14. Fourteen
Fourteen
Blake
I lean back in my seat, the faint hum of the helicopter’s rotors a comforting backdrop. Our potential new pilot, Sarah, expertly maneuvers us over the city. Her skills are impressive, but my mind can’t help but wander to our last flight—with Jasmine and a very different set of skills.
“I’ll circle around so everyone gets a good view,” Sarah explains.
Landon catches my eye, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. I can tell he’s thinking the same thing. Cole keeps his voice down while confirming we all give Sarah a thumbs up.
“Excellent attention to detail. Our customers will appreciate that, Sarah,” Cole calls out, ever the professional. “We’ll finalize your contract when we land.”
At the word ‘contract’, I can’t help but grin. Landon snorts, and even Cole’s composure cracks. Trent glances at us, confused, then sags.
He says quietly, “You think you’ve got it all figured out, but Jasmine won’t commit. Trust me, I’ve been there.”
Landon leans forward, elbows on his knees. “We got her to sign a contract, that’s a commitment in itself. It buys us time.”
Trent shakes his head. “The contract is nothing more than a game to her. Now that she’s in the finals for SSSS, there’s no way she’ll risk her standing.”
“And we want to support her,” Cole chimes in. No doubt he and Landon recall how Cole supported her at the SSSS event. Watching him bow down at her command was great until we didn’t get turns.
I nod, agreeing with Cole. “We want to see her succeed. In time, she’ll want us.”
Landon’s phone rings. “It’s the representative from the national park system. Too bad Jasmine isn’t here to kiss my dice. I feel like this one’s a winner.”
“Good luck,” I say as he accepts the call. We’ve been marketing our tour services to the parks system so people with mobility issues can more fully enjoy the parks. It’s been a bunch of missed calls and messages so far.
Trent scoffs at Landon’s reference to Jasmine but doesn’t say anything until he’s on the call. “She’s going to break your hearts.”
We can only hear Landon’s side of the call, but it sounds like he’s locking down a deal.
Our phones all ding at the same time. Then I realize Trent’s didn’t. He glances at my screen. Jasmine. He leans away and shifts his attention out the window.
Cole and I read the text message and click on our screens to open the contract addendum almost simultaneously. What the fuck? She’s pregnant and wants us to sign an agreement on co-parenting. Best news ever. I bred her first. I have the best chance of being the father.
I’m about to burst, and see that Cole is too. We can’t scream and celebrate while Landon’s finalizing the deal we’ve spent two years trying to secure. And being trapped in a helicopter with Trent isn’t the time to say anything.
I’m shaking so hard I can barely sign the digital document.
I angle my head toward Landon. Cole catches on and gets Landon to put the call on speaker for a second, open the addendum, and scroll to the bottom. He trusts us enough to sign. His expression only speaks to irritation as he returns the phone to his ear.
He didn’t read it. Cole and I are doing everything we can not to laugh or scream or celebrate.
Trent looks from me to Cole, then back out the window, and laughs. “Giddy-ass schoolboys headed for a heartbreak.”
The news will break him. If only he’d given it a chance when Jasmine invited him to join us.
Cole shakes his head. He’s right: we shouldn’t say anything.
Landon grins ear to ear as he thanks the other person for trusting us.
Chances are that we won’t be able to wait to say something until we land, Trent be damned. We’re officially assholes.
Landon ends the call. I’m trying to decide if I should tell him to read the addendum or just spoil it, when his phone rings.
His grin widens as he accepts the call.