Page 10 of Wild for You
Jack seems to notice my nerves. “Oh, shit, are you afraid of flying? Don’t worry. I’ve got you. Betty White and I have flown this trip five times together already. This is the first time on my own, but I’ve got this. Just trust me, ok?”
I nod because it’s the only thing I can force myself to do. Trusting others isn’t exactly my greatest strength. The lump in my throat is so big that I’m afraid nothing will come out but a croak if I try to speak.
I pull out my phone and send a quick text to Maggie, letting her know the turn of events and telling her to keep tabs on my location.
“Do you mind turning your phone off for the flight?”
I startle at Jack’s voice and shove my phone into my pocket. “Sure. No problem.”
The plane lifts off the runway, and my stomach flutters. Here we go. I’m flying into the eye of the storm in a plane named Betty White. What could possibly go wrong?
CHAPTERFIVE
Gwen
Rain peltsagainst the windshield in every direction, and it’s a wonder Jack can see where he’s going. I’ve flown through rain before on a commercial flight, but nothing could’ve prepared me for this monsoon of a rainstorm in a tiny puddle-jumper.
Every gust of wind jolts the plane, and I feel like I’m in a scene straight out ofFinalDestination. My racing pulse makes my Apple watch think I’m doing a cardio workout.
I swipe the workout prompt away and shove my sweaty hands underneath my legs. It’s been at least fifteen minutes since I took my anxiety medication, and I still don’t feel anything.
Biting my lip, I grab the bottle for further examination.
“Take one pill as needed for anxiety every 4 hours.”
I contemplate for a moment and decide another one probably won’t hurt. I mean, I probably need a higher dose because of the intensity of the situation, right?
I throw back the pill and swallow, shoving the bottle back in my purse.
“What are you taking now?” Jack’s question startles me, and I jump. “Whoa, someone’s on edge.”
“It’s just anxiety medication to take the edge off. No big deal.” I assure him.
“Do you want to talk about it or something? Are you freaking out on me over there? This storm is nothing. Trust me. Planes aren’t like cars. I’ve done this—”
“At least five times,” I answer for him and force a smile. “While I appreciate your attention to detail, I’d much rather you focus it on flying than keeping tabs on me.” I sit up a little straighter in my seat, “My doctor prescribed me those just in case of an emergency, and since I’m in a tin can thousands of feet above land with a five-time experienced pilot, I think I’d call this an emergency.”
Jack sucks in a hiss. “Jeez, someone’s touchy today. Relax, baby. This is nothing but a regular day on the job.”
“Call me crazy, Jack, but I’m having a little trouble trusting you right now.” I sink into the cracked leather seat, which pinches my legs every time I change positions. After a few more patches of turbulence, I pull my feet up and loop my arms around my legs, squeezing myself as tightly as I can manage.
If I can just breathe through this, the meds will kick in, and I’ll be in a much better place to relax.
I sneak a glance at Jack, who’s wearing aviator sunglasses despite the dark gray sky and rain.
“Can you even see where you’re going with those glasses?” I try to hold back my words, I really do, but Jack looks too comfortable while I’m on the verge of a panic attack. I know I should find comfort in his calm demeanor—that’s what a sane person would do—but instead, I’d like him to feel a little uneasy, too. Maybe then I could trust him.
“I don’t really need toseewhere I’m going.” He points to some circular meters on the dashboard. “I can tell where I am from these guys.”
I perk up a little. Maybe he does know what he’s doing? Maybe I was too quick to brush him off as a decent pilot because he doesn’t seem to take anything seriously. “Oh, well, I’m glad to know the weather shouldn’t affect our direction, then.” I breathe a sigh of relief.
“Nope, I’m telling you, Gwen, I’ve got everything under control. I take pride in flying.” He beats his fist against his chest, and I relax a little, breathing out of my nose really fast. It’s not a laugh, but it’s in the ballpark of amusement. The last thing I want to do is stroke his male ego, but I’m happy with this new bit of information.
I just need to see the bright side, right? That’s what Maggie would tell me. I can almost hear her voice saying, “Gwen, you’re such a pessimist. Don’t you know you’ll find whatever you’re looking for?”
I nod as if answering the question and bite my lip, thinking of something to talk about to distract myself. Maybe we can start working on Jack’s profile and get his backstory straight, so once we land in Costa Rica, I’m one step closer to finishing the job.
“So, you have some high-tech GPS telling you where to go or what?” It’s the first question that comes to mind. Perhaps because my life dangles in his hands?
