Page 4 of Speechless

She’s a . . . fan?

I’ve had numerous women pretend to love my music, especially once they realize what I’m paid. I can’t remember the last time a compliment was this genuine. Even in my meeting earlier today, when I was literally being wooed, it was all about the money. The number of films, their respective earnings, the producers who raved about my efficiency.

Butthisgirl, she chose my music to keep her company while stuck in the airport.

Her eyes were closed. She was humming along to the melody . . .

And now she’s looking at me like she’s ready to call an ambulance. How long have I been staring with my mouth hanging ajar?

“Hey. Are you okay? They just called the first boarding group, so I need to go up there.” She seems genuinely concerned and I just want to laugh it off but I’m still a bit shell-shocked.

“So sorry, please go ahead. Nice to meet you.”

3

Lucy

Okay Luce,just board the plane and please forget about rambling on to the hot stranger. Did I really bore him into shock? I’ve seen many eye rolls in my day but that was a strange reaction to my blabbering.

Note to self:Tryto think before you speak.

Moments after I get settled, the flight attendant offers some water and ice cubes for Rowan. I never know how the crew will react to having a dog in the front of the plane, so this is a good sign. Maybe things are turning around for me.

And . . . maybe not. An older man, mid-sixties by my guess, takes the seat next to me and looks anything but friendly. I offer a smile, but he ignores me and pulls out a newspaper. Well, at least I have Rowan to keep me company for the next six and a half hours.

“Okay Row, how are you doin’ pal? I’m sorry I couldn’t get us the aisle, but the front of the plane isn’t bad, right? And first class! Look at all that leg room!”

The man seated next to me sniffs loudly as he turns away from me, clearly unhappy to have a dog sitting next to him. I start to apologize but realize that’s all I’ve been doing lately.Enough.

I reach down to grab my headphones, ready to get lost in another world of Henry Turner’s when my new neighbor starts yelling a string of profanities.

And then he smacks Rowan across the nose.

“What the hell are you doing!” I pull Rowan onto my lap and cuddle him fiercely, tears springing from my eyes.

“Excuse me, is there a problem, folks?” The flight attendant stares at us both intently.

“Her animal was licking my knee for fuck’s sake. Get that thing in a cage down in cargo where it belongs.”

I start to defend Rowan—he’s incredibly well-trained and was only being friendly—but the flight attendant interrupts me.

“Sir, she has a service dog, and has the right to keep him at the seat with her. If you’d like to change your seat, I’d be happy to see if someone will switch with you.”

“You wantmeto move? Oh sure, I bet half the plane would love to take my first-class seat thatIpaid for.” His voice continues to rise, and I notice all the other passengers staring at us. I spot the hot stranger a few rows back and now I’m even more embarrassed by the scene we’re causing.

But this man will not shut up.

“You expect me to believe that’s a service dog?” He starts waving his hand in front of my face. “You can see just fine, sweetheart. Nice try.”

I know I should let the staff on the plane handle this, but I can’t hold my tongue anymore.

“Not all service dogs are to help the seeing impaired, you know—”

“Oh, right. What’s that thing help you with? Does he steer you, so you don’t get lost?” His tone gets more patronizing by the second. “Calm you down when you’re tooemotional?”

He’s standing now, blocking the aisle completely, while Rowan and I are crouched in my window seat shaking together like a pair of tambourines.No, asshole. Rowan is so intelligent, so much more thanyou, that he can actually sense when I’m in pain and when I’m in danger of passing out. Dick.

“Sir.” The voice comes from behind us, as firm and strong as a cold brew. “I’ll switch seats with you.” The British accent makes my stomach flip and I look up to see it’s the hot stranger from before.

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