Page 54 of Backed By You
The ride to the airport on the other side of town is silent aside from Callie’s occasional sniffle.
“How you holding up over there?” I ask, glancing between her and the road. In the distance, I can see the airport—a tiny building compared to what we’ll land at in Los Angeles. I’ve been to some big cities during my service, but never to play bodyguard for someone I’m falling for.
Falling for?Ah, fuck.
“I’m okay,” she says quietly. “And before you say it, I know he’s in good hands.”
I bark a laugh. “As long as you already know.”
She smiles—the first one I’ve seen from her in days. It eases something in me I didn’t realize was wound tight.
I pull into the long-term airport parking lot, a gravel patch with painted lines. The terminal is a single-story building in the middle of a wide stretch of pavement. A few small commuter planes sit on the tarmac, and I mentally prep myself for the cramped seats and knee pain when Callie points to the far end of the runway.
“We need to go there,” she says, gesturing toward a sleek white jet sitting by itself.
I slow the truck to a stop. “Where?”
“That’s our plane.” Her voice is casual, like she’s commenting on the weather.
I squint at the private jet gleaming in the morning sun. “That’s…not a commercial flight,” I say, confused.
“No,” she agrees, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice. Her eyes are still red-rimmed but now containing a spark of mischief. “Did I forget to mention that part?”
“You might have left out a detail or two,” I mutter, putting the truck back in drive and following her directions toward the separate entrance and parking area.
As we pull up, a man in a crisp uniform approaches. I park where he indicates and step out, on alert. This is the first time Callie and I have been out together, just the two of us. I need to make sure she knows she can count on me the same way she counts on Hulk on any given day. And that startsnow.
Callie slides out, and the man’s professional demeanor breaks into a wide smile. “Miss Ryan,” he greets her warmly. “It’s wonderful to see you again.”
“You, too, Marcus,” she replies, accepting his brief hug. “This is Beau,” she adds, gesturing to me. “He’s with me. Hulk is on leave for this trip.”
Marcus extends his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. I’ll take care of your bags.”
I shake his hand, then help him unload our luggage from the truck bed. Callie takes her carry-on and waits for me, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“You fly private a lot?” I ask as we follow Marcus toward the jet.
She shrugs. “The studio arranges it for premieres and press tours. Less hassle, no paparazzi at commercial terminals. And they respect that I usually have Hulk with me.”
“Right.”
The amusement in her eyes grows. “You look a little shell-shocked.”
I scoff. “Just trying to figure out how different the next few weeks are going to be.”
That earns me a genuine laugh. She loops her arm through mine. “Don’t worry. I don’t expect you to keep up with Hollywood appearances or expenses. But fair warning, my designer has several outfits and suits for you to try when we arrive.”
“Noted,” I say, mentally recalibrating what the next two weeks might look like.
We approach the aircraft where a small set of stairs has been extended to the ground. At the top stands a woman in a navy uniform, her blonde hair pulled back in a neat bun. “Good morning, Miss Ryan,” she says with a professional smile. “Welcome aboard.”
“Thanks, Brittany,” Callie replies. “This is Beau. He’s a bit new to all this.”
Brittany nods to me. “First time on a private jet, Mr…?”
“Montgomery,” I say. “And yeah, usually I’m wedged between two guys about my size in military transport.”
“Well, I think you’ll find this much more comfortable,” Brittany says with a wink. “Please, come aboard.”
