shaylie develop helps each to heal, but as their feelings turn to love, Shaylie’s torn. She can follow her heart to the woman she loves, or she can come clean about what really happened right before the plane crashed and risk losing Piper forever.

  Praise for Kris Bryant

  Listen

  “Ms. Bryant describes this soundscape with some exquisite metaphors, it’s true what they say that music is everywhere. The whole book is beautifully written and makes the reader’s heart to go out with people suffering from anxiety or any sort of mental health issue.”—Lez Review Books

  “If you’re looking for a little bit of fluffy(ish), light romance in your life, give this one a listen. The characters’ passion for music (and each other) is heartwarming, and I was rooting for them the entire book.”—Kissing Backwards

  “This book floored me. I’ve read it three times since the book appeared on my Kindle…I just love it so much. I’m actually sitting here wondering how I’m going to convey my sheer awe factor but I will try my best. Kris Bryant won Les Rêveur book of the year 2018 and seriously this is a contender for 2019.”—Les Rêveur

  Against All Odds

  “This story tugged at my heartstrings, and it hit all the right notes for me because these wonderful authors allowed me to peep into the hearts and minds of the characters. The vivid descriptions of Peyton, Tory, and the perpetrator’s personalities allowed me to have a deeper understanding of what makes them tick, and I was able to form a clear picture of them in my mind.”—The Lesbian Review

  “Against All Odds is equal parts thriller and romance; the balance between action and love, fast and slow pace makes this novel a very entertaining read.”—Lez Review Books

  Lammy Finalist Jolt

  Jolt “is a magnificent love story. Two women hurt by their previous lovers and each in their own way trying to make sense out of life and times. When they meet at a gay- and lesbian-friendly summer camp, they both feel as if lightning has struck. This is so beautifully involving, I have already reread it twice. Amazing!”—Rainbow Book Reviews

  Breakthrough

  “Looking for a fun and funny light read with hella cute animal antics and a smoking hot butch ranger? Look no further…In this well-written first-person narrative, Kris Bryant’s characters are well developed, and their push/pull romance hits all the right beats, making it a delightful read just in time for beach reading.”—Writing While Distracted

  “[A]n exceptional book that has a few twists and turns that catch you out and make you wish the book would never end. I was captivated from the beginning and can’t wait to see how Bryant will top this.”—Les Rêveur

  “It’s hilariously funny, romantic, and oh so sexy…But it is the romance between Kennedy and Brynn that stole my heart. The passion and emotion in the love scenes surpassed anything Kris Bryant has written before. I loved it.”—Kitty Kat’s Book Review Blog

  “Kris Bryant has written several enjoyable contemporary romances, and Breakthrough is no exception. It’s interesting and clearly well-researched, giving us information about Alaska and issues like poaching and conservation in a way that’s engaging and never comes across as an info dump. She also delivers her best character work to date, going deeper with Kennedy and Brynn than we’ve seen in previous stories. If you’re a fan of Kris Bryant, you won’t want to miss this book, and if you’re a fan of romance in general, you’ll want to pick it up, too.”—Lambda Literary

  Forget Me Not

  “Told in the first person, from Grace’s point of view, we are privy to Grace’s inner musings and her vulnerabilities…Bryant crafts clever wording to infuse Grace with a sharp-witted personality, which clearly covers her insecurities…This story is filled with loving familial interactions, caring friends, romantic interludes, and tantalizing sex scenes. The dialogue, both among the characters and within Grace’s head, is refreshing, original, and sometimes comical. Forget Me Not is a fresh perspective on a romantic theme, and an entertaining read.”—Lambda Literary Review

  Kris Bryant “has a way of giving insight into the other main protagonist by using a few clever techniques and involving the secondary characters to add back-stories and extra pieces of important information. The pace of the book was excellent, it was never rushed but I was never bored or waiting for a chapter to finish…this epilogue made my heart swell to the point I almost lunged off the sofa to do a happy dance.”—Les Rêveur

  “[I]t just hits the right note all the way…[A] very good read if you are looking for a sweet romance.”—Lez Review Books

  Whirlwind Romance

  “Ms. Bryant’s descriptions were written with such passion and colorful detail that you could feel the tension and the excitement along with the characters.”—Inked Rainbow Reviews

  Taste

  “Taste is a student/teacher romance set in a culinary school. If the premise makes you wonder whether this book will make you want to eat something tasty, the answer is: yes.”—The Lesbian Review

  Touch

  “The sexual chemistry in this book is off the hook. Kris Bryant writes my favorite sex scenes in lesbian romantic fiction.”—Les Rêveur

  Falling

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  Falling

  © 2019 By Kris Bryant. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13: 978-1-63555-374-1

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, New York 12185

  First Edition: May 2019

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ashley Tillman

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Concept by Deb B.

  Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])

  By the Author

  Jolt

  Whirlwind Romance

  Just Say Yes: The Proposal

  Taste

  Forget Me Not

  Touch

  Breakthrough

  Shameless

  (writing as Brit Ryder)

  Against All Odds

  (with Maggie Cummings and M. Ullrich)

  Listen

  Falling

  Acknowledgments

  My biggest fear is flying. The older I get, the harder it is for me to get on that plane. It doesn’t help that I watch documentaries and reports on plane crashes and I know that the tiniest thing can bring a plane down. I wrote this story because in extremely stressful situations, the good in people comes out. There are always heroes in life, but most of them are quiet. I wanted to give them a story and I wanted love to come from tragedy. Life kee
ps going even when personal worlds are turned upside down.

  I’m forever in debt to Radclyffe and Sandy and all of BSB for publishing me and continuing to do so. This is my dream, and in order for it to come true, somebody needs to take a chance on my stories. So thank you. I have a good give-and-take with my editor, Ashley. She listens to what I think is important and isn’t afraid to tell me what doesn’t work. She’s right and I trust her 100 percent with my voice and my message.

  A picture is worth a thousand words, so when Deb created the cover, I almost died. It’s perfect. It’s sexy like my characters, yet still romantic with a touch of heat. Thank you for pointing out the bad, the good, and the really good in this story. Your support and encouragement is immeasurable. I’m lucky to have you in my life.

  Every book is a journey, and my friends are right there along the way. We encourage one another when we hit our word counts, we give advice, we take advice, we cry out for help, and we lift one another up. Writing a book isn’t a solitary experience. I have friends I can always lean on and trust to get me through the process. I love them dearly.

  Readers are the reason for our success. Thank you for taking a chance on our books and spreading the word. We couldn’t do this without you.

  This is dedicated to every stranger I’ve ever clutched during turbulence.

  And Dani.

  Chapter One

  The first jolt was jarring, but not enough to signal me that anything was wrong. I pressed my hands against the walls for leverage until the turbulence passed. I was used to it, having flown so much for business over the last five years. I leaned over the tiny sink to get a better look at myself in the mirror. The worthlessly dim lighting in the lavatory showed a tired and exhausted face. Today was never ending. The last day of the real estate conference had started at eight and ended at four. Traffic to LaGuardia was pure hell and I barely made my flight back home to Denver. I’d been in the same clothes since six in the morning and I was ready for a shower, my soft pajamas, and the book I forgot to pack when I flew to New York five days ago. I dabbed neutral lip gloss on and smoothed it out over my lips. The curl to my hair was limp so I fluffed it up the best I could. Nobody was meeting me at the airport, but I always liked to look good.

  Three minutes ago, when the flight attendant announced that we were beginning our final descent into the Denver area, I headed to the bathroom in the rear of the plane. The flight attendant wasn’t happy I was up and around, but I promised her I would be quick. Plus, I needed a reprieve from the three-hour make-out session two women were having next to me. It was sweet, but it reminded me I didn’t have that in my life.

  The second jolt smashed me into the mirror. My face felt tingly and swollen immediately. I gagged on the blood and mucus that filled my mouth and spit it out. I did a quick inventory of my teeth with my tongue. Nothing felt loose. I pushed up and struggled into a sitting position. I didn’t remember falling. I couldn’t figure out why the door was almost directly above me. A horrific grinding noise spurred me into action. Something was wrong. Something bad was happening.

  I pushed against the door and crawled out when the plane straightened for a few seconds before veering again to the left. Bags and personal effects were strewn along the aisle. Yellow masks swung furiously as the plane bobbed and weaved. I crawled to grab onto a cart crashed on its side against the wall.

  “Get into the seat!” someone to my left yelled. A flight attendant pointed to the fold-down chair across from her in the galley. I dragged myself to the tiny flip-down seat and held on with all of the strength I could muster. The pressure was all over the place. It felt like a ton of bricks was on my back one second, and the next I was floating. If the flight attendant hadn’t grabbed my arm in time, I would have knocked myself out on the ceiling. She helped keep me in place while I strapped in.

  “What’s happening?” I yelled even though I knew.

