She focused on his blue eyes. They locked gazes. He grinned. She grinned back. He chuckled. Alyssa echoed the sound. How she wanted Kent to take her in his arms and melt his lips into hers! She quickly started up a fantasy about how his lips would taste.
The shrill ringtone of the man's mobile phone interrupted her thoughts. Kent moved away a few meters as he pulled his phone from his pocket. She amused herself by studying the photos on the wall. There were three prints. All were of old world war bombers taken from various angles. Each photo was bigger than the last.
Kent caught Alyssa's attention as he looked up several times. She had easily picked up shreds of the conversation. He pointed to her a few times and then slipped the phone back into his pocket.
"Are you going to tell me what the conversation was about?" asked Alyssa.
"No. I have to finish loading the plane." He strolled out of the office and was swallowed up in the predawn mist.
"You don't have to be so blunt about it," said Alyssa.
Alyssa clicked her tongue, stepped through the office door and followed Kent to the twin-engine Piper Cherokee. Her knowledge of planes was sketchy at best. Her father owned a restricted license. When she was 16, he had taken her up for a sky tour of Melbourne. He had piloted a plane similar to this one on that day, and she remembered him singing 'Happy Birthday' to her. She had been so excited, and it had been a great day. Three weeks later, her father was headed for the Moorabbin Airport and was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. She turned her head away as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Kent stepped to her side. "Are you okay?"
To Alyssa, his deep voice was music. The tone seemed to float through the air and swirled about her brain like fog. She stared at his handsome face with longing. Instead of Kent's face, she saw only her father's. She missed his gentle words and the way he laughed. Her mother had withdrawn into herself after the accident. Finally, after refusing all help, she took her own life when Alyssa was 23. That was three years ago. Thanks to Kaite, Alyssa had had an enjoyable life since then. Kaite took her under her wing, and they could be found at a different pub every Saturday night. At times, she wanted to drink herself away.
Then she and Bill were drawn together once again, which ended in disaster at the altar. Soon after that event, she met Brandt. She shook her head. He was sweet at first, but as she fell in love with him, he started changing. He'd stay away from her for days on end, and then he'd turn up smelling like a perfume bottle. He'd explain it all away by insisting he bought her an expensive bottle of perfume, but it had leaked over everything. That only worked the first time. Kaite talked her into following Brandt for a few days. They both took several days off work and discovered him in the arms of another woman. He had been caught with his hands in the cookie jar.
Alyssa sighed heavily, trying to rid herself of the burden of her memories. Kent waved a hand in front of her face.
"Earth to Alyssa Fitzgerald, are you okay?" She shook her head and glared. How dare he interrupt her painful memories?
"Shut up," she snapped.
"Excuse me." Kent sounded hurt and confused.
Alyssa stepped back from him. She was drawn to Kent in a way she had never expected. It wasn't his fault her life was a mess. He had no reason to know about those painful memories.
"We have to get going," said Kent.
"I thought you said we would be grounded all morning due to the fog."
"I did."
"Then you lied. I don't like liars," said Alyssa.
"I didn't lie. Plans have changed since making the decision to wait for the fog to lift. If we leave now, we'll be okay. I've been in touch with The Oasis and they gave me instructions to wait five more minutes for any stragglers to arrive, and then take off."
"Stragglers?"
"Anyone else who might turn up hoping to snag a two-week job." Alyssa looked around at the empty airport.
"No one else seems to be arriving."
"Looks like you're it," said Kent. "You realize the job is only for two weeks?"
"I only want to stay for two weeks."
Kent looked her up and down. "By the look of you, I'll be amazed if you survive for two days."
She stared him down. "Want to bet?"
"What have you got to offer?" asked Kent.
"When you lose, you have to dance with me in front of two witnesses," said Alyssa with a smirk. "Anyone who's as big as you can't know how to dance."
"If I win," said Kent, "you have to give me a kiss before I fly you back here." They shook hands.
"If you're employed as a pilot who runs errands for Mr. Stanton, how come you know so much about this job I'm taking? Mr. Stanton seems to have a lot of faith in you."
Kent picked up Alyssa's luggage. "I know the Stantons very well. They trust my judgment."
Together they walked to the plane. Alyssa climbed aboard and buckled her seat belt. As the plane's two engines roared to life, she hung onto the overhead strap with white knuckles. Then the plane started to taxi towards the runway.
*
The fog consumed the plane as it motored down the runway and the buildings changed to a blur. The airport's control tower came and went. It resembled a tall structure straight out of a disaster movie: dark and deserted. There wasn't a single light anywhere or a friendly wave by anyone who had come to watch Alyssa depart.
She stared into the white void hoping to be the first one to see the arrival of any other plane. She glanced at Kent. He looked to be concentrating. She watched his eyes scan the fog and the plane's instruments, then the tarmac.
The plane tilted upward and the white void grew wet. The moisture thickened as the fog grew dense and brushed the plane like smoke. Alyssa swallowed several times as the gap between them and the land grew wider. The fog started to disperse at the nine hundred meter mark. At one thousand five hundred meters, Kent leveled the plane. Alyssa craned her neck to look out of the window and down at where the ground should have been. The fog was below them and the sky ahead looked like a pale blue ocean.
