16. Adele
Adele
Ishould not have been so nervous. Finn was a competent pilot, and I’d flown with him before. But the dread swirled in my stomach before I had even put my car in park. This was not how I wanted to spend my Thursday.
Taking a sip from my travel coffee mug, I steeled myself for this day. I was a professional. This was my family’s business. We were headed to check out the new land and the viability of a potential second camp for our team. That was it. Easy peasy.
I would take photos, make notes, and consider what kind of equipment could be stored and maintained out there.
Then we’d fly home. Alice had already texted to say she was making lasagna for girls’ night, and Parker had sent a photo of three bottles of rosé she had picked up.
Somewhat surprisingly, I was looking forward to spending time with my girls.
Keeping the whole strip axe-throwing thing to myself had been killing me.
They were trustworthy and would keep the information from my brothers if I asked.
And I would ask. Because I needed other perspectives in order to fully process that interaction.
It had been one of the sexiest experiences of my entire life, and yet we had never so much as touched. Was that why my brain was going haywire? Because I’d gotten a look at Finn’s naked ass and would never be the same?
Or was it because I hated him a little less every day? Because, try as I might, I couldn’t muster up the anger I used to hold on to so tightly. The blinding rage had subsided and transformed into more of a strong dislike.
The cooling of my rage, combined with the endless reminders of how beautiful he was, was confusing me. And the prospect of hours in a confined space with the man was enough to make me consider running into the woods and taking my chances with Clive.
“She-Ra. You made it.” I heard his voice before I saw those long, thick legs striding toward me.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuckety fuckers. He was wearing sunglasses. Aviators. His hair was tied back. Damn, he looked hotter than usual, and that was a feat, because the man was gorgeous on a bad day.
Did he do this on purpose? Jackass.
“Ready to fly? We’re all gassed up.”
He held an arm out, pointing at the small runway that fit precisely between buildings and a storage yard that was far larger than anything we had at Gagnon.
I’d always wanted to snoop around and see what sort of equipment they housed here.
Hebert Timber had been much larger and far more successful than my family’s business.
They had a flashy office building and all sorts of toys, including a runway on the property.
These days, we all realized the luxuries were products of crime instead of old-fashioned hard work, but that didn’t make me want to scope out their tools any less.
“Let me guess. You wanna see the shop?” He tilted those sunglasses down a few inches to eye me, and I swear I broke out in goose bumps.
I shook my head, hefting my backpack over my shoulder. “No. Let’s get this over with.”
With a nod, he turned and led me to the plane. It was white, with dark-blue stripes that flowed from the nose to the tail.
He ran his large hand along the body of it in reverence. “She’s a Cessna 206.”
It was a decent-sized plane. It had six seats and some cargo space, and I could hear the pride in his voice when he talked about it.
“I’ve already completed the run-up checklist. I’ll get the door for you.”
I watched with fascination as he removed the chocks from the wheels and helped me inside. In the cargo area he loaded his camera equipment and some surveying tools.
He handed me a headset as he turned on the engine, flipping lots of switches and adjusting instruments and looking completely at ease.
“So we’ve got a nice long runway here,” he explained. “And we taxi for a bit while I adjust and gain speed. We need sixty miles per hour to rotate and eighty-five to climb out.”
I sat in awe as the plane accelerated and he gently eased the nose up. We gain speed, and Finn gracefully took off. My heart was in my throat as we soared through the air and the town below us got smaller and smaller, but Finn seemed more relaxed than he had on the ground.
“This is my favorite thing in the world,” he said, staring out at the horizon.
In this moment, he was more like the Finn Hebert I had kissed two years ago, the man who oozed confidence and swagger and wore his big heart on his sleeve. There was no hint of the cynical, withdrawn person he’d recently become.
“I feel nauseous.”
“Don’t worry. You’re in good hands.”
I didn’t doubt that. He had complete command over this machine. I couldn’t help but be a bit awed by it all. I understood and appreciated what it took to handle big machines on the ground, so I could only imagine the degree of skill he possessed in order to fly.
His movements were so steady and confident. Each adjustment, look, and flip of a switch was precise and deliberate. Despite my best efforts to ignore the way each movement affected me, they called to my inner perfectionist.
