Chapter Twenty-Two Pax #2
She swiped the single tear that had slipped down her cheek.
“We couldn’t board our flight because my license was in my purse.
And we have all this cash that we got from our wedding.
Luckily, my husband had it hidden in his duffel bag that we had in the hotel with us, and we just were hoping there was someone here who could help us. ”
Looking helpless and forlorn, Aria spread twenty hundred-dollar bills out on the counter.
“It’s probably not enough, but when we get there, I’ll be able to go to the bank and transfer the rest. I promise.
And my sister is working on getting me a replacement ID, but said it was going to be at least forty-eight hours to overnight it, and I really need to be there for her surgery today. ”
Aria let go of a strangled sob and pushed out, “I’m terrified I’m not ever going to see her again.”
Sympathy seeped into the woman’s expression, and she reached out and patted the back of Aria’s hand. “Don’t you worry, sweet thing. We’ll get this sorted out.”
Madge moved back to her desk and picked up the handset on one of those old-fashioned corporate phones that had a bunch of lines. She pressed a couple of buttons before she brought it to her ear.
Aria and I shared a look. Hope brimming full.
“Hey, Ken, how’s it going out there?” Madge asked. She nodded as she responded to whatever he was asking.
“Oh, good . . . yup.”
I itched while they shared pleasantries I couldn’t hear from the other end of the line.
“Hey, listen, I’ve got this cute couple who are in our neck of the woods on their honeymoon, and they need a quick ride to Portland. Her momma is having emergency heart surgery today, and they got robbed last night. Poor thing doesn’t have her license, and she’s beside herself.”
A pause, then she said, “Yup. I’ll just have her fax me a copy once she gets it, and then I’ll get the passenger documentation in order.”
She nodded. “They have some cash those jerks didn’t manage to nab . . .” She looked over her shoulder at us. “Two thousand?”
I gave her a quick nod of confirmation.
“That’s right,” she told him.
More words from the other end of the line; then she said, “All right, I’ll bring them around.”
Relief punched me in the chest, and I curled my hand around Aria’s fingers, which were trembling. Trembling with her own relief. Both of us in disbelief that we’d actually pulled this off.
Had no fucking clue what the regulations were with tiny planes like this. Apparently, a whole lot of the security was left up to the pilot, but still, I’d worried this was a long shot.
Madge hung up the phone and turned back to us, a winning smile on her face.
“Ken’s got you covered. He’s goin’ to have to make a stop to refuel, but he’ll get you there just as fast as he can.
Not as fast as one of those big ones would do .
. .” She chuckled. “But it’ll be a whole lot faster than driving. ”
“That’s fine. I’m just so thankful.”
“We can’t have you missing out on being there for your momma, now, can we? Let’s get you going.”
She came around the counter and gestured for us to follow her, and she led us down a short corridor to another set of double doors that led out to the back of the building.
Cold bit into our flesh as we stepped outside, and I looked over at the single runway as another tiny plane took off.
“Hop on.” Madge gestured to a golf cart that sat outside the door.
We climbed in, and it lurched forward as she rammed on the pedal. She whisked us over to a row of three hangars like she was the one who was flying.
She headed all the way down to the third. Its giant doors gaped open, and the plane inside was facing outward. She cut a right and drove through the doors and came to a jarring stop beside the plane.
This one was still a prop, a single propeller on the nose, though it was a little larger than the first two I’d seen taking off.
Madge kicked on the brake. “Here we go.”
We climbed out, and I grabbed our bags as a man emerged from where he’d been checking something on the opposite side of the plane. “Heard we have us a bit of a rescue mission,” he said.
He had no fucking idea.
He was probably in his fifties, wearing a leather jacket and a ball cap. Green eyes keen, though I wasn’t getting any malicious vibe. Went against every instinct I had, putting our faith in other people—when any one of them could turn on us on a dime.
But I had to trust in this, give this guy credit, because there was no way we were getting to Dani in time if we didn’t.
“Oh my gosh, yes, thank you for helping us. I can’t express what this means to me,” Aria gushed.
“It’s my pleasure. Besides, it’s been a couple weeks since I’ve gotten to take a longer jaunt across the US. Think you’re going to find this is the superior way to fly.”
“Ken here thinks he’s the best pilot in the country,” Madge teased with a wink.
“I sure hope he is,” I grunted.
The man laughed. “Been flying my whole life. Don’t worry, I’m gonna get you and your pretty bride home safely. I need to get the flight plan sorted, so you two hop in and get comfortable.”
“Thank you,” Aria gushed again. She glanced between them. “Both of you.”
I nearly blew our cover when the woman moved to Aria and hugged her.
Hit with the intense urge to rip her arms from Aria, not wanting anyone close to her.
But we had a part to play, and I couldn’t go losing my cool.
Madge hugged Aria tight, and Aria actually relaxed into the embrace and hugged her back. “You came to the right place. Told you we’d take care of you.”
“You helped in a bigger way than you could ever know.” Aria exhaled heavily as she breathed the words.
Madge patted her on the back. “Well, it was nothing. You two take care of each other,” she said as she stepped away.
“Always will,” I promised low, though I directed that statement toward Aria.
Awareness spun between us, and Madge cleared her throat before she turned on her heel and headed back for the golf cart. “Have a safe flight, and I’ll be sending healing thoughts to your mother.”
She whipped the golf cart back around and blazed out of the hangar, and Aria gasped with relief as I moved to her. I pulled her flush against me, my arm around her waist as her sweet body pressed against mine.
Her warmth lit me through.
“We did it,” she breathed.
“You did it,” I murmured before I pulled back with a smirk. “Wife.”
A blaze of redness climbed up her neck and pooled on her cheeks. She fell into a sway with me as her teeth tugged at the inside of her lip. Her fingers were soft as they played along the neckline of my tee. “I don’t hate the sound of that.”
Surprise froze me for a beat.
Not once in this grueling, torturous life had I ever given thought to being married. The idea of it was nothing but a fucking joke. Like I’d ever let anyone get that close to me. Like I’d ever care. Like I could imagine this.
And there I was, picturing this woman in a pretty white dress with flowers in her hair.
Love rushed through the darkness that had always tainted my insides, and I slowed, slipping my hand to her waist as I dropped my forehead to hers . . . just breathing her in.
Swarmed by her scent.
The coconut.
The goodness.
The light.
“One day, Aria . . . one day I’m going to give you everything you want. Everything you have ever imagined that might make you happy. A normal life where you’re safe and you don’t have to forever look over your shoulder.”
We were going to make it through this. We had to.
Aria’s fingertips fluttered across my lips. “I just want you.”