MILE HIGH

62

“Because there will be way too much press there, and she’s not allowed to fraternize with us.”

“That’s f*****g dumb.”

“Tell me about it.” I exhale a resigned sigh as I lean back in my chair once again. “Besides, I don’t know if she’d even want to go with me.” My voice is as hushed as it could be. “As far as I know, our little hookup was a one and done for her.”

Speaking of the sexy devil herself, Stevie comes to the exit row for the safety demo, showing the back half of the airplane how to use the safety equipment, just as she does before every flight.

“Let’s ask her.” Maddison leans forward in his seat to speak to my favorite flight attendant.

“Don’t you dare.” Once again, my volume is low, but my words are punctuated.

Stevie’s gaze narrows at us before resuming her safety demonstration. She keeps her eyes forward, holding the faux seat belt over her head, but speaks to Maddison and me. “Why do you two over there seem even more in love with each other than usual tonight?”

Maddison’s lips lift in a sneaky smirk. He opens his mouth to speak, and his eyes twinkle with amusement as he looks over at me, testing me.

“Don’t you f*****g dare.” My voice is as quiet as I can make it. “If you say anything, I will end you. Then I’ll marry your wife just to spite you, and your son will grow up calling me Daddy.”

“Oh, f**k you!” Maddison isn’t trying to be quiet at all. “Stevie, Zee wants you to be his date to a charity gala in Chicago, but he’s too chicken s**t to ask and doesn’t think you’d want to go with him.”

“I f*****g hate you. We are no longer friends.”

Maddison sits back in his seat, his smug as f**k grin resting on his lips as Stevie’s cute giggle echoes from the aisle.

If my cheeks could change color, I’d be blushing like a little girl right now as I turn back to look at her. Thankfully, nothing about her expression seems all that thrown off. If anything, she’s purely amused by my ex-best friend and me.

“I can’t.” Which are the words I knew she’d say but hearing what I already knew doesn’t suck any less.

Also, that doesn’t clarify if it’s that she can’t because of her job or if she can’t because she doesn’t want to.

“That’s what I told him.” My smile feels tight and forced, but I’m trying to act as nonchalant as possible.

“No, I mean I can’t go with you.”

Yes, thank you, Stevie. Please bruise my ego a little more, sweetheart.

“Because I’m already going.”

Well, that causes my head to snap up real quick.

“With my brother.”

Oh. I didn’t think of that. Of course, Ryan Shay will be there. All the big names in Chicago sports will be.

Oh, this could be good. The hopeful glint in my eyes and the slight lift at my lips says precisely that.

This could be perfect.

I’ll be at the gala solo, and no one will be able to question why Stevie is there since she’ll be there with her brother.

Yeah, this is f*****g perfect.

“Who’s your brother?” Maddison’s brows furrow in genuine confusion as he looks from Stevie back to me.

Stevie’s eyes connect with mine for a moment in confusion before they soften, realizing that I didn’t even tell my best friend. Sorry...ex-best friend. But of course, I didn’t. She was keeping it a secret even from me, so it’s not like I’m going to go around spilling her business.

And like I said, I don’t give a s**t that Ryan Shay is her brother.

Except right now. Right now, I’m real stoked that he is because he’s going to get the girl to the gala, and that’s all I could ask for.

“Um...” she hesitates. “His name is Ryan Shay. He plays basketball for Chicago.”

“Shut the f**k up.” Maddison’s mouth drops open.

“Okay,” Stevie laughs.

“Wait. You’re for real? Your brother is Ryan Shay?”

She nods, continuing to chuckle at Maddison’s excitement. But knowing him, more than anything, he’s excited to tell his wife and brother, who are huge basketball fans.

“Yeah. He owns the apartment in your building. I’m staying with him at the moment.”

“Holy f*****g s**t. My wife is going to lose her mind.”

Looking up at Stevie standing in the exit row, I shoot her an apologetic smile for my guy fanboying over her brother, but she doesn’t seem all that bothered by it. She’s more so amused. Maybe what I said to her, that I like her regardless of her sibling, sunk in.

“By the way, my wife Logan was excited to meet you that day we went trick or treating,” Maddison adds, bringing it back to Stevie, which I’m thankful for.

“She seems great.”

“She’s the f*****g best.” This time it’s me chiming in, and Maddison wears a soft smile at the statement.

“The f*****g best,” he agrees.

And apparently, we’re best friends again.

“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing her at the gala then. And both of you too?” Her eyes dart to me.

Of course, she’ll be seeing us both. Does she not realize that this gala is a fundraiser for Active Minds of Chicago, the charity that Maddison and I are co-founders of?

“Save me a dance?” My tone comes out a bit too desperate and hopeful but f**k it. I am.

She playfully raises a single brow before her counteroffer. “Stop pushing the flight attendant call light?”

“See, those two things don’t really seem equivalent at all.”

“How badly do you want a dance?”

My lips lift in a knowing smile. The answer to that? Real f*****g badly.

I don’t respond because I don’t have to. She knows. That playful smirk sitting on her full lips tells me just that, and the light squeeze she gives my shoulder as she walks by reaffirms it.

“Wipe that stupid grin off your face,” Maddison laughs.

I continue to smile, way too happy about this situation. “Can’t help it.”

“You know you legitimately like her, right? I’m not sure if you’re aware, but you do.”

A content sigh leaves my lips. “Yeah, I know.”

Most everyone is asleep a couple of hours into our flight. I’ve dozed off here and there, but for the most part, I’m awake.

Somehow my internal alarm wakes me up anytime Stevie walks down the airplane aisle, and I open my eyes just in time to get a perfect view. Whether it’s her amazing ass as she walks up front or her stunning face as she shoots me a soft grin each time she walks to the back.

It’s a ten out of ten either way.

The plane is pitch black minus the slight glow of light coming from the front and back galleys so no one can see that my head is on a swivel, constantly checking the rear of the plane, looking for an opening to talk to Stevie alone.

Talk.