Page 95 of Aviatrix

I sigh. “I don’t know anymore.”

“Let’s eat, survive this briefing, and then,” he flashes his eyebrows, “we can find a dark corridor to secretly make out in.”

I laugh in disbelief. “You make it sound so easy. And fun.” Like it’s not risky. Like it’s not a terrible idea. Like I don’t want it anyway.

“Making out with you is always fun, Quay.”

“Shhh,” I scold, glancing over my shoulder. “You never know who might be listening.”

“Yeah,” he grumbles. “Especially now that I’ve got a shadow.”

“You mean Amber?” I lift a brow as he exhales sharply. “It’s just a schoolgirl crush. She’s still young. Doesn’t know how hard it is to fall for a pilot as coveted as you are.”

“You sound jealous,” he teases.

“You know I’m not,” I reply pointedly.

He laughs, but it’s not funny to me. Once upon a time, I was Amber. I didn’t twirl my hair, but I did memorize every flight stat on his roster. I studied the way he’d chew on his lower lip when he was lost in thought. The sound of his voice first thing in the morning. The way his eyes would find mine in every room.

And still, it ended the same way it always does. With someone walking away.

Sometimes, I wish it had worked out. That we had found a way to make long distance and demanding careers work. But Eli’s right. We were on different coasts with different priorities. I just hate that he had the common sense to end things when I would have burned myself out proving I was worthy of something that was never going to work.

We’ve barely sat down when Gary, Scooter, and Thea walk into the mess hall. Amber trails in behind them, and her smile widens the moment she spots Eli. I think about making a snarky comment to him, but Eli already looks like he wants to hide under the table. Instead, I rise to greet my team.

Gary bear hugs me. Scooter offers a teasing salute before we bump fists. And Thea. Thea exhales like she’s been holding her breath since we last saw each other.

“You still look like hell, Captain,” she says dryly, then her eyes flick to Amber, who is now claiming the empty seat beside Eli. Poor guy. Can’t catch a break.

“Thanks for the intel,” Gary says as he sits. He’s talking about the page I slipped Thea at the desert base.

“Were you able to find anything?” I ask, keeping my tone neutral as I slide back into my seat on Eli’s right. I notice him shifting closer to me, subtly leaning away from Amber.

“Yes,” Scooter says, his eyes flicking to Lark’s daughter, then back to me. Got it. We’re keeping this information from the Colonel.

Amber starts animatedly recounting the alien attack she watched from the deli window, her hands flying as she talks. While she has Eli’s attention—or thinks she does—I quietly update my team.

“They made contact again,” I say just loud enough for them to hear.

Thea leans in. Scooter, meanwhile, plops down next to his father and, without hesitation, reaches across the table and swipes the apple off my plate.

Eli reacts instantly, faster than I expect. He snatches the apple back and passes it to me.

“She needs to eat,” he says, calm but firm. The way he says it—like it’s his job to protect me—sends something strange and warm spiraling through my chest.

Scooter raises both hands in mock surrender. “Didn’t mean to touch the forbidden fruit. I guess only the Major’s allowed to do that.”

Gary whacks his son on the back of the head.

“Amber!” Lark’s shout echoes across the mess hall, startling all of us.

Amber groans. “I’ll see you guys around.” She jumps out of her seat and heads straight for the Colonel, who’s standing with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed at our table.

“Guess Daddy didn’t want his princess hanging with the wrong crowd,” Scooter says.

“Wrong or dysfunctional?” Thea smirks.

“Dysfunctional,” Eli and I say at the same time, our eyes still tracking Lark as he disappears down the hall after Amber.