was soft, but his intent was firm, and there was no mistaking how pissed he was.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but that was an insensitive remark and best left unspoken, if you get my drift.”
Tessa frowned as she lifted her chin, challenging his disapproval.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know who you are, but she’s my friend. We were at a conference together a few weeks ago. We were all horrified when we heard about the crash, and I wanted to wish her well.”
He smiled, but it never reached his eyes.
“I don’t know you, either, but just for the record, I’m the man who rocks her world, and I did not hear you wish her well. What I heard coming out of your mouth was morbid curiosity.”
Someone snickered at the back of the line.
Tessa glared.
Cameron didn’t budge.
The line began to move.
Cameron continued to stand, smiling politely until Tessa finally gave in, and the situation was resolved. Only then did he sit back down.
Laura was pale and teary as he reached for her hand. He grinned wryly, trying to ease the shock.
“We should have bought a lottery ticket today. Wonder what the odds were of something like that happening?”
She sighed. “Thank you.”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the knuckles, then winked and leaned close to her ear.
“Ready for that make-out session yet?” he whispered.
She rolled her eyes but smiled, which was his intent.
I love you, she mouthed silently.
He kissed the side of her face. “I love you most,” he whispered, then leaned back, turned off his phone and buckled up. “Is your phone off?” he asked.
“It’s dead,” she said, and then looked horrified at what she’d just said. “I mean, it needs to be recharged.”
He frowned. “Look, honey, that word doesn’t hold any special power. It does not have to be purged from your vocabulary.”
Her eyes narrowed angrily. “I hate this. I hate what happened. I hate that my friends are gone. I hate being afraid.”
“I know, and I hate it for you, but nothing can change what happened.”
She looked out the window without answering, then angrily pulled the shade down.
He let her be. It wasn’t enough that she’d been rattled by the flight, but the universe had thrown in a brainless “friend” to boot.
Then all of a sudden they were backing away from the gate, and Laura’s focus shattered. She clutched the armrests so tightly that her knuckles whitened.
Cameron grabbed her hand.
“Laura, look at me.”
She turned her head.
“Lean back, take a deep breath and hold on to me. It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
She did as he asked without arguing, but she knew better. It wasn’t possible to make promises like that. Not when fate was in charge.
The plane began to taxi. She moaned beneath her breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the strength of Cameron’s grasp. By the time the plane was cleared for takeoff she was crying without making a sound.
Cameron was sick at heart for what she was going through, but he had no way to make it better. It was a blessing when the pills finally took effect and she fell asleep.
* * *
They served food an hour into the flight, but Laura was still sleeping. Cameron ate lightly, paying more attention to her than his tray, and was glad when the attendant took it away.
He got up once to go to the bathroom and asked the attendant to stand watch until he returned. He was on his way back when the plane hit rough air. The flight attendant headed for the intercom as the seat belt sign came back on. Just as he got to his seat and buckled in, the ride became rougher.
Laura woke up with a gasp, the sensation of déjà vu so horrifying, she turned to look for Marcy. Instead, she saw Cameron reaching for her.
“What’s happening?” she gasped.
“Just rough air, baby. No big deal. It’s happened plenty of times before, right?”
She heard his voice but couldn’t focus enough to understand the words. She covered her face and bent forward, ready for impact.
Cameron knew she was only seconds away from screaming when he unlocked their seat belts and pulled her into his lap.
The passengers around them looked sympathetic. They’d heard enough during boarding to understand what was happening, but the moment she was in his lap the flight attendant was on her feet.
Cameron had his arms wrapped around her so tightly that she couldn’t move, her head tucked beneath his chin. He kept his voice low, but the urgent cadence in his voice was obvious.
“Laura, listen to my voice. We’re not going to crash. The plane is safe. You’re safe. Open your eyes. Look at where you are.”
She couldn’t hear him.
“No, no, the wolves will come. Watch out for the wolves.”
Cameron grabbed her face and made her look at him.
“Look at me, baby. Look at me. There are no wolves here. They’re gone.”
Laura blinked, saw her own reflection in Cameron’s eyes and then hid her face against his chest. She was shaking so hard she could barely breathe, but Cameron had arrested her free fall, and the scream in the back of her throat dwindled to a moan.
The flight attendant was beside them now, frowning, but Cameron couldn’t have cared less.
“Sir, I’m sorry, but she can’t sit in your lap. You have—”
Cameron interrupted. “Either you find a belt extender and buckle us up together, or she has an emotional meltdown and starts screaming. It’s not going to help in this rough weather for everyone on this plane to hear a bloodcurdling scream and you know it.”
The flight attendant spun and dashed toward the galley. She came back moments later with two belt extenders, fastened them together and then belted both of them in.
Cameron nodded. “Thank you. If I can have some water, I’ll get her to take some more meds. As soon as she’s calm, I’ll buckle her back into her own seat. I promise.”
Once again the attendant headed back to the galley while Cameron managed to slip his hand into his pants pocket. Laura had wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly it was hard
