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She cringed again. “Ugh. Don’t say that word. That word makes me think of everything I drank last night, and it makes me want to puke. My stomach is already in knots from that landing. Don’t push it.”
I lifted my hands. “If you puke, I’ll puke, so enough said.”
A long sigh escaped her lips. “Thank you. Now to figure out how in the hell to get home since I am neverevergetting on an airplane again.”
“Oh, come on. You realize that since we survived this mishap, we are actually likely safer fliers than everyone else out there. What are the chances our new plane is gonna have issues too? Not likely.”
She shook her head. “I do risk management. I know the statistics are well within our favor, but there is absolutely no way I’m getting on a plane again. Nope. Not happening.”
“Where are you heading to?”
“Well, this flight to Boston was supposed to connect me to my flight to Chicago,” she answered as the plane rolled to a stop.
“No way.” A grin stretched my face.
“Yes, way. Why?” She tipped her head. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because my next flight is to Chicago as well.”
Her eyes bulged so wide I thought they might fall out of her head. “You’ve got to be kidding me. We’re on the same flightagain?”
“Fate doesn’t want you to be rid of me yet, it seems.” I waggled my eyebrows as the plane stopped.
“What are you doing in Chicago?”
“I was actually just landing in Chicago, and then I head north to my brother’s wedding in Door County, Wisconsin. I’ve got a car rented, and I’m driving up the rest of the way. It’s only a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago.”
“Onlya four-and-a-half-hour drive? That seems like a long drive to me.”
“I’m from a small town in Wisconsin where you have to drive an hour and a half just to get to any major town or airport. We’re used to long drives. Hell, I usually drive from Wisconsin to Paradise Isles and back. I’m only flying this time because it’s a short visit.”
“Wow. Okay. So, I guess that drive isn’t a big deal for someone like you.”
“Nope. Just a jaunt in my eyes. And it saved me three hundred dollars on a closer flight to Green Bay. So, Chicago it is.”
“I can’t believe we were going to be on the same flight twice.”
“Yeah. Small world, huh?”
“Very small.” She blew out a breath.
The flight attendant opened the door, and passengers began piling down the stairs they’d wheeled up to the plane. Ivy and I grabbed our carry-on bags and filed out with them, stopping to thank the pilot for his skill as we passed him by. We followed the other passengers across the tarmac to the airport, then worked our way to the gate, where extra agents were set up to help us figure out our next journey of the trip since we weren’t at our expected destination. Ivy stuck by my side, and I had to refrain from teasing her that not long ago, she’d been begging me to pretend I’d never met her. Now she seemed to feel safer staying with me.
When it was our turn to rebook our next leg, they gave us the option to fly out the next morning.
“And we’ll comp you a hotel room for the night,” the service representative said. “You should be in Chicago by noon tomorrow.”
“I ... I don’t think I can do this,” Ivy said, her lip trembling as she stared at the woman waiting to book our seat. “I can’t get on a plane again. I know it’s logistically one of the safest forms of travel and that our chances of dying are well within the risk limit, but I’m too scared.”
“Can you give us a second?” I asked the woman in the navy-blue suit.
“Of course, sir. Take your time. I’ll hold these two seats for you.”
“Appreciate it.”
I pulled Ivy out of the line and placed both hands on her shoulders. “I’ll be right beside you on that next flight. Like I said, our chances are better than great that we aren’t going to havetwoflights go—what did you say?—oh yes, kittywampus.”
She chuckled, but sheer terror still brewed inside her eyes. “I ... I am so scared to get back on a plane, Ethan. I really don’t think I can do this.”
