hadn't taken pity on her. He just wanted to lord his superiority over her.
Biting lightly at her tongue, she sat down at the end of the loveseat furthest from Declan, opened her bag and pulled out her tablet and placed it beside her. Her hand dipped into the pocket on her hoodie. Her fingers brushed against the phone, hesitating to pull it out, especially while she sensed Declan was staring at her.
She should let her mom know she would be traveling on a different flight. Only her mom would want to know the airline and number. Telling Nancy the truth would open up a fresh can of worms that was best kept tightly lidded.
Leaving the phone in her pocket, she picked up her iPad and turned the Wi-Fi off. She would put the phone in airplane mode once one of the plane's crew issued the order to do so.
At the edge of Melanie's awareness, the stewardess returned to the cabin and asked Declan if there were any refreshments she could get him. He asked her what scotch was on board and, satisfied with her answer, told her to bring him one.
"Very good, sir," the woman acknowledged before turning in Melanie's direction.
"No alcohol for her," Declan chided. "She can't handle it."
Melanie jerked her head to stare at him, her entire face feeling like it was about to burst into flames. Yes, she had gotten drunk the only time he'd seen her have any alcohol, but that was because she never really drank the stuff. She would never, ever be drinking anything that sweet again, either. It had been all too easy to treat it like a flavored coffee or some kind of soft drink, taking a sip each time a nervous twinge echoed through her as the awkward night progressed with her new stepfather and his famous, estranged son.
"Coffee," she managed to ask as the stewardess was struck silent. "As black and strong as you've got it."
Peeling her eyes away from him, she kept them glued to her iPad until the attendant returned with Declan's scotch and the coffee.
"Thank you," she said, her voice as low as it could go without actually becoming a whisper.
"My pleasure, miss," the woman said, her eyes kind. "If you have any cellular devices, it's time to put them in airplane mode. The captain will let you know when it's okay to turn them back on."
Melanie nodded and snaked her free hand into her pocket to fish out the phone as she took her first sip of coffee. With no cream or sugar, the dark roast's bitter flavor ravaged her tongue. Her jaw tightened and then her chest.
The request had been a bad choice, except she wanted to make sure she stayed awake the entire flight. No way could she risk another dream like the one she'd had on the plane ride into Denver.
Taking another drink, she managed to keep a straight face, but could have sworn she felt hair growing on her chest and testicles sprouting between her legs.
The co-pilot came over the intercom and announced they would begin taxiing shortly. Then he gave them their current estimated arrival time for Los Angeles -- but not at LAX!
Crap, she hadn't thought of that. She would have to tell Cammie to pick her up at the private airfield -- if Cammie would even be allowed onto the airfield in her decades old Honda.
Melanie shot a glance toward the front of the cabin to find Declan studying her. He did nothing to hide his attention, either. She looked away, losing her nerve to ask him about Cammie being able to pick her up.
The plane started moving, pulling away from its gate and giving her something new to focus on. She'd never been in a plane this size, just the big jets that held hundreds of passengers. She didn't know if it experienced turbulence differently or landed harder or softer than the giant planes.
Sticking her coffee in the cup holder built into the loveseat's armrest, she gripped the front edge of her cushion and tried not to look worried.
Why the hell was he staring at her anyway?
The plane picked up speed and then she felt that first bit of lift as the wheels separated from the ground. She
Biting lightly at her tongue, she sat down at the end of the loveseat furthest from Declan, opened her bag and pulled out her tablet and placed it beside her. Her hand dipped into the pocket on her hoodie. Her fingers brushed against the phone, hesitating to pull it out, especially while she sensed Declan was staring at her.
She should let her mom know she would be traveling on a different flight. Only her mom would want to know the airline and number. Telling Nancy the truth would open up a fresh can of worms that was best kept tightly lidded.
Leaving the phone in her pocket, she picked up her iPad and turned the Wi-Fi off. She would put the phone in airplane mode once one of the plane's crew issued the order to do so.
At the edge of Melanie's awareness, the stewardess returned to the cabin and asked Declan if there were any refreshments she could get him. He asked her what scotch was on board and, satisfied with her answer, told her to bring him one.
"Very good, sir," the woman acknowledged before turning in Melanie's direction.
"No alcohol for her," Declan chided. "She can't handle it."
Melanie jerked her head to stare at him, her entire face feeling like it was about to burst into flames. Yes, she had gotten drunk the only time he'd seen her have any alcohol, but that was because she never really drank the stuff. She would never, ever be drinking anything that sweet again, either. It had been all too easy to treat it like a flavored coffee or some kind of soft drink, taking a sip each time a nervous twinge echoed through her as the awkward night progressed with her new stepfather and his famous, estranged son.
"Coffee," she managed to ask as the stewardess was struck silent. "As black and strong as you've got it."
Peeling her eyes away from him, she kept them glued to her iPad until the attendant returned with Declan's scotch and the coffee.
"Thank you," she said, her voice as low as it could go without actually becoming a whisper.
"My pleasure, miss," the woman said, her eyes kind. "If you have any cellular devices, it's time to put them in airplane mode. The captain will let you know when it's okay to turn them back on."
Melanie nodded and snaked her free hand into her pocket to fish out the phone as she took her first sip of coffee. With no cream or sugar, the dark roast's bitter flavor ravaged her tongue. Her jaw tightened and then her chest.
The request had been a bad choice, except she wanted to make sure she stayed awake the entire flight. No way could she risk another dream like the one she'd had on the plane ride into Denver.
Taking another drink, she managed to keep a straight face, but could have sworn she felt hair growing on her chest and testicles sprouting between her legs.
The co-pilot came over the intercom and announced they would begin taxiing shortly. Then he gave them their current estimated arrival time for Los Angeles -- but not at LAX!
Crap, she hadn't thought of that. She would have to tell Cammie to pick her up at the private airfield -- if Cammie would even be allowed onto the airfield in her decades old Honda.
Melanie shot a glance toward the front of the cabin to find Declan studying her. He did nothing to hide his attention, either. She looked away, losing her nerve to ask him about Cammie being able to pick her up.
The plane started moving, pulling away from its gate and giving her something new to focus on. She'd never been in a plane this size, just the big jets that held hundreds of passengers. She didn't know if it experienced turbulence differently or landed harder or softer than the giant planes.
Sticking her coffee in the cup holder built into the loveseat's armrest, she gripped the front edge of her cushion and tried not to look worried.
Why the hell was he staring at her anyway?
The plane picked up speed and then she felt that first bit of lift as the wheels separated from the ground. She
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