“What?” Vincent’s voice booms. “You’d better invite them all for Christmas. I need to meet this family of yours.”
I shake my head at myself. I already have more family than I ever realized.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Claire
Until youspread your wings, youhave noidea howfaryou’ll fly.
—ANONYMOUS
I’m finally home. And by home, I mean Seattle.
I don’t need a man to complete me anymore. I don’t need a man at all. However, I would love to have someone to run by my side as we chase after God. And I wish I had him with me tonight to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
I fall backward onto the leather couch and moan dramatically. It’s what we do in our crash pad. Well, except for Sparrow. If she were here, I’m sure she’d pop her head out to offer facts I don’t want to hear.
Thankfully, I’ve got Angel, and the two of us will be renting our own place together next month.
She’s the only one here with me right now, since everyone else is either working trips or has found better ways to spend the holiday, but she’ll be leaving to work a flight to Hawaii soon as well. So I lament to her while I can. “For the first time in my life, I have the ability to celebrate New Year’s Eve from anywhere in the world, but I have nobody to celebrate with.”
“I have an idea.” Angel emerges from our shared bedroom in a gold lamé dress instead of her navy uniform and matching scarf. “You take my trip, and I’ll wear this to dinner at the Space Needle.”
I hate to burst the silver cloud over Angel’s head, but it’s too late to make a reservation at the iconic location. “You won’t be able to get in.”
Angel pops a hip in a sassy pose. “What if I received an invite from a passenger I met in first class?”
I’m not surprised. Though I didn’t think she was dating right now. More importantly, if she is dating, she’s never going to find a better man than Nathan.
Angel holds up a finger. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“That you’re never going to find a better man than Nathan?”
“Actually ...” Angel crosses her arms and leans against the doorjamb. “I expected you to be judging me for going on a date after I said I’m taking a break from men.”
I grimace. “Are my facial expressions that readable?”
Angel laughs. “To which, I was going to respond that I’m not dating. Tonight is a girls’ night. My new passenger friend is female. Her fiancé had a family emergency, and all her other friends already have plans, so she invited me to join her.”
“Good for you,” I encourage, before remembering that if Angel goes on her girls’ night, she’ll need someone else to take her place at work. Calling out is “unexcused” on holidays, so the only way she can go is if I agree to ring in the new year from thirty-two thousand feet. “Bad for me.”
“Not all bad.” Angel wiggles sculpted eyebrows. “You’ll be flying with Nathan.”
I run through the airport as fast as my ballet flats will carry me. My heartbeat keeps rhythm with the clicking of my luggage wheels against tile. Not because I’m excited to see Nathan but because I’m rushed with the last-minute change of plans—and because I’m excited to see Nathan.
In a platonic way, of course. In a birthday-grilled-cheese-sandwiches-in-Walla-Walla kind of way. In a wear-heart-sunglasses-to-the-Alamo kind of way. In a hike-the-Manitou-Incline, dance-in-an-elevator, and cry-in-the-galley kind of way. Because we love traveling, eating, and laughingalmost as much as we love making money while traveling, eating, and laughing. But who doesn’t?
For all I know, Nathan is back together with Joey. Or hey, he might even be disappointed to see me replacing Angel on this trip.
My steps slow as I reach the gate. I hold up my badge for the gate agent and pause for the secure door to be opened and my expectations to realign.
It’s okay if Nathan is disappointed. I’ve accidentally fallen for him because he’s such a great friend, but we’re still just friends. I’ll simply have to cheer him up.
Icy air melts against my flushed cheeks as I resume my journey down the jet bridge. The Pacific Northwest isn’t as cold as Denver, but our constant drizzle brings a chill that only lifts come summer—or from a flight to Maui.
Strange that Angel considered Nathan the selling point for the destination when these trips are usually fought over by the most senior employees. No matter. I’m excited about both. I get to go to Hawaii with my favorite pilot for New Year’s.
There he is now, in the galley of the plane, unhooking his smaller bag from the top of his roller bag. He grins up at the sound of my footsteps, all twinkly dark eyes and stubble-covered jaw.
