This book can be read as part of the series or as a standalone story.
Can missing a fatal flight be the wake up call Harrison needs?
When Harrison Kelley is banned from getting on Flight HA1710, it seems to be the perfect ending to a crappy couple of days. Not only did he wreck a wedding, but he’s drunk way too much and been on the receiving end of the groom’s brother’s fists. Being escorted out of the airport by security was just the icing on the wedding cake.
Elijah Pettifer has lusted after Harrison from afar for years but Harrison never sees him as anything more than a friend. If he ever saw him at all. While attempting to defend what little honor Harrison has left, Elijah gets caught up in the wave of chaos surrounding his teenage crush. But missing his flight home because of Harrison’s mess might just be the luckiest thing to ever happen to him.
With a 24-hour ban imposed by the airport, and having only each other for company, the two men grow closer. But will the fate of the airplane they should have been on be the push Harrison needs to walk away from the toxic relationship of his past? And can Elijah make Harrison see exactly what he’s been missing out on because of it?
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Reviews
Sexy For Review - 5/5 - "... Ms. Russell wove a tale of life’s adventures, of- you can’t recreate the past, but you can take the good from it and move forward. ... Harrison and Elijah are both beautiful souls finding their way through life and love and Ms. Russell has given them the platform to do it together. Beautifully written, Fallout touched this reader’s heart...."
Multitasking Momma's - 5/5 - "... Harrison also gets to realize who he is and see what he could become. Elijah finally gets the chance he'd missed out on and will get his chance to claim his man. The road to their discovery of what was clearly in front of them, is the icing on this cakish book. ... Sweet, rough, stupid, romantic. These are the words the come to mind when thinking Elijah and Harrison. Thing is, I realize I want more of them so want more of their story in the future. That need to know more is what makes them my fave couple so far...."
Rainbow Book Reviews - " ...This is an emotional roller coaster ride between two men transversing the territory between friends and lovers. Wise, honest Elijah just may be my favorite character in the entire series. ... As Harrison began to change, putting Elijah's feelings in front of his own, trying hard to improve himself, he gained my respect. All of the stories in the series are delightful ... If you like stories about honesty, forgiveness, character growth, and hope, you may enjoy this tale. Thanks, Meredith, for the excellent read. ... "
Prism Book Alliance - 4/5 - "....Fallout is an emotional rollercoaster, both before and after the plane crash, it’s also a beautifully written story of betrayal and friendship, and how sometimes only when things are really dark can you see the light and only then can you look at something with fresh eyes...."
Excerpt (From Chapter 5)
The day of the crash
Harrison downed the shot of bourbon and slid the glass across the bar. He glanced at his cell phone as the screen lit up. With a sigh, he spun the phone around and read the message. Throughout the day, Elijah had sent him a series of messages. Where was he? What was he doing? Was he okay?
Can’t a guy drown his sorrows in peace?
He sighed when his cell vibrated and Elijah’s name flashed up. The phone danced across the top of the bar. Harrison watched it for a moment.
Leave me alone.
He picked up his phone and canceled the call.
“Wow, that’s kind of rude. Just so you know.”
Harrison checked over his shoulder. “What are you doing here?”
“Looking for you.” Elijah took the stool beside him and rested his folded arms on the edge of the bar.
“How did you find me?”
Elijah shot him a disapproving look as he glanced at the empty glass. “The one text message you did reply to said you were coming to the airport. So I thought to myself where would I go if I wanted to be away from people and wallow in my own self-pity?” He scratched behind his ear and his tone softened. “This was the first bar I looked in.”
“You shouldn’t have bothered.” He didn’t understand why Elijah cared so damn much.
“Maybe.” Elijah sat upright on the stool. “I just wanted to check you were okay. After everything that happened.”
Harrison shrugged. “I’m fine. I just figured it was best to give everybody their space.”
“You mean Kevin?” There was a flash of something in Elijah’s eyes as he said Kevin’s name. Was that a warning?
Antony’s brother was a few years older than Antony and his friends. He was fiercely protective of his family, and always seemed to have something to prove.
“I’m not scared of him,” Harrison said harshly.
Elijah rested his head in his hand and looked thoughtfully at Harrison. “I didn’t say you were.” His voice was calm but firm. “But I understand you not wanting to get into an argument.” He spun Harrison’s phone around, lighting the screen as he checked the time. “How about we go and get you a coffee? Sober you up a little? Plus we can talk.”
A coffee sounded like a good idea. He’d been in and out of bars all afternoon. “Okay.”
Elijah patted his shoulder in encouragement. “Come on.”
Reluctantly, Harrison slid off his stool. He held the side of the bar to regain his balance, before picking up his flight bag and swinging it over his shoulder.
“Okay?” Elijah checked.
Harrison nodded. He was fine. Nothing a coffee wouldn’t straighten out.
Reassured, Elijah led the way, and Harrison followed. He had foolishly thought himself better off alone, but seeing Elijah now, he realized that was what he’d really needed—a friend.
As they stepped outside the bar, Harrison squinted against the bright lights. With a sigh, he looked up at the glass ceiling and appreciated the sudden feeling of space. Movement caught his eye to the right of him, and he was surprised by a group of people closing in, led at the front by Kevin.
“You stupid asshole.”
“Crap,” Harrison cursed under his breath and scooted a couple of steps back when Elijah and another blocked Kevin’s reach.
“I’m going to kill you.”
“Just leave it.” Kevin’s wife was at his side, pulling at the sleeve of his t-shirt.
Harrison raised his hands. “I’m sorry, okay? What else do you want from me?”
