Just my merry luck.
In a desperate attempt to put some distance between us, I twist on my heel and pivot over to Jetsetter Goods.After perusing the selection for a bit and splurging on an overpriced bottle of water—because apparently staying hydrated is a luxury—I glance back at the boarding line.
Yikes, it’s barely a line at all anymore.
My best friend didn’t risk jail time for me to mess up this whole vacation at the last second.I take off in a mad sprint toward the gate.
“Just about missed it,” I say, panting, to the attendant.
She nods coldly to the machine next to her, and I proceed to scan my ticket and passport over the little red lights.
The device emits a long, odd beep that makes my heart sink.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
What’s the problem now?
The employee, whose nametag says Judy, snatches the documents from my hand, giving them a once-over with narrowing eyes.She mutters a few words under her breath, then hands the items back to me and gestures for me to continue.
Thank freaking heavens.
Once I finally slip through the boarding door, I let out a breath of relief.I made it.
I scurry down the narrow aisle of the cramped airplane, keeping my eyes glued to my boarding pass, trying to avoid awkward eye contact with my fellow travelers already settled into their seats.
When I finally look up, my stomach drops—you’ve got to be kidding me—it’s Luca again.He’s lounging smugly in my seat.I glance between my ticket and the seat code above him.
The universe won’t give me a break today.I thought it was on my side now.
He’s already made himself comfortable in a seat that clearly isn’t his, with his earbuds securely tucked in and an e-reader resting in his hands.I clear my throat, hoping to draw his attention quickly, since I’m the last passenger making my way down the aisle.Slowly, he lifts his head, and the moment his frosty-blue eyes lock onto mine, my knees wobble, and I start to second-guess myself.I quickly glance at my ticket again, confirming I’m correct and that I have every right to ask this gorgeous but rude man to move.
“I’m in 24C,” I say, with the words coming out more like a question than a statement.
“Oh, Jemma with a J.It’s you again,” he retorts, flashing his ticket at me.“Looks like I’m in 24C too.”
I pull the ticket from his hand.He’s right.It says it right there—24C.
I let out a frustrated huff.“There must be some sort of mix-up.”Wasting no time, I reach over his head, pressing the call button for the flight attendant.
Seconds later, a petite woman with her hair pinned back in the tightest bun I’ve ever seen approaches us.“What can I help you with, ma’am?”she asks, eyeing me as if I’m about to cause a scene.
“It seems we’re both supposed to be in 24C,” I explain.
“I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for this.”Luca flashes her a smile, which shows off his perfectly straight white teeth, exuding a charm that will probably work against me.
She takes our tickets and pulls out her little machine.Her expression tightens, and her nose crinkles.“Uh-oh.It looks like we’ve made a mistake.We seem to have overbooked this seat.I don’t know how that could have happened.I can’t believe they didn’t catch this at the gate.”
“Fantastic,” I reply, dying for this interaction to end as everyone seems to be staring now.“I can take any other seat.”My shoulders sag.
She taps a few keys on her small machine, frowning as she scans the screen.“It appears we’re fully booked.One of you will need to exit the plane and wait on standby.”
Luca raises an eyebrow.“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m afraid I’m quite serious,” she counters, her gaze bouncing between us, waiting for one of us to surrender—presumably me.
“Should we flip a coin or something?”Luca suggests with a hint of sarcasm, his accent suddenly thickening.
“No!”I exclaim, tears welling in my eyes.“I used my entire Christmas bonus to buy this flight.I went through hell to get here today.There must be an empty seat somewhere on this plane.I don’t understand how this could have happened.”
