“Thank you again for all your help.”
Makenna smiled. “My pleasure. Enjoy your stay in Dallas.”
Alexis nodded and departed the plane.
Once they exited the jet bridge, she hugged Millie. “Enjoy your time with your son. I know he’ll be so happy to see you.”
“Thank you, doctor. And enjoy your time with your pilot friend. I’m sure it’ll all work out accordingly.”
“I will. Thank you,” she whispered. Alexis gave her fragile hand a tender squeeze then released her, bidding her farewell.
With butterflies fluttering in her stomach, she collected her luggage from baggage claim, and followed Ryan’s directions to the pilot’s lounge.
Alexis stopped in front of the lounge and let out a heavy sigh. This was it. She was about to spend an afternoon with her old friend, catching up. She opened the door and walked inside. “No turning back now,” she told herself, as the door shut behind her.
“Holy shit! That’s your childhood chum? You can’t tell me you didn’t tap that. Seriously, Fisher, when did your balls drop?” Kix squawked, almost falling out of his seat, as he watched Alexis exit the craft.
Ryan rubbed his hand over the back of his neck, flustered. “No, I never tapped that, as you’ve so eloquently put it. Alexis was my best friend growing up.”
Best friends indeed. Alexis had always been pretty to Ryan, and while the pictures he’d found online revealed she’d turned into a stunning woman, those photographs really didn’t do her justice. In real life, she was more beautiful than he could’ve imagined. Trim, lush, curvy, not at all stick-figure skinny as so many women believe they must be in order to be beautiful. Long, flowing brown hair and sultry brown eyes that could easily melt a man where he stood. She was the vision of a goddess. All woman. The way those jeans hugged her hips and that t-shirt contoured to her supple breasts made the man inside him release a possessive growl.
“If I had friends like that…” Kix trailed off, thrusting his hips.
“I get it,” Ryan groaned.
“Yeah, I bet you’re going to get it.” Kix gave one last hard thrust, followed by an insinuating wiggle of his brows.
Ryan’s eyes fluttered with a roll and he shook his head, fighting the urge to laugh. Kix was a thirteen year old boy trapped in a forty-plus year old man’s body. “Enough. It’s not like that. We haven’t seen each other in over fifteen years.”
“Well, if you’re not interested in taking advantage of an old friendship, you know I’ll gladly take her off your hands,” Kix suggested.
“Dream on, Captain,” Ryan laughed, but there was a warning, protective vibe to his tone.
“If you say so, but…”
“The plane is clear, Captain,” Makenna announced, interrupting Kix. Ryan’s shoulders dropped in relief. That meant his shift was almost complete. Anticipation bubbled inside him, a beast gnawing at his chest, aching to get to the girl who waited for him.
“Thanks, Kenna,” Kix responded, cutting his eyes up to her and flashing her a winning smile.
“Don’t give me that puppy dog look.” She glared at him, her hands placed on her hips. “And leave the kid alone.” She flailed one hand toward Ryan. “Can’t you see he’s already a ball of nerves. Geez,” she scolded the captain.
Kix sniffed in aggravation and started to mimic her, over exaggerating her movements. Makenna popped Kix upside the head and grinned. Kix flipped her the bird and the two of them had a laugh, which took the attention off of Ryan.
Ryan mouthed a thank you to Makenna before pouring himself over the post flight checklist. The seconds seemed to tick by so slow that no matter how many tasks he accomplished or how fast he completed them, they took forever to do.
He glanced down at his wristwatch and released an unintentional guttural groan, realizing that only ten minutes had passed since Makenna gave the all clear. He began checking the gauges, knocking another task off his list when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Ryan glanced over to find Kix smirking at him. “You know, I can finish this up if you have some place you have to be,” Kix offered.
“I can’t do that to you, Captain,” Ryan stated, his sense of responsibility overpowering his need to get to Alexis. “I’ll finish my work.”
