I’ve heard stories of people meeting someone for the first time and automatically knew they were the one, the person they were meant to be with. I’ve never believed in love at first sight or whatever that means or thought it would happen to me until Cameron. He walked into my life and then suddenly he was everywhere. I wanted to be his even as much as I fought it.
In only my fifth year of being a Flight Attendant and on reserve, the scheduling department assigned me the Purser position working First-Class on a transcontinental trip from Dallas/ Fort Worth to London. This is my first over the pond flight and I’ll be in charge, per se, of ten, thirty-plus years’ seniority Flight Attendants. I’m eager and nervous, so I give myself an internal pep talk. “This is just like any other flight,” and position myself to meet my passengers holding my tray of welcome glasses of champagne.
First-Class is full, with eight elite fliers, each having over one million miles flown each year. I’m serving the pre-departure beverages when one gentleman catches my attention. Not usual, but not unique. He doesn’t have the typical million miler aura. ‘A Suit.’ Short, manicured hair, older, big corporation CEO type. His wavy auburn, shoulder length hair, framing a mature but youthful, squared jaw and tanned, clear smooth skin face had my stomach doing somersaults… you know the ones you get when you’re on a roller-coaster and you’ve reached the top when everything in the world goes completely silent and you're waiting for the damn coaster to tumble over and send you speeding down the track hoping that it stays on the track when you turn that ninety-degree corner. Yeah… that’s the one. His black fitted short sleeved T-shirt, didn’t completely hide what looks like a letter that is tattooed on his right bicep peeking out. My mouth goes dry. Suddenly, all I want to do is rip that T-shirt off to see what comes before that letter. I catch my breath, not wanting to stare. I scan down to his jeans, those blue denims hug his trim muscular body perfectly and those dark brown leather boots scream, ‘Rock Star.’ My face flushes hot, and I hope he doesn’t notice. His spicy, earthy scent weakens my knees as he slides into his seat at one-A. I take a faulty step and grab the bulkhead next to his seat, not to spill a glass of champagne on him, when his almost see-through hazel eyes pin me. The dimple on one side of a mischievous half smile causes my heart to skip a beat. My breath catches again at the sound of his easy, seductive voice and the touch of his hands when they wrap around my waist, keeping me stable so I don’t stumble into his lap.
His captivating gaze slides from my face to my name tag, where he pushes my braid away so he can read my name.
Good God. Normally that move of touching me would have me asking the captain to call for security… but not this guy. My blood turns hot, racing through my veins from sheer passion at his slight touch.
In a throaty chuckle, he says, “Are you okay, Deagan?”
“Uh… yes. I’m… fine, Mr. MacFadyen,” I chirp out. At least I didn’t totally lose it and reply with his name that I’d memorized, along with the other customers in First Class, because their business is appreciated. After serving him a glass of champagne, I break away to find solace in my galley. I snatch a napkin to pat the sweat forming on my forehead, caused by my blood still running rampant through my veins with unmitigated desire.
“What the hell?” I say to myself. Weak knees and roller-coaster stomach are not usually my reaction when I encounter a customer on the airplane. Even a good-looking one.
“Professionalism, Deagan.”
I examine myself in the small mirror secured above the coffee makers, pat a finger under my green eyes and smooth my long blonde braided hair tidy. This flight may not be so bad after all. Stop. What am I thinking? I agreed with myself after my breakup with my boyfriend weeks ago to concentrate on myself and my schooling and swear off men for a while. Not that I was interested in this guy… or him me.
Just then, my best friend, training classmate and now roommate Emily, comes bouncing up the aisle. Scheduling had assigned her the trip as well. The first day of Flight Attendant class, Emily blew into the room like a hurricane, causing everyone to stop whatever they were doing and delight in her enthusiasm. She was full of life, almost skipping around the room looking for an empty seat. When her eyes fixed on me, she plopped down beside me. The quiet, non-confrontational girl.
“Hi. I’m Emily,” she says, with the brightest smile I’d ever seen and dimples that made her look ten. I couldn’t tell if she was nervous, or just naturally enthusiastic about everything. I found out she was always happy. Never worried about the tests we had to take every day making a ninety or better on, or the emergency drills, medical, or firefighting procedures that had to be performed perfectly. Not to mention memorizing every announcement we had to make on the airplane, word for word. She was my polar opposite in training, my savior, my cheerleader, and she kept me laughing even through the late nights of studying.
“This is going to be so much fun. I can’t believe we are both on this sick trip. Twenty-eight hours in London. Oh, Dee, we are going to tear it up.” Emily bounces around the galley like a bunny rabbit.
