by Nova Rain
Chapter Eight
Penny
A throbbing headache brought me out of my slumber the following day. It was as if someone had hit me in the head with a huge hammer. But, as I looked down at myself, I discovered that a hangover was the least of my problems. I was in the most provocative outfit I owned, an outfit I brought along by chance, and I had no idea why I had put it on in the first place. I looked around me, images from the Everglades storming into my mind. Before I had a chance of recalling anything in particular, I noticed the edge of a piece of paper, sticking out from under my cell phone.
“Good morning,
If anyone told me that I’d watch you sleep and not lay a hand on you, I’d think they were crazy.
That’s exactly what I’m doing, though. I’m telling you, it’s not easy, but it’s a hell of a lot more preferable to joining you in bed. You see, I want something more from you, Penny. And a one-night stand with the drunken girl who came to my room for a booty call is guaranteed to ruin any chance of me having a relationship with you. Yes, you read that right. I want to date you. It’s going to be hard with my busy schedule, but I’m willing to take my chances. The question is: Are you?
Take some time to think about it. Don’t call me. I prefer face-to-face conversations, especially when it comes to something so important to me. Meet me at the Brooklyn Promenade, Pier 1 this Monday. 9pm. If you stand me up, I’ll know why.
Best,
Jake”
“What the hell happened last night?” I wondered, struggling to remember anything after Brenda’s trip to the local hospital. No matter how hard I tried however, I could not recall seeing Jake after paying a visit to the hotel lobby bar. I saw myself clinking glasses with the barmaid, I remembered having a few laughs with her, but nothing further. It didn’t take me long to figure out why he had slipped this note under my phone. Most likely, Jake saw me in the bar and made a move on me. I rejected him again, and thought he could convince me that he was someone else. Nice try, but he couldn’t fool me. This proposal of his was just another attempt to flirt with me.
I picked up my cell phone from my nightstand, my head still buzzing. Amazingly, I found three missed calls and a message from my editor.
“Excellent job last night. Your interview with Brenda Thomas has 4200 views, and the video of that big guy cutting the snake’s head off has gone viral. We’re talking about 14,000 views in just two hours! Get your ass back to New York. Your job down there is done.”
“Wonderful…” I smiled to myself, a mixed sense of joy and relief washing over me. At last, I could go back in to the office, having accomplished something major. I had earned my colleagues’ respect. No one would talk behind my back and call me a failure anymore. And whom did I have to thank for all this? A playboy. Yes, it was crazy to think about it, but that didn’t make it less true. Captain Jake Turner and his fast reflexes had given me more than I could have ever imagined. I was so happy that I would kiss him, if he were around.
Wait… I would do what? Again, I couldn’t deny the truth. I would jump onto him and give him a big, juicy kiss. He had earned this. He had been tolerating my bad manners for days, and had even advised me on how to succeed in the task that had been assigned to me. It was too bad he wouldn’t learn about my desire, but there was little I could do about that.
With my heart singing, I started to pack. My return flight to New York would not be dominated by fear or anger. On the contrary, I was even looking forward to it.
I was at Miami International Airport, daydreaming of champagne corks popping. Numerous handshakes with my boss and my colleagues, laughter, glasses clinking… Of course, some of the people at the office wouldn’t appreciate that. There’s a lot of competition in journalism; no one is thrilled to hear about a colleague’s success. This time, I would be the one to celebrate, while they would sit by and watch me enjoy my accomplishment. It would be nice for them to see what it’s like to be in my position for a change.
New York City was shrouded in darkness when my flight landed at JFK. The chilly wind on my face served as a reminder of the change in my surroundings. Walking down the stairs, I found myself in a dilemma. Go home and unpack, or head to the office? The text I received from Walter when I turned my phone back on helped me reach a decision.
“Everybody’s here. We’re waiting for you.”
It was a no brainer. All two hundred-and-fifty-three people working at the Bulletin had gathered for me? Including the butt-hurt morons who had been mocking me ever since I set foot in the building? I wouldn’t miss this for the world. It didn’t matter that I had to carry around my two suitcases. I’d go there, even if it meant carrying them up the stairs to the tenth floor.
Not that I had to anyway. The Bulletin was housed in a modern building in downtown Brooklyn, surrounded by buildings of equal size or smaller. I liked how it wasn’t dwarfed by the most distinctive high-rises in the area, because the nearest of them was three blocks away.
The diesel fumes of the cab were lacing the air as I stepped onto the curb. No lights on the first floors were on. Just seeing the tenth floor all lit up, splashed a warm sensation onto my face. This was my hour.
Chattering filled my ears as the elevator doors slid open sideways. I picked my suitcases back up and walked out of the empty car, before turning left. The somewhat narrow hallway opened out to a large, wide hall, full of desks and my colleagues. Even from ten yards away, I could tell they were in a festive mood. Most of them were wearing party hats, whereas others preferred to sink their teeth into pizza.
“There she is!”