"I have a couple of questions," said Alyssa, swiveling her head to face Kent. He gave her a cursory glance before refocusing on the sky ahead.
"I'm listening."
"Did you ever consider waiting for the control tower to give permission to take off?"
"No."
"Tell me, did you contemplate any danger in taking off in the fog?"
Kent didn't answer. He was preoccupied at studying the plane's compass. He moved the wheel and the plane swept gently to the left, then leveled. The autopilot was turned on. He looked deep into Alyssa's green eyes.
"I made a calculated ascent," said Kent.
"Calculated?"
"Yes."
"You had a guess and hoped we wouldn't run head long into another plane."
"Not exactly."
"Explain it all to me," she snapped, folding her arms in disgust. She started to wonder how this so-called expert pilot could be so blasé about their safety.
"I talked to the control tower yesterday morning after I landed. They informed me of the weather. They said there was an excellent chance of fog by 5.00A.M. They also informed me that no planes were due to arrive at the airport until 8.00 this morning. They added that the tower wouldn't be manned before 7.00A.M. To answer your question, my calculated risk was extremely low."
"What, then, was the rush to get airborne?"
"It's raining where we're headed," answered Kent.
"I'm not scared of a little rain, are you?"
Kent chuckled. "I'm happy to hear that. And no, I'm not scared, either."
"You're a mysterious person," said Alyssa. She didn't know whether to yell at him or smile. She decided to do neither.
"I like to keep a low profile."
"And you don't talk much either."
"I only talk when I have something interesting to say."
Alyssa stared out of the window on her side. "I'll always be amazed at how big Australia is," sh
e said, changing the subject. She faced Kent and looked at his face. He didn't show any interest at the surrounding view or an ounce of concern at the approaching rain. She smiled at the thought that he probably didn't want his precious airplane to get wet.
"You love the idea that I know nothing about you," she whispered. She looked surprised at hearing herself voice the words she was thinking.
"Sure do," said Kent.
"I'm asking you to let me into your world."
"Why?"
Alyssa's thoughts were tumbling through her mind as if they were in a washing machine. 'You look like someone I'd only ever dream or fantasize about,' she thought, and she suddenly realized that she regretted the bet they had made. It should've at least waited until tomorrow.
"What on earth are you thinking about now?" asked Kent, grinning at the woman's faraway look.
"My thoughts are private and they certainly don't concern you," she snapped. "That is, unless you tell me about yourself."
"I'd like to pass."
"How long before we arrive at this Oasis place?"
"Three and a half hours."
"Do we have enough fuel?"
"Yes. We'll make it by a good twenty minutes."
Alyssa nodded. She spoke with as much authority as she could muster. "Now might be a great time to get to know one another."
"You think?" said Kent.
"Yes."
Kent raised an eyebrow. "Ever seen morning glory at fifteen hundred meters?"
Alyssa shook her head. "I've never heard of the name."
She was torn between attacking him because of his handsome looks and accusing him of deception. Was she wasting her time to even contemplate a relationship with the man? He certainly didn't come across as the long-term relationship type. He had never proved Stanton was at The Oasis or that he was flying in the right direction. For all she knew, he was taking her for a ride on a one-way ticket to nowhere. The word 'nowhere' kept replaying in her mind like a scratch on a CD.
Minutes slowly ticked by. She felt stupid. She knew nothing about Kent, yet here she sat in a plane, shoulder to shoulder, totally trusting a stranger with her life. She eyed him with suspicion. Could this all be a trap to lure females into a place where the only way out was to jump? She peered out the small plane's window and shuddered. Fifteen hundred meters without a parachute wasn't a good thought.
"You're not planning to jump, are you?" asked Kent.
Alyssa moved her gaze away from the window. How could he know what she was thinking? How?
"The thought never entered my mind," she said. "Is there a reason why you were thinking that?" Kent shrugged his shoulder.
"Look due east and you'll see gold-edged clouds. They've been given a name."
"Morning glory?"
"It's a beautiful sight," he said with a sharp nod.
Alyssa faked a grin and glanced out the window before returning her gaze to Kent. How could she have gotten into the plane? At least with a car she could jump out and run. She started to wonder if Kent was a trustworthy bloke or not.
Kent reached out and grabbed her knee. She screamed and jumped in her seat. This was the moment she had dreaded. This was a game and she was the prize. She had made it too easy for him. How could she be so naive?
"Leave me alone," she growled in an angry voice. The vow she told Kaite came rushing back into her thoughts.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Don't touch me."
Kent's eyebrows shot up like a bullet from a gun. Alyssa shuddered again. She squirmed in the seat and leaned towards the window. Her seat belt forced her to stay exactly where she was. It was as though she was glued to the seat.
"I won't bite. I was only after your attention," said Kent.
"I'll bet you were."
Kent grinned and shook his head. "You were looking to the west. You have to look in an easterly direction if you want to enjoy morning glory," he said.
"You're playing a game at my expense, aren't you? And you're enjoying every minute of it. All you want to do is take advantage of me."
"Pardon?"
"Don't pardon me, mister."
