Love at Large (16 page)

“Not that it will do you any good in the next five minutes, sir.” He then unrolled his papers and cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, fellow island workers. I’m Captain Tom Lawson, for those of you who don’t know me. I’ll be taking the majority of you over to the island today on my big plane. The other six will ride with Captain Rick Montgomery on his little puddle jumper.”

Laughter rose from the room as he began reading off the passenger list.

“I really hope I don’t get on Lawson’s flight,” China whispered and set her chin back on her knees.

Jade didn’t care whose flight she was on, just so she got to Mackinac Island as soon as possible. After planning this new adventure for almost a year, she was ready to get started.

Bending down to slide her book into the front pocket of her backpack, she thought of what she’d left seven hours behind in her small hometown surrounded by Indiana corn fields: her ex-husband, or three-year detour in her life as she liked to call him; the bank teller job and its bland accompanying wardrobe; all the knickknacks and clutter that a woman of thirty-four would have collected in her life. And she realized the only thing she was going to miss, other than her sister Ruby and her family, was her prized ‘68 Mustang convertible. She was free and independent now and looking forward to this new chapter in her life.

She was going to work and live, fulltime, for six months or so, on Michigan’s Mackinac Island - a small, magical place that was like a step back in time. No motorized vehicles were allowed, so people had to get around by walking, riding bikes or in horse-drawn carriages. Every year, thousands of tourists came to the island by plane or ferry, to wander the quiet streets and visit the quaint shops, restaurants, and historical sites. She used to dream about what it would be like to stay there for more than just a couple of hours at a time, and now that dream was coming true.

“Okay, folks,” Tom said after he called the last name on the list and rolled his papers back into a tight tube. “You know which pilot to follow, so let’s head out.” He snapped out a mock salute at Jade’s new acquaintance. “See ya later, China doll.”

The recipient of the salute rolled her amber eyes and turned to Jade. “Thank goodness.” She sighed, dropping her feet to the floor. “We’re going with Rick.”

Jade slowly stood up and moved her attention from China to her pilot, who was busy talking with Captain Lawson while slipping on a pair of black leather gloves.

“His wife died, you know.”

“Whose?” Jade asked.

China slid off her seat and reached for her backpack. “Rick’s. But it’s been two years now, so he’s considered fair game. And I know more than one woman who’d love to be his co-pilot on land, sea, and mattress.”

“Like you?”

“Yeah, even if he is old.”

“Old?” Jade chuckled. “He’s not old.”

“Maybe not to someone your age.”

Jade’s laugh rose in volume, which brought Rick’s eyes and a heart-stopping smile her way. She sent a warm one back in return and picked up the backpack at her feet.

“I heard he’s put his heart on a shelf and is content for it to stay there.” China flipped her long, black, curly hair over her shoulders. “Still, if the right woman comes along, then maybe he’ll be ready to take it back down.”

Jade slung the pack over her shoulders. As she did, her eyes wandered to Captain Montgomery. He was now busy greeting passengers with a smile or a handshake, or both.

“Welcome back, Edward,” she heard him say to a fragile-looking older gentleman as he took a small satchel with care from the man’s gnarled hand. “How are you feeling?”

“I didn’t know if I’d be here this season or not, Ricky. The old ticker just ain’t what it used to be.”

“You’re tougher than I am, Ed.” Rick patted him on the shoulder. “You’ll be coming back here for another sixty-eight seasons, and riding shotgun on Lawson’s plane like you do every year.”

The elderly man straightened and slowly pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his breast pocket. “You’re dang right I will.” He turned a bright eye on Lawson. “So what are ya waitin’ for? Let’s get that bird in the air!”
Jade grinned at the retreating back of the old fellow as he shuffled at a snail’s pace over to Tom’s side.

“I’m going ahead so I can get a front seat where I can flirt with him,” China stated, bringing her out of her thoughts. “Coming?”

