After our thirty-five-minute flight, I set down the plane like a silk scarf and turn to Vincent in triumph.
His big toothy grin shows he’s prouder of what he’s taught me than he is bummed to lose. And perhaps that’s what he loves most about his job—training up the next generation to surpass his greatness. The mark of a true mentor.
I’ll be the immature one and rub it in. “Better go collect my compliments for points.”
His chuckle reverberates in the small space. “You might be in for a surprise.”
“You think you can do better, old man?” I click the button to unlock the flight deck door and climb out to stretch my cramped legs.
With a wary eye, Larry stands at attention in the galley, watching passengers exit onto a ramp. I follow his gaze, expecting to see an inebriated frat boy or grandma who refused to keep her pet in its kennel. All I see are collared shirts and work boots, passengers who mostly look to be businessmen who sell farm equipment.
“Something happen back here?” I ask.
Larry narrows his eyes suspiciously. “Not yet.”
I hide my grin because I appreciate this extra level of protection, even in Walla Walla. It wasn’t too long ago that a plane had to divert to Idaho because a passenger claimed to be a space alien and tried to access the cockpit so he could fly. Had Claire been the one to take Desiree’s place, she might have had her soda in a sock ready, but she’d be sure to apologize should she ever have to use it.
A man in a sports coat nods at me on his way out. “Nice landing.”
“Thank you.” That’s one. I hold up a finger behind my back to keep track.
“Great landing.” A giggly middle-aged woman, accompanied by a group of other middle-aged women all dressed in outfits more appropriate for twentysomethings, high-fives me on her way out.
The rest of the ladies echo their sentiments, and I rake in the points like Super Mario earning a power-up.
Larry grimaces. “Girls’ trip.”
I just chuckle because that girls’ trip is going to help me win the landing game on our guys’ trip. Leaning backward, I stick my head into the cockpit. “Six points, Cap.” I raise my pitch to play dumb. “Is that good?”
He turns sideways, arm resting over the back of his seat, but he doesn’t respond. With that half smirk on his face, he’s waiting for something.
“Nice landing,” someone else says from the galley. A female voice. Smooth yet lighthearted.
I know the tone. It makes me smile.
But what would Claire be doing here? Her own girls’ trip or a romantic getaway? Am I about to meet the infamous Wyatt?
I pause, catch Vincent’s arched eyebrow, and turn in wonder. “Claire?” She’s wearing her dress uniform, so she must be on a deadhead.
She crosses her arms and lifts her chin in challenge. “Does a compliment count if it’s coming from a flight attendant on your crew?”
She’s working this trip? I look past her for Alex. The cabin is empty. “Did Alex call out sick?”
“About time he calls out sick,” Vincent inserts from the flight deck. That fraudster knew Claire was working our trip and didn’t tell me.
She wrinkles her nose. “He might have ruptured an eardrum.”
I’m done talking about Alex. “Your compliment on my landing definitely counts.” I lean back in the cockpit again to glare at Vincent. “Especially since I didn’t know she was on our crew.”
Vincent shrugs, now his turn to play dumb. “I wasn’t aware you cared so much.”
I shake my head at him. He’s making up for Desiree not being here to announce to passengers (and me) that Claire is taken. “Oh, I care. Because there’s no way you’re going to get more than seven compliments on a landing in Denver.”
He chuckles at that, and I leave him to his mirth. Though his phone lights up with a call from Crew Scheduling, which is never a laughingmatter. But whatever they have to say can’t bother me because no matter where we go, I’ll be with Claire.
I find her watching Larry check the badges worn by the cleaning crew before letting them enter the plane. A small smile twitches at the corner of her lips. No flight attendant I’ve seen has ever checked cleaners’ badges before, and I’m sure Claire is as entertained by the former cop’s precautions as she is grateful for his protection.
She turns her grin toward me. “Larry,” she says with playful scorn.
