Page 89 of Come Fly with Me

He laughs again. “Don’t worry, gossip runs through this business faster than shit through me after a vindaloo curry. Everyone knew you were together, I guess most of us just wondered how real it was, given…everything.”

I take a deep breath, ignoring his reference to Taylor’s reputation. “It’s real,” I answer, even if I have no idea if it actually is anymore. For all I know, Taylor could have forgotten me already, could be filling her bed with someone else.

But almost as soon as I think that, I want to punch myself in the face because I know that’s not who she is, not anymore. And despite the way she yelled at me and walked away, changing her plans and refusing to take my calls, I know that what we had, what I hope we still have, is real.

Reece nods. “Okay, so tell me what you want to do?” he asks.

I outline my plan to him, nervous to know what he thinks because it’s really only just an idea at this stage. An idea that I’m winging on the fly and one that could spectacularly fail and in doing so, hand me my arse.

When I’m done, I watch as a slow smile spreads across his face. “Yep, I like it,” he says. “I like it a lot.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he says, nodding. “And for the record, she’s fucking lucky she’s got you in her corner.”

I fight the urge to tell him I’m not in her corner anymore, that I’m barely in the fucking ring. But I don’t, instead turning the conversation back on him as I ask, “Why are you so happy to help? What’s your connection to Taylor? Have you… have you slept with her?”

It’s the first time I’ve actually come right out and asked someone. And while it’s true that I don’t care about who Taylor has slept with in the past, I do worry about Reece’s motives now.

But Reece throws his head back and laughs loudly. “Christ, you are new, aren’t you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Ah shit,” he says, still laughing as he turns to face me. “No, Jake, I haven’t slept with Taylor, and actually, you’re more my type,” he says winking at me before laughing again.

Well fuck, I did not see that one coming.

The rest of my trip passes surprisingly quickly. Reece and I work on the plan I’d come up with, roping in support from other pilots at the airline. I also catch up with a couple of old Air Force friends when I head to Vegas, and for a few hours, I manage to forget the shit storm my personal life has become.

I still continue trying to contact Taylor, but as usual, my calls go straight to her voicemail. She never picks up; never returns my calls and I’m beginning to suspect she’s deleting the messages I leave her, too.

When I eventually get back to L.A., I try her one last time before giving up and calling the flight school.

“Girls in the Sky, Charlie speaking.”

“Charlie, hey, it’s Jake. Is Taylor there?”

“Hello to you too,” he says back sarcastically.

I shake my head, shoving a hand through my hair as I stand from my seat, gathering my things from the cockpit. “Hey, sorry,” I say. “I’m just…I haven’t heard from her still, and…”

“She’s still away,” Charlie says, interrupting me. “She’ll be back tomorrow, and I know Carrie’s expecting her to show up here sometime in the afternoon,” he continues. “I’m pretty sure she was gonna text you and let you know.”

“Pretty sure?” I ask, even as my heart starts to pound at the idea that I know exactly where Taylor will be, and I’ll finally get to see her.

Charlie chuckles. “Meh, she kinda goes back and forth a little on that,” he says. “On the one hand, she thinks Taylor owes you a chance to explain.”

“Yeah,” I say quickly. “I just want the chance to do that.”

“And on the other hand,” Charlie continues, “she knows Taylor will be pissed if she finds out we set this all up.”

I feel myself smiling, unable to stop because I know just how true that is. Taylor, my beautiful tough girl, who hates being told what to do, let alone put in a situation she has no control over.

“Yeah, she will be,” I admit. “But I promise I’ll take the heat for it.”

“Man,” Charlie says. “You really do have it bad.”

“You have no idea.”

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