“Are you insane, Ryan?” Makenna exclaimed. Ryan jumped. It was rare for her to call him by his first name, so he took immediate notice and gave her his undivided attention. “For once in his life, this man has offered to do something decent. If you don’t take him up on it, I might have to spank you.”
“Oh, I’ll take you up on that suggestion!” Kix volunteered. Makenna gave him a dirty look that caused both men to sink back into their seats.
“Just because I have a friend waiting on me doesn’t mean my responsibilities disappear,” Ryan noted.
Without warning, Kix grabbed the clipboard from Ryan. “Go, Fisher. She’s waiting. If I was you, my ass would’ve left you high and dry already.”
Makenna ducked out of the cockpit, leaving the two men to duke it out on their own. Ryan opened his mouth to argue his case further, but Kix’s face dropped from the all smiles Ryan knew to a serious expression. “Don’t make me order you off this craft, Ryan.”
Ryan smacked his lips shut and gave his captain a quick nod. Kix started whistling “Dixie” off key and set to work. Ryan slowly stood up and gathered his jacket, carry-on, and hat. “I appreciate this,” he said and exited the cockpit.
As Ryan passed the galley, he caught sight of Makenna who was taking inventory. “Thanks again,” he told her. “He pretty much just ordered me off the plane.”
She blew her hair back from her eyes and smiled up at the young pilot. “He’s persistent when he wants to be,” she claimed with a wink.
“Is that what we’re calling it?”
Makenna laughed. “At the moment.”
“Well, between you and me, I think he has some twisted fantasy…” he leaned in closer to her and whispered, “...that I’m about to get laid.”
Makenna shook her head, rolling her eyes. “That sounds about right for him,” she groused.
Ryan draped his jacket over his shoulder and placed his hat on his head with a pop against the brim. He gripped the handle of his luggage with his free hand. “He can keep on dreaming. It was never like that with Lex and me.”
Makenna pursed her lips, adjusting the scarf around her neck. “A sick man’s fantasy. Now quit stalling. She’s waiting.”
“Okay! I’m going, I’m going,” he chuckled. Ryan kissed Makenna on the temple. “Give him hell.”
Her head tilted to the side, bobbing in a tiny nod. “Just for you. Have a good time with your friend.”
“Thanks. I plan on it.” Ryan slipped out the door of the aircraft. Rather than walking, he trotted down the jet bridge, his luggage bouncing behind him. He had to restrain himself from breaking into a full sprint. Run or walk, it didn’t matter. Nothing could get him to Alexis fast enough.
Meanwhile, Alexis stood at the entrance of the pilot’s lounge, her body a bundle of nerves.
This room looked like any other airport bar. A wooden bar top with green leather-bound bar stools pressed against it. A handsome, young bartender stood behind the bar wiping down the glass in his hand. Tables and chairs were stationed around the room, some filled, some not. The air smelled fresh and the lighting was bright, unlike dive-type bars or nightclubs she’d visited when Jenna was on the prowl for her next cheating slimeball.
Her cell phone vibrated in her hand. She glanced down, expecting an angry response from her father. Instead she got a message from him freaking out about the fact that he hadn’t realized she was coming into town today. He stated he wasn’t even in transit to the airport and informed her to get a cab and he’d pay for it, because he was in a meeting that he couldn’t get out of to come for her.
Alexis re-read the message. Anger and hurt swelled inside her. For weeks she’d reminded her father of her arrival and while it didn’t surprise her that he’d f
orgotten, it still stung.
“Can I help you, miss?” a husky voice cut through her thoughts.
Alexis looked up into the blue eyes of the bartender. She cleared her throat, shoving her phone into her pocket. “Um, yes. I’m Doctor Alexis York. I’m supposed to meet Ryan Fisher here.”
“Ah, yes. I was expecting you. May I see some identification?”
Alexis opened her messenger bag and retrieved her wallet. She flipped it open to her driver’s license, and presented it to the bartender. He studied it for a moment, before he glanced between it and her. The picture was kind of old, reflecting a time when she’d chopped her hair off into a short wedge, but in her opinion, it still looked like her.
