Turbulent Intentions (Billionaire Aviators #1) - Melody Anne Page 0,82
hadn’t wanted to wait around. She’d known that glimmer of hope would be sitting in her heart at the first explanation that was given to her. Because she wanted it to be real between her and Cooper.
“I need time, Nick. I can’t think right now. I just need time, please,” she said, her eyes burning, her muscles trembling.
He gave her a look that said he wanted to argue more, but then he hung his head.
“My brother is going to kill me,” he mumbled. “But if time is what you need, then I will give that to you. But I refuse to drop you at a train station.” His words were firm.
“Okay, you can take me to my friend’s house, but you have to promise not to tell Cooper. I want time alone to figure out how I feel without mixed emotions being involved.”
“I’ll keep your secret.”
They rode silently to Bellingham and Nick gave her a hug before leaving her behind. Stormy would get it all figured out, she promised herself. Her fingers rubbing over her belly, she knew she had no other choice other than to figure it out.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The setting sun lay peacefully below the horizon as the vast sea of stars filled the purple sky, mirroring the ocean’s surface as if the two were one. The Trans Pacific airliner climbed through the smooth air feeling motionless, uninterrupted except by occasional white puffs of clouds. The interior of the cabin was mostly dark, with only a few reading lights illuminating the beige-colored walls and blue cloth seats.
It would be a long flight and most of the passengers were getting comfortable, preparing to sleep. The flight attendants were occupied in the front galley, chatting about the current company gossip and the newest romance novels by Ruth Cardello, J. S. Scott, and Sandra Marton.
One of the reading lights was softly illuminating a children’s book as a mother quietly read to her toddler, who was holding a teddy bear.
An elderly couple seated a few rows back, not able to sleep, continued with their nightly routine. The gentleman sat with reading glasses on his nose, trying to answer the next crossword question. His wife sat in silence, her eyes fixed on her favorite Nora Roberts story. A pair of newlyweds was getting comfortable not far behind them, just having begun their journey on a two-week-long honeymoon.
Cooper and Wolf were busy making radio calls and setting their instruments for the continuation of the flight.
As both captain and first officer settled into their seats, having completed all checklists and entries into the flight computer, the aircraft cruised on autopilot. Cooper agreed to take the first watch, as Wolf began to play a movie on his iPad.
Periodically glancing at the flight instruments, Cooper mostly gazed out the window at the stars above and the purple sunset below. His thoughts, as always, were on Stormy. It had been two days since they’d spoken. Two days since he’d learned he was going to be a father.
Nick had assured him that Stormy only needed a couple days of peace, and then she would listen to him. Well, a couple of days were up and she wasn’t answering her phone.
What he needed to do was get this damn plane to Hawaii so he could get turned around and back to the woman who would become his wife—if he could convince her of it. He was a sucker for even taking the flight. One of his guys had a kid in the hospital getting her tonsils removed so here Cooper was.
Filled with impatience, he looked down at his watch, knowing there were still at least ten hours of flying to get there and back again.
About an hour into the flight, the sunset seemed to have progressed little as the aircraft flew westbound for Hawaii, the light of day still present in brilliant purples, shades of peach and pink.
Cooper continued to ponder Stormy, still impatiently stressing about the amount of time it would take before he could speak with her. Soon. He’d waited two days, so a few more hours weren’t going to kill him.
With his mind frazzled, he was quickly pulled from his thoughts when the plane shuddered. Good. He’d rather have to pay attention to flying than think about things he could do nothing about at the moment.
“Must be some rough skies,” Cooper told Wolf, who immediately put away his iPad. Reaching up, Cooper turned on the fasten seat belt sign as a precaution for those in back.