Their passengers, Mike and Julia, had decided to stay over. They weren’t sure how long they were going to stay so Ryan and Jameson were taking the plane back as scheduled. The honeymooners would either take a commercial flight back or give Skye Travels a call when they were ready to fly back to Dallas.

Charlotte stepped into the plane with Ryan right behind her. “What am I supposed to do?“ She stepped aside for him to move past her.

He stowed their luggage. “You get to do whatever you want to do. Today you’re a passenger.“

“I’m not sure I should get paid for that.“

He seem to consider. “Maybe. It doesn’t seem so much different from being a copilot.” He winked at her. “You can always bring us water and sodas. Or make some coffee for Jameson.”

She smiled with relief.. Although she wanted – Needed - the money, she didn’t want to feel like she hadn’t earned it. “I can do that.”

While the pilots went through their check sheet, Charlotte made coffee.

She smiled to herself as she waited for the coffee to brew. Ryan turned and looked at her. When he smiled, a little thrill shot through her and she smiled back.

What would happen now? What would happen after they got back to Dallas in the regular lives? She would see him as he came in with the office. But only for a few more days. Friday was her last day at Skye Travels. Last scheduled day.

Maybe, she thought. Maybe Noah hadn’t hired anyone yet and she would be asked to stay for a while longer.

She checked her phone to see if she had any messages from the temp agency. If Noah didn’t contact them soon, they would no doubt schedule her to go somewhere else.

She sighed. She wasn’t worried so much about her job as she was about not seeing Ryan anymore.

They hadn’t talked about anything of course. Why would they? They were just coworkers you happen to get stuck in the same room.

She filled a mug with coffee and carried it to the cockpit for Jameson. Her heart was heavy now. Now that she was beginning to realize that her relationship with Ryan was uncertain. If fact she had no reason to believe that she would see him anymore and just in passing at the office.

She turned avoiding eye contact with Ryan.

She went to the couch in the back – the couch for Mike and Julia had used on the flight over. She played with the seatbelt until she had it figured out. It made her sad to think about how Ryan had buckled her in before.

As she waited for them to take off, she stared out the window. She watched the luggage handlers driving carts full of luggage around the tarmac. Luggage that belonged to people who were out to see the world, to live life to its fullest. Maybe after Abby was better, Charlotte thought, I can look into the requirements of becoming a flight attendant.

She pressed her for head against the cool glass on the window while they taxied down the runway. Then when the plane began to take off she sat back and closed her eyes, Enjoying unfamiliar feel of weightlessness. Once they were in the air, she looked out the window again and gazed at the fluffy clouds.

Suddenly Ryan sat next to her on the couch. She glanced at him, then turned back to the window, a lump in her throat. “Sometimes the worst part of a trip is going home.“

She nodded. “Is that the way you feel after a trip?“

“Sometimes. After a really good trip. But usually I’m just ready to go home, maybe have a beer, watch a movie, and get some sleep.

She laughed. “Is that how you feel now? Just ready to get home?”

“No.” He looked past her out the window, but he seemed to be looking somewhere else. He shook his head. “No. No this time.“

He shifted a bit and looked into her eyes. He put his fingertips on her jaw and lightly swept his thumb over her bottom lip.

Her eyes fluttered closed and she swayed toward him.

His lips replaced his thumb. She sighed as his lips pressed against hers.

He murmured her name as his lips slid from her’s and he pulled her against him, his arms around her shoulders. Her arms went around him and her cheek rested against his chest, her head nestled under his chin. They held each other tightly as the plane traveled through the clouds.

It was too loud to hear, but Charlotte could feel his heart beat against her cheek. And she knew that this weekend had been life altering for her.