“Sure.” She was surprised at how quickly the answer came. Normally, she hesitated when someone asked her out. It was a knee-jerk reaction, but Dan had caught her at the perfect moment: she was feeling lonely and vulnerable. There was no danger of falling for Dan, and maybe they could become good friends.
“Great! I’ve got extra tickets, so if you don’t mind, I think I’ll invite Mitch to come along and bring a date. You said you’re flying a route with him this month, right?”
“Y-yes,” she stammered, brightening her tone in an attempt to recover from the surprise. “We’re working the same route.” Why was her heart pounding so hard? And why didn’t she like this idea at all? She should have declined the invitation. She had a perma-excuse with needing to be with her mom. Why hadn’t she used it?
“Cool. I’ll text him tonight and see what he thinks. He’s a pretty die-hard Star Wars fan.”
She lifted her eyebrows, tucking the information away to tease Mitch with later. “Really?”
“Yeah. We’re both big nerds about it, so it should be fun.”
“Definitely.” She pushed her uncertainty aside. It would be fun. And she was curious to see who Mitch would bring. “Thanks for thinking of me.”
“Thanks for saying yes.” He cleared his throat. “Which city are you in right now, anyway?”
She smiled and told him about her flights for the day, appreciating that he was easy to talk to. This conversation was exactly what she’d needed tonight. The only trouble was, her mind kept wandering to Mitch, and what he would think about Dan’s idea for a double date.
***
A passenger stopped Leah as she was taking a headset to a man several rows back. “Excuse me, can I please get a bottle of water?” she asked.
Leah nodded. “Certainly. I’ll get that for you in just a moment.” She continued on her first task with the headset when she heard the familiar ding of the call light toward the front of the plane. This was a busy flight, but that was good. It kept her from thinking about Mitch and wondering if Dan had texted him. She’d been disappointed when she found out he’d taken an earlier shuttle to the airport, and she hadn’t had a moment’s break since stepping aboard the airplane to chat with him.
“I’ll get that, hon,” Bonnie said, moving past her toward the call light.
“Thanks,” Leah answered over her shoulder. Bonnie was great to work with, and she helped fill the void that was left when Leah’s friend Kate Coleman had quit Synergy to become a corporate flight attendant for a billionaire based in Seattle. They were scheduled to fly to Seattle in a few weeks, and Leah couldn’t wait to meet up with her friend to hear how things were going.
The rest of the flight was uneventful until they encountered some mild turbulence. The seat belt sign came on, and Leah’s pulse sped up when she heard Mitch’s voice across the intercom.
“Ladies and gentleman, this is Captain Harrison. We’re experiencing some mild turbulence, so I turned the seat belt sign on. For your safety, please stay seated with your seatbelt fastened until the seatbelt sign is turned off.”
He had such a nice voice. It even sounded good over the intercom. Leah shook the thought from her mind and busied herself with taking inventory for the supplies they would need when they landed.
When they arrived in Atlanta, Leah wanted to go to the front of the plane to thank passengers—and to have the chance to talk to Mitch—but there was a mother with three young children who looked like she could use a hand. By the time Leah helped the woman with her connection information and assisted her onto the jetway, Mitch was already out of the cockpit and inspecting the plane for the next flight.
Leah blew at a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. Was he avoiding her on purpose? She’d hoped that after their dinner together, he would be a little friendlier and not aloof like he used to be.
“I got a call from Dan last night.”
She turned at the sound of Mitch’s voice behind her, her stomach doing a somersault at the sight of him in his pilot uniform. He seemed to get better looking each time she saw him—if that was possible. His eyes penetrated hers as he waited for her to respond.
“So did I.” She nervously twisted her hands before stuffing them into the pockets of her dress uniform. What was she? Twelve? “He said he was going to invite you to come with us to see the new Star Wars movie.” She paused when a look akin to annoyance flashed across his face before he smoothed it out. “Are you coming?”
“I told him I’d think about it,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you first and make sure you didn’t mind.”
“Mind?” She blinked.
“Yeah.” He looked away before meeting her gaze again. “Mind if I join you on a group date. It’s fine if you’d rather it just be the two of you.”
