I made my way toward the hanger, I was struck by the eerie quiet. I wasn’t used to being in an airport without the bustle of coming and going. Samoa really was a small island. Idyllic, but quiet enough to appreciate the slow ebb of island living. It was a place I could live. I enjoyed flying, there was nothing I would rather do, but I didn’t like traffic or stress of city living.
In fact, that was my dream—to move away from chaotic cities and live as life intended: with a good woman, great food, and a job I loved. There was also another fantastical element to my dream that I hadn’t shared with anyone. Even Joslyn.
Maybe I’d met the one person I could tell. My goals all hinged on whether the woman I ended up with loved me enough to be part of it.
“Liam. Fancy seeing you here. Again.” Nikolai looked up from probing a dismantled piece of landing gear. Everything was tagged, catalogued, and looked like the man went ballistic with fluorescent post-its.
My eyes darted to the Boeing. It was a morbid science experiment, complete with oily puddles of airplane blood and chunks missing as if someone didn’t know when to stop wielding a scalpel. The dissection was in full swing.
Ah, the CAA had arrived. I counted three official-looking men in high-vis jackets huddled around the stripped engine. I didn’t know why they were looking at the engines, they weren’t what failed. How come I hadn’t been interviewed? Why had no one asked me what happened? How else would they know to look in the right area?
Turning to Nik, I asked, “When did the bigwigs arrive?”
He scribbled something on his clipboard; his writing looked like an octopus squirted ink all over the page. How anyone could read his scribble, I didn’t know.
“About two hours ago.”
“Why wasn’t I called? Isn’t it protocol to interview the crew before viewing the wreck? Aren’t we supposed to be sworn to secrecy and warned not to speak to the media?” Not that I had any intention of blabbing.
Nik shrugged. “Guess they haven’t got to you yet.” He made eye contact, his shoulders tensed. “What did you do today?”
I crossed my arms. “What’s it to you?”
“Did you see Nina?” Jealously flashed in his brown eyes.
Good. I was glad he was jealous. It meant he viewed me as serious competition. Not that there would be a competition. Nina wasn’t a carnival stuffed toy ready to be claimed by whoever could thump their chests the hardest. Plus, she said she chose me. I just didn’t quite believe her.
“Yes. I kissed her, too.”
His nostrils flared, and he clenched his jaw. “I’m seeing her tonight, you know. You heard her agree to dance with me.”
Animalistic possessiveness took hold at the image of Nina in Nikolai’s arms, dry humping on the dance floor. “Not if I can help it. She agreed to have dinner with me.” Maybe I’d have to do something drastic like piss in a circle around her and mark my territory.
He snorted. “Dinner over dancing? There isn’t any choice to make there, Mikin. You think you know her, but you don’t. Dancers are different. We flock to rhythmic-like people. I bet you Nina is far deeper and saucier than you think.”
Hearing him call Nina saucy did odd things to my insides; twisting, coiling things that hissed with the need to punch him.
Changing the subject before I broke my knuckles against his teeth, I said, “I’m going to talk to Ops. Do you have a report for me?”
His eyes narrowed. “Nope. And I’ve already talked to Ops. They know the deal, so no need.”
He didn’t have authority on whom I could and couldn’t call. “I’ll speak to them anyway.” Nice way to come across as an argumentative brat . Not saying goodbye, I disappeared into the small office and shut the door in his smirking face.
I couldn’t fall into the trap of competing for Nina’s affection, that wouldn’t end well, but I’d be damned if I let him walk all over me. If his skillset was dancing;
In fact, that was my dream—to move away from chaotic cities and live as life intended: with a good woman, great food, and a job I loved. There was also another fantastical element to my dream that I hadn’t shared with anyone. Even Joslyn.
Maybe I’d met the one person I could tell. My goals all hinged on whether the woman I ended up with loved me enough to be part of it.
“Liam. Fancy seeing you here. Again.” Nikolai looked up from probing a dismantled piece of landing gear. Everything was tagged, catalogued, and looked like the man went ballistic with fluorescent post-its.
My eyes darted to the Boeing. It was a morbid science experiment, complete with oily puddles of airplane blood and chunks missing as if someone didn’t know when to stop wielding a scalpel. The dissection was in full swing.
Ah, the CAA had arrived. I counted three official-looking men in high-vis jackets huddled around the stripped engine. I didn’t know why they were looking at the engines, they weren’t what failed. How come I hadn’t been interviewed? Why had no one asked me what happened? How else would they know to look in the right area?
Turning to Nik, I asked, “When did the bigwigs arrive?”
He scribbled something on his clipboard; his writing looked like an octopus squirted ink all over the page. How anyone could read his scribble, I didn’t know.
“About two hours ago.”
“Why wasn’t I called? Isn’t it protocol to interview the crew before viewing the wreck? Aren’t we supposed to be sworn to secrecy and warned not to speak to the media?” Not that I had any intention of blabbing.
Nik shrugged. “Guess they haven’t got to you yet.” He made eye contact, his shoulders tensed. “What did you do today?”
I crossed my arms. “What’s it to you?”
“Did you see Nina?” Jealously flashed in his brown eyes.
Good. I was glad he was jealous. It meant he viewed me as serious competition. Not that there would be a competition. Nina wasn’t a carnival stuffed toy ready to be claimed by whoever could thump their chests the hardest. Plus, she said she chose me. I just didn’t quite believe her.
“Yes. I kissed her, too.”
His nostrils flared, and he clenched his jaw. “I’m seeing her tonight, you know. You heard her agree to dance with me.”
Animalistic possessiveness took hold at the image of Nina in Nikolai’s arms, dry humping on the dance floor. “Not if I can help it. She agreed to have dinner with me.” Maybe I’d have to do something drastic like piss in a circle around her and mark my territory.
He snorted. “Dinner over dancing? There isn’t any choice to make there, Mikin. You think you know her, but you don’t. Dancers are different. We flock to rhythmic-like people. I bet you Nina is far deeper and saucier than you think.”
Hearing him call Nina saucy did odd things to my insides; twisting, coiling things that hissed with the need to punch him.
Changing the subject before I broke my knuckles against his teeth, I said, “I’m going to talk to Ops. Do you have a report for me?”
His eyes narrowed. “Nope. And I’ve already talked to Ops. They know the deal, so no need.”
He didn’t have authority on whom I could and couldn’t call. “I’ll speak to them anyway.” Nice way to come across as an argumentative brat . Not saying goodbye, I disappeared into the small office and shut the door in his smirking face.
I couldn’t fall into the trap of competing for Nina’s affection, that wouldn’t end well, but I’d be damned if I let him walk all over me. If his skillset was dancing;
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