Chapter 24
Jessica
I had never been so afraid in my life, just knowing that if anything went wrong, we could fall out of the sky and that would be the end. I had squeezed Cole’s hand so tightly that he said it felt like I was going to break it, and once we settled into the flight, I released him, letting out a long cleansing breath.
Cam and I watched a little TV, and I kept sneaking glances across the cabin at Cole where he and Tanner scanned through their papers and discussed business terms I’d never heard of and didn’t want explained. They had their meeting, and while it all seemed very professional, there was a lot of laughing, and Cole had to stop the person on the other end from finishing a dirty joke he’d started.
“Little ears,” he’d said. Then he’d looked back at me with an apologetic expression. “My photographer and her son are along,” he told the client. The client apologized, and I smiled at Cole and Tanner, who was left shaking his head.
The man had seemed irritated by my presence, but then, he had a much different personality from Cole’s it seemed. Tanner wasn’t nearly as laid back, and he had no filter when it came to showing others how annoyed he was with them.
If I had gotten a dollar for every hard look and loud sigh, I’d have enough to buy my own plane.
Once the meeting was over, Cole got up from the table and walked over to join me and Cam on the other side of the table from Tanner. “Hope that didn’t bother you. But I was glad to get that out of the way.”
I could totally understand that he had business to conduct. “It’s not a problem, and I don’t think that little ears heard anything he wasn’t supposed to.”
“Good. Some of our clients like to break the ice, and we do find it amusing too.” He looked over at Cam and smiled as he looked up to the TV. “Would you like to play a game of checkers?”
“I don’t know how to play,” said Cam with a shrug.
Cole chuckled. “Don’t you worry about that. I can teach you. It’s an easy game, and I used to play it all the time when I was your age.”
“Really? Do you think I could win?”
“Sure, you can. I haven’t played in a long time, so I’ll need to polish up, but it will be fun.” He walked over to a compartment and found the game, then brought it back to the table.
For the next half hour of our flight, the two of them played the game, and Camden learned well enough to beat him a few times. It was nice watching the two of them get along so well, and I couldn’t help but think how my son really needed a man’s influence in his life. Sure, anyone could play checkers with him, but they talked about so many things during that game that I didn’t even know my little boy was interested in, like cars, sports, and even a few comic series.
I snapped out of my daze when Cole asked Cam if he wanted to go sit in the cockpit for a few minutes.
“Can I, Mama?”
I had wanted to say no, that he didn’t need to disturb Franklin, but I looked up at Cole, who gave me a reassuring smile. “Fine,” I said. “Go have fun.”
I sat with Tanner for a while as they stayed with Franklin, and I doubted he said two words to me the entire time, despite my best efforts to make conversation. I decided to let it go and chalk it up to him being nervous about his meeting at Ohio State, though I had a feeling the real problem laid with me and my son.
The captain announced that we would be landing soon, and while I made my way to my seat, taking Cam along with me to his, I knew I had to get the thoughts out of my mind. Cole’s friendliness didn’t mean that he wanted to be Cam’s father figure. It certainly didn’t mean he wanted to be more to me than he’d been before I ran him off.
As the plane landed, I closed my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief that everything was okay.
“You can open your eyes now, Jessica. We’re on solid ground, safe and sound.” He reached over and unbuckled my belts, and then the three of us waited until the plane was stopped to get out of our seats. Tanner moved back to the couch and gathered his things, and Cole walked into the cockpit with Franklin.
When he came out, he took out his phone and held it to his ear. “We’re landing now. Are you waiting?” He paused a moment to allow whoever it was to respond. “Okay, thank you. And yes, it will be Ms. Hyde and her son. We’ll see you soon.” He put the phone down, and I cleared my throat.
“Is someone expecting us?” I didn’t think we were meeting anyone.
