“Okay,” Stevie laughs.
“Wait. You’re for real? Your brother is Ryan Shay?”
She nods, continuing to chuckle at Maddison’s excitement. But knowing him, more than anything, he’s excited to tell his wife and brother, who are huge basketball fans.
“Yeah. He owns the apartment in your building. I’m staying with him at the moment.”
“Holy fucking shit. My wife is going to lose her mind.”
Looking up at Stevie standing in the exit row, I shoot her an apologetic smile for my guy fanboying over her brother, but she doesn’t seem all that bothered by it. She’s more so amused. Maybe what I said to her, that I like her regardless of her sibling, sunk in.
“By the way, my wife Logan was excited to meet you that day we went trick or treating,” Maddison adds, bringing it back to Stevie, which I’m thankful for.
“She seems great.”
“She’s the fucking best.” This time it’s me chiming in, and Maddison wears a soft smile at the statement.
“The fucking best,” he agrees.
And apparently, we’re best friends again.
“Well, I guess I’ll be seeing her at the gala then. And both of you too?” Her eyes dart to me.
Of course, she’ll be seeing us both. Does she not realize that this gala is a fundraiser for Active Minds of Chicago, the charity that Maddison and I are co-founders of?
“Save me a dance?” My tone comes out a bit too desperate and hopeful but fuck it. I am.
She playfully raises a single brow before her counteroffer. “Stop pushing the flight attendant call light?”
“See, those two things don’t really seem equivalent at all.”
“How badly do you want a dance?”
My lips lift in a knowing smile. The answer to that? Real fucking badly.
I don’t respond because I don’t have to. She knows. That playful smirk sitting on her full lips tells me just that, and the light squeeze she gives my shoulder as she walks by reaffirms it.
“Wipe that stupid grin off your face,” Maddison laughs.
I continue to smile, way too happy about this situation. “Can’t help it.”
“You know you legitimately like her, right? I’m not sure if you’re aware, but you do.”
A content sigh leaves my lips. “Yeah, I know.”
Most everyone is asleep a couple of hours into our flight. I’ve dozed off here and there, but for the most part, I’m awake.
Somehow my internal alarm wakes me up anytime Stevie walks down the airplane aisle, and I open my eyes just in time to get a perfect view. Whether it’s her amazing ass as she walks up front or her stunning face as she shoots me a soft grin each time she walks to the back.
It’s a ten out of ten either way.
The plane is pitch black minus the slight glow of light coming from the front and back galleys so no one can see that my head is on a swivel, constantly checking the rear of the plane, looking for an opening to talk to Stevie alone.
Talk.
Kiss.
Either or.
But it is almost midnight, and I wouldn’t mind starting my year with her.
“You’re awake, huh?”
My head snaps back to the dark area around me, finding one of the other flight attendants standing by my seat.
I don’t know her name, but it’s the one that has a problem with Stevie fraternizing with us. With me.
“Uh, yeah. Can’t sleep.”
She bends down, crouching next to my seat, and making herself eye level with me. “Can I get you anything?”
“Nope. I’m good.” My eyes dart to the back galley again, but I can’t see Stevie, though I know she’s back there. Indy, as Stevie reminded me of her name, stands in plain view in the rear of the airplane, her eyes flickering to my seat, watching.
“Any New Years’ plans?” the third flight attendant asks.
“You’re looking at them.”
“You haven’t been out much while on the road. There haven’t been any tabloid shots as of late.”
“Um, yeah. Not really into going out these days.”
“Well, that’s a shame because I was hoping—”
“Hey, Tara,” Indy interrupts. “One of the pilots needs one of us to swap him out so he can use the lavatory. If you want to go into the cockpit, I’ll watch the front and cover the door.”
“Oh.” Tara stands, brushing her skirt smooth, and acting as casual as can be as if she wasn’t dangerously close to teetering that fraternization line she’s so strict on Stevie about. “Yeah, we should do that.”