“I’m proud to be a part of the effort,” she said, grinning.
I was, too. I just wished she was closer to me while she was doing it.
“Hello everyone and welcome aboard Flight 2485 to Wichita, Kansas. This is your pilot speaking. Unfortunately, there is a rapidly-growing storm in the middle of our flight course. Heavy snow, winds, and ice are expected and the flight path is no longer safe. We will begin de-boarding where you can then head to our kiosk and book an alternate flight. We are sorry for the inconvenience, and we look forward to you flying with us again.”
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“I think it’s us,” Abby said, giggling.
“Ice?” I asked.
“I just think we shouldn’t be allowed to fly together any longer,” she said.
Abby’s eyes darted over to me before laughter erupted from between her lips. The sound was refreshing even though I was shocked to my core, and I found myself chuckling along with her. It was ironic, if you thought about it. Two months ago we were strangers in this same situation and I was pissed off that I even had to share a car with her.
And now, we were headed to the same place once again, and had no way to get there.
“Fancy a road trip?” she asked.
The laughter rolling between us slowly came to a halt but her eyes were still locked onto mine. Her question hung in the air, stoking the simmering tension that was already electric between us. She looked different somehow. Happier. Or possible thinner.
“Did you do something new with your hair?” I asked.
“Not if you consider getting it trimmed different,” she said.
There was something much more different with her, and I wanted to figure out what.
“I’m up for a road trip if you are,” I said.
“Come on. This time, I can actually pay for the car,” she said.
We grabbed our things and headed for the car rental kiosk instead of booking another flight. The line was short because people were still clamoring for airplane tickets, so we were able to get up to the desk quickly. The man behind the counter smiled at us and Abby started talking, but I soon jumped in and took over what was happening.
“We would like one of your luxury SUV’s that has four-wheel drive, please,” I said.
Abby looked up at me with a grin on her cheeks and I knew what she was thinking.
“Didn’t enjoy our accommodations last time?” she asked
“Just taking precautions,” I said.
But my spine shivered with the memory of the salacious activities we used to keep our bodies warm during that disgusting motel stay.
“I have an all-black fully-loaded 2016 Lexus LX that has four-wheel drive. Is that acceptable?”
“Yes, it is,” Abby said.
“But I will be paying for it,” I said.
“Colin. Let me get this for us,” she said.
“You can take care of the food and the gas for the trip. I’m getting the car and getting us there.”
I looked down at her determined stare and I could tell she was mulling over the proposition. The man behind the counter was darting his gaze between the two of us, but I wasn’t backing down from this fight. Without breaking our staring contest, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wallet. I grabbed a random card and slid it across the counter, still holding Abby’s gaze as she sighed in defeat.
“That’ll be just fine,” I said.
I filled out the paperwork and gave the man my proof of insurance. Abby stood there shaking her head, still giggling to herself at the scenario we’d found ourselves in. The man dropped the keys into my hand and I turned towards her, found that playful look in her eye and smiled.
“Ready?” I asked.
“At least I don’t have to beg this time,” she said.
“Nope. No begging required.”
“Thank you for getting the car again,” she said.
“You don’t ever have to thank me for something like that. You know this.”
Her eyes traveled along the profile of my face as we walked towards the car being pulled around for us.
I opened up the trunk and tossed my stuff in, then reached behind me to grab Abby’s bag and tossed it up against my bags. I closed the trunk with a bang and turned around to face the beautiful woman I’d have accompanying me again on a road trip, but there was a look of shock on her face.
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
Her eyes darted from the trunk of the car back to me a few times before she shook her head. She had her wallet and her phone in her hand as she walked around to her side of the car. Shrugging it off, I climbed behind the wheel and cranked it back up with the set of keys I’d been given.
“Have you lost weight?” she asked.
Furrowing my brow, I turned my gaze towards her and found her staring at me again.
“Not that I know of. Why?” I asked.
“Nothing. There’s just—something different about you,” she said.
I nodded at the comment before I reached out and turned on the radio.
“Find whatever you want to listen to,” I said, mindlessly.
Then, without another word, we were off.
Chapter 2
Abby
I was stunned. First he was on the plane, offering to help me with my papers. Then, he was defending me to impatient assholes in first class. Then, he took me up on my offer to take a road trip again, and now he was just tossing his stuff into the trunk like it was nothing! And the radio was on!
Where the fuck was the Colin I knew?
I crossed my legs and looked out the window, bobbing
