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Her plump lips tighten into a thin line. “Unless panties and blouses have become illegal, you’re fine. I want my bag with me. And no, I’m not about to let you paw through my things.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Whatever floats your boat.”
“I’d like to go, please. Now.”
“Do you mind if I get on the plane first?”
She pulls her sunglasses down just enough for me to see her dark brown eyes framed by very thick, long lashes. “I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood for jokes. I just need to go.”
“Got it. Let’s go.”
She grabs her purse, throwing it over her shoulder before grabbing her suitcase. I was going to offer to carry it, but she was pretty possessive of those panties she spoke about. I was picturing something tiny and lacy.
But that was none of my business.
We board the plane with her taking a seat right near the door like she was worried there would be a line to get off the plane when we landed. She was an odd duck.
There’s no attendant on the flight, apparently that was at the client’s request. Her type usually wanted all the pampering, even on a short flight. I assume she’s probably just going to sleep. I went through my usual checks before getting up and going to check on her. “We’ll be taking off.”
“Great. Thanks.”
She finally removes her sunglasses, revealing striking features beneath. She's beautiful. Her brown eyes are intelligent and innocent. Her skin is smooth with high cheekbones. She’s a natural beauty. Her long brown hair hangs loose around her shoulders. Perhaps she's a model or an up-and-coming actress. It's not my place to ask. I don’t care.
"Are you comfortable?" I ask, taking note of the tension in her posture.
She nods, but there's a flicker of something in her eyes – a vulnerability that contradicts the confident facade she exudes. I decide to push a little further.
"Is everything okay? You seem... unsettled."
Her mask falters for a moment before she recovers, a forced nonchalance settling over her features. "I'm fine. Just eager to get going.”
“Can I get you anything before we take off?”
She shakes her head. “No. I’d like to go. Please.”
The woman is in a hurry. The destination she's chosen strikes me as odd—a small airport in the middle of nowhere, outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. But I've learned not to question the choices of my passengers. My job is to get them safely from point A to point B, no matter how unusual the journey.
“Okay, then. Buckle up.”
We fly in silence for the duration of the trip, the hum of the engines filling the cabin with a comforting drone. It's just before seven in the morning when we begin our descent. All I can see cornfields for miles and miles. Again, I found it odd that this little regional airport in the middle of nowhere was her destination. It wasn’t like there were any fancy hotels or shopping options.
Then it hits me.
She’s probably going to be meeting a man. Maybe a married lover and they are having a torrid love affair.
In a cornfield?
"We'll be touching down soon," I inform her, breaking the silence for the first time since takeoff.
“Good.”
She’s not exactly the friendly sort. I do my thing, gliding onto the runway with practiced ease. I cut the engines and get to my feet to open the door.
She reaches into her purse and pulls out a couple of twenty-dollar bills. "Thank you for the smooth flight, and for taking the job on such short notice," she says, her voice soft.
I shake my head, declining the gesture. "Thanks, but I don't need a tip," I reply, already focused on the tasks ahead. There's a hotel room waiting for me, and a return flight to schedule.
I open the door and gesture for her to go out first. She has a death grip on her suitcase, which makes me wonder if she was lying about the contents.