Being in the hands of someone who knew what they were doing was the sort of thing that would help a normal person relax.
Me? Nah. This got me going. My hands were clammy and my pulse raced as I watched him. My curiosity, and dare I say a hint of desire, grew with each passing minute.
“You gonna stare at me or look at the mountains?” Finn asked, one side of his mouth quirked up.
Embarrassed, I turned to look out the passenger window.
It was breathtaking. The rugged terrain stretched out in front of us, the endless forest giving way to majestic peaks.
“We can land at the site. In the ’90s, back before my dad idiotically abandoned efforts up here, his pilot would fly guys up here to work. It may be a bit overgrown and bumpy, but the drone footage indicated that it’s clear enough for a landing. If I can’t, we circle around and come home.”
Turning back to him, I willed my stomach to settle and my heart rate to stay steady. “Sorry. Do you mean that there is no runway?”
“It’s a bush plane.” He shrugged. “We’ll be fine. I’m trained in STOL.”
“What does that even mean?” So much for staying calm. My stomach rolled at the idea of crash-landing.
“Short takeoff and landing. It’s standard procedure in the bush. Runways are a luxury, so the plane is built to function in remote areas.”
“Last time we took off from the lake.”
“Yup. Those were pontoons. There’s no body of water near where we’re headed, so I’ve got the standard landing gear on.” He patted the instrument panel and smiled. “Marge is one tough broad. She doesn’t need much space and loves a bumpy ride. Don’t you, girl?”
“Marge? Your plane has a name?”
“Of course she does. My great grandpa Jack? He was my mom’s grandfather.
He flew bombers during World War II. His B-26 Marauder was named Marge, so I used the name to honor him.
He lived to be ninety-five. So many of my favorite childhood memories involve him and the stories he’d tell about his flying days. ”
Damn. This man chipped away at the ice around my heart a little more each time we interacted. “That’s very sweet.”
He shrugged. “My family is a lot bigger than my shithead father.”
My roiling stomach had settled, but now it was twisting into knots. All this time, I’d been judging him for his father’s actions. Yet he had five brothers and a mother and any number of family members who were not horrible monsters.
“This plane. I’ll do anything to keep her. Hell, I’m working for the enemy, so I suppose I already am.”
We soared over Lake Millinocket and hit a few bumps. I yelped, but he quickly steadied us.
“You’re going to kill me,” I snapped, not quite ready to let go of all my ire. Without it, how could I ensure I kept my distance?
He chuckled, adjusting his instruments. “Really? I was sure you were immortal. You know, since you sold your soul to Satan and all.”
“Just fly the fucking plane.” I made sure there was plenty of bite in my bark, though I had to school my expression to keep from smiling at his quip.
“With pleasure, She-Ra. Enjoy the views.”
Competent men didn’t intimidate me. Parker had once referred to competence as my kink. Now I was beginning to wonder if she was right. The more I watched Finn fly this plane, the more hot and bothered I got.
The expert way he manipulated the flight controls and his relaxed posture in the cockpit were so goddamn sexy.
He was clearly good at what he did. And that was a problem for me.
Maybe it was because my job required total precision. Attention to detail and perfect calculations. My sister-in-law Alice called it my Virgo energy, but it was more than that.
I had spent so many years of my life learning and developing my skills. I knew what it took to be an expert at something: dedication, focus, and self-control.
So I valued those traits in others. And right now, Finn’s capability was setting off alarm bells in my brain. My lady parts were sure to follow.
“You love this,” I said after several minutes of unabashedly studying him and his every move.
He nodded. “Since I was a kid. Even then, there was nothing I wanted more than to fly. Still gets me every single time I’m up here.”
“I’m glad you found it. Your purpose. So many people never do.”
“I’m lucky, I guess. And that’s why I’m willing to fight so hard for my dreams. The thought of losing the one thing outside my daughter that gives me meaning and purpose terrifies me.”
I regarded him. The way his T-shirt hugged his broad shoulders, the sexy aviator sunglasses that hid his eyes, the veins in his forearms each time he moved. Damn.
We flew in relative quiet. The hum of the engine was the only sound as we soared over trees and rivers.
“Look down there.” He pointed at a small pond in a clearing.