Leah shook her head, her heart beating an uneven rhythm. “I don’t mind at all. It’s just a causal thing . . . I barely even know Dan.”
“He said he talked to you for a while last night.” Mitch glanced toward the cockpit.
“Not that long.” Her face grew hot. Why was she so determined to play down the situation with Dan? They’d talked for almost forty-five minutes, which some might consider long.
Mitch studied her for a moment. “Well, I guess I’ll tell him I’ll come . . . if you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“I’m sure.” She nodded to prove her sincerity. Dang, he had on that same cologne that he’d worn to dinner last night. It messed with her, jumbling her thoughts. She bit her lip and glanced up at him through her lashes. “Are you going to ask Candice?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Does that mean you don’t know, or that you don’t want to tell me?”
A slow smile curled his lip. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
She folded her arms and tilted her head to one side. “’Mysterious Mitch,’ that’s what I’m going to call you from now on. Why do you like keeping secrets so much?”
He took a small step forward and Leah held her breath as he met her eyes. “Why are you so curious?”
She swallowed. An electric charge filled the air as he watched her intently, waiting for her answer. She had the insane urge to reach out and touch him. She blinked several times, trying to gain control of her feelings. “It doesn’t matter to me who you ask,” she said, lifting her chin. “I just wondered if you had someone in mind, that’s all.”
He gave her a crooked smile. “Okay.” His blue eyes brimmed with amusement as he tipped his pilot hat and walked back into the cockpit.
Leah scoffed and crossed her arms as she watched him go. He was infuriating! Why wouldn’t he just tell her who he was going to ask? Why did he insist on keeping her in suspense? It was probably Candice. She was based in Denver, so it would make sense. Plus, her auburn hair and slender build would be a striking match with Mitch’s dark hair and tall, athletic frame.
Leah frowned, determined not to give Mitch the satisfaction of spending one more moment wondering about his date choice. She moved to the galley and began preparing for the passengers to board, making sure commissary had restocked everything according to the order.
No, she didn’t care who he was going to ask on the date. She didn’t care in the least.
Chapter Ten
Mitch’s pulse accelerated as he pulled into the parking lot of the movie theater. This was stupid. He should have told Dan he couldn’t come tonight. Should have faked sick. Watching his friend flirt with Leah would be more than he could bear. What if they held hands? What if Leah snuggled in to Dan during the movie? His lungs constricted and he rubbed his forehead.
Lucas touched his arm and he looked over to where his brother sat in the passenger seat.
“Are you okay?” Lucas signed, his face twisting in concern.
Mitch forced a smile. “I’m just tired,” he signed back. “Nothing a little popcorn and soda won’t fix.”
“Yeah. Get into character, dude.” Lucas smirked and grabbed his Chewbacca mask. “You�
�re sure other people will be dressed up, right? Otherwise we’re going to look like a couple of idiots.”
“It’s a special screening. The geeks will be out in full force,” Mitch assured him. Lucas grinned and plunked on his mask before opening the door. Mitch smiled after him. This was why he was here. As soon as Dan had told him about the premier showing, he’d known he would take Lucas. His brother was a huge Star Wars fan, and there was no way Mitch would leave him out of an event like this.
They walked into the theater, which was packed with die-hard enthusiasts dressed in all kinds of Star Wars attire. Mitch was relieved, though he would have worn the Han Solo costume either way to support Lucas, whom he knew was secretly dying for an excuse to wear the Chewbacca costume.
“This is awesome!” Lucas signed, scanning the waiting area full of Storm Troopers, Jedi knights and Darth Vaders mixed in with the crowd of people wearing normal clothes.
Mitch smiled and nodded. Realistically, he should have been Chewbacca, since he was several inches taller than his brother, but he had his limits on the level of humiliation he was willing to endure. He searched the crowd for any sign of Dan and Leah.
