Blanket of Stars

Contents PrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31EpilogueConnect With MeDangerous Hearts ExcerptOver the Moon ExcerptMore K.K. Allen BooksAcknowledgmentsAbout K.K. Allen Copyright This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Copyright © 2023 by K.K. Allen Cover Design: Qamber Designs Cover Photography: Wander Aguiar Editing / Proofreading: Red Adept Editing Formatting: K.K. Allen All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the US Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Contact [email protected] with questions. To everyone who supported this series from the very beginning. This one is for you! PrologueCAYSON Medically unfit to serve in the United States Air Force. The final determination from the phrase circles my mind like dirty water down a clogged drain. When Captain McHale requested for me to return to base to discuss the medical review board’s decision regarding my medical leave, I anticipated an ending just like this. But after being driven off my North Carolina base, the place I once called home, it all feels like I’m trapped in a bad dream. Nearly one year ago, I was flight commander of a rescue plane on our return flight home from Puerto Rico when a mechanical failure brought us down. The near-fatal plane crash into the Atlantic left me some gnarly scars, several broken bones, and a week-long coma. But I survived, and I’ve been following my rehabilitation program to the letter ever since. Thanks to my three brothers and sister, I’ve been living in my hometown of Orcas Island, Washington, under their constant supervision. Despite the steady progress, it’s not enough to save my ass when it comes to the rigorous standards of the Air Force. Sure, my vision still isn’t perfect, but after months of therapy, my neuro-optometrist tells me that with some corrective lenses, there’s hope for me yet. He’s not ruling out my ability to fly again, but as far as the Air Force is concerned, the injuries I sustained make me too much of a liability to promise me a future. So, here I am at twenty-six, a retired first lieutenant with my entire life ahead of me. At least the military offered me retirement. Without the allotted twenty years under my belt, my disability retired pay is all that I’m left with. “What will you do now?” my fellow airman, Louis, asks later that evening while out for drinks at our favorite hole-in-the-wall bar. I’m still in shock as I lean my crutches against the bar beside me. My eyes feel glued open, my thoughts whirring far too fast to process. “I don’t know, man. Go back home to Orcas Island, I guess.” Louis frowns. “Bullshit. This is your home. You’ve already been gone long enough. Stay here, finish your rehabilitation, and appeal your discharge. They’ll take another look at you when you’re all healed up. Guaranteed.” My frown deepens with the shake of my head. “I don’t know.” “The only reason they’re cutting you loose is because you chose to get treatment off-site. Stay here. Continue rehab. Don’t give up.” Give up. That’s the last thing I would ever do, but I understand why he sees it that way. “The captain isn’t giving me a choice, and I’m sorry, but I’m not going to wait around here hoping the medical board changes their mind while the days pass me by.” Louis maintains a look of baffled surprise. “So, that’s it, huh? You lose your wings, and you walk away from the only family who ever supported you?” I sit up straighter, my chest puffing out with pride. “My family has always supported me, Lou. It’s me who walked away all those years ago.” “You weren’t the only one,” he mutters before taking a sip of his drink. While I know Louis has only ever had my back, I feel a strong sense of defensiveness over my family. Sure, we went through our share of difficult times, but they’re still my blood. “Maybe this is a sign that it’s time I start supporting them.” I let out a deep breath and settle my gaze on Louis. “Besides, I’m not losing anything. The discharge wasn’t my choice, but it was the right one.” “You won’t even consider an appeal?” My face tightens in frustration, the temptation of appealing the Air Force’s decision far too great to ignore, but I tell him exactly what I’ve been telling myself ever since I anticipated my discharge looming. “Between my vision and physical therapy alone, I’ve got months before I’d be able to appeal.” Louis tilts his head. “What’s going on with your vision?” I sigh while shrugging. “Everything’s blurry. Doc says it’s from the brain trauma, so vision therapy has been helpful, but not enough to fly again. We think corrective surgery will do the trick. No one can be certain. Even after I get that, it could be months before I’d pass an eye exam the FAA would approve of.” His shoulders slump. “That’s shitty, dude. I’m sorry you’re going through all this. You got the worst of it out of everyone in your squadron.” He’s right, and I’m more grateful for that than he’ll ever know. We’re also all lucky to be alive. “Right,” I tell him. “And the last thing I want to do is take a spot from someone deserving. Someone healthy. That just wouldn’t be fair.” “You’re the most deserving man I know.” We clink our glasses to that. If there’s anyone I’m going to miss, it’s him. We’ve been through everything together—training, school,