A dozen moose were gathered near the water. From up here, they looked like ants.
“I wonder if Clive is there,” I joked.
“What is the obsession with that moose? He’s a goddamn menace, and you all treat him like some kind of cuddly town mascot.”
My breath caught in my lungs. How dare he? “Watch yourself Hebert. Clive is beloved.”
“He does nothing but cause property damage and mayhem. I’m shocked no one has turned him into jerky yet.”
I gasped. “You are on very thin ice in this town already. I can’t protect you if you disrespect Clive. And you better believe the pitchfork wielding mob will come for you.”
He laughed. “Does that mean you want to protect me?”
“Of course not.” I shook my head and grinned. “I’ll be leading the angry mob. I’m giving you fair warning.”
He chuckled. “Thanks for the heads-up,” he said, checking his instruments and adjusting our altitude.
“The Navy sent me all over the world. But one of the coolest places I’ve ever been is Alaska.
It’s a lot like Maine, really, except bigger, colder, and way more wild.
Lovewell may as well be Chicago compared to most towns up there. ”
With a hum, I nodded. It was my dream to someday visit Alaska. I’d read dozens of books and watched every documentary about Denali National Park I could get my hands on.
“But other parts aren’t so different. They don’t have many roads, and the ones they do have are often destroyed by the weather. The best way to travel to those unreachable places is by air. I met several pilots while I was there. A lot of former military guys, but some who grew up in the bush too.”
He adjusted our course slightly, and the plane banked to the left.
“I saw how they made their livings. Some flew for oil companies, some delivered goods to remote villages, and others took tourists out to explore the wilderness. That’s when I realized that if I had to be stuck in Maine, that’s what I’d do.
Share this place. The unreachable spots that only a plane can show you. ”
His words were earnest and passionate. It was obvious he’d put a lot of thought into his plans and that they meant a great deal to him.
“Like Big Eagle Lake.”
“Exactly. Think of all the beauty in this area that isn’t accessible by roads. And think about all the people who visit Maine each year.”
“Lovewell isn’t really a tourist town.”
He lifted one shoulder, his attention still trained on the sky ahead of us.
“But it could be. This region is growing and changing. Our town could too. Imagine if the inn was open again. And imagine if we brought back some of the town festivals. Our area has incredible camping, hiking, and fishing already. I’m not saying I could do it all myself, but there is major potential here. ”
He wasn’t wrong. There were a handful of vacation rentals in the Lovewell area—some of which my brother Henri owned—and they were always in demand.
“Your dad supported this?” I asked tentatively, watching his face to see how he’d react to the subject of his father.
“Yes. If I agreed to come back and work for him, he said he would invest.” His mouth turned down and his shoulders slumped just a fraction. “Obviously, that’s not happening anymore.”
I nodded, ignoring the way his reaction to the mention of his dad and his derailed plans tugged at my heartstrings. “Where does this leave your dream now?”
“It’s dead. Mostly.” He pressed his lips together and sat a little straighter. “But I’ve still got Marge. She’s the best gal a guy could ask for. As long as I can keep her, I won’t give up on the dream completely.”
“I admire your passion,” I said, hoping the whirring of the engine muffled my offhanded compliment. “And I think you should still go for it. You know, ‘dare mighty things.’”
His head snapped toward me, and a grin spread across his face. “And win glorious triumphs?” he asked, completing the quote. “Are you okay? Altitude sickness setting in?”
I looked out the window and ignored him as heat crept into my cheeks. Damn Finn Hebert and those damn sunglasses and forearms and flying skills. “It’s a good idea. I can at least admit that. This is clearly your passion. Don’t give up because things haven’t worked out the way you planned.”
I kept my eyes on the horizon, worried I’d crossed some invisible line. Up here, without the weight of all the problems I’d left behind on the ground, I was struggling to hate him.
“Okay, She-Ra, enough daydreaming about me. Get the camera.”
Silently, I snagged the camera bag from behind my seat and attached the massive lens, as he had shown me, while he decreased our altitude. Once we were where he wanted us to be, I snapped photo after photo.
“Atta girl. For a newbie, you’re handling this well.”
Still holding the camera aloft, I cocked one brow and turned to him. “Trust me, I have plenty of experience with big equipment.”