It didn’t take long for him to spot Leah’s long blonde hair in the concession line. She was easy to find in any crowd; like an angel gracing the presence of the mere mortals around her. She laughed at something Dan said, and Mitch’s stomach twisted. Oh man, this was definitely a mistake. They hadn’t seen him yet, so it wasn’t too late to leave and text an excuse. But when Lucas asked if they could get their picture with a pair of Storm Troopers, he pasted on a smile and readily agreed. This was for Lucas. He could do this for his brother.
While they were waiting for a tall Yoda to take their picture, Mitch’s eyes flicked to the concession line again. His heart skidded to a stop when he saw that Leah was watching him, her brown eyes dancing with laughter mixed with something else. Was that admiration? She gave him two thumbs up from across the room and he swallowed, returning his focus to smile for the picture. He and Lucas took a few different poses with the Storm Troopers before heading to the concession line where Dan and Leah waited for them.
“Hey, man.” Dan shifted the huge tub of popcorn to the side to pull Mitch into a one-armed hug. “I’m glad you guys could join us.” He pulled away to give Lucas a high-five. “What’s up, dude? Are you your brother’s date tonight?” He looked right at Lucas so he could read his lips.
Mitch wanted to be irritated, but couldn’t help being grateful for Dan’s thoughtfulness. He gave an inward growl. Dang it, why did Dan have to be such a nice guy?
Lucas smirked. “I’m just his backup plan,” he signed.
Mitch interpreted and Dan and Leah laughed. “He takes pity on me,” Mitch teased, putting one arm around his brother.
“Well, you guys look amazing.” Leah’s eyes met his before darting away again. Was that a blush he detected?
“Seriously,” Dan agreed. “I’m a little ticked we didn’t get the memo to dress up. Where did you get these costumes?”
“We’ve collected a few for Halloween parties over the years,” Mitch answered, turning to Lucas. He already knew Dan, but Mitch realized he hadn’t introduced Leah. “This is Leah, a friend from work,” he said before turning to Leah. “This is my brother Lucas.”
“Nice to meet you,” Lucas said out loud, reaching to shake Leah’s hand.
Mitch’s heart swelled. He knew how hard it was for Lucas to be brave enough to try speaking out loud. His words were thick and somewhat awkward, but Leah smiled as she shook his hand in return.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Lucas.”
She’d acted completely normal. Not even a hint that Lucas’ voice was different. Mitch could have hugged her. In fact, he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss those deliciously full lips. The desire to touch her was so overwhelming in that moment that he had to distract himself. He cleared his throat. “I think Lucas and I had better get in the snack line before it grows longer. You two can go on ahead if you want.”
“Okay.” Dan nodded. “It’s all prepaid for work, so here are your tickets.” He handed the tickets to Mitch just before his phone rang. He grabbed it from his pocket, still holding the tub of popcorn in his other arm. “Sorry—it’s a client. I’d better take it.”
“No problem,” Leah said.
“I’ll make it quick.” Dan walked a few feet away to take the call.
Mitch stared after him, surprised he would take a work call while on a date. He didn’t have much time to stew about it though, because a group of giggling college-aged girls approached them.
“Excuse me,” a pretty brunette said, eyeing Mitch and holding up her phone. “Can we get a picture with you guys?” She batted her long eyelashes at him.
“Oh,” Mitch ran a hand along the back of his neck, “uh . . . sure.”
“Thanks!” The girl beamed, turning to Leah. “Will you take it for us?”
Leah nodded and smiled, but it seemed a little forced. She took the phone and waited while the girls piled around Mitch and Lucas.
Mitch flushed and let out a slightly strained chuckle as the girls took his arms, practically draping themselves across him in seductive poses. He glanced at Lucas. He was wearing his mask, but clearly enjoying the attention. Mitch smiled for the pictures, noting the little pull in the corner of Leah’s mouth as she took them. Was it possible she was jealous?
She handed the phone back to the brunette and asked, “Will you take one for me, too?” She turned to Mitch with a lifted brow. “Do you mind?”
He blinked, his heartrate ratcheting into overdrive at the playful look in her eyes. “Not at all.”
She smiled and stood between him and Lucas, taking each of their arms. A shockwave traveled up to Mitch’s elbow at the contact. He glanced to where Dan was standing a few feet away, still on his call. He glanced their way, giving a head nod, but making no move to end the call or join them.