Cole winced. “Sorry, I meant to tell you that I arranged a car for you and Cam. I thought it would be a lot better than a cab service or an Uber. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not, thank you. I was a little worried about being able to find adequate transportation, so that is a lovely gesture.” He had to be the most thoughtful person I’d ever met, another bonus that made him all the more appealing.
“Well, I wanted you and Cam to have a stress-free day.”
I gave him a warm smile. “You’ve certainly pulled out all the stops for us. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“No thanks needed,” he said. “Have a good day with your son, and if you need anything, remember I’m a phone call away.”
We stepped out of the plane and onto the tarmac where two limos were waiting in the distance. “Come on,” said Cole, who took Cam by the hand and walked him over to the limousine that I hadn’t been sure was for us until Cole introduced us to the driver. “They’d like to go to the zoo and then the botanical gardens. Please call me if there’s a problem, and I’m sure Ms. Hyde can tell you anywhere else she’d like to go.”
“We’ll be fine,” I said.
The driver gave a nod and opened our door, and Cole grabbed my hand and pulled me to a stop as Cam climbed inside the long car.
“If you need me, call me. The meeting isn’t life or death, okay? Your safety is important to me.”
I knew he meant the words wholeheartedly, and then he met my eyes as if he wanted to kiss me. Instead, after holding my stare, he let out a long breath and stepped away to meet Tanner in the other car.
I settled in the limo with Cam, and the driver got in and let down the window between us. “To the zoo, ma’am?”
“Yes, please. Thank you.” I gave him a polite smile, and the window went up. I turned to look at Cam, and he was still in awe.
“This is a big car, Mama.”
“Indeed, it is. This is the first time for us both in a limousine.” I was so glad to have the time with my son and couldn’t believe we were going to spend the day in Ohio, stomping around the zoo. I took out my camera and took a few pictures of the car and a few more when we go out, including one of our friendly driver Tony.
We walked around the zoo and pressed a few pennies to take home for souvenirs, and then we found a nice place in the shade to stop and rest and have lunch from the food stand.
“I really like this zoo,” I said, taking a bite of the sandwich I’d ordered. “And I think I’ve got some really nice photos of some of the animals.”
“We can add them to the menagerie?” He had always liked my photo menagerie ever since he was a little boy.
“Yes, we sure can. I’m thinking about making a book too. Something I can put on the coffee table to look at them all together.”
Cam put his sandwich back in the small, paper tray they’d given us. “Can we show it to Mr. Saunders?”
“Sure, I don’t see why not.”
Cam smiled. “Good, because I like him, Mama. He’s a nice man and a good friend.”
I wondered if he would feel the same if Cole and I ever had a relationship, but before I could think of a way to ask him without confusing him, he looked up at me. “Do you like him, Mama?”
“Of course, I like him. He’s a nice man, like you said. He’s smart and caring and...” I had to stop myself. I didn’t need for Cam to think I had a crush on the man.
“Do you like him like you liked my daddy?”
I reached over and tousled his curly hair. “I’ll never love anyone as much
as I loved your father, but I do like Cole. But it’s not the same. I was married to your father.”
“So, you should marry Mr. Saunders,” he said, all matter-of-factly.
I nearly choked on my breath. “Cam! Don’t you dare say anything like that where he could hear you. Now, Mr. Saunders is my boss and a good friend, but that’s all it can be. Two people have to love each other very much to be married, and I can assure you that he doesn’t have those feelings for me. Now, not another word of that.”
I let loose a calming breath and hoped he wouldn’t say anything to Cole on the plane ride home. The last thing I needed were for things to be even more awkward between us.
The thought of me and Cole even dating was enough to send my heart pounding ninety to nothing, but the thought that he’d ever want to marry someone like me, someone who didn’t come from his social circles, was crazy. Sure, he’d had a rough childhood, but he’d made so much more of himself, and he wasn’t still stuck in the same old neighborhood he’d grown up in, living payday to payday.
