Page 21 of Too Much In Common
“Dana, as in lives-in-our-building and was on our plane?” The woman hadn’t indicated she knew Chris in the gym. Was she crushing on him, too?
“Dana, as in the other half of the security team.”
“She didn’t tell me she knew you.” Tian waved her hand. “Doesn’t matter. I guess I better go figure my room situation out.”
“Let me put on my shoes, and I’ll go with you. They probably won’t believe you if I am not there with my ID.”
Chris sat on the end of the bugless bed. Tian rubbed her temples again.
“Headache?”
“Growing by the minute. I just need to eat and sleep.”
“You haven’t eaten yet?” He stood.
Tian retrieved her bags from the stand. “I had a snack on the plane. Yes, it was the cookies. I have my dinner in here. Microwavable.”
He held open the door. “You travel with your own food?”
“When I can. Normally by the third day of a four-day flight schedule, I am left with whatever I can buy, but I had a plane change at O’Hare, and Brit brought me replacements.”
“I didn’t realize you were a pilot.”
“I thought I told you I flew.”
“I assumed you were on a flight crew.” The elevator door swished open. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have.”
“You and everyone else.” Tian rubbed the back of her neck—anything to release the tension.
The man who’d helped her earlier stood behind the desk. “May I help you?”
“We have a slight problem. We have the same name and somehow Miss Johnson was given a key to my room.”
“Let me get the manager.”
The manager hustled out of the back office. The man trailed behind, talking quickly. “... what I tried to explain.”
The woman glared at him. “What is the problem?”
7
“I am Christian Johnson,and this is First Officer Christian Johnson. Through some mix up, someone accidentally put her in my room.”
“But... but...” The manager typed on the keyboard. “When the airline sent over their list, your name was already in the system...”
Tian leaned on the desk, her face drained of color. “You don’t have any more rooms?”
“No. There was a bomb threat... Oh you probably know.” The manager’s brisk demeanor dropped with every answer.
Tian sighed. “What am I supposed to do?”
“What you pilot types always end up doing,” muttered the woman.
Tian’s jaw dropped.
“I mean, there are two beds in the room. Can you work it out? I can remove the charges.”
Chris read the woman’s name tag. “Darleen, after you apologize to Miss Johnson, your assistant is going to help us find a solution. And I will write a very nice letter, commending, um”—he read the man’s name tag— “Paulo for his help.”