“Yeah.” Jade watched the younger woman scoot through the crowd, then bent down to pick up her two duffle bags. For a second, she entertained the idea of doing a bit of flirting herself with the handsome, brown-haired pilot with the killer smile, then dismissed it. The ink on her divorce papers wasn’t even dry yet, and she didn’t want to get involved with another man for a long time.

“Let me get those for you, Ms. Reynolds.” A deep, warm voice filled the air around her just as two very masculine, black-gloved hands snatched the duffle bags away from her.

Startled, she looked up into the sparkling, light brown eyes of Captain Montgomery, and was once again hit with that kick-in-the-pants smile he’d shot her way earlier. “Thank you,” she replied as she straightened. “And you don’t need to take those for me.”

He went on as if she never spoke. “I see that according to the passenger manifest, you’re not a day-tripper.” He motioned for her to go ahead.

“No.” She started toward the door that led outside. “I’m staying all summer to help run a shop downtown.”

“That should be fun.” As he walked beside her, Jade couldn’t help enjoy the fact that her five-foot-four height came just to the top of his broad shoulder. It made her feel somewhat petite and protected.

Reaching the door, Rick moved ahead and opened it with his right shoulder. “I used to plan on saving my money so I could live there all season instead of just flying in and out.”

Jade almost asked him where he lived, but then decided it was none of her business.

“It’s a beautiful place,” he went on. “Especially once most of the crowds leave for the night.”

“I can’t wait to find that out, Captain,” she said, squinting as the bright afternoon sunshine bouncing off the metal buildings assaulted her eyes. She wished she knew where her sunglasses were. “I used to dream about renting one of those big gingerbread houses that overlooked Lake Michigan and spend all day sitting on the front porch reading.”

“My name’s Rick,” he said as they walked across the crushed-gravel parking lot towards the two planes in the distance. “And it sounds like you’ve been here before.”

“Yeah. But not since I was a teenager.”

He glanced her way. “Which was just a couple of years ago, right?”

“Yeah, right.” Jade laughed, and once again connected with his gaze, this time it was mixed with a mischievous smile.

“Try about twenty.”

“Then we must be about the same age.”

“If you say so.”

It was Rick’s turn to laugh. “I’m thirty-five.”

“Then you’re right, we are.”

Jade’s eyes wandered to the lettering on his ball cap, which read U.S.S. Nimitz C.V.N.-68. So, her friendly pilot was a former Navy jet jockey. Well, she’d have to keep her guard up around him or else her plans to be free and independent might fly out the window. She really didn’t need a repeat of that long ago but still painful experience in high school when she fell for the charming class jock who had strung her along, all the while making fun of her chubby self behind her back with the rest of his cliquish friends.

“Are you cold?” Rick’s concerned voice brought her out of her thoughts.

Jade shook the memory from her mind. “No. Why?”

“You shivered.”

“I did?” She shrugged it off. “It’s just the excitement I guess. I’ve never flown on a plane as little as yours before.”

“You’ll survive.” He chuckled as they reached the others waiting around the tail of the plane. Rick set her bags at his feet. “Go find yourself a seat. We’ll be taking off soon.”

Nodding, Jade handed him her backpack and headed for the drop-down stairway. China was waiting on the bottom step for her.

“Didn’t I tell you he was gorgeous?”

Jade glanced back over her shoulder at the man in question, who was once again talking easily with the other passengers. “Yes,” she replied as China scurried up the stairs ahead of her, “you did.”

China jumped into the vacant seat closest to the pilot’s before Jade had entered the plane. “So, are you now going to fall in line with the rest of us suckers and pine for a man in a leather jacket and aviator sunglasses?” she asked.

“I would, if I were interested in getting into a romantic relationship again. But I’m not, so I won’t.”

“Good.” China fastened the seatbelt across her slim waist. “That’s one less gal for me to compete with.”

Jade smiled to herself as she traipsed down the narrow aisle, gripping the top of each high-back, gray, leather seat as she went. She admired China’s persistence and chuckled in amusement at being deemed “competition” by such a gorgeous, willowy woman.

