Brace for Impact

by Becky Harmon

  “And what’s with your clothes, anyway?”

  It was Lucy’s turn to chuckle. “It started my first year flying with the Air Marshals. I would buy souvenir T-shirts everywhere I went.” She motioned at her current T-shirt. “Like this one. My coworkers started teasing me and I realized I looked like a tourist. Which goes against our lay-low policy. So I switched to major league baseball teams.”

  “So who’s your favorite team?”

  “I don’t even watch baseball.”

  “That’s crazy. How do you carry on a conversation when someone comments on your shirt?”

  Lucy frowned. “Travelers aren’t really looking to have a deep conversation. I just say something like—‘season’s not over yet.’ Or ‘next year we get a clean slate.’ Baseball junkies totally fall for that one, especially if they’re cheering for a losing team.”

  “It seems to me that being an air marshal is a lot like acting.”

  “Yeah, it is.”

  The waiter arrived with dessert menus, and she was surprised when Lucy ordered the hot fudge sundae. That was what she wanted, and she felt silly ordering the same thing again so she picked the hot fudge cake instead. When the desserts arrived, Lucy pushed hers into the middle of the table so they could share and Dex did the same with her cake. The hot fudge was thick and sweet and she savored each bite. The blissful expression on Lucy’s face said she was doing the same thing.

  The evening had been pleasant and she was sad to see it come to an end. She knew Lucy would never follow her back to her room. Even though that’s what she wanted. Her crazy one-night stand policy was so annoying, and Dex wanted to know the reason behind it. Logic told her Lucy had been burned in the past, but she wanted to hear her say it. Maybe if she could get her to talk about it, then she might be able to move them past it.

  “Have you ever been in love?” she asked.

  Lucy’s hand froze halfway to her mouth and she dropped the spoon back in the dish. “No, I haven’t. I thought I’d made myself clear how I feel about relationships.”

  Lucy’s face was stolid, and Dex was so disappointed that she had pushed the wall back in place between them. But now it was there, so she figured she should keep pushing and see where it got her.

  “Oh, you’ve been perfectly clear. I only want to know why.”

  “Why what?”

  She rolled her eyes. Lucy knew what she was asking, but she was stalling. “Why only one-night stands. Why won’t you date me?”

  “Love means depending on someone and people aren’t dependable.” Lucy stood and tossed several large bills on the table before walking out.

  Shadows from the flickering candle danced on the empty chair across from her while she waited for the waiter to return with their check. She should have been discouraged by the way the evening had turned out, but she wasn’t. Lucy had given her an opening. All she had to do now was prove that she was dependable.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lucy tossed and turned under the fluffy white comforter all night. It was hard to not be disappointed when Dex didn’t follow her out of the restaurant. Dinner had been enjoyable and she hated to see the evening end. And then there was Dex. Engaging and intriguing. And so lovely in the candlelight. It had taken all of her strength not to invite her back to her room as soon as she saw her. The small display of cleavage had distracted her throughout most of the dinner. That is until Dex had reminded her that she knew the truth about people. In the end, no one was trustworthy when it came to relationships.

  In the back of her mind, she knew she didn’t actually blame her father for leaving her mother. It wasn’t his fault he had to work or that the terrorists had chosen his plane. Her twenty-year-old memory still blamed him though for choosing to attend the sales conference preparation meetings with his boss in Boston before heading on to the conference in Los Angeles. And the outcome had been the same. Her mother was still left alone, clinging to a love she thought would last forever. And when she was unable to face the future, she left Lucy to cope and grieve on her own. The fact she hadn’t been there for her mother either didn’t escape her notice. Not only did love never last, but people weren’t dependable either. And she put herself at the top of that list. The guilt at not returning her mother’s phone calls weighed heavy on her.

