Page 135 of Holidating
“Ifeveryoneis going, then finding a ride ought to be easy.”
“But Damien?—”
Her complaints escalate, but he tunes her out, spotting a glow in the distant sky. The glimmering spark grows larger and more defined as the jet approaches. The lights on the wings and fuselage blink rhythmically, blurred by the gentle snowfall.
“Hey, Zara?” he says when she takes a breath. “I’ve got to go. My fare is here.”
“What if you could drop me off at the party?” she asks. “And pick me up later? I’ll do all your laundry or something. We could barter.”
He sighs again, because he gets it. He really does. She doesn’t want to ask one of her friends to drive all the way out to the trailer park to pick her up. She doesn’t like to remind people where they live if she can help it.
“Let’s see how Saturday shapes up,” he says.
“Okay!” she says quickly.
“And please don’t use the word emergency unless it really is.”
“Well…”
“Zara.”
“Okay, okay.” She sighs. “Bye, Demon. I hope you get a big tip.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
He tosses his phone aside. Then he reaches into the glove box and pulls out a Santa hat, tucking his head into it before getting out of the SUV.
The jet is coming in for a landing now, its engines a low hum that gradually increases in volume. The landing lights cut through the darkness, illuminating the runway in a stark white beam. He can see the sleek body of the aircraft now, its nose slightly tilted up as itprepares for the landing. And then the wheels touch down smoothly, a dusting of snow flying up around them.
How much fun would that be?Damien asks himself as the jet brakes tidily to a stop and taxis toward the little terminal.Driving a taxi in the sky.
A ground-crew member, bundled in a heavy coat and hat, approaches the aircraft with a light wand in hand, guiding it into its final position as the engines slow and then quiet.
Damien feels a hum of expectation. This will be the fourth or fifth time he’s driven for Nicolette. His raging crush has only gotten stronger over the past couple years. Picking her up is not a job anymore—it’s an event. He loves hearing her stories from college. Or any stories, really. She’s always full of life and adventure.
She’s as sweet as she is exciting. And that’s just so rare.
The jet’s cabin door opens with a mechanical whir, and a set of stairs extends down to the tarmac. The interior lights illuminate a uniformed flight attendant at the top of the stairs. She looks around briefly then steps back inside.
Damien feels his pulse kick up with expectation. He doesn’t even know if this is the right jet, but he’s walking toward the fence like a moth to the flame.
A moment later, Nicolette appears in the doorway, wearing a wool coat and jeans. She starts down the stairs, then spots Damien and grins widely. Her feet speed up, and he winces internally as she trots toward the snowy ground, bumping her suitcase down each step behind her.
Careful. He’s well aware that she doesn’t know how to pack a suitcase that weighs less than fifty pounds. At the bottom of the little stairway, she all but skids toward him at the fence. “Hi!” she calls. “Great hat!”
“Thanks,” he says, grinning back like a fool. “Did you plan on climbing that fence? Or is there another way out of there?”
She looks up at the top of what must be a ten-foot chain-link, as if actually considering it. “Good point. Hold on.” She smiles again and then turns for the little terminal building, dragging her case through the snow.
Damien strides into the terminal to meet her there. It is, ofcourse, part of his job to carry her luggage. That’s what he tells himself as he practically sprints inside to see her. The bounce in his step has nothing to do with Nicolette’s smile or the squeal she makes as she drops her bags and leaps toward him.
Somehow, he manages to catch the hug that’s hurtling his way. “Hey!” he says uselessly. “Good flight?”
“I’m so glad to see you!” she squeals. “And I’m also really glad exams are over.”
He laughs and lifts her up off the ground playfully. “And here I thought I was special.”
“Oh, but you are,” she says. “You’re definitely the most fun thing about this evening.”
