Chapter Thirty-Eight
CAMILA
On the list of things I’d never imagined doing in my life, getting on a private jet was right near the top.
The aircraft, small compared to a commercial airliner, had more interior space than I expected, with a total of eight reclining and absurdly comfortable seats and, right behind it, a minibar, bathroom and, of course, the cockpit where the pilot, co-pilot and a nice young lady would sit who, from what I understood, worked there only to serve the passengers, something that I found to be completely absurd, since anyone who wanted could get up from their seat and open the damn minibar to get whatever they wanted to drink.
I was observing the interior of the place while, out on the runway, Michael talked to the pilot.
I sat down in one of the armchairs, placing my bag beside me.
I stayed there for a while, thinking Michael was taking too long to come in.
Until his face finally appeared at the entrance of the aircraft.
“Hey, Cami, are you ready for a surprise?”
“You didn't bring Apollo, did you?” I tested. I already liked Apollo, but I think I would still be tense sharing a small space like the jet with him for a few hours of travel.
“No, he stayed with my mother. But I brought someone, anyway.”
Right, that discouraged me a little. It had been wishful thinking on my part to believe that this could be, for Michael, an opportunity for a romantic trip.
We were going because of the fake wedding — to do the tasting for the buffet of a party that wouldn’t even happen — and he had decided to take advantage of the trip to spend a few days and get some rest.
Apparently, he also took the opportunity to bring a friend along.
I was a big idiot.
“Come on, Alanis, watch your step,” he said, looking outside.
Alanis? So he had invited a lady friend ? A woman to go with us?
I felt like I was about to cry when he stepped aside, making way for Alanis to enter.
To my surprise, the blonde woman, short in stature and with straight hair tied in a ponytail, came in wearing a white uniform and, in her arms, she was not carrying a suitcase, but a baby.
The most beautiful baby in the whole world, who smiled hugely as soon as she saw me.
“Oh my God...” I practically screamed. Then I stood up, going to take Alice in my arms. “My love, you came! You're coming with us!”
“The authorization came out this morning,” Michael said. “The Harrises put their foot down and said they would only allow it if her nanny could come along.”
And I was about to have a stupid jealous fit!
Now, however, my crisis was one of pure happiness. I felt that, with Alice with us, the trip would be complete.
I looked at the babysitter, who was watching me like a prison guard worried that the inmates might stage a prison break. What did she think? That I was going to knock Alice over or something?
Still, I was polite and kind to her.
“Nice to meet you, Alanis. I'm Camila. It'll be great to have you with us on this trip.”
“My pleasure, miss,” she replied, politely, though not very friendly. “Excuse me, I need to change Alice’s diaper before takeoff.”
And, without waiting for an answer, she took the girl from my arms, taking her to the bathroom. On the way, she picked up a baby bag that I only now realized Michael was carrying in his hands.
He came to me and pulled me, guiding me to two armchairs, where we sat.
“Margaret and Caleb probably gave her very strict orders to watch us while we were with Alice,” he said, his voice low.
I agreed, although I imagined it wasn't just that. “I believe she will also watch us to see if our engagement is really real.”
“Let her keep an eye on us. I just hope she doesn’t intend to write down how many kisses I give you during these days, otherwise she'll lose count.”
There he was again, making my body's hormones go into overdrive. Which only got worse when he gave me the first of the promised kisses.
As we pulled away, I thought it would be the perfect chance for my blood to cool a little, but he didn't give me the opportunity to do so as he commented in a whispered voice, “The only downside to Alice coming with us is that I won't be able to do with you what I intended to do on the plane.”
“Pervert. An aircraft is no place for such things.”
“Any place is a place, honey.”
The phrase, while it excited me, made me think about how many women he must have already carried on that jet, including taking them to the same house we were going to.
What was that? Was I jealous again?
I tried to focus again when Alanis came back from the bathroom, bringing Alice with her.
I asked to take her, but the nanny refused, saying that the girl was sleepy and she would put her to sleep.
And, as if she was really afraid that Michael and I would grab the child and run away God knows where, since at that moment the pilot was closing the aircraft door and announcing that we were about to take off, she sat in the first row of seats, leaving an empty row away from us.
“Will Alice be able to stay with us at some point?” I asked Michael, already irritated.
“Honey, I'm just waiting for this plane to land in Aspen so I can tell the young lady there the rules of the house where she's going to be staying.”
I hoped so, or I would end up throwing a tantrum if that woman didn't let us spend time with Alice.
It took over an hour for the plane to be cleared for takeoff.
The story that Alice was about to fall asleep turned out to be a lie, as she spent several more minutes laughing and mumbling before finally falling silent.
Looking over the seats, I noticed that the nanny also seemed to have fallen asleep.
“You seem more worried than I am,” Michael commented.
And he was right. Not that he wasn't bothered by the conditions for his daughter to accompany us on the trip, but I was so angry about it... as if I were her mother.
And I wasn't, I needed to keep that in mind.
“Is it still a long way to go until we get there?” I said evasively.
“Calm down, we just took off.”
“Do you want to watch some TV to pass the time?”
“Honestly? No. There are other things I'd rather do.”
I stared at him and could see the explicit malice in his brown eyes.
That ignited in me the least pure thoughts I could have.