  Sighing, she placed the lid back on her partially eaten breakfast. She didn’t feel hungry anymore. Her stomach was in knots. Her mind knew the facts, but the rest of her was having trouble saying no to Dex. She wasn’t happy with the way dinner had turned out, but at least it was over. She had probably blown her last chance with her, and she didn’t anticipate hearing from her again. Deep down she knew that was for the best anyway. She could never be what Dex needed her to be. Dependable.

  Craving a coffee that didn’t come from room service, she showered quickly and made her way through the covered hallways. Even at this early hour, the sound of tinkling slot machines poured from the open entrance of the casino. She quickly walked past. She had other things she wanted to do today; getting sucked back into sitting in front of a spinning machine would only make her feel more depressed.

  The line at Tim Hortons was long, but the staff was expeditious. Within a few minutes, she was looking for an empty table. She chose the one farthest from the crowd. As she sat down in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the patio, she noticed the abundance of icicles covering everything. Hanging from the tables, chairs, trees, and roof of the building, the icicles played with the morning light making it dance across them. This trip had turned into every bit the winter wonderland she had expected. She slowly let her teeth sink into the strawberry-and-cream doughnut she had ordered and almost groaned at the explosion of sweetness in her mouth. It was even better than the one she had yesterday.

  “That’s a look of ecstasy if I’ve ever saw one,” Dex flirted as she stepped in front of Lucy’s gaze.

  She glanced up meeting Dex’s eyes. She had been sure Dex would be on her way back to Toronto. Her heart leapt at the thought that Dex had not only stayed but had searched her out again. She gave her a lopsided grin as she swallowed the bite. “I highly recommend the strawberry and cream.”

  Dex lifted her coffee cup. “I’ll take your word for it, but I’m sticking with the hard stuff.”

  Lucy motioned to the chair across from her, and Dex sat, removing the lid from her coffee and letting the steam escape. She hated to admit it, but she was glad to see her. Maybe she could make up for the way she had left things at dinner. What am I thinking? Wasn’t I just telling myself all the reasons why I need to avoid spending time with Dex? Her mouth blurted out the invitation before she could remind herself again.

  “Would you like to see the Christmas lights with me tonight?”

  She watched Dex’s eyes sparkle as she weighed her words. She was pretty confident Dex still wanted to spend time with her. After all, she had shown up this morning. Or was it only another coincidence?

  “Or did you plan to leave today?” She couldn’t stop herself from asking and giving Dex a way out. After last night’s dinner, she certainly wouldn’t blame her.

  “I was thinking about it, but your offer sounds better.”

  She stood, tossing her doughnut wrapper in a nearby can. “I’ll see you tonight about six in the lobby then.”

  Dex nodded and stood too. They walked together to the escalator, but at the last minute she stepped to the side. With Dex hanging around, she had almost forgotten the other reason she had walked to this end of the Galleria. She had decided this morning she couldn’t come to Niagara Falls and not visit the falls. No matter how cold it was.

  “I think I should go see the falls,” she said.

  “I wouldn’t recommend it. It can’t be over twenty degrees outside, not to mention the freezing mist floating around.”

  She frowned. “But I drove all the way here. It seems wrong not to see it.”

  “Didn’t you book a room with a view?”

  How did Dex kno
w what room she was in? “I did, but it doesn’t come with sound. I want to hear the roar of the water too.”

  “It’s not much of a roar in the winter. Everything’s frozen. Including the people looking at it.”

  She shrugged. She wanted to see the falls and she was going to. She didn’t need Dex’s permission or approval. She started toward the exterior doors.

  “Wait, Lucy. Seriously, let’s wait a few more hours. I’m sure it’ll be a little better in the heat of the day.”

  Dex’s suggestion implied they would go together. All right, she would wait. It appeared Dex intended to wait with her. She decided to find out for sure. And she wasn’t disappointed. When she turned back toward the escalator, a large souvenir store caught her eye.

  “Okay, let’s go shop then,” she suggested.

