“Ma’am—”
“No.” I cut her off. “It’s not ma’am. It’sDoctorBrown.” My eyes narrow. “If you can’t help me, I’d be more than happy to take it up with your manager.” I turn and gesture to the remaining fifty people behind me. “And I’m sure all of them would too.”
A few of the people behind me applaud and throw their two cents in. I’ve always despised entitled people and always try to be kind and understanding, but at this point, I’m beyond caring. My request is reasonable. I need to sleep, eat, and shower.
The agent cringes, but steps away from her computer to speak to a heavyset man in a yellow safety vest, crumpled white shirt, and black slacks leaning against the door that leads to the disabled plane.
I drum my fingers against the counter and send my best annoyed glare in the man’s direction. He glances at me, then nods to the agent. Good. We’re on the same wavelength. The old Ava would never do this, but the new me is proud. This Ava isn’t a pushover. She’s got an iron backbone.
Isleep for ten hours, order room service, take my shower, and return to Denver International Airport later that evening. Sleep has revived me. I’m able to think clearly again. My emotions have calmed down, but I’m still livid with Pacific Skyways.
As I arrive at the gate for Lisbon, I have quite a few problems I’m gonna have to tackle. One, I have no idea how I’m going to get from Portugal’s capital city to Madrid. I don’t even know how far apart they are. I was too tired to care last night. Or rather this morning.
Two, I need to get in touch with my original hotel and let them know I’m still coming but have been delayed. Three, I need to find an app that can help me learn a few words of Portuguese.
I search for a place to sit and start on my list. Ironically, I pass the same sleeping man in the red hoodie from last night lounging near the corner by the window. The headphones are still in place, but thehood has slipped back. There’s no mistaking the dark brown locks and sharp jaw.
I throw my head back and start to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, receiving a few curious looks from passengers in the waiting area. “Well played, universe. Well played.”
Marching over to the man, I tap him on the shoulder. “Hi, Fernando.”
Slowly, he turns, peeling off his headphones. A smile pulls across his face, which is coated with a day’s worth of stubble. His eyes are red rimmed and bloodshot. “Ava.”
“Let me guess, you were on the canceled flight too?”
“Sí, I was.”
“I saw you sleeping stretched out on a couple of chairs this morning.” I sit down next to him as he removes a duffle bag from the seat beside him. “Have you been here the whole time?”
“Uh-huh.” He nods. “I’m like a cat. As long as I have my headphones and something to toss under my neck, I’m good to go. My friends used to make fun of me for it.”
I let out a small snort. “I’d consider it a superpower. I’d love to be able to sleep on demand, but I’m the total opposite of you, a light sleeper. Even my dog Max walking against the wooden floor wakes me up.”
He chuckles again.
“Why’d you pick to fly to Madrid instead of directly to Barcelona?”
“Iwasbooked for Barcelona last Wednesday, but my flight got canceled when I got to the airport,” he says.
I wince. I’ve only been delayed a day. He’s been waiting over a week. I guess I’m lucky. It could be a heck of a lot worse. “Two canceled flights in a row?”
He nods. “Now I’m headed to Lisbon. Hopefully, third time’s the charm.”
“I’m headed there too.”
“That’s a happy coincidence.” Fernando tucks his headphonesinto his carry-on and glances at his watch. “Are you in the mood to grab some dinner before the flight? We have two hours.”
“I’d love to, except I’ll just be keeping you company. I’m not in the mood to drop twenty-five bucks on something like a burger and fries. I’ll eat on the plane.” Sure, the airline gave me a fifteen-dollar voucher last night, but I spent that on a water and magazine from one of the gift shops. It didn’t go very far.
“I don’t blame you. Airport food is a rip-off. But I was thinking we could go to one of the airport lounges. It’s too bad it was closed when the flight canceled. I could’ve slept there, but at least we can get dinner. Their food is free when we get inside. I haven’t flown much this year, but I still have platinum elite status with Pacific Skyways until the end of next month, and I’ve got two guest passes. It’s use them or lose them.”
I bite my lip. Free is one of my favorite prices. “If you’re sure, I’d be happy to join you.”
We stand and Fernando stretches. “Most of the time, it’s nothing to write home about, but Denver has a flagship lounge and it’s pretty great.”
I adjust my backpack and let him lead the way. I’ve flown out of Denver plenty of times, but lounges are a brand-new experience for me. “Besides food, what do they have?”
“Unlimited drinks, fast Wi-Fi, showers, and a masseuse.”
