“Did you stay at Black Diamond?” I asked. I already knew the answer but wanted to make polite conversation. Michael had put the three pilots and this beauty up in the resort last night.
“Yes, it was such a lovely resort. The sheets were luxurious! The town looks so majestic in winter.”
“You’ll have to come back when you can stay longer.”
“I definitely will.”
“And if you need a host to the village…” I patted my chest and added, “I’m the man.”
“Thank you. It’s a date, then.”
I smiled at her as the door to the cockpit opened and one of the pilots stepped out.
“Welcome aboard, Mr. Lombardi,” he said to me before turning to face Holly. “We’re all set to go,” he added. He turned to look at me and smiled before stepping into the cockpit and closing the door.
“I’ll take your bag, Mr. Lombardi,” Holly said, wrapping her fingers around the luggage handle. She blushed when our hands touched, then she gestured toward the rest of the jet. “Please take a seat and fasten your seat belt.”
“Thank you, Holly.”
As Holly took my bag to a small closet behind the cockpit, I walked into the seating area. I pulled out my phone to let Michael know I made it on the jet and that we were taking off shortly.
Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Taylor was in a seat close by. I still couldn’t believe she was supposed to be my backup on this mission. I flopped down in the seat across from her on the opposite side of the jet. Michael’s warning about not being a dick to her came dinging along in my head as a reminder. I paused my text to Michael long enough to look across the aisle and greet her.
“Good morning, Taylor,” I said. I noticed on the table beside her was a notepad, pen, and a bottle of hand sanitizer.
“Morning, Sawyer.” Her tone was short and clipped. “Glad to see you could join us and grace everyone on the plane with your presence.”
“Already mad?” I asked. Taylor laughed, which made me raise an eyebrow. Was she seriously laughing? “Care to elaborate?”
“I’m not sure you’dcareto hear it, Sawyer.”
I set my cell phone on the comfortable executive chair beside me and swiveled my own chair so I faced her. Taylor still faced forward, all buckled in.
“Well? I’m listening.”
Taylor turned her head to face me while the jet taxied to the runway. “You’re late.” She huffed as she reached for her hand sanitizer. She opened it and poured some into her hand, and the air between us instantly smelled like an explosion of fruit. Maybe it was a berry scent or something.
“That’s it? That’s why you’re mad?”
I leaned forward and made an exaggerated motion to look across her so I could see out her window. Then I turned my head to look outside the window on my side of the jet.
“Looks like today was my lucky day because the plane hadn’t taken off yet. So I guess I made it just in time.”
Taylor smirked as she shook her head at me.
“It’s just so like you.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and cocked my head to the side.
“What?”
“Showing up late or whenever the hell you decide to show up. You know full well that the plane wasn’t going to take off without you.”
I took a deep breath and then exhaled it loudly. I hoped she’d pick up on my annoyance.
“Look, it’s disrespectful, unprofessional, and downright rude to arrive two minutes before the flight was supposed to leave.”
“I made it on time, didn’t I?”
