Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 97633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Read Online Books/Novels: | Up in Smoke (Hotshots #4) |
|---|---|
Author/Writer of Book/Novel: | Annabeth Albert |
| Language: | English |
| ISBN/ ASIN: | 0369703820 (ISBN13: 9780369703828) |
| Book Information: | |
Three Men and a Baby meets Backdraft with explosive chemistry and heartfelt feels. Freewheeling smoke jumper Brandt Wilder thrives on adrenaline. He’s never met a parachute he can’t repair or a dangerous situation he couldn’t wrangle his way out of. He’s popular and fun-loving and not at all looking to settle down or form lasting relationships. It’s a lifestyle that’s served him well…right up until the day he finds a baby on his doorstep. Shane Travis is used to putting his country music career—and his own happiness—on hold after his sister rolls through his life. Like last spring when she convinced him to try skydiving for his birthday—and she walked away with the hot parachute instructor. Now he gets to deliver the piece of news that will upend Brandt’s carefree life: he very well might be a dad. Shane’s niece is safe in Brandt’s strong, capable hands, but too many questions remain unanswered. Co-parenting while they sort it out leads to late-night talks, and soul-bearing confessions lead to a most inconvenient attraction. Still, Shane can’t leave this makeshift family behind—even if it means playing house with the one man he can’t resist. | |
| Books in Series: | Hotshots Series by Annabeth Albert |
| Books by Author: | Annabeth Albert |
Chapter One
Grangeville, Idaho
“I have a bad feeling about this.” Shane wasn’t kidding. Dread coiled low in his gut, tightening his abs, making it hard to sit comfortably on the hard plastic chairs in the waiting area.
“Quit being a baby.” Tossing her long hair, Shelby trotted out her rarely used big sister voice. “You never know, you might love it.”
“You said that about those fire chips too,” he reminded her, memory of the incendiary potato chips making his mouth tingle.
Shelby was in a great mood this morning, especially considering it was prior to noon and this teeny airport didn’t even have coffee. But then again, knowing Shelby, her good mood was probably precisely because it had been late night.
“Come on. At least smile. It’s your birthday.” She gave an exaggerated grin like she was coaching him through it.
Mimicking her, he dutifully pasted on the same smile he used with media and fans when they asked about his love life. “There. See?”
“That’s not a real smile.” She huffed out a breath, perfectly glossed lips pursing. This idea might be all kinds of stupid, but if they were about to die, at least she’d look pretty doing it.
“You’re having me jump out of a perfectly good airplane. I’ll smile when we’re on the ground.”
“I bet you smile before that.” A guy a little older than him and Shelby made his way to where they sat. Long, purposeful strides, the kind Shane associated with cowboys and military personnel. Blond, shaggy hair that was just shy of needing a ponytail to tame it. Rugged stubbly jaw that was somewhere between lazy and beard. Hazel eyes with crinkly lines, like he laughed his way through life. Freckled, tanned skin that said he spent too much time in the sun. In short, he was gorgeous, but everything about the way he carried himself said he likely knew it.
“Hi again, Wilder,” Shelby simpered, losing her sisterly bossiness in favor of batting her eyes and softening her mouth. Shane should have known that her sudden interest in taking him skydiving for his birthday involved a hot guy. She’d tried hard to drag her friend Macy along, but she’d wisely chosen to sleep in, unswayed by Shelby’s latest obsession.
“Shelby. Thought I recognized your name on the itinerary. Glad you could come by.” This Wilder guy had a great voice. Shane had heard enough DJs over the years to know Wilder could give most radio personalities a run for their money with his low, sexy voice that managed to be both light and sincere at the same time.
“I did. And I brought my baby brother, the birthday boy.” Shelby motioned absently to Shane, eyes still locked on this Wilder.
“Happy birthday, brother.” Wilder had another easy grin for Shane.
“I’m Shane Travis.” He stuck out a hand because he couldn’t trust Shelby with details like names. And he did have some manners. “My sister’s been talking this up all morning.”
“Fabulous. Shane, I’m Brandt Wilder. And there’s no better way to spend a birthday than with your head in the clouds.”
“If you say so.” Shane could think of a whole list of places he might rather be than right here with Shelby’s latest obsession, about to trust his life to a thin piece of nylon and this sky cowboy’s expertise.
“Okay, so here’s how it works.” Brandt rubbed his hands together. “You’ll watch a training video, then we suit up, and we do some practice exercises, then up we go for the tandem jumps. We already reviewed your waivers. My buddy Dallas, who owns this outfit, will have you in good hands, beautiful. I’ll take the birthday boy.”
“But I wanted to go with you.” Lower lip coming out, Shelby pouted. She’d win of course. She always did.
“I know, darlin’. But we gotta go by weight and height. I’m the tallest—”
“Yeah, you are.” She gave him a blatantly appreciative once-over that made Shane need to look away.
“Anyway, since I’m taller and stronger but not as heavy, I’ll need to take your brother. We need to balance the weights.” He gestured at another guy, who was shorter and older but ripped, with a rugged face. As far as consolation prizes went, Shelby hadn’t done too badly for herself, but she still managed to pout all through the safety video and lecture.
For his part, Shane tried to pay attention. No way was he about to die simply because he’d missed some critical tip. He had a show in two nights in Spokane that he couldn’t miss. Thankfully, Shelby and Macy, who was an aspiring folk singer, were headed to a festival outside Bozeman. He wouldn’t meet up with them again until Cheyenne. God bless the start of festival and outdoor concert season. If he was careful with his pennies, he’d be able to afford another winter in Nashville, pounding the pavement in search of his dreams. Maybe sell another song or two in the meantime. Life was too promising to go splat parachuting.