Page 71 of Away We Go

“Have you noticed she looks just like Princess Jasmine? FromAladdin? She’s gorgeous.”

My eyes bounce between the two women before settling back on the one who always has all my attention. She stays looking at Justine with a star-struck expression for another minute, beforeplonking herself down on the nearest seat. I check my watch and sit down next to her.

“This is pretty special.” She waves her hand around us. “Why don’t you always fly this way?”

I scrunch my nose. “I try not to do it too often. The carbon footprint these flights leave is huge. I only do this when there’s a really long flight…or if there are other reasons.”

She doesn’t need to know that she’s the reason for it this time.

“That makes sense,” she nods. “Is there anyone else joining us?”

As if on cue, three people clamour onboard. Paul, Jack and Frieda. We’ve all travelled together on this plane many times, so they are missing the private plane novice glow Cherry is currently sporting.

“Hi, Nicky,” Frieda calls out as she takes a spot on the couch, a champagne glass already in her hand.

I nod at her, noting with a wry smile her power suit andfabulousshoulder pads.

“Oh, hi, Cherry,” Frieda adds. “I didn’t know you were joining us.”

I frown at the edge in her voice, turning to see Cherry’s cheeks heat. Since our chat in Miami, we’ve been careful when out in public and my publicist has had nothing to complain about. And yet, I’m sensing an undercurrent between the two women that is giving me pause.

“Hi,” Cherry waves, pulling her sleeves over her hands and sinking further down into her seat.

“I’ll be right back,” I whisper, giving what I hope is a reassuring smile.

I stand to greet Paul and Jack and when I get to Frieda, I throw her a questioning stare. “What’s going on there?” I tilt in thedirection of the woman now rummaging through her oversized handbag.

“Nothing,” she replies.

“Are you sure? I’m sensing tension.”

She pats my arm. “You’re just overprotective of your…friend.That’s all.”

We’re interrupted before I can put her back in her place and I make a note to get this under control. Frieda works for me; she doesn’t get to hurt or intimidate Cherry.

“Please buckle your seatbelt now. We’re about to take off,” Justine calls out with a smile and I do as she says. I’m forced to sit at the round table where my engineer has already set up to work with me over the flight. Instead of next to Cherry where I can hold her hand and distract her from the anxiety I can see rolling off her.

“Cherry. Are you good?”

Her eyes lock with mine and I watch her shoulders deflate as the tension seems to drain out of her.

“I’m good.” She nods.

I keep my eye on her for a moment longer and then turn back, spying Frieda watching this interlude with a raised eyebrow.

“What?”

She puts her hands up in surrender. “Nothing.”

Exhaling roughly, I look back. Cherry is now pulling her Kindle from her bag, snuggling down into her seat with a blanket on her lap. I watch her for several more minutes before getting to work— happy knowing that she’s safe, and healthy, and with me.

• • • • •

“Cherie?” I repeat her name for the third time, having gotten no response from her after the first two.

She holds a finger up to shush me. In every other area of my life, I get attention the second I ask for it. And yet, here I am, playing second fiddle to a book.

“Yes?” she says, slowly lifting her head from her Kindle.

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