Page 17 of Two Tickets to Paradise

FIVE

Cora didn't knowwhat to expect once they were boarded. There were a few spots open on the seating chart when she rebooked Vince's flight, so she was able to book them seats together.

She had given herself the window seat, but she'd offered it to Vince when they boarded, feeling more than a little embarrassed that she'd taken the seat for her comfort, but he didn't ask to change. He even made a little joke saying he "wasn't too thrilled about heights."

She didn't know if he'd said that just to be nice, or if he meant it. Either way it eased a little of her worries as they settled into their seats.

It also helped that the flight crew didn't know her.

Ticketing agents and flight crews didn't interact all that much as a necessity. If she'd been wearing her uniform, that might have been something, but she was just traveling for fun not for business, so she'd traveled in her 'street clothes."

As the plane began rolling down the runway, she drew in a long steadying breath.

With all of the excitement of meeting Vince and getting to know him during their coffee date, she'd almost forgotten howmuch take-offs and landings made her stomach clench and her nerves twist and tangle.

She wasn't about to panic in front of Vince. Okay, beside him, but it was the same thing in her book. They were just getting to know each other, the last thing she wanted him to think was that she was a complete scaredy cat about flying.

With what she hoped was a seemingly calm movement, she put her hands in her lap and twisted her fingers together, keeping her gaze out the window at the scenery below them.

It seemed counter-intuitive in a way, but seeing the ground below helped her. It was like she could see that they were in the air instead of imagining all sorts of things. Looking outside the window made things real... Concrete.

She'd be okay once things leveled out and the pilot turned off the seat belt sign above their heads.

Somehow that electronic PING of sound made her nerves relax and her muscles release. She just had to hold it together until then.

The wheels lifted off from the tarmac and she sucked in an involuntary breath as the plane felt like it bobbed in the air.

Before she could worry about Vince hearing her breath, she felt his hand cover hers in her lap.

Her shoulders tensed a little, but she didn't look at him.

She just couldn't as her cheeks heated up and tingled with shame.

"You okay?"

She nodded even though the answer was no.

This is why, she reminded herself, I don't fly if I can help it.

"I hate making a fool of myself." She dropped her gaze to the floor just beyond her knees glad that these rows had some extended leg room. It helped her nerves not to have the seat close to her knees in front of her. "You must think I'm a nut."

His hand squeezed gently around her own. "Hardly."

"I work for the airlines." She heard the slightly strident tone of her voice and knew it was because she was upset at herself.

She must really be making a great impression on Vince.

"I bet you're regretting this now."

"Hardly." She felt him turn in his seat and look at her.

When his other hand joined his first, cupping her hands between them, she snuck a glance in his direction. "You don't think I'm being a bit of a child about flying?"

"Child?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "No. Definitely not. There's nothing childish about being nervous about a plane lifting off of the ground."

One corner of her mouth twisted up. "Thanks for saying that, but I still feel a little silly for worrying."

"I feel it in my stomach," he replied. "It gives a big lurch every time I'm in a plane and it takes off."

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