  She shook her head at me. It was impossible to communicate. The scream of twisted, stressed metal drowned out all other noises. We were falling apart in the sky. I begged for us to land safely, even though I knew the prayer was futile. I squeezed my eyes shut. No, no, no. This wasn’t happening. I was stuck in a nightmare. Wake up, wake up, wake up. A flash of bright light and a loud boom drew my attention to the circular window in the emergency exit. Flames blanketed my view and I flinched in horror. This didn’t make sense. The chances were one in ten million that a person would get in a plane crash. Not today. Not now. The plane had been fine for three hours. We hardly hit any turbulence the entire flight.

  I didn’t know if we were ten thousand feet up and losing altitude fast, or a thousand feet from the ground and just needed a place to land. The passengers were surprisingly quiet until the plane turned again and plunged straight down. I screamed with the rest of them until I gagged and threw up. People clawed for their masks, several yanking them completely down from the ceiling. I grabbed the flight attendant in front of me, surprised at the blood on my hands. My weight pressed against the harness seat belt that I had cinched as tightly to my body as I could. The flight attendant held my hands in a vise-like grip. Neither of us was going to let go. Her eyes were closed and her lips were moving. I didn’t know if she was talking to me or praying to a higher being. I didn’t want to die. I started praying, God, if you get me out of here alive, I’ll never ask for another thing as long as I live.

  “Brace for impact! Brace for impact!” a distant, garbled voice repeated over the intercom. That meant we were close to the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut. I knew I was only a few short breaths away from death. The plane throttled back and evened out for several seconds. I briefly thought we were going to get out of it alive until the belly of the plane hit the ground. My body folded like an accordion and snapped back when the plane bounced. I felt bones break. My heart jackhammered in my chest like never before. The plane hit something and fractured. The section I was in broke free and plunged sideways through thick trees. After what felt like eternity, it came to a stop and tilted up. The ball of fire that was the rest of the plane raced ahead. The tree line ended at a rock face. When the metal tube hit rock, it blew up.

  “Get up, get out! Get up, get out!”

  The flight attendant unstrapped herself and shook me. I must have passed out. Pain was everywhere. I knew something was wrong with my arm and it hurt to breathe. I looked at my side in confusion. A jagged piece of something was sticking out. I touched it and yelled in pain.

  “I can’t move. I can’t move,” I said, my voice fading.

  Strong hands pulled me up and a man with singed clothes held me close to him, careful not to touch my injury. Two other passengers wrestled with the door to get it open. The flight attendant held back people clawing to get out. It took about twenty seconds to get the door open and for the slide to inflate, but it felt like hours.

  “You need to stay awake.” The man shook me gently. “I’m Jason and I’m going to help you. We’re going to go down the slide together, okay?”

  I nodded and looked behind me before we crouched down to get out of the plane. It was too dark to see well, but I could make out bodies of people still strapped in their seats and some even in the aisle, or what was left of it. None of them were moving. The only light we had was from random flames that burned brightly in the forest beside us and seats that caught fire. The stench of jet fuel made me gag. The man holding me was drenched in it, but I clutched him tightly as we descended. He pulled me upright and walked me several feet away until he found a safe place for me to sit.

  “Stay here and stay awake.”

  I watched him climb back into the tail section and disappear. I looked around in disbelief. The plane had crashed and somehow I was still alive. I inventoried all body parts. My face was swollen and I had a cut that wouldn’t stop bleeding somewhere above my eye. I wiped the blood with my suit jacket sleeve but couldn’t stanch it. I looked at my side. Either a rib had popped out and broken the skin, or I was impaled by a piece of metal. I
t was too dark to see and I was shaking too hard to find out. I saw four people several feet away and stumbled over to them because I didn’t want to be alone. A lady reached out and helped me into a sitting position next to her on a fallen tree. We didn’t talk much. We just held one another, knowing we survived the impossible. It hurt to cry, to breathe, but I was thankful.

  The injuries around me weren’t severe. These survivors were the first off the plane. A young man fell and twisted his ankle. Linda, the woman who sat beside me on the tree trunk, had charred smudges on her clothes and across her face, but otherwise, there wasn’t a scratch on her. A married couple tended to one another’s cuts, but nobody seemed critical.

  “Is there anybody else alive who can’t get out?” Linda asked the flight attendant who appeared out of nowhere carrying a blanket. She spread the blanket on the ground and motioned for others to help. Sitting hurt like a bitch and apparently my injury spoke volumes because they all pitched in to help me lie down.