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Exhaling a soft appreciative whistle she slanted an amused smile at him, “Well it is good to be king”, his lips quirking as he nodded, “Well it doesn’t suck, that is for sure”, before becoming more serious. “Actually, I travel around so much, this is like a second office to me” Nodding, she sat on one of the cream chairs he pointed to, fixing her seatbelt, the chair so soft she actually gave a small content groan, his amused look making her sit up straighter. “Although it does seem a waste... Flying this huge thing just to ferry one man around”, she commented.
Carig waited until the stewardess moved out of the room before giving her a superior look. “Actually, I have arrangements with many charities. When I am on the move, we carry goods and necessary items for them free of charge... So perhaps it is a waste for one man... But not for them... They need assistance from those such as myself” Joy looked away, feeling very small. Damn the man. Every time she felt that she managed to shoehorn him into a ‘shallow, selfish, self-serving’ box, he managed to leap into the ‘caring, thoughtful’ one instead. “I’m sorry... I didn’t know”, she managed to mumble as he inclined his head. “Apology accepted”, his voice becoming more serious. “Look Joy... Why don’t we start again? We seem to be dancing around each other here... Perhaps we should just be ‘friends’”
The smile she gave him lit up her features, Carig swallowing hard at the way it sucker-punched him once again, not understanding his own reaction, as she nodded, a thankful gleam in her chocolate eyes. Holding out his hand he took hers. “Hi... I’m Carig Calle... and you are?”, with lips pursed to stop the laugh spilling out she shook his back. “I’m Joy Reid... It is a pleasure to meet you Carig Calle” With an approving smile he released her hand, fixing her with eyes which shone with humour. “I wonder Joy, if you would be interested in having dinner with me?”, she miming delighted surprise as she nodded, “I would love that... Eating is one of my favourite things to do” Carig struggled to hold back his laugh as he too mimed surprise, “Really?... Mine also... That is spooky... We should go out together... I look forward to our first date”, before both could no longer hold back the laughter.
The plane taking off, however, saw a change in Joy as she jumped, a frightened whimper leaving her. Carig’s expression instantly became one of concern as he took her hand, taking her mind off the ascent as he teased her about how she squeezed hands like a weedy girl, Joy turning to give him an appreciative chuckle, he staring at the small dimples on her cheek. Why did he find those so adorable?
After the seatbelt sign was turned off, the stewardess, a bubbly woman called Deborah, reappeared, quickly setting the dining table located near the back of the plane. The delicious smell of food coming from another hidden room made Joy laugh. “You have a kitchen onboard?”, her question full of disbelief as he gave her a pained look. “Well of course... Have you tasted normal airplane food?”, a loud chortle escaping her as she fixed him with mock sympathy. “Oh poor baby... ”, Carig offering his hand to help her up as he smiled back.
Joy enjoyed sitting with Carig, finding him entertaining company as the two slowly ate their way through the sumptuous three-course meal. She had been surprised to find that Deborah was also the cook, the other woman beaming with delight when she complimented her on the food. Finally, with stomach full, and a glass of wine in hand, she fixed him with inquisitive eyes. “So... You seem... normal, Mr Calle”, his mouth curving as he lifted a glass in salute. “Praise indeed from you Miss Reid”, he once again feeling the jolt of desire rip through him as she rewarded him with another of her wide smiles, before cocking her head to the side. “So... why is a very rich, seemingly socially adept, intelligent, good looking 32-year-old man like you not married or at least trying to get over a string of broken marriages from gold-digging exes?”
