Chapter 9: Clearing the Air

A perfectly lovely day, a jet in perfect condition, and yet on that fateful May morning, it would tumble in the sky, cartwheeling itself over and over and over and over…until, at last, crashing into Lake Michigan. There were no survivors…

Jill turned off the Catastrophes Abound podcast she’d been listening to and slid down the window shade, blocking the puffy clouds from her view. Thankfully, she had managed to sleep for a good chunk of the flight, but when she woke, her racing thoughts refused to let her relax. She was wired and it had everything to do with the way she’d treated Dylan. At Krisha and Mike’s party, she had bossed him like she’d done in high school and then given him the cold shoulder when he showed up on the plane, none of which he’d deserved.

She wasn’t angry with him. In fact, she wondered how anyone could ever be truly mad at Dylan Duke. There was something about him…what was it? His goodness? Earnestness? Sweetness? Maybe all three? She didn’t know, but whatever it was it disarmed her and always had. She’d spent most of high school pretending to be mad at him. Dylan, you didn’t clean the beaker! Dylan, this is the worst poster on the Hindenburg ever created! And instead of getting frustrated with her, he’d smiled. But this was different. Dylan was now insanely wealthy and had, as he’d tried to explain to her the night before, business obligations that tied him to Atlanta for the rest of the week. A rock clunked in her stomach as she remembered telling him to let his staff handle his new game’s launch. Easier said than done, she thought, lifting then closing the shade. Jill took a few nuts from the charcuterie board Gayle had brought her, chewing them with squirrel-like intensity. She just couldn’t settle down!

Dylan--not she--would be the one to pay the price if something went wrong. The rock in her stomach sunk deeper as she thought of how much money Dylan might lose—a million? TWO million? She couldn’t imagine having that much money and seeing it disappear. “And all because of me,” she muttered.

“What was that dear?” asked Gayle.

“Uh…nothing.”

“Well, we’ll be beginning our initial descent into Nice soon,” she said, taking the board still arrayed with fruit, cheese, and nuts. “Nice? I thought we were heading to Paris?”

Gayle held up a finger. “Hang on a moment,” she said, and after taking Jill’s snack to the galley, sat next to her. “We were originally headed to Paris, but Mr. Duke altered the flight plan before leaving, and since this is his plane, it looks like you’re going to get a taste of the south of France.”

Surprise and excitement washed over her. “The south of France? Why?”

Gayle snuck a glance at Dylan who was working on his laptop and seated between Jameson and Rubio. “You may want to ask him yourself.”

Jill could feel her stubborn side try to rise to the surface and insist she continue giving him the cold shoulder. “I don’t know,” she said.

“Clear the air before you land,” added Gayle, giving Jill’s knee a friendly pat.

Jill shoved down her pride which she knew was healthy, mature, blah, blah, blah, but she hated how it made her feel vulnerable. Still, she didn’t relent. “What if he doesn’t want to clear the air?” she asked, her voice a whisper.

“Of course, he will.”

“It’s easier when I’m mad at him,” she said, slumping a little more into her chair.

“Sweetie, he’s smitten with you.”

“Only because he doesn’t know the real me.”

“What?”

“I’m not interesting. I go to work, pay my bills, occasionally indulge in Starbucks, and force myself every other day to hit the gym. I’m in bed by nine and I wear flannel pajamas. I am a homebody, Gayle. I don’t want to swim with sharks.

“Which you bring up because…”

“Because I stalk him on Insta and he just swam with great whites which was #amazing and #trancendent.”

Gayle tutted. “None of that matters.”

“He liked me in high school, but he’s a multi-millionaire now who dates super models and attends the Oscars. I’m a peds nurse with a budding Slurpee addiction.”

Gayle leveled a gaze on Jill. “Are you finished?” Jill nodded. “You’re overthinking this. Go talk to him.”

She sighed and stood. “You’re right.”

It was a short walk to the back of the jet where Dylan sat in between Rubio and Jameson. When the men saw Jill coming, they all stood, and after a quick chat with Jill, Rubio and Jameson went to sit by Gayle and Jill took a seat next to Dylan. “Hey,” he said, shoving his laptop in his backpack.

“Hey,” she said, closing the window shade next to her.

“You okay?”

Jill nodded.

