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CHAPTER 9

JETT

“Great to be back with you, buddy,” Brent, my co-pilot, remarks.

As we sit in the cockpit, a familiar warmth wafts around us. Two years out of the air and, surprisingly, I missed the guy. We’ve been sitting here for half an hour, catching up while getting everything situated for our red eye to Chicago.

“Been a minute, man. How’s the wifey and kids?”

Last night, he flew in to help me. His wife, Megan, just had their fourth son, and after almost a month off, I think it’s safe to say, he missed being back here too.

I can’t help but love the guy, especially when I know exactly how chaotic his house sounds with four boys all under the age of ten.

“Same circus, different clown.” He breathes a tired chuckle. The wrinkles around his eyes seem even more prominent than the last time I saw him.

With a loving laugh, we finish our flight prep. All our inspections have gone according to plan, we’re fueled up, and our lists have been checked off. We’re ready to go, aside from the one thing we have zero control over—weather.

“You think we’re going to have to delay?” Brent glances out the window, drizzle and fog already covering the front of it.

“I sure hope not, but it’s not lookin’ too promising.”

Around the same time our suspicion peaks, a ping from our radio rings throughout the cockpit.

“Hold position,” the air traffic controller announces. We both groan in unison.

“Guess I have time to call Meg,” he mumbles.

I nod, rising from my chair. “I’ll go notify the cabin.”

I could very easily announce our delay over the radio, but I can’t help wanting to lay my eyes on Fia again.

I was in the cockpit when they boarded, and it’s been three long-as-hell days since our run-in at the gym.

The thoughts I’ve had since then have been ravenous. Before this trip, I thought about her daily. Replayed our night together every single chance I got. But seeing her in the flesh, being near her, hearing how she smacks her lips every time I do something she doesn’t like, the way she bites back at me and narrows her pretty eyes... It all feels so much stronger than any of the visions I’ve had.

The dimly lit cabin of our beautiful Gulfstream G700 reeks of luxury. Cashmere interior and rich Italian leather greet me the second I pass through the cabin door. Along with it, the subtle scent of what I came back here searching for find travels to me.

“Hi all.” I stand taller, my voice holding authority. “We’re going to have to stall our take-off momentarily. We’re experiencing some unsafe weather, but I don’t think it’ll take long to clear up.”

“Does that mean you get to hang out with us?” the small blond man asks, glimmer and mischief twinkling in his eyes. I’m quite a fan of flattery, but more-so when it’s on the back end of an insult.

“I can hang for a bit.”

Tracking my eyes around the plane, I let them pass slower to find her. With hope harboring, I wait for a beat, thinking she’ll feel my stare and give me the zap of energy I’m itching for.

She doesn’t.

Fia’s the only one who got stuck in the two singular seats at the front of the aircraft. She’s all alone. A twist in my stomach makes me linger in her direction, wondering what could’ve transpired between her and everyone else to have her secluded.

Striding in Haven’s direction, I keep my distance but crack a friendly smile. One I know won’t get taken out of context.

“How’d the first show go?” I ask her, genuinely curious.

Her assistant told me that if I ever wanted to attend a show to just let her know and she’d make sure I was on the friends and family list, but it’s too soon to exercise that privilege.

Seeing Fia dance outside of the refined bubble I saw her in this past week is something I’m not sure I’m ready for. I don’t need fifty thousand fans to confirm to me that the way her body moves is fucking hypnotic.

“Not too bad for the first stop. Still working out some kinks, but that’s to be expected.” Haven smiles softly.