Ugh. I’m going to have to update that when I change over my license. She mentally added the new chore to her to-do list once she got her new address taken care of.
“Thanks.” He waved his hand out toward the open floor. “You can have a seat anywhere. My name’s Chad. Can I get you anything?”
“White wine,” Alexis replied.
Chad slipped a wine glass down from the rack and pulled a chilled bottle of wine from the cooler. He poured up her drink and handed it to her. Alexis withdrew her credit card from her wallet and slid it over to him as she took her drink. “You want to start a tab?”
Alexis took a sip from her wine glass. “Sure.”
Taking her credit card, Chad placed it by the register and started back to cleaning the bar.
Alexis picked up her wine glass, and carted it along with her luggage over to an empty table. She sat down, positioning herself with her back against a wall so she could see the entrance. Her legs bounced with anticipation for Ryan to arrive. Nervous energy coursed through her. The urge to jump up from her seat and start pacing the floor was almost overwhelming. To stop from making a fool out of herself, she dug into her pocket and extracted her cell phone.
She’d promised her mother a text when she arrived. She typed out a message, unable to contain her smile as she relayed the news to her mother.
Touched down in Dallas. You’ll never believe who I ran into. Ryan Fisher. Call you later when I’m settled in. Love you.
She decided it was probably best not to inform her mother about her father’s abandonment, again. Her mother didn’t need to worry about her being alone in a new city without transportation. Only two days. That was all she had to wait before her car would arrive. It was being hauled across the country with the rest of her belongings. When her mother wanted to buy her that car, she thought the woman had lost her mind. She’d never needed a vehicle in New York. Mass transportation had more than taken care of her needs. Now, she understood. It was her ticket to freedom and independence.
The entrance door opened and Alexis’ eyes shot up but her heart sank when she realized the newcomer wasn’t Ryan. She lifted the glass to her lips, taking a sip of her wine, which sloshed around with the rhythm of her bouncing knees.
“Is this seat taken?”
Alexis’ eyes darted up to find Ryan standing in front of her with his hat tucked under his arm and his uniform jacket hanging by the hook of his finger, draped over his shoulder. She forced down the mouthful of alcohol, trying not to choke. The liquid felt like it expanded in her throat, causing her to almost gasp for air. It landed hard in her stomach, rattling the butterflies that resided there.
“Well,” she rasped, placing her glass on the flat surface. “I was waiting for someone.”
Ryan tossed his hat on the table and hung his jacket on the back of the chair. A cocky smile plastered across his face. “Lucky for me, I beat him here.” He opened his arms to her, his brows lifted in expectation. “You going to leave a guy hanging here?”
Alexis bounced from her seat and met his embrace. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of his cologne. It was new, yet familiar. She’d caught the scent during their hug on the plane, but here, now, it engulfed her. Sandalwood, musky, with a hint of citrus. She’d determined in herself to find out what the name of his cologne was, because it just became her favorite scent in the world.
Her fingers gripped the back of his shirt and they swayed, holding tight to each other. His nose buried in her hair and his hands rested against the small of her back. This felt good. It felt right. “I still can’t believe it’s you,” she whispered. “I dreamt about you last night.”
Ryan pulled back, his eyes bouncing. “Really? What kind of dream?”
Alexis wiggled from his grasp, smacking his chest. “You dirty dog, you. Not that kind of dream!”
Ryan released a hardy laugh. He stepped around her, and pulled out her chair, as Chad arrived with a fresh drink for Alexis and a cold beer for Ryan. Alexis seemed surprised by Chad’s sudden appearance and disappearance as she accepted her seat. Ryan dropped down in the chair beside her, pulling it up to the table. He leaned forward with his beer placed between both hands. “So, tell me. What did you dream about?”
A light blush painted her cheeks. She took a sip of her fresh wine, searching for the words. “While I was packing, I found our old year book. It made me think back to our last day together,” she muttered against the rim.
“It makes sense you’d dream of that. So, I take it that’s why you had the compass?”