The twenty-five grand I’d gotten for the job I’d done was like winning the lotto to me, and even though I was realistic enough to know that the money wouldn’t last forever, it was nothing compared to all the money that he had. He could have anything he wanted in life. Why would he want me? And even though Cam was the most amazing boy ever, he probably didn’t see his worth the way I did. He could meet a nice girl and make babies of his own. I was suddenly feeling a bit emotional, my sandwich like ash in my mouth. I tossed my sandwich in the trash and waited for Cam to finish his.
After the Zoo had played out and Cam was tired, Tony drove us over to the botanical gardens where we walked around and looked at the flowers for a bit. I took a few hundred more photographs, and once my battery died, I decided to call it a day.
Tony asked me where I wanted to go, and I had him drive us around the market square where we found a shop specializing in custom popcorn and candies. We went inside and loaded up, and once we had our fill, we brought a bagful of goodies with us. Then Tony drove us back to the plane where we waited for Cole and Tanner, who arrived twenty minutes later.
“Did you have a good time?” Cole asked.
Cam reached into his souvenir bag and pulled out two smashed pennies and gave one to Tanner and one to Cole. He also had given one to Tony and had another for Franklin. “I made those for you,” he said, digging into the candy bag next. “And I bought these too, for the ride home.” He presented them each with a bag of popcorn he’d chosen just for them.
“Thanks, little man,” said Tanner. “I’m glad you and your mother had a good time. We didn’t do too bad ourselves.” His mood was certainly better, which was a welcome sight.
“I love popcorn,” Cole said. “You couldn’t have gotten me a better treat.” He gave Cam a high-five and the two boarded the plane with big smiles, and just before they took the last step, Cam reached over and held Cole by the hand.
I couldn’t imagine us all having a better day.
Chapter 25
Cole
I had been working all of my spare time on the algae-fueled plane, and while I hated working Saturdays, it was a way to be sure that no one could come up and bother me, which was nice after Tanner riding my ass all week and then him being a shit on most of the trip.
I wondered what Jessica was up to and wondered if Cam had ever stopped talking about the zoo. They seemed like they had a wonderful time, and I was proud that I’d been able to give them that. It wasn’t often that I had a chance to do something for someone I cared so much about, and to see a smile on Cam’s face, knowing I put it there, meant a lot. To see the same thing from his mother meant even more. It was everything.
I’d last talked to Jessica when she got home after our late flight in, and while I’d slept on the plane, knowing I had to get up early and be here anyway, I had wished that we could have had some alone time together.
I didn’t want to pout like Tanner, but a kiss would have been nice, but I knew that my days of kissing her were as good as done. If the trip didn’t do its part to bring us back together, then I didn’t know what would.
I was just wondering if I should call and check on Jessica when I heard footsteps out in the hall. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone in the hangar, and especially no one in the offices on a Saturday morning.
“Hello?” a female voice called. I froze and waited to hear it again. “Cole? Are you here?”
“Jessica?” I got down off of my stepladder and hurried across the room to the bottom of the stairs to listen again.
“Cole, did you hear me? It’s Jessica.” Her voice was getting closer and muffled from the heavy door between us.
I took to the stairs and swung open the door to find her and Cam in the hallway, both looking like they’d been wandering around, looking for me for hours. Jessica smiled wide. “I had a feeling you were down there.”
“What on earth are you two doing here?”
Jessica gave me an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I know it’s Saturday, but I needed to come and get the laptop. I tried to call you, but I got no answer. Since Cam and I didn’t have a whole lot to do, we decided to drive down to see if you were around.”
“Well, you’re in luck. Come on down if you want.”
She took Cam’s hand and led him down the stairs to join me. “This is where Cole keeps the projects he’s working on.”
“It’s my secret lair, and you’re a very special person to me if I let you see it.” I gave Cam a wink. “I brought your mom here before.”
Cam giggled. “Does that mean she’s very special to you?”
“It means she’s very special. And so are you.” I glanced over to Jessica, and though she had a big smile on her face, her cheeks reddened and she rolled her eyes.
