Hardball
Page 33
* * *
Nate drove through the gate of the local airport where he based his plane. Passing into the private hangar compound, he parked on the grass strip beside the four-unit structure that contained his hangar.
As Holly helped him push open the heavy sliding doors, her eyes widened at the sight of his brand new Beech Bonanza G36, its gleaming white and blue paint reflecting the late afternoon sun that angled through the hangar door.
“Wow,” she said, her eyes locked onto the Bonanza’s sleek fuselage, “that’s one gorgeous airplane.”
“Thanks,” he said, pleased by her sudden enthusiasm. On the drive to the airport, she’d gone back to being jumpy and nervous, disappearing into her own little world. They’d only been dating for a few weeks, but it bothered him like hell when she shut him out like that. He hoped the flight—and getting out of town—would lift her spirits out of the tank they were in.
“It just came off the line in February. I took delivery myself at the factory in Wichita, and then I flew it straight to Clearwater for spring training.” He stroked the leading edge of the wing. “Flies like an angel.”
Holly gave him a saucy smile and sashayed over to join him. “You almost sound like you’re in love. Should I be jealous?”
He felt better instantly to see some of her playfulness make a return appearance. “You know,” he said with a grin, “boys and their toys.”
She gave him a playful nudge on his good shoulder. “You men are all the same.” She perked up even more as he began his pre-flight inspection. “It’s about four hours to Ponte Vedra from here, you said?”
“More or less.” He opened the cowl for the engine check, tested the tires, struts and prop, made a full circle around the plane to check all surfaces, and then drained a little gas from the wing tanks to look for any deadly air bubbles in the fuel. Holly trailed behind, quiet, but watching him with avid interest. He loved the curiosity in her, the way she wanted to learn new things.
Everything checked out, so Nate hooked up the tiny gas-powered pull-tractor that helped him ease the plane forward onto the tarmac. After locking up the hanger, he climbed in and slid across the passenger seat and into the pilot’s chair. Holly got in behind him, and he leaned across her—making sure he gave her a wicked grin as he brushed against her soft breasts—and pulled the door shut. He fired up the engine, did his final instrument check, and got clearance from ground control in the tower. Air traffic control promptly cleared them for takeoff, and they were airborne in barely more than ten minutes from engine start-up.
The airport weather forecast had called for sunny, clear skies all the way down, so Nate flew under visual flight rules. As soon as he switched on the Bonanza’s autopilot, he was able to gaze out toward the Atlantic. The calm ocean stretched endlessly to the eastern horizon. He tried to relax and get comfortable despite the cramped quarters that made it hard to move without bumping his injured shoulder.
Fortunately, Holly was a great distraction, peppering him with a steady stream of questions, both about the terrain below and the plane’s high-tech cockpit. He knew she was off the charts brainy—after all, she was a hot-shot surgeon—but he still was amazed at how quickly she grasped the principles of navigation and flight. He had a great time giving her a basic flying lesson, even letting her take over the controls for a few minutes. The pleasure on her beautiful face as he put her through her paces only confirmed his instincts that this trip had been a great idea.
As they flew through the approaching dusk and into the velvety soft night, Nate couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed a flight as much. Yeah, the weather was perfect, but it had everything to do with the smart, gorgeous and sweet woman sitting beside him. It felt so comfortable, so right it was almost scary.
Almost four hours to the minute from takeoff, they reached the approach control area for Craig Municipal Airport in north Jacksonville. They were vectored east of the big international airport and over the landmark Dames Point Bridge, the lights on its high suspension visible from miles out. Nate set up for final approach and got his landing clearance from ATC. Smoothly setting the Bonanza down on Runway 14, he applied the brakes and turned right onto the first taxiway. Three minutes later, he pulled up at the Craig Air Center and stopped in front of his rented hangar.
“Enjoy the ride?” he said as he shut down the engine and pulled off his headset.
“Enjoy it?” she enthused, taking off her own headset and tossing her gloriously messed-up auburn hair. “It was absolutely amazing. What a spectacular view. Flying commercial totally sucks in comparison.”
“You can’t beat Air Carter for service,” he said as he placed a hand on her sweet ass, helping her to hoist herself up out of the low seat. “Unless you have to pee, of course.”
Holly wrinkled her pretty nose at him as she climbed out down the wing and he followed. “So, where’s the limo you promised?”
“See the parking area over there?” He pointed to an asphalt lot at the side of Craig Air Center’s main building, maybe seventy yards from the hangar. “Can you make out the black Beamer? That’s ours.”
“You’re not telling me you leave a car parked here all the time?” Holly asked incredulously.
He laughed. “I use a company that rents high-end cars. They deliver them to the FBO terminal here. We just have to pick up the keys.”
She gave him a happy grin. “It’s good to be king, isn’t it?”
He slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her close. “You have no idea, darlin’.”