"I do find you easy on the eyes," said Kent.
"You're only saying that in the hope that you'll win the bet."
"Nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to see morning glory, look now." Kent pointed out his side of the window. Alyssa looked down his finger. Her mouth fell open at the sight as her eyes focused on gold-edged white clouds dotted about the sky. As the plane climbed, Alyssa watched the cloud disperse before her eyes, leaving a green haze in the sky.
"I don't understand the color," she whispered, almost breathless.
"The green haze is evaporating water," explained Kent. "You see it a lot out here." Kent leaned close to Alyssa and placed his strong hand on her knee. "Miss Fitzgerald, I feel as though you don't trust me. I'm not a bad person. You can trust me."
She looked at the man. 'I want so much to trust you,' she thought, 'but how?' She had been hurt emotionally, first by Bill and then by Brandt. Brandt was the bigger liar of the two men (and of every other man she had ever known, and she'd known a few in her time). Now she seemed to be pushed toward Kent. How could she trust him when he wasn't prepared to answer any of her personal questions? What was he hiding?
Her thoughts took her back to how Brandt was the perfect gentleman. She had vowed to be faithful to him, and it was a vow she intended to honor. He had changed overnight. She was foolish to take him back after the first fling. He explained that it was only a mistake. He begged her not to walk out on their relationship. He reassured her by saying that he had simply started to walk down the wrong road and that he had learned his lesson. She couldn't see the rotten apple beneath his shining exterior. He lasted a week before the next fling. She didn't want to go back to that. She wanted to be loved and respected for the person she was, not for some advertising campaign.
Alyssa's mind and body ached for the man sitting beside her. She tried to lean away and force her thoughts to take a back seat. She had to make sure she won the bet no matter what. To do that, she had to squash all feelings she had for Kent. Somehow, she had to protect her heart from ever being hurt again. She couldn't stand going down Heartache Boulevard for a third time.
The plane leveled at seventeen hundred meters.
"Australia sure is a large, flat country," said Alyssa, peering at the view through a cleared area of sky. "Big, flat and dry." She glanced at Kent. "How does anyone survive?"
"The land looks barren, but you can survive. You'll find that The Oasis is perfect."
"Tell me about this Oasis."
Kent's face showed a distant look. "It's beautiful, full of life. It's such a magnificent place to live."
"Out here where nothing seems alive? I don't understand."
"You will. Want to pilot the plane?" asked Kent.
Alyssa fidgeted in her excitement. "You love changing the subject, don't you?"
"I'm a shy person."
"You're a man who is full of mysteries," cut in Alyssa.
"Are you ready for a flying lesson?" he asked.
"Yes, but first you have to tell me something about yourself."
"But you're here only as a worker for two weeks. What's the point?"
She turned her head and looked out of the window. Now she knew what the secret was. He was lonely; why would he want to let his heart go to anyone who was in his life for only two weeks? She turned back and looked Kent in the eyes.
"I'm ready to take the controls," she said.
"Use two hands."
"Like this?" Alyssa gripped the wheel using both her hands.
"The plane's all yours." Kent tapped her white knuckles. "Stay relaxed. No need to strangle the wheel."
"You're a bit testy."
"Sorry."
Alyssa relaxed a little and straightened her back.
Kent relinquished control and retracted both his hands. "There you go. You're flying th
e plane."
"This isn't so hard," Alyssa said. Kent pushed his seat back, lifted his feet and allowed them to rest on the door handle, and then he closed his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Alyssa's words came out as a staggered scream.
"Going to sleep," Kent said calmly.
"You can't. How can you trust me? What if something happens?"
"You'll be fine," he said.
"What happens if we arrive at The Oasis while you're asleep?"
Kent checked his watch then the fuel gauge. "We won't need to start our descent for sixty-five minutes." He closed his eyes and folded his arms.
Alyssa reached over and tapped him on the shoulder. He felt like concrete, but failed to move. Surely he couldn't fall asleep that quick, she thought. Grabbing hold of his shirtsleeve, she tugged. Her right hand moved, forcing the wheel of the plane to move violently to her left. Terrified, she corrected the wheel, straightened her back and viewed the plane's instruments. They were flying level. The plane hadn't changed direction. It hadn't tilted to the side or done anything except stay straight. She jerked the wheel to the left and then to the right, but the plane remained level. Her face turned the color of beetroot. She fumed inwardly before exploding like an erupting volcano.
"What have you done?" she yelled.
Kent chuckled without opening his eyes.
"I thought you said I could fly the plane," said Alyssa.
"Are you always this feisty?"
"Men! I dislike you all," she snapped, screwing up her nose.
"All?" said Kent.
She craned her neck and thrust a fist at Kent's friendly face. "Yes, all." He chuckled again, reached out his hand and kissed her white knuckles.
"Hey, don't do that," said Alyssa.
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Do you want to enlighten me?"
"No. Drop the subject," she snapped.
Kent beamed at Alyssa's crimson face. "The plane is on auto-pilot," he confessed.
"You're being a complete jerk," said Alyssa. "Do you think the joke was that funny?"
The Great Gift (Contemporary Romance - Urban Life) Page 5