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“So that’s what he meant about getting your fingers burned,” he comments when I’ve finished. He’s obviously got an extraordinary memory for detail, as I don’t remember anything along those lines being said while he was in the room.
I smile and bury myself back in the famil packs. After a while the flight starts to board and there’s the usual confused scrum where those who haven’t paid for priority boarding try to see if they can sneak on. An attendant spots a man with two pieces of hand baggage and descends on him like a hawk.
“I’m sorry sir,” she tells him in a tone of voice that indicates she isn’t sorry at all, “you’re only allowed one piece of hand baggage unless you’ve paid for priority boarding. One of those will have to go into the hold.”
He’s having none of it, though, insisting that it said he could bring two when he booked. The argument that ensues is predictable; she digs her heels in and just repeats the policy while he becomes ever more enraged. The whole area round the gate has fallen silent to listen, and I find myself feeling slightly sorry for him, as this is only going to end one way. Sure enough, the attendant’s immovable attitude wears him down eventually, and he hands over one of his bags. She marches off, clutching it like a prize, and he looks very much like he’s muttering obscenities under his breath.
We file onto the plane and there is the usual scramble for overhead locker space. Thankfully, there is space in the locker above our row and we hastily cram our bags into it before taking our seats. I managed to get us aisle and centre seats, and Toby very gallantly takes the centre seat. The window seat next to him is empty, and I find myself automatically scanning the other boarding passengers, trying to work out who is going to fill it. I’ve lost count of the number of novels I’ve read where the heroine finds herself sitting next to some gorgeous man on a plane, they strike up conversation and end up getting married. I can safely say that nothing remotely like that has never happened to me. Sure enough, a large, middle-aged woman stops at our row and indicates that the window seat is hers. Toby and I dutifully stand up and move aside to allow her access and, after fiddling around to get a magazine out of her bag, she heaves herself into the seat and flops down with a groan. Unfortunately for Toby she is overflowing the seat a little, and he’s forced to squash himself over towards me to make room for her.
“Look on the bright side,” I whisper in his ear. “We’re only going to Geneva. Imagine if it was long haul and you were going to be like that for eight hours or more.”
Toby smiles grimly. “I’ve just remembered one of the reasons I’m glad I don’t travel as much as you,” he whispers, and I can’t stop a giggle escaping.
“Well, look at the two of you! What a charming couple you make. Have you been together long?” The woman has obviously mistaken us pressing our heads together and whispering as a sign of intimacy. I open my mouth to correct her, but Toby is too quick for me.
“About six months,” he tells her with a smile. “This is our first holiday together though.”
“Aww, that’s lovely. I hope you’ll have a wonderful time. Where are you staying?”
“It’s a surprise,” Toby replies, grasping my hand as he does so. “All Madison here knows is that it’s skiing.”
“That’s so romantic,” the woman says, with a sigh. Thankfully, her attention is momentarily drawn to some activity outside the window, and I have the opportunity to pull my hand back.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hiss in his ear.
“Getting into character!” he replies. “It just seemed like a golden opportunity to test out how convincing we could be before it really matters.”
He smiles at me conspiratorially, and my annoyance evaporates. I smile back at him.
“Are you going to be this much trouble for the next six days?” I ask, and he just grins. I notice the woman is observing us again.
“I reckon you’ll go the distance, you two,” she observes. “I’ve got a nose for these things.”
I have to look away and hold my nose to prevent myself from snorting with laughter, but thankfully she doesn’t notice, as Toby is replying to her.
“Well, it’s early days,” he tells her, “but we’re hopeful.”
