The ride to the airport was quick and easy. They parked in long term parking and Brooke unloaded their bags, pulling her own backpack on as she went. Airport security made her anxiety spike a bit, if she was being honest. The last few times she had flown, she had been patted down. Which, that wasn’t too bad, but just the stress of holding up the line, the pressure of making others wait, just for you to get felt up in front of them was a bit much.
Without thinking about it, Brooke grabbed the two larger, checked bags, and nudged the smaller carry-on bags toward Anna. Anna just let out a laugh.“I get that you’re chivalrous, but I can roll my own bag.” Anna clearly wasn’t mad, her voice was teasing.
Brooke looked down at how she had arranged things and blushed. She could feel the tips of her ears heat up.“Sorry, I was”—
Anna reached out and ran her palm down Brooke’s forearm.“Stressed the fuck out?” Anna offered.
It dawned on Brooke then that that’s why Anna had hugged her twice. Anna noticed everything. She nodded and took a deep breath.“Yeah, that about sums it up.”
Anna nodded, leaving her hand on Brooke’s forearm.“I get that, but I’m not here to add baggage.” She winked playfully, proud of her own pun.“I’m here to help alleviate it.” She nodded towards the two carry-on bags, clearing her throat when Brooke didn’t immediately shuffle over to them.
Brooke huffed out a laugh and sighed dramatically as she moved to roll the two smaller bags towards the little shuttle bus stop a mere twenty feet away. They switched back to their own luggage while they waited for the shuttle to pull up, Anna’s point fully proved. She also had put her hand back on Brooke's arm while they waited.
It was comforting, the contact, in a way that Brooke hadn’t expected. Usually her body’s reaction to Anna was a racing pulse, sweating, and more anxiety. But now, as they waited for the airport shuttle to make it to their stop, it only brought comfort and reassurance. Brooke all but leaned into it.
Per usual, and expectation, Brooke set off their airport scanners. Anna cracked up from behind her, waiting just outside the body scan. Brooke sighed and lifted her hands up, annoyed more than anything.“Didn’t think you were the type of woman who let ladies into their pants that easily,” Anna teased after they were through with the whole ordeal. She nudged Brooke with her shoulder, actually getting a smile out of Brooke.
“Oh, I’ll have you know…” Brooke laughed, trailing off. She shook her head.“I can’t even land the joke. You’d be correct in your assumption.”
“What? I for one am shocked,” Anna said, dramatically.
Brooke just blushed, thankful for Anna’s easy banter. It was truly effective in keeping her from stressing. She pointed at a map.“Come on, let’s find our gate so we can get real food before we take off.”
They got settled into a restaurant bar that was still close enough to their gate that Brooke could watch the boarding screen.
“Okay, I’m ordering us drinks, what do you want?” Anna asked, rubbing her hands together excitedly.
Brooke shrugged.“I would take some water.”
Anna nodded.“Yes, and?”
“Oh, you mean like, fun drinks?”
“Yes, as in we’re officially on vacation. We are going to a country I’ve never been to before, to go to your little brother’s wedding! Wine? Or something more fun?” Anna’s smile could only be described as trouble.
Oh god, getting drunk with Anna sounded dangerous. Maybe a little too dangerous, but they only had about an hour until their flight and theyweregoing to eat, Brooke narrowed her eyes.“Gin and tonic.”
“Yes,” Anna clapped in excitement, hopping up from her seat. Before heading to the bar, she leaned across the small table and pressed a kiss to Brooke’s cheek.
Brooke almost fell out of her chair. Anna should come with an instruction manual and a hundred warning labels. Caution: Might induce heart attacks, or Warning: Causes shortness of breath.
Brooke watched as Anna placed their orders and chatted with the bartender as she poured their drinks. Brooke wondered what that must be like; the ability to charm every person that you interact with. It was something so innate to everything that was Anna. Brooke just shook her head as she saw the bartender add an extra splash of alcohol to Brooke’s drink and then almost completely overflow the fishbowl sized margarita Anna had ordered for herself.
Anna looked altogether thrilled as she returned to her seat with the drinks.“For you, Honey-B,” Anna said as she set Brooke's drink down in front of her. She took her seat across the table from Brooke and dug her cell phone out of her backpack.“Hang-on, I’ve got to get a picture of this. I haven’t had a margarita the size of my head in years.” Anna reached across the table and squeezed Brooke's hand.“Smile, silly. You’re in the photo.”
Brooke blushed, but she grinned. Completely floored at the fact that Anna would want her in the photo in the first place.
“Perfect,” Anna said, stuffing her phone back into her backpack. She took a massive sip from her drink and sighed happily. It was the genuine joy that radiated from Anna that Brooke found so intoxicating.“Oh,” Anna said, suddenly.“And I ordered nachos, but Kimmy is going to come grab our real order in just a minute if you want anything else.”
Brooke just breathed out a laugh.“That sounds perfect.”You’re perfect,she wanted to say, but she settled for,“thank you, Anna.”
Brooke felt more than a little buzzed as they boarded. She’d had to rush to help Anna finish her margarita before their boarding group was called. She hadn’t been able to upgrade them to first class like she would have done if she’d had more time to plan their trip, but Anna seemed to make everything fun.
“Window or middle?” Brooke asked as they made it to their row. She had managed to get them the premium economy upgrade, so they did have a bit more leg room.
Anna’s eyes lit up. She was very much buzzed.“Window,” she said, delighted.
Brooke stashed her own carry-on bag in the compartment overhead and made room for Anna to do the same. Anna bounced excitedly to her seat and pulled her cell phone out of her backpack before she stuffed her bag under the seat in front of her. Brooke pulledThe Three Musketeersout before she shoved her own backpack under the seats in front of them as well and settled into her seat next to Anna.