A female voice turned each and every head in my direction. Moments afterwards, my heart leapt for joy at the sound of roaring applause. My lips curled into a huge grin, and my eyes swept the hall, watching them clap their hands for me. Squeezing through two men, Ava strode towards me, with a big smile gracing her face.
“I’m so proud of you,” she confessed, wrapping her arms around my back. I set the suitcases down and returned the hug, spotting Walter’s stocky figure just feet behind her.
“It’s great to see you again!” I cheered, unable to keep my voice down.
“I knew you’d make me proud one day,” Walter spoke, smiling behind his thick moustache. “Welcome back. Where is that big motherfucker?”
“Oh, we’ve been hoping you could shed some light on this,” Ava remarked, ending our hug. “The video you shot was great, but it’s a bit dark. We can’t make out the guy’s face. Call me crazy, but I think he’s the Captain of your flight to Miami.”
“That’s true. It is him,” I affirmed with a nod. “He’s probably somewhere over the Midwest right now.”
“Wait a minute,” Walter continued, a touch of surprise in his tone. “How did a pilot end up in the Everglades with you and that guide?”
“That’s a long story.” I replied, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s okay with you.”
“Well, I don’t care what your relationship is, but now that we know who he is, I want you to interview him,” Walter demanded, his hands on his waist.
“But…”
“No ‘but,’ Penny,” he interrupted, his jaw hardening. “You should have done this down in Miami. We’re lucky no one else has caught wind he’s the pilot who saved your flight. Make it happen.”
“You don’t want to do this?” Ava squinted at me. “Why? I mean, it’s a great opportunity.”
“You already know why,” I assumed a low tone, my smile fading.
“Because he’s arrogant?” my friend ventured a guess, anger deepening her voice.
“I’m afraid it’s more complicated than that,” I told her, fishing into my front pocket. Pulling out his note, I handed it over to her. “FYI, last night is just a blur. I can’t remember anything. My best guess is he somehow slipped that piece of paper in my purse while I was in the hotel lobby bar.”
“Has it crossed your mind that he might, just might be telling you t
he truth?” Ava posed a question, her voice dropping in volume.
“The guy who views women as trophies?” I answered with a question of my own. “Are we talking about the same person here?”
“You’ve based that conclusion on the account of a barmaid, for crying out loud,” my friend remarked. “His behavior doesn’t suggest he’s that kind of guy. Let’s say he’s the cocky, arrogant pilot you think he is. Wouldn’t his face be all over the news by now? Wouldn’t he announce it to the world that he was the one who saved that guide’s life? You don’t have to answer that. You know the answer is ‘yes.’ But what does he do? He stays quiet. He only made one statement to the press, the day after your flight. He said—and I quote—“I just did what I was trained to do.’”
I heaved a long sigh and pursed my lips. “Maybe you’re right.”
“Why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?” Ava asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.
“Because there is,” I explained. “I didn’t treat him right, girl. Before we left from our hotel the other night, he was all happy and cheerful; he paid me compliments, and all I did was try to kill his mood. I was terrible to him, and now he wants to date me? I didn’t even know this was possible.”
“It looks like it is.” She winked at me. “Anyway, if you don’t want to interview him, I can handle it, but be warned. I won’t hesitate to ask him out. The guy is impossibly hot.”
Something stirred deep inside me at the end of her phrase. For a moment, I thought it was just surprise. Yet, it wasn’t long before I figured out what it was: jealousy. Ava had helped me see things more clearly. She had a point. Indeed, I had jumped to conclusions about him. Along with that ugly feeling, my ego protested at the thought of letting her have him. He had expressed interest in me. I was the one he wanted to date. Jake had no idea that Ava even existed.
“I’ll do the interview,” I declared, my voice gaining in volume and nerve.
“Girl…” Ava chuckled, leaning closer. “You totally bought it, didn’t you?”
“You…!” My eyes widened with surprise.
“Guilty as charged,” my friend raised her hands in the air. “Let’s go get something to eat.”
I followed her down the hall, a bit disappointed at myself for falling for her little trick. I should have seen it coming, but, for some reason, I had failed. However, this was just a trivial detail. My friend had done that for me. Now, I could enjoy my success, and look forward to the day that Jake and I would meet again. Deep down, I wanted to believe that Ava’s conclusions about him were correct. Otherwise, I would regret showing up to our date.
Chapter Nine
Jake
My opinion about social media worsened during the weekend. I didn’t blame the sites per se; I just blamed the people who misused them, because by doing so, they were not giving me a moment’s peace. Flights were threatened with delays, due to passengers who wanted to take a picture with me. I kept repeating that I had to maintain a tight schedule, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. They didn’t mind arriving to their destination ten or fifteen minutes later. All they desired was to capture the face of a hero. And whenever I maintained I wasn’t one, they all reacted in almost the exact same way:
“You’re just being modest.”
Whatever; I wouldn’t argue with that. As a matter of fact, I could not argue with that, because more conversation would lead to further loss of time.
