Page 1 of Hidden Shadows
CHAPTER1
Finley Dunkley stepped onto the plane, her fingers trembling slightly as she held out her ticket to the flight attendant. Whatever the woman said was like white noise, the beating of her heart all she heard.
Man, she hated flying. It wasn’t at a phobia level, but it was close. And while she loved her job as an event marketer, traveling was the only downside.
She tried to smile at the woman before walking forward but was sure it came out all kinds of wrong. Her eyes were down as she stepped into the aisle, and she was so in her own head that she ran smack dab into someone’s chest.
Crap.
“I’m so sorry,” she gasped as she looked up into the man’s blue eyes. He barely smiled, just dipped his head and stepped around her.
She didn’t have to go far. 2F. Both a business-class seat…and a window seat.
She dropped into her allocated spot, and her fingers immediately started a nervous strum along the plush arm as she glanced down the aisle. Nerves trickled up her spine—that whoever was sitting beside her would choose not to switch seats…that she’d be stuck beside the window for the entire flight.
If she’d booked this flight herself, she never would have booked a window seat. Hell, she wouldn’t have even selected business class. But Beth, the organizer of the Christmas fair she was working, had bought her the ticket.
Why sitting beside the window made flying worse, she wasn’t sure. Yes, there was a blind you could pull down, but no, it didn’t dull the fear in her belly.
It was fine. She’d be fine. One quick flight to Fallen Ridge, Ontario, then the plane would safely land. There’d be no big crash. No headline news. And with any luck, no turbulence.
She leaned down and unzipped her bag, then pulled out two small pills and some water. Xanax. Sometimes the only thing that kept her nerves steady. On longer flights, the medication even helped her get some sleep, but this was a short trip, so the likelihood of that happening was low.
Her fear of flying seemed to have come out of nowhere. She’d even Googled it once. But she didn’t have a past traumatic experience. She had an added fear of enclosed spaces only when she sat in the window seat. Maybe it was a combination of everything—small space, up high, no control of the situation, and reading too much news.
Thank you, media.
“Champagne, Miss Dunkley?”
She looked up to see a young flight attendant. “No, thank you.”
The woman’s gaze shifted to the bag at her feet. “I’m sorry, your bag is a bit too large for below the seat. Could you please put it in the overhead compartment?”
“Oh. Sure. Sorry.”
As the attendant moved away with the tray of glasses, Finley grabbed the bag and stood. Her arm shook when she lifted it above her head, but that wasn’t due to nerves.
Damn her and her inability to pack light. It was a two-week trip. But to be fair, she was flying into Ontario in December. There’d be snow and a lot of it. Which meant big, space-taking warm clothes were required.
She pushed the bag in, but it only went halfway before hitting resistance. With a frown, she shoved it again. Why wasn’t it moving? She readjusted her feet to give it a third shove.
“There’s something behind it.” The voice was deep, gravelly.
Turning, she found herself staring right at a big, toned chest, then looked up, way up, into a set of dark, almost black eyes.
The man was huge. So huge that he reminded her of her best friend’s military brothers. This guy even had that same intense look in his eyes, like he’d seen the darkest crevices of the world.
Oh, and he was beautiful, in a ruggedly sexy kind of way.
Her breath caught when he leaned over her, reaching behind her bag and pushing something aside. A deeply masculine scent permeated the air. It was a combination of sandalwood and spices…intoxicating. She peeked up to see his biceps flexing as he shuffled the luggage.
Oh, sweet Jesus…
When he was done, he lowered his arms, and it took her too long to realize she was in his way.
“Sorry,” she muttered quickly, sliding back into her seat. “Thank you for your help.”
But the man didn’t continue down the aisle. He put a second bag in the overhead compartment, then slid into the seat beside her.