“What kind of projects do you do?” he asked as he walked over with his hands on his little hips and looked at all of my tools like he knew what each one was for.
I picked up a few of my tools and put them back in their place as I explained. “This is a plane that runs on algae fuel. You know what algae is, don’t you?”
Cam narrowed his eyes. “Is that the stuff that’s in a fish tank?”
“Yes, it’s a type of that stuff. And it’s what we use to make the fuel that this plane will run on.”
“You mean instead of gas?” He scratched his head and then looked up at his mama. Jessica seemed amused by watching us.
“Instead of jet fuel, yes. By using algae, it’s safer for the planet, and with my engine, we’ll make groundbreaking achievements in the science.”
“That’s a lot of fish tanks,” said Cam, and Jessica and I chuckled.
I loved the kid’s mind. “Yeah, kind of. The algae grow on farms. They harvest it and create the fuel for planes. And this particular farm has a special kind of algae that makes the plane run more efficiently than any others.”
“That’s cool! Will your plane go fast like a rocket?”
“Not quite, but it’s fast.” I gave him a smile and then turned my attention back to his mother. Jessica looked at the plane and then turned to give me a soft smile.
“I’m very proud that you have worked so hard on making it energy efficient and ecologically safe. Too many companies don’t even think about the planet. It’s good to know that I work for an eco-friendly company.”
“It’s taken us a long time to get here, but we’re here to stay. I’d eventually like this engine to replace all the others, but don’t let my competitors hear me say that.” I gave a chuckle. Lynn Holden was still getting his panties in a twist over that plan.
She met my eyes. “Well, it’s very impressive, and I’m proud of you.” The words really hit me harder than I expected.
“I haven’t had anyone say they’re proud of me in a long time.”
We were interrupted by Cam, who pushed his way between us and tugged my arm. “Can I go in the plane?” I knew that if I let him, it would give me a moment alone with his mo
ther, and that was all I’d desperately wanted for some time now.
“Sure. Just promise me you won’t touch anything. There are a few gauges in there that I need left alone because I’m not tweaking them.”
“Thanks!” Cam ran over to the steps I had up near the hatch and went inside.
As soon as he was gone, I grabbed Jessica’s hand and pulled her close to me and brought my lips down hard on hers. I had waited days and hours to kiss her, afraid that she wouldn’t kiss me back, or worse, that she’d scold me for it. I decided I was going to keep kissing her, long and hard, because I knew that when it was over, I might never get to do it again.
Instead, she fell against me, her mouth moving on mine slowly and tenderly, yet just eager enough to let me know she really wanted it. Finally, we pulled away, and she was left as breathless as I was.
We both stood there, panting like two fiends, looking deep into each other’s eyes. “Sorry, but I’ve wanted to do that for weeks now. I’ve been so craving you, even though I know it’s not what you want.”
She hesitated and brought her hand up to tug the front of her blouse, but I held her hand and gave it a kiss. She closed her eyes and seemed to find the courage. “I think I do want it.”
It took me a moment to make sure that the words were what I’d really heard. I wanted to believe it so hard that I was afraid I’d imagined it. “What?”
“I don’t know. I just have all of these feelings for you, and I thought that if you didn’t feel the same, I’d be abandoned all over again. I know my husband didn’t choose to leave me, but it was the worst kind of feeling, and I just don’t want to feel that way again.”
“So, do you want to date me?”
“I think I do.” She met my eyes, and hers were so soft with tears that it made me ache for her. “I’m just so scared.”
I brought her head to my shoulder and kissed her hair. “I’m not going to do anything to hurt you, but if it’s slow you need, then we’ll go slow. I don’t want you to feel unsure about anything, and I know it’s not an easy thing to do. But I bet your husband would want you to move on and find someone else. He wouldn’t want you to be alone, would he?” I didn’t even know the man, but I felt like I did, even just a little.
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