I smile at Emily being her normal exuberant self and place a finger to my lips, hoping to quiet her down and act a little more professional. I point to the hot guy in First-Class and fan myself for being a hypocrite on the professionalism, when Emily’s body freezes and I grab the galley counter, so I don’t pass out. My ex-boyfriend, Wien Mathews, walks into the galley, dragging his flight bags. He flashes his mesmerizing full lip smile, the one that used to cause my insides to tumble, every time he trained it on me. Three weeks ago, after dating for two years, he broke up with me, or did I break up with him? Yeah. I definitely broke up with him when I told him to get his cheating ass out of my house and I haven’t seen, nor talked to him since.
“Hi, ladies. Looks like we are going to London together,” he quips, winking before entering the Flight Deck.
“This is crap. I’ve got to put up with my ex’s sorry ass for eight plus hours.” I moan, pulling on my braid to give my hands something to do.
No way. His best friend was assigned this flight last night. I pulled the crew list up one more time on my work iPad and sure enough, Wien was the First Officer on this flight.
“Come on, Deagan, you gonna let some cheating piece of crap ex-boyfriend keep us from having fun in Jolly Ole England?” Emily says.
I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and answer back. “No, way. London… here we come.”
I push Wien out of my mind, let the excitement of my first Pursers position take over and perform my duties as the crew prepares for departure. We arm our doors, make the safety announcements, and secure the cabin. I avoid the temptation to tighten Mr. MacFadyen’s seatbelt myself. Holy Mother of God. Thankfully, we are airborne within minutes.
We’re somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean and a couple of hours into our flight, and after dinner and dessert served, I’ve kept my naughty thoughts about Mr. MacFadyen to a minimum while he concentrates on his computer when the chime from the cockpit sounds. I glance down at my watch. It’s time for the cockpit’s first two-hour break. I answer and tell the pilots that we are ready to open the cockpit door where I’m facing the door to the cockpit and my back to the cabin. Wien steps out and into the galley. He smiles his signature perfect teeth, movie star smile as he hands me his meal tray that I’d served him earlier, all while he examines me from top to bottom. His deep, intense eye contact is undressing me. My blood boils as if I was a pot of water sitting on top of a red-hot stove. How dare he presume I want that kind of scrutiny? At one time his smile along with his warm chocolate brown eyes scanning my body would have me flinging my arms around his lean, cut muscles. We’d met when we were on a trip with a layover in Vancouver, Canada. With thirty hours there, the entire crew had gone out to explore the city. We hiked Stanley Park, where the view of the Lion Gate Bridge and the outlines of Greater Vancouver were spectacular and romantic. Wien didn’t stray two feet away from me. After we ate seafood chowder and ice cream at the onsite restaurant, we caught a cab back to our hotel where Wien was a total gentleman and leaned in slightly, kissed me before saying goodnight and going back to his room. He was attentive and made sure he became a part of my life and me his after that.
The First-Class lavatory clicks, knocking me out of my stupor. I peer up to see the red occupied sign illuminated.
“Hi,” Wien says. Like he’d not blown my world apart three weeks ago.
I level a glowering stare into those eyes. “Time for your break?” I ask in a monotone.
“Yes.” He slides his hands over my mine, his eyes darken, he winks and raises an eyebrow in a sexual suggestion. The familiar smell of his cologne makes me gag from its overbearing scent. Once upon a time I loved his cologne and how it smelled on him. I thought Wien was the love of my life. He would bring me flowers for no reason at all, watch chick flicks with me without snide comments. He even cried with me and held me when my mother called and said they had to put our family’s dog, Dolly, to sleep. How, or why, did that all change? Now his smell and he make me sick. I pull back, realizing I’m still holding the tray Wien had handed me. I place it on the galley work area and turn around to him.
“Your flirtations are useless. Remind yourself you have no right, nor do I want you to touch me any longer.”
“Deagan, I’m sorry. Old habits and all.”
“Breaking old habits wasn’t a problem a few weeks ago. I’ll inform the other Flight Attendants you are taking your break.”
I spin around and head for the back of the plane, wanting as far away from him and as fast as possible.
After returning from Business-Class, where I calmed down, I assume Wien had gone into the crew bunks since I could see the occupied lock on. I jump when I almost run head on into my memorizing First-Class passenger, Mr. MacFadyen, standing in my galley.
“Goodness. I’m so sorry. I wasn’t expecting anyone to be in here.” I squeal but somehow keep my voice low.
He steps back as if he is respecting my space. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I should have waited until you came back before I came into your space.”
“Is there anything I can get you, Mr. MacFadyen?” I say, spotting the warmth coming from his intoxicating eyes.
He clears his throat and says, “Please call me Cameron.”
I stand there, drinking in his visceral magnetism. God. I want to touch him.
“Are you okay? I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with the pilot,” he whispers.