Kevin made to grab for Harrison again, but was pushed back by Elijah and the others. “You couldn’t see him happy, could you? Had to worm your way back in and confuse him all over again?”
“You think Antony was confused?” Elijah shook his head in disbelief. Antony was anything but confused about who he was or what he had done. “It takes two to tango last I heard,” he pointed out.
Disappointment pressed on his chest when he heard Elijah. For some reason he wasn’t entirely sure of, he didn’t want Elijah to think badly of him. So, even Elijah thought they’d had sex?
It seemed Kevin’s determination to reach Harrison faltered, and he took a step back, putting space between him and the men holding him back. “Oh, so you and him now is it?” He waved a finger between Elijah and Harrison. “You’ve been defending him all day.”
Elijah? Defending me?
“And you’ve been making out he’s the only one at fault.”
Kevin lurched at him. “He got inside Antony’s head. I know he did. Antony told me. He was drunk, wasn’t he? You took advantage.”
“So, what are you saying?” Elijah folded his arms and stood tall. “That Harrison lured Antony to his room? Made him gay for a night?”
Harrison ran his hands through his hair. Kevin was wrong. It wasn’t Harrison who had gotten into Antony’s head. It was Antony who was in Harrison’s, had been for years.
“Leave it Elijah,” he said. He couldn’t let Elijah take the brunt of Kevin’s anger.
“You need to face facts,” Elijah said. “It doesn’t matter if Antony slept with a man, a woman, animal, or fauna. What it comes down to is your brother is a sleazeball and a cheat. Screwing an old fling the night before his wedding makes him anything but the innocent party in all of this.”
Elijah’s words seemed to hit home, when Kevin straightened up. He looked at Elijah, clearly taken aback that Elijah had stood up to him, and he wasn’t alone.
Harrison looked from Elijah to Kevin. He felt pathetic, spineless. Elijah shouldn’t be fighting his battles for him. He met Kevin’s eyes. Anger still flickered beneath their cool grey surface. Maybe he should tell the truth, speak up? But was it really any better that he hadn’t had sex with Antony? There were plenty of times it had happened. No, there was nothing more he could or wanted to say. He wouldn’t keep apologizing for something he hadn’t actually done. So he didn’t even try. Instead, he walked away.
“Harrison.”
He guessed it was Elijah who called his name, but Harrison didn’t stop to find out if he was right. He walked the length of stores, bars, and restaurants, stopping when he spied the only solution he knew to his problems.
Alcohol.
Other Books in the Series
Six books that will change lives.
When Flight HA1710 crashes killing seven people the after effects are too many to think on. But how does the crash change people’s lives? From the pilot to the guy who missed the plane we chart the stories of those whose lives were impacted by the crash.
Retrograde (#1) ~ RJ Scott
Co-Pilot Lachlan Donaghue wakes up in hospital, a survivor of the crash of Flight HA1710, with memory loss and the suspicion that he could be at fault for the tragic accident. When everything becomes too much he is taken home to hide, back to the small Irish town he grew up in and to the home he once shared with Rory.
Rory Kendrick watches the news, sees every hour of the disaster unfold and somehow just knows that Lachlan was in the middle of it all. What he doesn’t know is that Lachlan will be forced to come back home to hide and to heal. Lachlan needs a friend, not a lover, but sometimes the lines are just too blurred to make any sense.
Velocity (#2) ~ Sara York
The crash of Flight HA1710 brings life into focus for Phil Stewart. Before meeting Davin Tierney, love seemed only a myth to Phil, but one night in New York City changed everything, giving him something he didn’t even know existed. But Phil wasn’t comfortable saying I love you. During the crash, Davin suffers a brain injury, leaving him in a coma. Phil wonders how love can be so cruel to give him Davin and then take him away so suddenly.
Davin never intended to give Phil a second look, but Phil broke through barriers and made amazing overtures before stalling on the word love. The crash changes everything, and he’s no longer willing to play it safe, but can Phil actually change from the playboy Davin first met?
Flashbulb (#3) ~ Clare London
Blythe Harris was taking his first flight to the USA and hopefully a whole new client base for his bespoke upholstery business. An adventure for him, he was both nervous and excited to attract the attention of a handsome steward. Things might have gone further – if Flight HA1710 hadn’t failed.
Marc Stafford is a self-confessed player, and he used his charm to seduce his cute passenger. But in the aftermath of the crash, he’s struggling to recover his confidence. The TV declares him a hero for saving passengers, but at night his nightmares trigger painful flashbulb memories of the crash.
In an Irish hospital, Bly realises that although his broken leg will recover, his career may not. And in Chicago, Marc can’t face returning to work. Neither of them can shake off the memory of their brief, sexy encounter. Both of them need to be with someone who understands exactly what they’ve been through. And on middle ground.
Aviophobia (#5) ~ Serena Yates
Richard Abbott finally overcomes his debilitating fear of flying, boards Flight HA1710 bound for Chicago, and when it crashes discovers that aviophobia isn’t the worst of it…
All his life Richard has been afraid of flying. He has no idea what caused it, but nothing and no one will convince him to get on a plane of any size. His job as a member of a major bank’s IT department in London does not require him to fly—until he gets promoted. If he wants to keep his job, he has no choice but to deal with his worst nightmare.
Camden Marsh is a certified life coach who enjoys helping people redefine their priorities and their life. He is on his way to Chicago to attend an international conference for coaches and trainers when he begins a discussion with the extremely nervous man sitting next to him. They have ba rely begun to explore their mutual interest when Flight HA1710 crashes and everything comes to a screeching stop.
Fracture (#6) ~ Amber Kell (Coming Soon)
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