For a moment Carig could only stare at Joy, her blunt question – no doubt fuelled by the fact she was on her third glass of wine – taking him by surprise, his eyes dropping to his own still-full glass. Shrugging, he became more serious. “Not really something I am interested in... Marriage is just not in my long term plans... Who needs that kind of trouble?” Leaning forward, her voice was softer, “So not in a rush to be a father then?” His brows drew together as he looked up at her, his features colder, “No. Not interested in being a father. There are some men who should never be fathers”, his words holding a hint of anger, her eyes wide, “I... I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to upset you”
Carig released a long slow breath, his hands running through his hair, an apologetic half-smile on his mouth, “Sorry... I didn’t mean to snap... You just hit a nerve” Joy waved her hand, understanding in her lovely eyes, Carig however, feeling a need to explain “My father married my mother after knowing her for only a week. He thought that he was in love - That she was the ‘one’. It didn’t bother him that she was twenty years younger than him and that maybe she might want different things. It just did not seem something he thought would be an issue... But he was wrong. She was only twenty one and had me the next year” His eyes shifted unseeingly as the memories came back. “But... while he might have wished her wife of the year... she wasn’t. She became notorious for her affairs... but my father stood by her. When she died in a car accident with one of her drunk lovers, my father fell apart... Despite everything he loved her... And I had to watch as he just gave up, until his heart attack a year later” His eyes snapped back to hers, sadness deep within. “My mother chose a fast and short life, and my father chose her... Neither of them chose me... Which is why some people should not be fathers”
Instinctively, Joy rested her hand on his as sympathy crashed through her. Her mind saw the sad little boy starved of affection and love, her heart reaching out to him. “But that doesn’t mean that you would be a bad father”, her comforting words only eliciting a small ‘hmph’ sound from him, his look falling to her hand, his fingers capturing hers as he lifted it to gently kiss the dainty digits. “Look at my history Joy... Which of my parents do you think I most take after?”, sadness evident in his words as she held back the tears she wanted to cry for him. “No... I am my mother’s son... And that is just the way I am”
“Tell me about your father” His soft question sent pain shooting through her as she pulled her hand back, a frown marring her lovely forehead, before a whimsical smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “My father was a wonderful man. He raised me all by himself after my mother died of cancer” His apologetic words of sympathy were smiled away by Joy as she shook her head. “I really don’t remember much about her... I know he loved her very much... and he never remarried” Carig watched as her eyes shone with love for the man. “He would help anybody... Give the shirt off his back if you needed it... And he always had time to spend with me, I was the happiest girl in the world”, the pride in her voice becoming sad as she dropped her gaze to the table. “Seven months ago, he had a brain aneurism... They told me that it was quick... That he most likely felt nothing... But I was so lonely without him... So lost”
This time it was Carig who took her hand, a sigh leaving him. “Seven months ago... A month before I started trying to buy your land?” Nodding, her eyes held a desolation that ripped at him, “Yeah... I couldn’t bring myself to sell... All my neighbours said I should but selling felt like... Well, like losing him all over again... Like I was failing him by not holding onto the farm”, her shoulders shrugging as she gave a small sad sigh. “I know it is silly... But that was just how I felt” Beside her Carig shifted, his look sharpening. “If you felt that way... what happened that changed your mind?”
Startled, her look shot to his, discomfort clear on her features as her mouth flattened, head shaking. “I... I can’t say” Both regarded the other for several seconds before he nodded slowly, “OK... Then let me ask the same question back, “Why is a seemingly socially adept, intelligent, very attractive 24-year-old woman, with no childhood hang-ups, not married or being actively pursued by some husband material wannabee?”
Joy chuckled, her brow rising in an attempt at appearing mysterious, “Oh... And how do you know that I am not?... Just because we are playing a role doesn’t mean that I might not have some man hidden in the background” Her cheeks dimpled impishly as she added, “And you just said I’m very attractive?”
With a mock grimace, he nodded, “Damn... Hoped you would miss that bit”, his lips quirking before fixing her with a more serious look. “I know. You used Google to find out about me... I used a detective to do the same with you. I levelled the playing field”
“Oh”, Joy’s surprised word filled the air as she pulled her hand from his, not sure why this seemed so intrusive to her, she knew that he would have checked her out. Tucking a wayward hair from her face, she savaged her lips, before lifting her glass and taking another sip of the delicious wine. “And what else did you find out?” Missing her hand, he was surprised at the change in her. “Not much. You just graduated as a physiotherapist. You have only one other relative, the woman now looking after your farm, and yes, I said very attractive”