“Oh, my heavens. My apologies… Mr. Mac… Cameron. I thought we were quiet. I promise the rest of your flight will be peaceful.”
“You were. I was in the lavatory when you two were talking. My concern is you,” he says, a half-crocked smile forms, his gaze still focused on mine with a compassion I sense deep in my soul.
This man is concerned about me for a reason unknown to me. But… I like it.
“I’m fine… but thank you,” I say, shocked. It was he that entered the lavatory when Wien and I were talking. God. I’m really embarrassed now. I can’t let Wien distract me from my duties.
“I’ll go to my seat,” he says.
As he walks away, my chest and legs tremble, like stepping off that earlier roller coaster ride. I lean on the galley counter. Not from him witnessing our conversation, but the way he makes me feel… important, desired, beautiful, all with one glance. I snap out of my trance and stroll through the First-Class section. The other passengers have their noise cancelling headphones on, sleeping, or watching a movie. Not gonna lie, Mr. MacFadyen… Cameron, is a pleasant distraction, especially since I’m not in the mood to be civil to my ex. I thought I had let all the hurt go from our breakup, but evidently, I hadn’t put it behind me enough to not still let him affect me. I’ll make more of a conscious effort to do so.
After my passengers settle into their own worlds, Emily and I quietly plan our time in London, searching the web, and making notes of sights to visit and places to eat when the lock on the bunk door clicks and Wien steps out from his break. I check my watch. Two hours had passed already.
“Hi, girls,” he says, acting like we’re best friends or something.
Emily glares at him with her almost black almond-shaped eyes and gives a repulsive Ugh. “What do you want, scum?”
“Emily. Be quiet!” Bringing my finger to my lips. I glance around the galley wall to find Cameron’s translucent eyes fixed on Wien, giving him a death stare. I’m a little confused why this perfect stranger is watching over me but captivated by his attention at the same time.
I step back to face Emily. “I’ve got this, Em. Why don’t you check on your people in Business-Class? I’ll come back there in a minute.”
I move to block the paper we had written our London plans on after catching Wien eyeing it. Emily twists her model thin frame around, flipping her dark brown shoulder length hair like she was a runway model and walks down the aisle, only to nod at Cameron like he needs to intervene. He gives her a wink. What in the hell?
“What is it, Wien? I’m busy and you should go back to the cockpit.”
I’m over whatever he is doing. It makes me wonder if he’d scammed his way on this trip from his friend for some reason.
As if he didn’t comprehend, or just ignored, the animosity, he says, “So… you and Emily are going sightseeing? Can I come along?” He flashes his persuasive grin again and steps towards me.
“What is the matter with you?” I say, keeping my voice quiet and as pleasant as possible while I hold my arm out to keep him at a distance. “We are not friends. Please go to the cockpit.”
About that time, my self-appointed six foot plus tall bodyguard sits his glass on the countertop, giving me a ‘Can I help?’ glance.
I give a slight nod, appreciating the invitation for backup.
In a calm but get the hell away from her tone. “Hey, Deagan, can I get your help with my TV monitor? It’s not working.” He gives Wien the stink eye.
Wien’s head snaps around as Cameron steps between us, causing Wien to step backwards.
I lower my head so not to giggle. “Sure, Mr. MacFadyen. What’s wrong with it?”
I follow him towards his seat, but not before I place two large food carts blocking the galley and turn to Wien, glaring at him, and nod my head for him to return to the cockpit. The door clicks open, and I watch as he steps inside, then shuts and locks the door.
I giggle when I reach Cameron’s seat and find the movie playing on the monitor. “Hum. Is this the movie you want to watch? Can you give me a little more information on what isn’t working.”
We both know there wasn’t anything wrong with his system.
“Er, um… the screen must not like my touch since it wasn’t reacting to it.”
He shrugs his shoulders and a slight upturn of one corner of his mouth causes my body to tingle knowing there is no way a something, or someone, wouldn’t respond positively to having his fingers all over them. Utterly inappropriate the, utterly unwanted right here and right now as it is for a hundred different reasons.
I smile at the playfulness between us. Then we both cover our mouths with our hands and try to keep our amusement quiet.
“Over-achievers like him won’t take no for an answer,” he whispers.
“Wien’s a good guy, but…” my thoughts zone and go to the night Wien broke my heart.
Wien and I were at my place alone after going out to dinner with another Flight Attendant and pilot couple who we met at work. He had been acting distant all night. I came in from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and two glasses when he shot off the couch and began his confession.
“Deagan, I care for you… but… I’m… Oh hell. I’m just going to say it. I went out with another woman.”
My heartbeat sped twice its normal rate, causing sweat to form under my armpits, between my breasts and on my forehead and upper lip.
