Page 9 of Grateful Hearts

“Same,” Zach replied, surprised by her answer. “Are you going home for Thanksgiving?”

Chantel set her cup down and started to play with the corner of the napkin. “No. I actually caught my fiancé, slash boss, in bed with another woman. So, I needed to get away for a bit, so I’m flying solo for Thanksgiving.”

Zach’s eyes widened, and his eyes dropped to her now bare ring finger. “Wow, I’m really sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile. “But I guess it was better to find out now than when we were married.”

“That is true. But you seem like a great woman. So, it’s his loss. What made you choose Knoxville?”

She took another sip of her coffee. “Actually, I’m staying in Gatlinburg. Knoxville was the fastest and closest airport I could get out of Boston.”

Zach smiled. “Have you been to Gatlinburg before?”

“No. I’ve always wanted to visit, especially around the holidays.”

“It is a great town, and it is beautiful around the holidays,” Zach told her. “So, you say you are from Boston. What do you do there?” Zach asked.

“I’m an Executive Chef,” she told him.

“A chef?” Zach said, seeming impressed. He loved food.

“Yep, though, I think I need to start looking for another job.”

Zach grimaced. “That’s right. You said that your ex was also your boss.”

“Yep,” Chantel said, popping the “p.” She picked up her coffee and took a long sip. When she set it back down, she looked at him.

“What about you, Zach? Are you heading home for Thanksgiving?”

He nodded. “I am. I’m planning to spend it with my family.”

She smiled. “That’s nice. Where do you live now? What do you do?”

Ugh…Zach hated talking about himself.

“I’m a Marine. I’m stationed at Camp Lejune in North Carolina.”

“Oh! Thank you for your service,” Chantel said sincerely. “I bet your family will be happy to see you.”

“Yeah, they will,” Zach agreed. “But I have to get there first, and with the storm systems wreaking havoc all over the country, I’m not feeling too confident about getting a flight out of here.”

“No kidding,” Chantel said, glancing at the departure board.

Zach nodded, then looked at her thoughtfully.

They continued to talk, the conversation flowing easily despite the chaos of the airport around them. They found themselves sharing stories and laughter, forgetting about the predicament for a while. Zach was surprised at how comfortable he felt around Chantel. She was different than other women he met. She was genuine.

“This sucks,” Zach said, referring to the delay.

Chantel laughed. “Yeah, it does. But at least I’m in good company.”

Zach grinned. “I feel the same.”

Suddenly, an announcement was made in the gate area.

“Attention, passengers. This is a gate announcement for flight two-two-six to Knoxville. Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, your flight has been canceled. Please proceed to the customer service counter to speak with an agent regarding your rebooking options.”

Zach leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair as the announcement echoed through the terminal.

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