MAX

“Final boarding at Gate C6 for Flight 387 to Atlanta. ”

Natalie jumps off the stool at The Coffee Bean. “That’s us, let’s go!”

Grabbing the handle of the single carry-on we share since we checked our larger bags, I sip while walking.

“Hurry, Max!”

“We’re fine.”

Natalie sighs and rushes on without me as I smile at her freaking out.

“We’re here!” she calls to the ticket agents and waves me to hurry up.

They scan our phones and we head into the tunnel.

“That was a good idea to take a screen shot of our boarding passes,” I absently tell her as the wheels click behind me.

“What happens if there’s no signal and you can’t open your email?” she mutters, distracted. “Take a picture and you never have to worry.”

“This is why I need you to produce all my films.”

She glances to me, smiles, but keeps rushing. “And I will.”

The flight attendant waiting by the plane’s door greets us, “Good evening. Do you need help finding your seats?”

“I think we’re good,” Natalie frowns with concentration. “But thank you.”

I smile at the attendant and follow my girlfriend down a narrow aisle to Coach Class.

She booked our tickets and got us seats near the Emergency exit because they’re more spacious and we have long legs.

I slide the suitcase into the compartment above our heads and take my seat next to her as Natalie removes gum, crackers, her tablet, and her lip balm, and stores them in the pouch behind the seat in front of her.

My girl comes prepared.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re about to taxi down the runway. Please store all loose items below the seat in front of you or in the bins above. Please keep your seats in the upright position, and your tray tables locked. Please refer to the pamphlet for this presentation.”

I look over to find my girlfriend staring out the window.

“They said look at the pamphlet.”

“I’ve read it before.”

“You said that on the way here. But Natalie, picture yourself standing up there showing us how to use a seatbelt when everyone knows how. Imagine how much that must suck that nobody is watching, yet you have to go through this process anyway.”

She frowns and inhales a deep breath, pulling the pamphlet out as three attendants take their positions in the far, middle and back of the plane.

Over the speakers comes the voice again, “In the case of an emergency landing, please look to Max Cocker for assistance.”

Natalie frowns, “Did they just say your name?”

One of the attendants is motioning for me to join her, and I’ve gotta go, right? I throw a confused look to Natalie. “I’ll be right back.”

“Max?”

“It’s okay. I’m sure it’s a prank.”

Standing up I meet the eyes of a dozen or more confused strangers. “Sorry, don’t know why they want me up here. Everything’s okay.”

I walk to the nearest attendant and mutter, “Hey, uh, I’m Max.”

She hands me her prop-mask and I turn around, not knowing what to do. Over the speaker the voice says, “And in a loss of cabin pressure, an oxygen mask will drop and Max will give you the ring hidden inside it.”

Dropping the mask from one hand to the other I produce a diamond ring, holding it up and walking back to my seat.

The look on Natalie’s face is priceless as I bend my knee and hold it out for her.

Over the speakers, the voice says, “Natalie Noe, will you marry me?”

Her mouth falls open and she grips the armrests.

I repeat in my own voice, “Natalie Noe, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” she laughs, standing up and hitting her head.

I wince and reach for her, but she doesn’t care about the bonk.

The passengers burst into applause as I pull her close and whisper against her lips, “I love you. Be my wife.”

With tears hovering, she nods, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you did this. Yes!”

When I officiated his wedding Eric warned me I was next. I told him nope. And I was right—which I rubbed in his face—because less than a year later I was in Louisiana marrying Sofia Sol with her true love, the first time the Cockers and the Ciphers were all together. That was a fun weekend.

Natalie was there in the audience.

And the whole time she and I were there I planned to put her at the altar with me very soon. Just had to pick the right time to propose and make it special.

When you live with someone it’s harder to surprise them. Also, I found that as the days move on it becomes clearer that marriage will work, or it won’t. She and I get along better than I could have imagined. Natalie keeps me on my toes, and I amuse the hell out of her.

As we buckle up and lace our fingers together, we lock eyes. “I live to make you smile.”

The happiest grin bursts onto her beautiful face. “How did you get the airline to agree to this?”

We lean over the armrest to share a kiss, and I murmur against her smile, “It wasn’t easy to pull this off. But nothing good ever is.”

Turn the page to enjoy the three earlier novels that include incidents of Jason healing from and with Bernie: His father’s book — Cocky Romantic: Jason, and several keys scenes in Cocky Rockstar: Gabriel.

Because Max is telling the tale in his movie, it’s almost a prequel to these bonus novels…That’s why it’s kind of better to read Max’s novel first. You’ll see.

All are normally $2.99 each but I thought it would be fun to include it in the new release for a short time, so that new readers could enjoy the intertwined storytelling. Have fun!