After settling into a window seat over the wing, she fastened her seatbelt and waited for take off. A few moments later, Rick entered the plane, glanced back at his seated passengers through mirrored sunglasses, dropped down into his seat and brought his plane to life. Jade drew in a long breath as the small craft began to move and gathered speed. The runway was a bit bumpier than she’d like, and she grabbed the armrests in a white-knuckled death grip. The nose rose, the tarmac dropped away from her window, and instantly she was a part of the sky. The plane soon leveled off, and Jade relaxed.

Turning her head, she peeked out the window to see the brown of late April below her and the blue-gray icy waters of Lakes Michigan and Huron in the distance. And in the far off western horizon, a bank of thick white clouds billowed into the air. She stared at them for a long time then turned her focus on the massive Mackinac Bridge that they were nearing. The tops of its two towers rose high into the air, while its footings sank deep into the icy Straits of Mackinac, which formed the separation between Lakes Michigan and Huron. The bridge was the connection between Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas.

Resting her elbow on the tiny, narrow windowsill, Jade lost herself in the view outside.

After about ten minutes, she saw movement in the aisle beside her as China knelt down and folded her arms on the armrest.

“Well, that was a waste,” the younger woman sighed.

Jade couldn’t miss the frown on her new friend’s face. “What was?”

“Flirting with our handsome pilot. He’s too busy trying to fly this thing.”

“Sorry.” Jade took a peek outside as the western edge of Mackinac Island came into view. “Better luck next time.”

China’s frown faded and a mischievous smile crossed her lips. “So, I guess I’ll spend the rest of the trip bothering you.”

And she did, though Jade really didn’t mind. It made the last part of the trip go by quickly. They even continued talking after the plane had come to a smooth landing at the Mackinac Island Airport and all the other passengers had disembarked.

“Well, there you are.” Rick smiled as they finally emerged from the hatch. “I was beginning to think I’d lost you somewhere over the Straits.”

“Oh, we were just gossiping,” Jade replied, feeling happy and light and ready to take the next step in her new adventure.

He bent down to pick up China’s backpack. “About me?”

“Oh, no.” China giggled. “We’d never talk about you.”

“Sure.” Rick handed China her pack with a sarcastic grin.

“Good luck, Jade,” China called as she backed away. “Bye, Rick.”

Jade watched her friend turn and sprint for the red work wagon with the fringed white and yellow canopy over its bench seats. There were already a number of people waiting on it, all heading for their jobs at The Grand Hotel.

“Where are you off to, Ms. Reynolds?” Rick asked as the wagon drove off.

“It’s Jade, and The Curiosity Cove is on the corner of Main Street and the entrance way to one of the ferry lines. I forget which one it is.”

A gust of warm wind came from nowhere and burst across the tarmac, making the plane shake slightly. Rick pushed his sunglasses onto the top of his head and glanced westward for a second. “That means you’re waiting for the Main Street taxi.”

“Yep,” Jade replied, reaching into her front jeans pocket and fishing out a pink hair scrunchie.

Rick pushed his leather jacket sleeve away from his watch. “It’s not supposed to get here for another ten minutes.”

“That’s okay.” She quickly gathered her wind tossed hair away from her face and tied it into a low ponytail. “I’ll wait.”

Dropping her hands, she stepped away from the plane and looked around at the other passengers waiting for the horse-drawn taxi under the shade of the protruding front roof of the small hangar, which looked like a long, single story house. Moving her eyes, she then saw Tom Lawson’s sleek white plane gleaming in the warm sunshine, and the tall captain standing at the nose talking to someone.

About five hundred feet away, she caught the yellow, white and purple blooms of spring wildflowers peeking out from the nearby trees and grasses. And once again, the warm wind blew past her, playing with her ponytail like a kitten playing with strings of yarn. Happiness poured through her, and she threw her arms out to her sides. “I’m here, Mackinac Island!” she shouted into the wind and began twirling like a skater on ice. “My baggage is stored, my slate is clean, and I’m ready to take you on!”