She looked around as though worried that someone might overhear her."I don't mean tiny like not good.I only mean compared to, you know, the big commercial planes."She let out a short laugh."And now I'm about to open my mouth just so I can put my other foot in it.I was going to say that Jacob's plane seemed tiny, but this is even smaller."
Ollie couldn't help laughing, but she held her hand up."I don't mean that as criticism, even if it sounds that way.What I'm trying to say is that this is the coolest of them all.It's like you're really flying."She frowned."That sounds stupid, doesn't it?But you can tell that you're in the sky.I mean, damn, I'm making this worse by the second, aren't I?"
"No, you're not," he assured her."I know exactly what you mean.That's why I have this thing.It's great to fly the jet with Reaves, and I love that I get to do that for a career, but there's something different about this."He patted the control stick."Something about just being free in the sky.Don't get me wrong, I love Reaves to death, I love flying with him, but there's a freedom about just being able to hop into this thing by myself and, like you say, feel like I'm in the sky — not inside a machine in the sky."
She was watching him with a strange look on her face, and he realized that he was rambling.He shrugged."Sorry, I shouldn't rattle on about it.And in my defense, it sounded like you understand and enjoy it too."
"Oh, I do," she said."That's not what puzzled me."
As soon as she said it, he understood — he'd given away that he owned the Cirrus.
~ ~ ~
Callie stared at him, not sure what to say, not sure what to think.He was so glad he had this thing?That's what he'd said.Like...like it was his own plane.
"What's wrong?"he asked after a few moments of awkward silence.
"This..."She looked around the interior of the plane.She had no idea how much it would cost.She'd just thought that planes and the people who owned them lived in a different reality than she did."It's yours?"
He nodded, looking as guilty as if he'd just admitted to a horrific crime."I know I should have told you before now, but Callie..."
The poor guy!She felt awful."You didn't need to tell me.It doesn't make any difference to me, but I feel bad that..."She made a face."I hope Jacob at least gave you gas money.I bet it's expensive.I mean, I can give you some..."
She couldn't read his expression as he shook his head."No!There's no need.It's not a problem.I meant that I should have told you that..."
As it sank in that he had his own plane, a smile spread across her face."Yeah, you should!I mean, last night you let me talk about my kiln and the shed out back and all about doing what I love and how much it means to me.You told me about how much you love flying, but you should have told me that you figured out a way to get your dream too.This thing must have cost a hell of a lot more than my kiln did, but hey, you're working with a pilot's salary — my savings were mostly from working as a teller at the bank."
She was relieved to see him smile, even if she didn't know what had caused it."What?"
"Is that where you used to sit on your ass all day?"
She laughed."Yeah, and I hated it."
"I can see that.It wouldn't suit you."
"It didn't.But back where I come from, it's considered a good job, and I was lucky to get it."
Her breath caught in her chest when he reached across the distance between them to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear."They were lucky to have you."
She had to swallow before she could speak."Thanks."She looked around again, feeling a little self-conscious now."But we should get going.Not because I'm in a hurry to get home, but because now that I know this thing is yours, I want to watch you fly it again.It means more, knowing that it means something to you."She crossed her eyes at him."Or does it?Am I just projecting onto you the way I feel about my wheel and kiln?For me, it was awesome to be able to use the stuff at the community college when I was learning, but once I got the hang of it, buying my own became the dream."
She looked around the plane again and then chuckled."I suppose everything's relative, isn't it?I'm proud of chasing my dream on a bank teller's salary, and I bet you're proud of chasing yours — it's just that a pilot's salary goes a lot further."
Chapter Five
"Do you want to take the controls?"
Ollie had to laugh when Callie's mouth fell open and she placed her hands over her headset, clamping them to her ears as she said, "Can you repeat that?It sounded to me like you asked if I wanted to—"
He nodded eagerly."It sounded that way because I did.Do you want to fly this bird?"
Her eyes grew wider."Are you serious?You mean it?I can?"
"You sure can."
She looked down at the stick beside her seat."What if I do something wrong and crash us?"
"You won't," he assured her."And besides, this thing has a parachute."