Dylan ran a hand over his mop of hair. “Gayle’s gotten you everything you need?”

“Yes.”

“Because sometimes she holds out with the chocolate-covered almonds.”

“I heard that,” said Gayle as she gathered blankets and pillows.

Dylan and Jill exchanged a smile.

“Everything’s been great, including the chocolate-covered almonds.”

Dylan leaned back. “Then is there something else I can help you with, because you’re a little jumpy which usually means you’ve got something to say.”

That he remembered this about her tugged at her heart. “I do have a few things I’d like to say.”

Dylan rolled a wrist. “Okay...”

Jill exhaled. “We’re not kids anymore.”

“Yeah, but we’re not old.”

“We’re old enough that I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did. I’ve always been good at bossing you.” Dylan smiled. “But that’s something you do in chem lab, not now, especially when you’ve got a huge business deal pending.”

Dylan shook his head. “You weren’t out of line. I need to let your multi-millionaire experience be what you want it to be, not what I think it should be.”

Jill shook her head. “You said you didn’t feel like you could come to Paris and I gave you a hard time, like it was no big deal to let your employees handle Ball Baby’s launch. How much do you stand to lose if…” She rolled a wrist.

Dylan rubbed his chin as he thought. “Hard to say. I always give myself a backdoor so I wouldn’t lose everything, but anywhere from fifty to seventy-five million. Enough that cuts to staff would have to be made while I rebuild.”

Jill’s eyes shot to Gayle, Rubio, and Jameson. “Would they get cut?” she asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“Probably,” he said.

“Dylan!” she hissed.

“Gayle’s a contract employee so it wouldn’t really affect her, but what guy in his twenties needs a butler and driver? Don’t get me wrong, Rubio and Jameson are like family to me. I would never want to let them go, but it’s got to make financial sense to keep them on payroll, and if I leave the multi-millionaire tier, I’ll have to adjust my lifestyle.”

Jill looked forward then back. “Can we turn this plane around? Is it too late?” she asked, her words breathless.

“Jill.”

She flapped a hand in front of her face like she needed more air. “50 to 75 million! No! Dylan, you can’t lose that much money. I lost two hundred once at the laundromat and it about killed me.”

“Yep, it’s not fun to lose money.”

She grabbed his arm. “We have to get back to Atlanta!”

“We’re almost to France.”

“Okay, we’ll land, tank up, and head back.”

“We can’t do that.”

“You need to make sure you don’t lose nearly everything you’ve worked for!”

“Jill, I’m staying with you.”

“Then you’ll zoom conference the pants off this next week—be there for every decision. It will be like you never left!”

“Seatbelts on, seat backs up, please,” said Gayle, walking by.

“Thank you, Gayle,” he said, then turned to Jill who looked panic stricken. “Listen, you aren’t the only one to tell me to trust my staff. Everyone from business consultants to my team leaders have told me to do it. You work too hard, Dylan. You need to trust, Dylan. I’ve been hearing it for years, but I couldn’t do it. I was too scared…and I didn’t have a better offer.”

“What do you mean, better offer?”

Dylan cleared his throat and his cheeks tinged with color. “Well…” he stammered. “being with you.” The tinge intensified. “And, if I’m being completely honest, hopefully kissing you.”

As Gayle announced their approach to Cot D’azur Airport, Jill closed her eyes. “Heaven help me.”

Dylan held up a hand. “I’m not talking today! Unless you want to, which of course you don’t. But hopefully while we’re in France when the moment is--”

“Our epic kiss,” she said, eyes still squeezed shut.

“Yeah…if you want...”

Jill gripped Dylan’s arm then squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m still down for our epic kiss.” “You are? Cool,” said Dylan with obvious relief.

The plane hit turbulence and as it bumped along, Jill dug her nails into Dylan. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Okay?”

She peeled one eye open to look at him. “I just listened to a disaster podcast involving a plane wreck and now I’m terrified.”

“Oh.”

“I know I shouldn’t have, but it was interesting, and now I’m freaking out about the plane landing. That’s when things got dicey over Duluth.”

“We’re not headed to Duluth.” “I know, but we’re rocketing through the air in a tube made of metal and rivets. What if one got screwed in wrong?”

