“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Smiling, she set her suitcase down to take one of the cups from the holder, giving it to the pilot. “I brought an extra. Wanted to make sure you were wide awake. I hate flying.”
The pilot grinned back at her. “You’re not one of those people who freak out if I hit some turbulence, are you?”
She looked up at the cloudless sky. “Are you expecting any?” she asked worriedly. “We can delay the flight if—”
“I expect a smooth flight,” he hastened to assure her, his friendly attitude changing to a confident professional.
“Relax, I was only joking. I love flying. In fact, I’m working on getting my pilot’s license.”
The pilot laughed. “A woman after my own heart.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out his wallet to hand her a card. “You need any pointers or someone to fly with you while you get your hours, I’ll be able to help any way I can. Of course, my fee is a cup of coffee,” he joked.
Feeling as if she had made a new friend all on her own, without Nadia’s help, Haley laughed back.
Seeing her escort carrying her suitcase inside the plane, Haley stepped around the men to walk up the steps after giving Desmond the cold shoulder.
“See you when we land,” she said to the pilot as she went inside.
Taking one of the window seats, she pulled out her iPad and started reading while taking sips of her coffee. She didn’t bother looking up when she heard the men enter the plane, nor when the male attendant closed the stairwell.
Out of the corner of her eye, Haley saw Desmond had taken a seat across from her, facing in her direction. While hers was facing forward, she could still see what he had in his hand.
As the engine of the plane started, Haley quit pretending to read.
“I brought that coffee for the pilot.” Snidely, she glared at Desmond, who blatantly took a sip.
“I need it more,” he groused at her.
Looking at him closer, she saw Desmond hadn’t removed the dark-framed sunglasses he had been wearing outside, and his complexion was pale.
“Are you hungover?”
“Not yet. I’m still working on getting there.”
“You’re drunk?”
“Bingo.”
“Do you have to work so hard at being an ass?”
“I don’t have to work at it at all. It comes naturally.”
“That’s for sure.” At least we agree on that, she thought sarcastically. Haley pretended to go back to reading her book.
“What are you reading?”
“Why don’t you mind your own beeswax, and I’ll mind mine until we land and have to play this ridiculous charade?”
His eyebrows arched over his sunglasses. “Why is it ridiculous?”
“Because I can’t stand you.”
“Don’t hold back. Tell me how you really feel.”
Haley knew he meant to be snide, but she had been holding her anger in since she had left the previous day, so having the outlet conveniently close, she let loose.
“You’re a terrible person. There’s no excuse for the way you acted yesterday.”
“I agree.”
Her mouth gaped open. “You agree?”
“I do. Yesterday wasn’t my finest moment. I was irritated at myself and took it out on Janine and you. I called Janine this morning and talked to her. She accepted my apology, and we parted as friends, which is how I should have handled it yesterday.”
Haley stored her iPad away when the pilot came on the intercom, announcing that they were about to take off. Rather than looking out the window to watch the takeoff, she stared at Desmond.
“Well, I’m waiting,” she said through tightened lips.
“What for?”
“Where’s my apology? The only call I received last night was from Lucas telling me what time to be here today.”
“I wanted to give yours in person, which I would have already done if you hadn’t been giving my pilot googly eyes.”
“I was not—”
“Nor did you bring me a cup of coffee while you have literally given everyone on the planet one.”
“I have not—”
“And I’m not sober enough to keep from making an ass out of myself yet again, so I decided to wait until we were airborn and you couldn’t toss me out of the plane.”
She was not going to be taken in by his charm, Haley promised herself.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than his complexion went from pale to gray.
“Do you need a barf bag?” Haley raised her voice enough for the attendant to hear, and he unbuckled himself to grab one for Desmond.
Taking the bag, he motioned the man away.
He really must be sick, or Desmond would have shooed the attendant away before he gave him the bag.
“The coffee won’t help your stomach,” she advised when he took another drink from the cup. “If you have any clear liquids on board, they’ll be easier on your stomach.”
Desmond set the cup down. “Kirk, bring me a Sprite,” he ordered the attendant.
Waiting until Kirk had brought the drink to Desmond and left, she tried to take his mind off his queasy stomach.