It takes a second for the words to sink in, but when they do, Victoria’s entire face lights up. “Oh my God, that’s amazing!”
She spins toward me, bubbly and excited-it looks damn good on her, too. “Are you kidding me? First Carl and Jade kicked out, and now you and I get to fly first class?”
I don’t get a chance to reply before she throws her arms around me.
“It must be our lucky day,” she says, and I’m thinking it certainly is mine.
I inhale her sugary sweet vanilla scent and wrap her in a snug embrace, letting out a quiet chuckle.
Over her shoulder, I catch Henry watching on, a knowing grin on his face. I discreetly give him a thumbs-up, and get a satisfied nod in return.
As Victoria pulls away, still radiating joy and appreciation, I can’t help but think this moment and this woman are worth every single secret I’m keeping.
Victoria
The first-class cabin is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Plush, wide seats with so much legroom I could actually stretch out.
The dim, LED lights glow along the curved walls, and there’s a hushed air of exclusivity that makes me feel like I’ve stepped into another world.
An opulent one, where I’m treated like a princess instead of a food slinger or cowhand. I’ll never understand why people look down on either, they’re both tons of work.
I twist the stem of the delicate champagne flute between my fingers, still in disbelief. Fizzy bubbles drift up and hit my lips as I take a sip, the liquid sending tingly warmth through me. Although, some of that could also be the guy seated beside me.
I glance at Simon, and find him watching me with tickled interest. This glimpse at how the other half lives has to be a first for him, too, but he’s better at acting all casual and cool about it. I’ve always worn my emotions on my sleeve, unable to hide how I feel when I feel it so deeply.
“I can’t believe this,” I whisper after another sip of champagne. “It’s my first time flying first class. This feels incredible. Like I’m really somebody, you know?”
Simon lifts his glass, and I clink mine against his, my entire body abuzz. Not just from the champagne, but from everything that’s happened since Simon stopped Carl from striking me.
Ever since that moment outside the burger restaurant, it’s like I’ve been plucked from my dingy reality and dropped into a magical dream where everything goes right for me.
Suffice to say, I’m in no hurry to wake up.
I sneak another peek at Simon as he takes a sip of his drink, the stubble on his chin and cheeks barely visible after shaving off his long beard. I can’t get over how different he looks, completely transformed in so many ways.
Though the kind, intelligent eyes are the same, and I’m a little obsessed with the way they crinkle at the corners when he smiles.
That goes double when he smiles at me, those grooves that pop in his cheeks doing funny things to my belly.
There’s something effortless about the way he carries himself, too, something that doesn’t quite match up with the man I brought food to for months. I lean across his arm rest, studying him extra closely as I say, “I’ve got a feeling. You’re not just some ordinary guy, are you?”
Simon nearly chokes on his champagne, sputtering and coughing slightly before setting the glass down. He shifts in his seat, instantly looking a little uneasy, and oops, I didn’t mean to worry him.
“Victoria, I?-“
“Yeah, you’re no ordinary guy,” I quickly continue, rushing to show him I’m only teasing. I don’t want him to think I’m saying he’s strange or something. “You’re my lucky charm. Ever since I met you, everything’s been going smoothly and in the right direction. That’s so rare for me.”
I sincerely mean it, too. Ever since Simon entered my life, it feels like the universe has been rearranging itself in my favor. I’d say a girl could get used to it, but I know I can’t.
Without warning, the plane lurches, dropping what feels like a hundred feet.
Gasps ripple through the cabin, the worries of the other passengers as palpable as mine. My stomach bottoms out and my breaths come out on top of each other. Pure, unfiltered panic replaces every other emotion, threatening to tip into hysteria.
At the bump that causes the plane to creak and groan, I seize hold of Simon’s arm. My fingers dig into the fabric of his sleeve, searching for purchase, desperate to get a better grip.
“This is why I hate flying,” I grit out, my heart jackhammering away in my chest.
Simon’s voice is calm and steady, much like his steadfast presence in my life the last couple of months. “Hey, hey. Just breathe, Victoria. In and out, let’s hear it.”
I do as instructed, making a big show of inhaling. I hold my breath and count to three.
The intercom crackles to life.
“Hey all, this is your flight captain. We’ve hit some unexpected turbulence. Please remain in your seats with your belts buckled until we’ve made it through.”
Another jolt rocks the plane, the turbulence cranking it up a notch. I tighten my grip on Simon. I squeeze my eyes shut, afraid my happy, lucky streak has decided to end halfway through this flight.
“You’re doing great,” Simon says softly. “Close your eyes and just focus on my words.”
Once I’ve expelled every ounce of the oxygen from my lungs, I try to block out everything else, but the runaway beats of my heart refuse to mellow.
“I remember all those nights on the street,” he says, his voice low and soothing, providing security despite the bumpy situation. “Thunderstorms, snow, even heat waves.”
“That must’ve been rough,” I say, still unable to open my eyes. Blocking my vision allows me to hone in on his voice and the assurance he speaks with as he toys with my fingers.
“So many times, I wondered if I’d make it through the night.”
I set my breaths to the drag of his fingertips over my index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky.
“But I held on to the hope that greater things were in store for me.” There’s a hopeful note in the words, an optimistic longing that awakens that same sensation within me. “I had no idea what or who I was holding out for, but that hope was what got me through it.”
The trembling in my limbs and erratic beating of my pulse fades as his comforting words envelope me.
Hope. I think I can summon up some.
What Carl and Jade did to me left my hope a tad squashed, but it pops up its head as if sucking in a vital breath after months underwater.
“Then I met the most generous, kind person,” he continues, his voice thick with meaning. “She was the great thing I thought could turn my life around.”
I don’t move, don’t reply, don’t dare to breathe. My pulse thunders through my ears, throbbing for an entirely different reason than turbulence.
Please don’t let this thing with Simon turn into a bumpy ride. I’m already getting so attached.
“All right, folks,” the pilot’s voice crackles through the overhead speakers. “Looks like we are through the worst of it. Should be smooth sailing from here on.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.