Page 2 of Shared By the Pilots

“Reading cheesy romance novels doesn’t count as research.”

He rolled his eyes. “The point is you could be missing out onthe onebecause you’re too picky. Rejecting a really cute guy because his name is similar to someone you hate? You can’t keep doing that. You need to start taking chances.”

“You might be right,” I said, hoping the admission would end the discussion.

“I want you to do something,” Dex said, a glimmer of mischief shining in his eyes. “Say yes to the next five guys who ask you out. See what happens.”

“Five? No way. Two.”

“Three,” he replied. “That’s a good sample size.”

“Will it get you off my back?”

“Of course not,” Dex said. “But it will be good for you. And if all three of them are terrible, then you can hold it over me for the rest of our lives.”

I was sick of talking about my love life, so I stuck out my palm. “You have a deal. I will say yes to the next three guys who ask me out.”

“With no exceptions,” Dex clarified.

“Fine. No exceptions.”

The teenage boy with the headphones stood up and awkwardly approached us. “Hi, um, do you want to go on a date? With me?”

I turned to Dex. “One exception.”

“You have to say yes to anyrealisticadvance,” Dex agreed before turning to the kid. “Sorry, sweetie, but… come on. You’re going on vacation with your parents.”

“It’s an all-inclusive resort on South Beach,” he argued, face turning red. “I’m totally doing my own thing the whole time.”

“And you’re going to have fun with some girls your own age,” I said.

He returned to his seat. I lowered my voice and said, “Thank you for not making me say yes to him.”

But Dex wasn’t paying attention to me. He was staring down the terminal concourse. “Oh, lordy.”

“What?” I asked, following his gaze. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”

Dex pointed. “I thinkthatis the new member of our crew.”

2

Veronica

Everyone looked good in a Gulf Airlines uniform. It was impossible not to in the navy pants that hugged our thighs and butt, and the matching vest and tie. Especially when paired with the silver shirt and flash of silver scrollwork on the cuff and lapel of the jacket. I always stood a little prouder when I wore the uniform, and strutted my stuff when I walked down a terminal.

But the man who approached us took it to another level. His clothes were so well-tailored that it almost looked like a different uniform altogether. He was a lean man, with thick chestnut hair and an oval face that wore a grin that was on the charming side of cocky. He seemed to smile at everyone he passed—in a genuine way, rather than the I’m-being-forced-to-smile way that a lot of flight attendants did.

My heart fluttered a little bit when he turned that smile onto me and Dex. “Are you my new cabin family?” he asked, bringing his rolling luggage to a stop in front of us.

“Actually, we’re going to a cosplay convention,” I joked. “We’re dressed as extremely attractive flight attendants from the fifties.”

“You fooled me.” That grin somehow grew warmer. “I’m Adam Mandalay.”

Dex and I introduced ourselves. Adam shook my hand in a polite, quick manner. But his handshake with Dex was different; their fingers seemed to linger together a heartbeat longer.

Just my luck, I thought.

“I’m going to snag a Mentos before the flight,” Adam said, glancing at his watch. It was an expensive Fossil watch with a brown leather strap, and a blue face that matched his uniform. “Back in a second.”

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