Runway Romance (Love in the Air Trilogy) (18 page)

“Yes.”

“Popcorn’s almost ready. We’re just waiting on you for the margaritas, Patricia.”

“I’m on it.”

When everything was at the ready, they nestled in for an early morning B-movie extravaganza.

Patricia left thoughts of Malelough far behind. Kate laughed so hard she declared on more than one occasion, “I just peed a little.” Jenny loved watching her friends’ reactions to the movie and anticipating what was coming next. Even she forgot about the midnight rendezvous the following night with Rich.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Just go! You’re driving me crazy,” Kate said.

“I have to know if I look okay. This is important,” Jenny replied.

“We’ve told you for the twentieth time that you look hot,” Patricia said.

“Smokin’ hot,” Kate added.

“I don’t know. The dark blue and the red. I feel like a flag.”

“You do not look like a flag! Punch me if I ever get this neurotic over a guy,” Kate said.

“There was the time…” Jenny began.

“I hate people with good memories. It’s a quarter after and it’ll take you half an hour to get to the airport. Go!”

“You’re sure I look okay?”

“Oh dear God in Heaven, get this woman out the door before I kill her.” Patricia handed Jenny her purse and pointed to the door. “Go!”

“All right. When did you guys get so bossy?”

“About ten, ‘Do I look all right’s?’ ago,” Kate said.

“My offer’s still good to drive you?” Patricia said.

“Thanks, but I’ll be okay. I’m working on that no fear thing.”

“It’s your first time driving at night, though.”

“I think it’ll be easier. At least at night people have their lights on and you can see them coming.”

“Good luck. Be strong. Let him tell his story without interrupting.” Kate handed Jenny her coat.

Jenny opened the door then paused. “What if…”

“Go!” they both said.

“I’m going, I’m going.” Jenny took a deep breath and headed toward Patricia’s car, grateful she’d let her borrow it for the night.

“I’m strong. I’ll listen. I won’t interrupt. I won’t settle for less than a superb explanation,” she reminded herself.

When she reached the airport and parked her car, the nerves returned with a vengeance. She could feel sweat trickle down her back and acid rising into her throat. “Not now! I’m wearing a great outfit. Please don’t throw up. Please don’t throw up. Please don’t throw up.”

Jenny swallowed hard several times and took slow, deep breaths until she felt calmer. She exited the car and headed for the Ballinger Air flight lounge. She hoped Stacy was working tonight, but if not, she’d bribe whoever was behind the counter for information on Rich’s whereabouts.

With information in hand, Jenny headed to the underground hallways below Ballinger’s tenth waiting area.

The guards checked her identification, commenting that she wasn’t on the schedule to be working.

“Last minute fill-in. It probably hasn’t been entered in the computer yet.” Jenny gave them her best smile and she was given the green light through all checkpoints.

When she opened the terminal door leading to the holding area, Captain Sarah Marshall waved, then came over to meet her. “Jenny, are you working this flight?”

“No, but I am looking for the baggage truck for this flight.”

“Why?”

Jenny leaned in closer. “Actually, I’m looking for the baggage truck driver.”

“Ah.” Sarah smiled. “That’s why you’re looking all prettified.”

“Too obvious?”

“Just the right amount of obvious, I’d say. Enough for him to get the point, but not overkill.”

“Have you seen the luggage truck?”

“Should be here any minute. Good luck. Tell Kate hi for me.”

“Thanks, and I will.”

Jenny walked around the jet, scanning the area for signs of Rich. After several minutes, she saw a truck with six baggage containers attached snaking its way toward the plane.

Jenny smoothed her hands over her thighs and took a deep breath. She just needed to wait until he was transferring the contents of the last container, then she could approach him. “Now I know how the cowardly lion felt,” she mumbled as she hid behind a jet wheel, peering out every few seconds to see if it was time for her to approach Rich.

“Finally,” she whispered as the last container was opened. She walked over to the truck. “I know you’re working, but I’m hoping you can find a few minutes after you’re done here so we can talk.”

“What?” He pulled one ear muffler to the side.

Jenny spoke louder. “I said, I know you’re busy, but I’d like to talk with you for a few minutes when you’re done.”

A shadow seemed to cross his face, what she could see of it. He was bundled up in a Ballinger Air jacket with several heavy scarves wrapped around his neck and then tucked into the front of the coat. Safety goggles distorted his eyes and a Ballinger Air cap covered his hair.

“I’ll just be over there, waiting for you.” Jenny pointed to an area by the stairs, close to the terminal, so they’d be out of the way of the jet when it began heading toward the runway.

