Sparks - Wendy Higgins Page 0,76

board, I searched him online. He had no social media. But there was an article from a few years ago when he’d been promoted to Captain: full uniform, face serious. Why was he so cute when he tried to look tough? Ugh! And then, like a complete psycho, I tried to search Natalie but had no luck since I didn’t know her last name. Thank God for small mercies. If I’d come across a happy family photo I might have keeled over.

I forced myself to eat some of the plane’s spice cookies and a bottle of water with ibuprofen. It was quite literally the longest day I’d had as a flight attendant so far. When we had just two legs to go, the pilot called me to come to the cockpit.

“FA Robinson,” he said. “Flight control needs us to cover two more legs tonight.”

“Wait,” I said, sagging. “So, four more total?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he confirmed. “They’re going to bring out some coffee and dinner for us at the next stop, and they’ve said you can have the day off tomorrow.” I nodded, feeling like I didn’t have much of a choice.

The coffee tasted as if it’d been brewed this morning, and the meal was one of those microwaved ones that main cabin passengers got on international flights. I usually enjoyed them, if I was being honest, but tonight the pieces of chicken and penne pasta looked glossy with grease and the roll was dry enough to choke me. I was definitely not myself.

I did eat almost all of the tiny chocolate mousse, though.

We were the last flight to get back into Newark that night. My two pilots peaced-out immediately and I made a pit stop in the bathroom before my drive home. As I was washing my hands I heard someone come out of one of the shower stalls. I went around the corner and nearly collided with Silas. He was in the same casual clothes he’d worn to sleep in the last time I’d seen him in here.

His eyes raked over me and my heart expanded when I saw the droop of his eyes. The sadness. In that moment it was like I could feel his hurting and it seemed to blend with my own. This was someone who needed a hug as much as I did.

“Harlow,” he said.

I went to him and his arms went around my shoulders, mine around his back, and we held each other. I felt him rest his chin on my head. We’d never hugged before. It felt perfect in that moment. I didn’t want to let him go.

“Did Beth tell you I was looking for you?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there yet.”

“I take it she told you what happened?”

I nodded against his chest. Neither one of us was letting go. It was as if our pain had latched and was deriving comfort from the other’s understanding.

“I filed for divorce.” He sounded gutted.

“Are you okay?” I whispered.

“No.” He gave a dry chuckle. “Are you?”

“No.” I chuckled too, and it turned to a hiccup, then a small moan. I held him tighter, pressing my face to him. “He didn’t choose me.”

“He’s an idiot.”

“So is Jacquie,” I whispered.

He rubbed my back. I wondered when it would start to feel awkward, but he seemed content to hold me like this and I needed it too.

“I’ve been staying in the crew room while I looked for a place here. I’m going to sign a lease tomorrow.”

I looked up at him for the first time and felt a smile on my lips. “That’s great, Silas.” His eyes were warm as he peered down at me. The thought of him living here was awesome. He could hang out with us now like real friends. I felt myself smile bigger and watched as his face made a sort of transformation. He went from having a small smile that matched mine to dropping the smile completely and staring hard at my mouth.

Heartbeat.

Another heartbeat.

I stopped smiling.

My eyes dropped to his mouth as his lips moved to form words.

“Maybe I can fix things at your apartment.”

“Yeah,” I breathed. “Fix things. It’s good.”

“Good. Yeah.”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

Wait, what were we talking about? We both went silent and still, like a rubber band stretched to its max.

Heartbeat.

And then it was released.

Silas’s mouth came down hard on mine. Our arms clung, pulling each other and holding on tight as if we were caught in a storm and were afraid to be ripped apart. In one swift move