Cleared for Takeoff

Chapter A Public Humiliation

She swallowed the metallic taste rising in her throat and ended the call.

The next instant, the phone slipped from her hand, and Eleanor blacked out completely.

When she opened her eyes again, she was back in the medical room. The moment Judith noticed she was awake, he let out a tired sigh. "Captain Hopkins, that cut on your head still hasn't healed, and now you've got a nasty allergy on top of it. Even a guy built like iron would be down for the count. You should just move in here with me already. It honestly hurts to see you like this."

Eleanor's pale lips moved slightly, but no words came out. She lay there like an empty shell, drained of every last bit of life.

Those heavy, gasping breaths from the man and the woman the day before kept echoing in her mind. She clamped her eyes shut, desperate to block them out.

Judith picked up on her mood and stayed quiet. He hooked her up to an IV drip and handed her a couple of bags of medicine.

The wind cut through the air like knives, and the sky had already faded to a deep gray.

She dragged her heavy feet all the way home, each step feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds.

The second she walked through the door, Winslow stood in the living room with a stony expression. He launched right into her. "Next time, don't call me out of the blue like that. Taking personal calls while I'm on duty looks terrible. I'm the captain, so I need to set a good example. Whatever it is, we can talk about it at home."

His eyebrows were pulled tight, and he wore that righteous look like he had done nothing wrong. But to Eleanor, every word made her stomach turn. She felt like she might actually be sick.

He could not take personal calls during work hours, yet he had time to be tangled up in bed with her sister.

She wanted to throw the question right in his face: exactly what kind of example was he trying to set? Leading the charge in messy affairs, or completely ignoring the line between family and something more?

But Eleanor was worn out in every possible way, body and soul. She had no fight left in her, so she just gave a soft, empty hum in reply.

Right then, Winslow's phone started ringing. He grabbed it instantly. "Nikki, go ahead. I'm listening."

The cold edge in his voice from a second earlier disappeared without a trace. In the blink of an eye, he sounded warm and completely wrapped up in her, like she was the only person in his world.

It was the same man, yet the way he treated the woman he loved and the woman he did not could switch in a heartbeat.

Eleanor stared into space for a long moment. Then she shook her head hard, trying to fling the sour ache in her chest right out of her body.

After he hung up, Winslow turned to her and said, "Some of the crew from our route invited us to go camping and catch the fireworks show. I already told them you'd be there."

Eleanor opened her mouth to say no, but he cut in before she could speak. "Don't start acting like you're above everyone else just because you're a captain. We still have to keep things friendly with the team."

The words "I'm not feeling well" died in her throat. She rubbed her aching temples and gave a slow nod.

Deep down, she figured it did not matter. She would be gone soon anyway. She might as well treat this as one last gathering with the old crew.

When they reached the spot, the whole group was already there: flight attendants, stewards, and even Judith from the medical room.

Some people were busy launching fireworks that burst bright against the dark sky, while others sat around the crackling bonfire, passing around drinks and laughing.

Nicole could never sit still. The instant she saw Winslow, her eyes sparkled like stars. She grabbed his sleeve with a playful little tug, pouting in that sweet way she always did. "Come on, let's go light some fireworks together."

A colleague nearby grinned and teased, "You know, Winslow and Nicole really do look perfect together. Handsome guy, beautiful girl. Way better than ending up stuck with someone who always walks around with that gloomy expression."

A few quiet laughs rippled through the group.

Nicole's heart was practically dancing with joy, but she put on a shy little act and lowered her eyes. "Oh, stop it, you guys. Winslow is my sister's husband. How could I ever be good enough for him?"

"You two really do make a cute pair, and everyone knows how close you already are. Better keep a close eye on him so no other woman tries to steal him away."

Everyone jumped in at once, chatting and joking all at the same time. Then they turned their heads and spotted Eleanor standing there. The laughter died instantly, and the whole clearing fell silent.