“Okay.”

Jenny thought he hadn’t seemed very excited to see her. Maybe he’d decided she wasn’t worth the effort anymore.

As she walked toward the terminal, she rubbed her hands together. It really was cold when the sun went down, plus the planes and service vehicles darting out from every which way created a cool breeze.

Her stomach contents seemed to be rolling like waves on the ocean. “I will not throw up. I will not throw up. I will not throw up.”

As he approached, he removed the headgear, gloves and loosened the scarves around his neck a bit. “Aren’t you cold?”

“A little. I didn’t really think about what the temperature would be like tonight.”

“I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but do I know you?”

“Would you take off your cap and safety glasses?”

“Sure.”

“You’re not Richard Novatney.”

“Never said I was.”

“I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I thought Rich was driving the baggage truck for this flight.”

“He was scheduled to. Something came up with his daughter. He had to take her to the Emergency Room.”

“Is it serious?”

“Serious enough for the ER.”

“Hm… Thanks. Again, I’m sorry.”

“My pleasure. It ain’t every night a pretty woman comes looking for me.”

“Thank you for being so gracious.”

Jenny headed back into the terminal. Did Rich ever mention his daughter’s name? Yes, but she was too pissed off to listen to him.

Before she knew she had even made the decision to go to the ER, her body was walking briskly through the terminal. Once in her car, there was no hesitation as she headed for St. Vincent’s Memorial Hospital.

She had been waiting at the ER admittance desk for almost ten minutes, behind a man who came in with chest pain, a woman who was having difficulty breathing, a baby with a high fever and a man who had a knife in his belly and reeked of alcohol.

Jenny wondered if he could even feel the pain of the blade. He seemed oblivious to it, even though he did look down once and ask if that was his blood or someone else’s.

She was next in line when Rich walked through the ER doors. “Jenny?”

“Rich. I just heard about your daughter. Is she okay?”

“She’s doing much better. This happens every once in a while. She has asthma. So does her mother. It runs in her family. She’s already had two treatments. They’re going to watch her for a bit to see if she needs another one. I just came out to get her a soda and a candy bar.”

“I’ll get it for her. You can go back in.”

“I need a little break. Besides, you don’t know what she likes. It has to be a certain soda and a certain candy bar, you know?”

“Naturally.” Jenny smiled.

“I miss that.”

“What?”

“Your smile.” He paused, looking at her face as if he was trying to memorize it. “How’d you know I was here?” Rich began walking toward the bank of vending machines on the East wall.

“I went to the airport to meet you tonight, so we could talk. I accidentally mistook you for a guy driving the luggage truck. In my defense, he had on goggles and those soundproof ear muffler things and gloves and scarves and a jacket and a hat. I just assumed it was you. Anyway, he told me you were here with your daughter.”

“Do you want something?” Rich nodded at the items behind the glass.

“No. I’m good.”

Jenny watched as he purchased a Dr. Pepper, Twizzlers, a Snickers bar and a bag of pretzels. “Well, Snickers does sound good.”

“Snickers it is.” Rich put another dollar bill into the machine and then collected all the items from the tray.

“She must think you’re a good dad, bringing her all this?”

“I don’t know about that. The word dad is a bit misleading sometimes. Do you want to meet Maya?”

“Sure. You don’t think it’s kind of weird?”

“Why?”

“Meeting a person who may become your dad’s girlfriend while he’s married to her mother.”

“She’s gonna love you.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

The nurse opened the ER doors so they could access Maya’s room and they wound their way through the maze of hallways.

“How do you not get lost around here?”

“I know these corridors well.”

Jenny felt a tug on her heart. How many times had he sat by Maya’s side listening to her raspy attempts to breathe?

“Here we are.” Rich walked through the doorway first. “Maya, this is my friend, Jenny.”

“Hi Maya, sorry you’re not feeling well. As far as hospital rooms go, this one is pretty cool. I’ve never seen a colorful ER room before. You have it all to yourself?”

“Yeah. They redid this whole section of the hospital about a year ago. All the rooms are painted bright colors and have art on the walls. And, they’re all singles now. No more sharing rooms.”

“You know a lot about the hospital. Do you come here often?”

“I don’t know. Couple of times a year, I guess. More when I need respiratory therapy.”

“Now that’s a big word.”

“It means having to do with your breathing and stuff.”

“I see.”

“Thanks for the contraband, Dad.” Maya looked at Jenny. “That’s what they call it when you sneak in stuff you’re not supposed to have.”