Alexis bent down, taking the compass back out of her bag. She twisted it around between her fingertips, watching the dial move to continually face north. “It is. I don’t know how long it’s been packed away with that yearbook, but after I found it, I couldn’t put it back in there.”
Ryan reached out, taking the compass from her hand. He lifted it in the air, examining it in the light. “I can’t believe this thing still works.”
“I know, right?”
Ryan handed the compass back to Alexis who slipped it back into her wallet. He took a swig from his beer, and leaned back in his chair, dangling one arm over the backrest. Alexis crossed her legs and tried to poise herself. The mere fact they were in the same room together was better than any silly dream she could ever have.
“So…”
“So,” she echoed back.
“What have you been doing with yourself for the last fifteen years? I want to know it all. School, work, family, friends...boyfriends” ─he tilted his head, his eyes narrowing─ “girlfriends?”
A smile lifted the corners of her lips, and the chime of her laughter filled the air. He’d changed. Shy, boyish Ryan now had a wicked sense of humor that matched her own. She liked this side of him and it made her wonder what else had changed about him.
She circled her finger around the rim of her glass. “No boyfriends, and I tried the girl thing but it never amounted to more than a college fling.” She peered up at him through her eyelashes.
He slumped forward with his mouth gaped open. “You must tell me everything.”
And she laughed again. This felt good. The conversation between them flowed with ease. She told him about her life, her friends, her patients, and her new job. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d talked that much about herself. Not that she ever minded, but Jenna was typically the center of conversation when they were together. It felt nice to have someone hanging on her every word that wasn’t a patient waiting for her to drop the bad news.
“What hospital will you be working at?”
Alexis folded her napkin in triangles. “Agape Medical Center in Grapevine.”
“I take it this job’s a great opportunity for you then?” he inquired, draining the remainder of his beer.
“It really is. The money alone is amazing and rare. Most fellowships are shitty pay.”
“That’s why I can’t wait to make captain. Don’t get me wrong, I make decent money, but captain pay is a substantial increase.”
“I bet. At least you don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars in school debt hanging over your head.”
Ryan picked at the label on the bottle. “You got me there. I got a scholarship to college and what that didn’t cover was taken care of through my Air G
uard Reserve pay. I had flight school paid off in no time.”
“Smarty pants,” Alexis teased, tossing a napkin at him.
He caught it, laughing. “As if you have room to talk. Nerd.”
“Geek.”
Ryan tossed the napkin aside and reached for her hand. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you.”
Their smiles disappeared and the atmosphere around them changed. She placed her hand over his, the feel of his skin on hers was mesmerizing. His green eyes pierced hers, touching her very soul. Never in her life had she felt this with anyone but him. To have him still illicit this kind of reaction stunned her. “I’ve missed you, too,” she breathed.
They moved in closer to one another. The warmth of his breath mingled with hers, washing over her skin. Her eyes started to drift close, anticipation coursing through her veins. She had no idea why she was allowing this to happen, but she didn’t want to stop it. All of the feelings she had as a girl rushed back, setting her whole body aflame. She knew him, even if fifteen years had passed, she still knew him. And he knew her.
“Fisher!” Ryan jerked back. Alexis tried to catch her breath, her eyes opening to meet his. He smiled at her, giving her a coy wink before he sat back and looked over his shoulder at their intruder.
“What do you want, Hart?” he demanded, throwing an arm in the air.
A tall man with brown hair and deep green eyes moved toward them. His stride was smooth, straight, and he carried himself with authority. He flashed a confident and debonair smile that highlighted his full lips. Dressed in a pilot’s uniform, she noticed the bars on his shoulders. He was a first officer like Ryan. The white uniform shirt formed to his shapely chest, and accented his golden skin.
He placed a glass on the table, and turned the empty chair beside her around, straddling it as if he had been invited to sit down. “I want to know who we have here.” He lifted up from the seat to lean over the back of the chair and across the table. “First Officer Declan Hart,” he introduced himself, offering her his hand.
Compass Page 6