Dylan tapped Jill’s arm. “Look at Gayle.” Reluctantly, Jill did so. “She’s been a flight attendant since forever. Do you think she’d be smiling right now if something was wrong?”

“That’s true.” She said, her chin quivering. “I know this is pathetic, but would you hold my hand?”

Dylan smiled and laced his fingers with hers. “No prob.”

Jill leaned back into her seat and closed her eyes. “I’m going to think happy thoughts.”

Dylan looked at their hands. “Do you want to know my happy thought?”

“Sure.” “I thought you might stay mad at me for days, and we’re holding hands,” he said.

She peeled open one eye. “Do not try and kiss me now.”

“I won’t.”

“Not while I’m thinking of fireballs and carnage. That would not be epic.”

“If it helps, I chose Captain Miller because of his safety record.”

Jill exhaled. “That does help.

“It’s the truth.” “Can you tell me another truth.” “Sure.” “Why are we going to Nice?” she asked, “Not that I mind.”

“I wanted to give us time before we arrived in Paris.” “For what?”

“To get on the same page. Paris is the city of love.”

“That’s actually sweet,” she said, making the sign of the cross as the tires hit the tarmac.

“I didn’t know you were Catholic.”

“I’m not, that just sort of came out of nowhere. But thank heaven, we’ve landed!” Jill flung her arms around Dylan, feeling the need to celebrate their surviving a flawless landing. She caught a whiff of Irish Spring, and for a moment was transported to chem lab at Auburndale High. He always seemed to smell like he’d just taken a shower. It was a memory that made the hug last a few beats longer.

“So, what’s the plan?” she asked, pulling away.

Dylan unbuckled his seatbelt as the plane taxied to the gate. “You’re in charge. If you want, we could head to Paris.” “No! Anything but flying. Let’s check out Nice and meander our way there. As long as we don’t fly, I’m good.”

“It’s going to be interesting when it’s time to head home.” “Hopefully, you won’t have to sedate me. I don’t want to think about that right now. We’re here!” cried Jill as Gayle welcomed them to the French Riviera and announced the local time and where to go for customs. “We’re in France!” she cried. Two hours later, when they finally made it through customs and were standing outside the airport she said it again, but this time without the exclamation point. “We’re in France, and I hate customs. That took forever.”

“It did.”

“Are you sure they don’t have a multi-millionaire express lane?” she asked, wanting to grab his hand again, but not quite having the nerve. It was one thing to do so when she thought they were about to die, but now, the thought made her feel shy.

“They don’t, but I’ll be sure to suggest it.”

Rubio pulled up to the curb in a convertible Rolls that looked like it just left the factory. “Hey boss!” he said, smiling as he moved quick to get the door.

“Thanks,” said Jill, climbing in and sliding over, enjoying the feel of the supple leather beneath her hands. Never in a million years did she ever think that she would sit in a car like this in France. Life could surprise you sometimes. Especially when Dylan is involved, she thought.

“Hey Rubio,” said Dylan, climbing into the Rolls. “What’s the game plan?”

“Show your lady, Nice, see all the sights and then head to the marina where a private yacht will be ready to take you to Monte Carlo. Jameson’s got it all entered in this beautiful baby’s computer,” he said, closing Dylan’s door. “I’m just going to follow the bouncing ball.”

Jill leaned into Dylan, cringing. “He said ball. Did that make you think of Ball Baby, the launch, and possibly losing millions?”

“Nope. This is where I want to be,” he said, taking her hand.

Jill let out a little sigh of happiness. “He said private yacht.”

“He did say private yacht.”

“I could get used to that.”

Dylan lifted their interlocked hands just a little. “I could get used to this.”

Jill smiled, but when she felt Dylan begin to lean in she pulled away. “Yeah, our epic kiss isn’t going to happen three feet from Rubio.”

“I could close my eyes,” said Rubio as he pulled the car onto a palm lined street that stretched along the shore. “Well, maybe not.”

“Patience,” she said, leaning back and putting her head on Dylan’s shoulder as a French breeze lifted wisps of her hair.

“I’m cool with that,” he said, placing their interlocked hands on his thigh.

She wondered if it had something to do with jet lag, but as Jill rode around Nice, her head resting on Dylan’s shoulder, she felt herself for the first time in who knows how long truly, completely relax.