Page 52 of Flyboy

She hadn’t answered him when he’d reached out to see about when he could come to visit. Ace was not anywhere near his place in Arlington. But as he went to buy tickets to Dallas, he couldn’t do it. So he bought tickets to Boston instead. If she didn’t want to see him, he’d catch a Cubs game. He’d been a fan for years.

Saying goodbye to Fatima and the guys was harder than he thought. She kissed his cheeks twice and held his face in her soft hands. He hugged her close. “I’m going to miss you and your special home. Thank you for taking such good care of us.”

“You come back. And bring some more of your American pilots.”

“I’ll try.”

He’d stopped by the home of the nanny he’d found on the side of the road with her employer’s children. She had moved out of that family home and found a job in another, someone Fatima knew. She seemed happy. He’d brought treats to the kids and the men who played soccer on that strip of dirt nearby. Colton was going to miss Brazil. A special people.

The pilots were ready. A few of them were safely doing more advanced moves. And even though Colton was never sure why Brazil wanted a trained group of fighter jet pilots, they now had one. Another Top Flight assignment completed with success.

His plane landedin Boston in the early morning. He made his way to a hotel room and then showered before heading to the address he had on file for Ivy.

When he knocked, a man answered the door. “May I help you?” He was young, could be considered good looking by some, dressed in a suit. Colton tried not to frown. “Hey, I’m a co-worker of Ivy’s. Is she here?”

“Ivy Hatfield? No. I’m subletting. She hasn’t lived here in a couple of months.”

“Do you know where she is?”

The man studied him for a moment and then flat out lied. “No, I don’t.”

“You sure? ’Cause last time I saw her she said she wanted to touch base again.”

“Then I’m sure you can get her on her cell phone.”

“Fair enough.” He lifted his phone to his ear. When voicemail began, he said, “Hey, Ivy. I’m standing in front of your apartment, talking to your new tenant. Just wondering where you are. Give me a call.” He pocketed the phone.

The guy shrugged. “Good luck.” Then he closed the door.

But Ivy never called him back. Colton stuck around long enough to see two Cubs games and to do the historical walking tour of Boston by himself. He knew the hotel staff by name before he finally gave up and flew home to Dallas.

Chapter 20

Ivy tugged on the sail rigging. The wind caressed her face and arms. The sun felt delicious on her slightly chilled skin. The water stretched in every direction, and she drank in the quiet. She loved the first moments with the motor turned off, and the only sounds the wind rustling the sails. She’d seen the last of the Cape Cod shoreline yesterday. Now she set her sights on Nantucket. She’d purchased a tiny run-down cottage that claimed a piece of waterfront and a dock to tie her boat. And that’s where she wanted to spend the rest of her summer. She’d purposely bought no WiFi. Her phone sat turned off in a drawer down in her cabin. And she had begun a strong course of true healing. She’d met with a counselor who thought her perfectly normal but gave her so many useful ways to handle her triggers, to help her safely fly again if she wanted.

So far, she didn’t want to. Which was odd. Even during her first episodes after the incident with Guido and her brother’s death, a part of her always still wanted to fly. But not now. Now she was feeling strangely and happily fulfilled out on the water.

She felt close to Colton.

And strangely, she’d acquired a new fascination with sharks.

The boat sped up as the wind filled the sails. “All right!” She laughed. For the most part, she was completely satisfied with her new solitude.

Except for this itch that wouldn’t go away, a consistent tugging and emptiness in one part of her heart that she now recognized belonged to Colton. But she didn’t know what to do about it.

She knew he texted and called her often. Sometimes she listened to his messages. Sometimes she didn’t. She read all of his texts. They were short, simple, reaching out to be able to talk to her.

Maybe she would be ready soon. She admitted to herself that this whole sail and summer in Nantucket would be much better with Colton than it would be alone. But what? They weren’t married. They weren’t even dating.

She’d been out on the water like this for months. She stopped to restock her supplies. And then she learned she could anchor offshore and pay for grocery delivery and trash pick-up. That had been a game changer. She had filled her Kindle before she left and had a stack of books to read down in her cabin. This boat was her best purchase yet. She hoped her cabin in Nantucket would be equally enjoyable.

She smiled up into the sun. She would sail to a known sandbar, drop anchor, and then finish her journey to her new island home the next day. A part of her wanted to start up the portable WiFi she’d brought for emergencies. What had Colton said recently? Did he still want to see her? He’d finished their Top Flight assignment and was undoubtedly home from Brazil by now.

The idea persisted for long enough that as soon as she was safely anchored, she booted up her WiFi, used the generator for electricity for the first time in a long time, and checked her phone messages.

She laughed out loud with pleasure at his message when he was standing in front of her apartment. So, he’d come all the way to Boston? She dialed his number. Her hands shook a little, but mostly she just felt happy anticipation.

But the call went through to voicemail. “Hey, this is Colton. I’m back on my horse for the next month or two. If I don’t get back, Pepper says hi.”

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