His loss.
Mitch tried to relax and ignore the crazy way his stomach flipped having Leah’s arm in his.
The brunette took several pictures of them before handing Leah’s phone back. “You two make the cutest couple,” she gushed.
Mitch’s mouth opened and his eyes darted to Leah’s. Her face turned an adorable pink. “Oh, we’re not—” she stuttered, her blush deepening.
“We’re just friends,” he supplied. “Her date is standing over there.” He gestured to Dan.
The brunette’s eyes widened. “Oh. Sorry.” Though her expression didn’t look sorry at all. She gave Mitch a big smile before winking at Lucas in his Chewbacca costume. “Thanks for the pictures, Chewy.”
Lucas nodded. Mitch was grateful for the distraction, forcing himself not to feel the loss when Leah dropped her arm from his. She cleared her throat, her blush still visible.
“I guess you guys had better get your snacks. The movie will be starting soon.”
“Good idea,” Mitch said, twisting the tickets in his hands. The awkwardness still hung between them, and he wasn’t sure why.
“We’ll save your seats.” She gave him a tentative smile and then went to join Dan, who ended the call when he saw her coming.
Mitch forced himself not to watch her go. She was Dan’s date. Not his. He was here to hang out with his brother. He turned to Lucas and signed. “Let’s get our popcorn. If we hurry, we won’t miss the previews.” He knew Lucas hated missing the previews.
“Sounds good,” Lucas signed back, leading the way to the concession line. “Those girls were hot,” he added, and Mitch could only imagine the enthusiastic expression he wore beneath the mask. “I should have asked for their numbers.”
Mitch snorted. “All of them?”
Lucas shrugged and continued to sign, “I’m pretty sure they’re older than me. That girl taking the pictures was totally giving you the eye. You should have asked for her number.”
They got in line and Mitch paused, unable to resist bringing up the topic on his
mind. “She thought Leah and I were together.”
“I know.” He elbowed Mitch in the side. “You like her.”
Mitch turned to him, wide-eyed. “What?” He glanced around; grateful they were signing this conversation. But Leah and Dan had already gone into the theater. He turned back to Lucas. “What makes you think that?”
Lucas shook his head. “I’m deaf, not blind,” he signed.
Mitch frowned, debating how much he should admit to his younger brother. He shifted his weight. “Even if I did like her, she’s here with Dan. And, more importantly . . . she’s not interested in me.”
Lucas snorted, which sounded funny beneath his mask. “You keep telling yourself that, bro,” he signed.
Mitch’s stomach gave an involuntary flip, but he ignored it. Lucas had only met Leah a few minutes ago. There was no way he could pick up on anything that fast—though he did have an uncanny knack for reading people.
Mitch brushed the thought aside and stepped up to the order counter. He paid for their drinks and popcorn, and then they went to the customer service desk to request a pair of Sony glasses for Lucas. His brother usually waited for movies to come out on DVD so he could watch them with closed captioning on the screen, but the glasses would have to do for now.
They hurried into the theater and spotted Leah and Dan, who waved to them from their seats near the end of the middle section. Mitch intentionally let Lucas go in first so he wouldn’t be sitting next to Leah. They took their seats and made small talk while Lucas took off his mask so he could put the Sony glasses on.
The lights were just dimming when a couple came and sat in front of them, the man so tall he completely blocked Lucas’ view. Lucas turned to Mitch with a desperate look, and though Mitch’s stomach twisted in anxious protest, he nodded and switched seats with Lucas. Leah turned to him, offering a small smile that made his pulse spike.
“That was sweet of you,” she whispered, nodding toward Lucas. “Sacrificing your view for your brother.”
Actually, my view is much better right here. Mitch swallowed. He needed to keep it together. But sitting next to Leah with the dim lighting and her tantalizing perfume tickling his senses, it was all he could do to keep his thoughts straight. “Seeing the screen is overrated,” he whispered back with a half-smile.
When Sparks Fly (Pine Ridge Romance Book 2) Page 5