  She was sure she heard Dex groan, but she followed behind her anyway. The shop on the first floor was filled with anything and everything a tourist visiting Niagara Falls in Canada would want. From T-shirts to shot glasses and every item in between. When she was a child, her father had always purchased her a stuffed animal from every place he visited. She hadn’t opened it in years, but the plastic box of ragged stuffed cloth still traveled with her whenever she moved.

  She couldn’t remember the last time she had indulged in buying something for herself that wasn’t clothing. Aside from her baseball T-shirts, which counted more as necessities than treasures, frivolous items weren’t on her budget list. Tossing all logical thought from her mind, she went straight for the rack of stuffed animals. There were bears in every shape and size, along with almost every other animal you could think of. Most of them wore little T-shirts with Canada or Niagara Falls written on them.

  Slightly overwhelmed by the number and variety of animals, she took a step back to allow for a broader view of the entire rack. Sitting on the top shelf was a large brown moose. His antlers were so large they covered the faces of the bears on either side of him. On the left side of his chest was a bright red Canadian Maple Leaf. He was larger than she had planned to indulge in, but she immediately pulled him down. His floppy arms fell around her neck as she hugged him to her chest. Childlike enthusiasm coursing through her, she knew this was the one she wanted.

  She settled the moose’s back against her chest, hugging him tight to her body. His long dangling limbs swayed and bounced against her legs as she walked. She heard Dex’s laughter when they passed each other in the coffee cup aisle, but she didn’t make eye contact with her. She couldn’t explain how attached she already felt to this stuffed animal. Besides she was here to be a tourist and she didn’t care what anyone else thought.

  She wandered the store looking at everything, selecting some refrigerator magnets for Karen and Sheila. It was a weird experience for her since she had never bought souvenirs for anyone before. She knew at first glance, though, that they would like the playful bears posed in various positions around a red maple leaf. Twice as she passed through the store she stumbled on Dex standing in front of the snow globes. The second time she remained at a distance, trying to see which one she was admiring the most. When Dex stepped away, she quickly grasped the glass ball that contained a miniature version of the falls. Sneaking over to the checkout counter, she paid for her items, watching over her shoulder to make sure Dex didn’t see her purchasing the globe.

  She wasn’t sure when she would give it to her or if she even would. What would Dex think of getting this gift? She wasn’t sure what she thought about buying a gift for Dex. Truth was, she didn’t want to think about it. The globe had made Dex smile and what was the harm in that? She only hoped to accomplish the same thing by giving it to her. She wasn’t ready to read anything else into the situation and she certainly was not going to dwell on it at this moment.

  “I’m starving,” Dex said, pulling Lucy from her thoughts.

  She glanced at her watch, surprised to find it almost noon. “Wow. I can’t believe we shopped that long.”

  Dex stared at the bundle of shopping bags in Lucy’s hands and then at her own empty hands. “I think you should refrain from including me in that statement.”

  She bumped Dex’s shoulder. “Admit it. You had fun.”

  “I had fun watching you act like a tourist. With all the places you travel, do you always do this?”

  “Do what? Have fun? I try to.” She shrugged. “I don’t normally buy stuff, though.” The smell of fresh baked dough and melting cheese engulfed her as they stepped off the escalator. On the right, a set of wooden doors stood open, inviting guests into the darkness of the restaurant. The windows on both sides were also dark, but bright red writing announced deep dish pizza.

  “How about pizza?” she asked, assuming Dex would be joining her for lunch. It wasn’t that much of a stretch considering Dex had stayed with her for hours and had left the tourist shop empty-handed.

  Dex’s answer was to lead the way into the dimly lit restaurant. The scent of Italian spices permeated the air around them and her stomach came roaring to life. The waitress seated them in a corner away from the only other occupants, a family of four. Both children were coloring pictures on their placemats while the parents talked. It was a comforting sight until the older boy grabbed a specific crayon and the girl began to screech. She quickly looked away while the parents attempted to handle the dispute.