Things were not much better on the ground. Showing my face in terminals turned out to be a major mistake. People flocked around me like sheep, talking to me about the heroism I had exhibited, and wanting the same thing as my passengers: pictures. After going through the same situation in Tampa and Indianapolis, I decided to use side entrances and service elevators. The only people who noticed me, were airport staff and police officers. They too had gone after some pictures, but it took a lot less time to take three or four prior to a flight, than twenty or even thirty.
Having completed my shift on Monday, I headed out of the parking lot from Newark Airport. Destination? Home.
Home… A concept taken for granted by many, was an almost unknown concept to me. I did rent a third-story apartment on Fifth Avenue, but with my crazy hours, it still felt new, even three years after I’d leased it.
Naturally, I was feeling anxious about my date with Penny. To say that she was unpredictable would be an understatement. Her behavior so far had made that loud and clear. Of all the three hundred passengers on board that flight to Miami, she was the only one mad at me. More than that, showing up at our appointment hadn’t moved her. She seemed more annoyed than grateful that I had kept my word. The only time she had reacted in an ordinary way, was during the attack on Brenda in the Everglades. Still, I could think of quite a few grown men who would have run the hell out of there. Witnessing a fourteen-foot snake’s attack on a human being was not easy to stomach.
And this was the main reason why I liked her so much. I never appreciated women who did everything by the book. They seemed dull, because I could predict their next move before they even made it. With Penny though, it was different. She had a bad temper, yes, but my inability to guess what was going on in her mind had been fascinating me. I would much prefer having a relationship with her instead of a boring bimbo who said “yes” to pretty much everything.
I got dressed up in a navy-blue suit and a red tie, my heart beating faster with anticipation. But as I left my bedroom, the sound of the rain on my living room windows showed to me that I’d messed up. Carried away by the warm weather in Miami, I had asked her to meet me out in the cold. Regardless of how romantic it was, a date by the river in the cold, New York November was not a wise decision. Still, I believed that such a detail wouldn’t deter Penny. Meeting me that night wasn’t a matter of surroundings. It was a matter of will, and I had no idea if she possessed that will. I did, but it takes two to tango.
The rain continuing to drench the city, I arrived at the Brooklyn Promenade with minutes to spare. Without a doubt, the place seemed like a ghost town. There was no one at the playground. Swings and slides alike were empty. The Harbor View Lawn, the place where most people congregated to enjoy fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline on hot summer nights, was also quiet. To my liking, the only people around were a couple of joggers on the Granite Prospect. Both of them ran up the stairs and left me alone to enjoy the incredible view of the Brooklyn Bridge. Its beaming lights were tearing through the dark, illuminating the river below, and exposing the thin raindrops. Upon impact with the water, each one sent ripples across the calm surface, making the scenery even more breathtaking than it already was.
My heart skipped a beat at a faint sound on the staircase to my right. Penny’s hourglass figure was coming my way, under a purple umbrella, in black leggings, knee-high boots, a yellow coat, and wearing her usual, serious expression. I thought that seeing her bare legs in shorts was great, but this was much, much better. I loved how the fabric hugged her skin.
“I’m starting to miss Miami,” she confessed, walking through the gap between two benches.
“I’ve learned to enjoy the things every climate has to offer,” I stated as she halted in front of me. “You have to do that when you spend five days a week away from home. How have you been?”
“Very good, actually,” Penny claimed, a smile of bliss bursting upon her lips. “My interview with Brenda Thomas has been making a lot of noise. Thank you. I’m being treated like a celebrity, because you had the guts to take out that snake.”
“That’s good to hear,” I commented. “I’ve spent the past couple of days hiding from passengers who want to take my picture. I’m glad no one’s recognized me from that video in the Everglades.”
“Um, about that…” she paused and pushed her lips together. “A friend of mine did recognize you and told my editor. He wants me to interview you.”
“That’s not going to happen,” I replied using a strict tone and shaking my head sideways. “I’ve been waiting for this whole ‘hero�
�� thing to blow over. I don’t want to be in the spotlight again.”
“Will you do it for me?” Penny sweetened her voice, tilting her head to the side. I thought I was hallucinating. It looked like the feisty brunette had somehow transformed into this super-cute woman.
“It’s hard for me to say ‘no’ when you ask like that.” I capitulated, gazing deep down into her eyes.
Penny offered me a glorious smile, before letting her umbrella slip through her fingers. In a second, her arms flew around my back as she tilted her head up. A flash of lightning sizzled, the moment our mouths locked in a hot, passionate kiss. I curved my arms around her waist, savoring the softness of her lips. A boom of thunder echoed throughout the park, with me holding her tighter in my arms. Raindrops were flowing down her forehead and onto the bridge of my nose, the sound of the rain pelting down around us growing stronger. I lifted her off her feet, the vapors of our breaths rising up through the air. Penny released my lower back, only to lift her hand up to my cheek. I felt her warm palm caressing my face, her long fingernails gently grazing my skin. The tips of her boots were nudging my calves as more and more raindrops flowed down my scalp. I eased her down to the ground and opened my blurry eyes, eager to let her beautiful face fill my view. What I came cross was even better than I imagined. Penny’s lips were still quivering, her eyes still shut, drops of water streaming down her forehead and her cheeks.