I sent the text to Evelyn, and she responded right away, saying she’d see me in the morning.
“How do you like Evelyn?” Sylas asked.
“She seems cool and was very helpful on my first day.”
“I’ve never flown with her, but we cross paths often, and I get good vibes from her. I’ve never heard anyone say anything bad about her. One thing about working for an airline, word travels because these people gossip like old ladies talking about their soap operas. It’s cool tolistenbutneverengage or give input.”
“I’m not big on gossip, and catty women annoy me, so I’ll be sure to take your advice. What do you know about Kendall?”
“Did he flirt with you?”
I laughed. “No. He was very professional, but Evelyn said he gets around.”
“I’ve flown with Kendall several times, and he can spot a woman who is single and ready to mingle from a mile away. He makes the most of his time in every city, that’s for sure, but I’ve never heard anything about him shitting where he eats. I think co-workers are off-limits for him.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Am I the only co-worker you’ve slept with? Or do you not consider me a co-worker?”
He put his phone on the bedside table and turned his body toward mine, giving me his full attention.
“I do consider you a co-worker.”
“Should I be worried about anyone coming to me as a woman?”
He chuckled. “My first month on the job, I witnessed a knockdown, drag out fight between two female flight attendants who were both sleeping with one of the pilots, who just so happened to be married. All three of them were fired, and his wife divorced him. As entertaining as it was, I took it as a warning. There are too many other women in the world for me to risk the career I worked so hard for.”
“If that’s the case, how did this happen?”
“This was out of my control and, obviously, a risk I was willing to take.”
“But why?”
“You don’t think you’re worth the risk?”
“I can’t answer that question in a way that won’t make me sound like I have low self-esteem, which couldn’t be further from the truth. You’ve gotten to know a few things about me, but you don’t know if I’m crazy.”
“We could both be crazy, but you know as well as I do that we’re both in our right minds. I honestly can’t tell you why I ignored my rules with you, or why, before I knew anything about you, I felt like you were worth the risk. Regardless of what happens, I don’t have any regrets. Do you?”
Although we’d talked about the future, it was more in the general sense, and we tiptoed around the topic of us and the possibility of a future together. I refused to bring it up because we’d only known each other for twenty-four hours.
The more time I spent with Sylas, the more I liked him, but when I decided to have sex with him, I had no expectations beyond our time in Denver. It was the best Valentine’s Day I’d had in several years, and if I had to do this all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.
“I have no regrets, but I also have no expectations.”
“No expectations? Damn. I don’t know how to take that.”
“I’ve enjoyed our time together, but if this is it, I’m okay with that too.”
“Damn. You don’t give a damn about breaking a nigga’s heart, huh?”
“That’s not my intention, but I’m being realistic. This could be nothing more than an extended one-night stand.”
“Or it could be the beginning of our future. Consider last night the first date of many.”
“I like you, so I guess I can do that.”
