Page 44 of A Spot of Tea
“You could try reading a book.”
“I can’t read.”
She cracked a smile. “I thought you’d have to be able to read to become a pilot.”
“You’d think that,” he said, slipping his sunglasses on, “but I’ve found a way around it on pure wit and charm.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
“I have an idea.”
“Was it built with wit and charm?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said curtly. “How about this? We head to Bellingham and I’ll go into the branch to feel it out. Let me do the talking and, if the manager is friendly, I’ll send you a signal.”
“Like a text?”
“Yeah.”
She made a face. “I thought you couldn’t read?”
A smile inched onto his face, the dimple starting to form. “It’ll be a picture of me giving a thumbs-up.”
She stared at him. “And I’m supposed to wait outside and try to not look suspicious?”
“Yes! Glad to see you’re on board.” He held out his arm. “My lady?”
“I’m not agreeing to this plan,” she said with a sigh, walking past him. “I’d like to go home.”
He took his sunglasses off, raising his eyebrows and widening his eyes. “Please?”
Her chest expanded, her heart collapsing into a puddle. There was no way for her to say no to that face.
“Okay,” she said weakly, taking his arm.
The flight to Bellingham was a short one, but long enough for Eliza to pull herself together. Joey talked the entire time, telling her a story about how he’d almost stolen a plane.
It had been a mistake – an unscrupulous business owner had tried to trick him into taking the wrong plane from an airfield and Joey was blissfully unaware until the last second.
All Eliza could think was that it wasn’t much different than what was happening now. He had no idea what was going on between them. He thought they were partners? Friends?
All the while, she turned to mush with just a look.
Not that she’d ever say anything. It was better he didn’t know. It would probably make him uncomfortable and he’d have to have the inevitable “I value you as a friend” talk with her. Then, every time they passed at the tea shop, she’d have to pretend not to see him. Try to keep herself from staring from afar as he told his charming stories to other women…
When they landed, she shut her thoughts into a little compartment and followed him all the way to the Bellingham bank branch.
Less than ten minutes after he went inside, Eliza got a text with his picture, as promised. In it, he was grinning and giving a thumbs up, along with the suited woman behind him.
He really was ridiculous.
She went inside and was greeted immediately by the manager, an attractive woman in a perfectly fitted green suit.
“You kind of remind me of the robber, you know,” she said to Joey. “Tall. Handsome. In charge.”
Eliza leaned in, eyebrows furrowed. “Oh?”
“I like to think I havesomethings going for me,” Joey said. “I don’t know why you sound so surprised.”
