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I pull out the smartphone lens attachment, rig my phone up quickly, and take some snaps. Hopefully, I can capture some awesome landscape images when we go higher. Yes. I now want to go higher.
Tucker is using his GoPro on a selfie stick. “Smile, Hamlet.”
His enthusiasm is catching. I play along now that I’ve found my air legs and am no longer nervous about being airborne in a small basket.
We settle into an easy alliance, take photos, chat with Andrew, and eventually float to a much greater height.
Apart from the burners’ noise, keeping us from crashing to the ground, the whole experience is one I will highly recommend.
To my disappointment, the hour-long flight is nearly over. There’s much to be said about the Temecula Valley’s peace and beauty viewed from a hot air balloon.
I am hyper-aware of Tucker the whole time. I convince myself the confined space is the only reason Tucker’s body keeps rubbing up against mine. The private flight is something couples will enjoy because it feels romantic. Wait a minute! Pilot Andrew assumed we were a couple.
“Tucker…?”
“Yes, Shakespeare,” he murmurs against my cheek. I want to swat his face for calling me that in front of Andrew. He must be wondering about the name Hamlet as it is. I am just used to Tucker calling me a range of nicknames by now.
“Andrew, how much is this flight?”
“Aaah… Andrew, you don’t need to answer that question.” Tucker makes a cutting motion with his hand at his throat.
“Yes, he does.” Andrew’s looking at Tucker over my head. “Andrew?” I look around to see Tucker shaking his head. “I would like to know, please.”
“Sorry, she’s prettier than you.” He shrugs, and Tucker groans. “Around eight hundred dollars per person.”
“Tucker!” Oh, my goodness. I can’t have him paying my share. I’ll pay him back.
“Yes, Hamlet?”
“Stop calling me Hamlet when you know darn well from your snooping; my name is Ophelia.”
Tucker laughs. “I do, but I am having too much fun nicknaming you, and now Hamlet’s kind of stuck in my mind.”
“Thank you for this wonderful experience, but I can’t have you paying my share. We should have gone on a group flight.”
“I wanted to take you on a private flight. So here we are. And don’t even think of paying me back because I won’t take the money. It will boomerang back to you if you attempt it. Now stop talking; you are interrupting the serenity.”
“This isnota date!”
“Okay.”
Thirteen
CAN’T PULL THE WOOL OVER PILOT ANDREW’S EYES
Tucker
Andrew makes a feather-soft landing with the ground crew ready to assist, and then we are up and out of the gondola.
I lean over the basket to shake hands with our pilot and thank him, and then I move aside for Ophelia.
Andrew clasps her hand. “Did you enjoy your first hot air balloon flight after your initial nerves?”
“I could have stayed up for another hour.” There’s a nostalgic look on her face. “So peaceful. Thank you, Andrew.”
“It was my pleasure. I hope thisfriendthing works out for you two.”
I see the mischievous look in Andrew’s eyes. Well, I’ll be damned if the older gentleman isn’t matchmaking.
