Page 13 of Shy Girls Can't Date Celebrities
“And a beverage?”
I shrug. “Orange juice?”
“Certainly. Now, please ensure your seatbelts are strapped tight. The captain is getting ready for take-off.”
As Claire radios the captain that we’re ready for take off, I fish between the throw cushions for my seatbelt. Once I’m buckled, the captain comes through the overhead speakers and gives us an arrival time of one p.m. at Cherry Beach.
Just like Dad taught me, I cross my fingers as the plane ascends, only relaxing when we level out.
“Okay, folks, enjoy your flight,” Captain Ford says through the speakers. “I’ll be back in touch soon when we’re ready to descend.”
Claire reappears from the rear of the plane with a small bowl of jelly beans in an array of bright colors.
“Wow, thank you,” I say when she sits the bowl on the coffee table in front of my couch, alongside a tall glass of OJ.
“I’m happy to arrange anything for you, Miss Bartlett,” Claire says.
“Please, call me Josie.”
She beams. “Certainly, Josie.”
Claire flicks a button by the partition wall, and from the base of the small mahogany table, a flatscreen TV rises up.
“Whoa,” I breathe.
Claire grins. “Any requests?”
I shy away, shaking my head. “Ah, no.”
Randall unbuckles, crossing his leg as he scrolls on his phone. “Pick anything you like, Josie. It’s more than likely on the hard-drive.”
I bite into my lip, remembering my out-of-this-world distractionfrom my movie selection last night. “‘No Way, Goodbye.’”
“Excellent choice,” Claire says, flicking through the movie options.
Randall grumbles, shifting in his seat. “I’ve not seen that movie a billion times.”
“You don’t like it?” I question, sinking in my seat.
Randall smirks. “My life revolves around Wyatt Hayes and the rest of the Circle 8 kids. I’ve seen every piece of media, and heard every song, way too many times.”
I tilt my head at the flatscreen. “Do you have Wyatt’s songs on there too?”
“Yes, of course,” Claire replies. “Both the tracks and the music video versions.”
“We can cue them up after the movie,” I say, bouncing in my seat.
“Yay,” Randall grunts.
I eye him with glee. “And, of course, we’ll end our flight with ‘Without You.’”
Randall lifts his palms in defeat. “Why not? It’s a Wyatt-palooza, of course.”
Claire chuckles, selecting ‘No Way, Goodbye.’ “Despite Randall’s gripes, we’re all wishing Mr. Hayes the very best. It’s not the same without him around.”
“I hope my visit does some good,” I reply. “I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do, or what to expect.”
“From what I hear,” Claire says, “he’s dying to see you.”
