Page 81 of Wandering Souls

Damien leaned across the table to give Penny a kiss before leading Abigail out of the pub to his SUV. He saw her into the passenger seat and whistled happily as he rounded the behemoth vehicle to the driver’s side. Climbing in, he marveled once again at how young she seemed. It would be easy to mistake her baby-faced appearance for a naïve youngster, but she’d seen more than most.

Hell, she’d experienced more than most.

He tried to imagine what it would be like to be shot down in enemy territory, then decided he shouldn’t try. Maybe she’d tell him about it. Maybe he’d ask. Either way, he didn’t want to pre-empt or assume anything. She’d survived and that alone made him thankful.

“Where are we headed?” she asked, locking her seatbelt into place. He did the same and started the engine.

“You’ll see.”

He drove them west, beyond the edge of town to the expanse of land that served as the airport. Her gaze took in the hangars and her eyes widened as she watched a small sightseeing plane come in to land. She turned to him, her mouth open, her expression delighted. Damien said nothing, as he slowed the car and took the turn with care.

“Wills Crossing has an airport?” she sounded amused. “But it’s such a small town.”

“Also quite isolated. With the ski slopes and adventurers spending a good portion of their winters or summers here, it serves a purpose. For a small town, the Crossing has everything it needs, including a well-equipped hospital.”

She nodded. “I noticed. It all makes sense now.”

He chuckled as he steered the SUV toward his hangar. Dressed in grease-smudged overalls, Magnus hung out of the chopper and waved to them. Rather than park to the side of the building, Damien drove right up to the helicopter and braked. As the engine idled, he glanced over at Abigail.

Her eyes were wide as saucers and, if his assessment was right, she’d stopped breathing. Her mouth opened and closed without making a sound. The sight of her surprise was precious. He wanted to frame the moment.

Damien stopped the engine and hopped out. At her door, he held out a hand and waited for her to join him. He linked her elbow with his and tugged her closer.

“What do you think?”

She swallowed. “You have a helicopter?”

“I thought you might like a joyride.”

She stopped moving and stared at him. “You want me to fly?”

He could only smile at the awe in her voice. “I do.”

A frown creased her forehead and she removed her arm from his. “I thought you flew planes?”

He pointed toward the hangar where his cargo plane sat idle. “That’s my girl, right there.”

Abigail’s gaze ricocheted from him to the plane and back again. “So, you bought me a chopper?”

Confused by her apparent concern, Damien shoved his hands in his pockets. He’d hoped the purchase would help her heal, not drive a wedge between them. “Actually, I bought the fire service a water bomber, but I won’t lie. I want you to be the first one to fly her, at least until you return to base.”

“Oh.”

Her fingers twisted together in front of her nervously while her cheeks turned red. Undeterred, Damien chuckled and started walking toward the chopper again. “You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”

Quickened footsteps brought her to his side, much to his relief. “Admit it, you bought her for me.”

At the open door of the chopper, Damien shook Magnus’s hand. His mechanic beamed a smile at Abigail. “She’s ready, Boss. Hi, Abi.”

Abi? Damien hadn’t thought to shorten her name, but he liked it. She beamed a smile at Magnus and shook her head. “You’re a mechanic?”

“Not just a pretty face,” he chuckled, jumping down onto the tarmac. He patted Abigail’s shoulder and winked. “This is a sweet ride. You’re going to love it.”

They watched him return to the hangar, at which point, Abigail turned her expectant expression toward Damien. He didn’t want her to think he was trying to buy her affection but he couldn’t deny that was how things looked.

“I just wanted to help you.”

She studied him for a long moment, then smiled. Taking a black tie from her wrist, she pulled her hair away from her face and secured it into a pony tail. “Damien, this is a decommissioned military transport. Where did you find it?”

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