  Being an only child, she had never had to fight for anything growing up. There wasn’t any arguing in her life. Any disagreements her parents had were always behind closed doors and never within their daughter’s earshot. As an adult, it was one of the many ways she had excelled at being a marshal. She didn’t fight with anyone. She would negotiate for a peaceful resolution, but when it was time to use force she quickly took charge and squashed any dispute.

  “So what did you purchase?” Dex asked.

  She began pulling things from the bags, starting with the moose.

  “Is that for a niece or nephew?”

  “Uh. No.”

  “Don’t tell me you have a kid?” Dex teased.

  “Absolutely not,” Lucy said, stuffing the moose back in the bag. “It’s for me.”

  Dex grabbed the bag from her and pulled the moose back out, sitting it on the table between them. Its arms, legs, and antlers were limp with minimal stuffing and they flopped in all directions. A stitched black smile stretched from one side of its large nose to the other and she could see the corners of Dex’s mouth starting to turn up. She knew the moose was talking to Dex too. Her purchase didn’t feel so impulsive anymore. She almost wished she had bought one for Dex as well.

  She smiled. “I know it’s ridiculous, but I wanted it.”

  “It’s very cute. What else did you get?”

  She showed the magnets first, saving the globe for last. If their food arrived, she would hold on to it for a while longer. She put the gifts for Karen and Sheila away and set the moose on top of the bags on the chair.

  “What’s in the other bag?” Dex asked.

  “An impulse buy.”

  “More impulsive than the moose. I have to see what it is.”

  She picked up the bag and removed the snow globe, setting it on the table in front of Dex. She watched Dex stare at it and then twist the key to make it spin. She was surprised when the miniature falls began to flow and multicolored lights twinkled under the water.

  “I didn’t know it did that,” she gushed as she twisted the metal key to keep it moving.

  “Yeah. I liked this one the most.”

  “I noticed. That’s why I bought it for you.”

  Dex’s head swung up and her eyes locked with Lucy’s. “You bought this for me?”

  She nodded.

  “That was really sweet.”

  “Don’t look so surprised.”

  Dex chuckled. “Why not? You constantly surprise me.”

  * * *

  Dex leaned back in the chair, her gaze locked on Lucy. She had barely started to think she understood this woman and now this. Lucy didn�
��t seem like the type to do anything on impulse, and yet more than once in the last twenty-four hours she had proven her wrong. First the trip to Niagara, the moose, and now an unexpected gift. Not just a gift, but a carefully picked gift.

  “You can stop staring at me now,” Lucy stated.

  “I’m just trying to figure you out.”

  “No chance of that.”

  She glanced up as their waiter arrived, setting two slices of pizza in front of each of them. Grease from the pepperoni covered the cheese, giving each slice a shiny glow in the shimmering candlelight. Normally she would be inclined to avoid a meal like this, but the smell already had her mouth watering. Italian spices mixed with melted cheese, cooked pepperoni, and baked dough was not something she could refuse.

  “Hot, hot,” Lucy chanted around her first bite, grabbing her water glass.

  Ignoring Lucy’s warning, she bit into the thick crust. Her eyes watered at the first steaming bite. The gooey cheese spread across her tongue and she pushed it from side to side in an attempt to cool it enough to chew. When she finally swallowed the bite, she took a drink before meeting Lucy’s eyes.

  “You didn’t believe me?” Lucy laughed.

  “I did, but it smelled so good. I couldn’t wait.”

  “It’s definitely good.”

  She echoed her agreement, carefully taking another, much smaller bite. She savored the taste as all conversation came to a halt. Neither paused when their first slice was gone, moving straight to the second slice. Tossing her napkin on the table, Dex sat back in her chair.

  “Tell me I can’t order another slice.”

  “Oh, but you can,” Lucy teased.

  She studied Lucy’s face. It was relaxed and without the usual professional screen in place or the brick wall she had seen the previous night. She felt like she might be seeing the real Lucy for the first time.

  “You must like being an air marshal, right?” she asked.

  “I do. Why?”

  “You’re always pretending to be someone you’re not. I guess that must be hard.”