Chapter Two
"God, I feel good today." Melanie Hutchinson said aloud as she smoothed her pristine flight attendant's uniform down over her hips.
"Well, that's nice to hear." Her friend Margaret said. "What has you feeling so good today?"
"I don't know. Can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe it's just that I'm still young, free, and single. I get paid to fly all over the world and visit exotic locations. To top it off, there's a plane full of hot, eligible, successful men out there just waiting to flirt with me. Maybe, just maybe, one of them could be Mr. Right. So you tell me, could this day get any better?"
Margaret sighed. "I remember when I was your age. The world at my feet. You enjoy it girl. This is the best time of your life. Grab it with both hands."
She smiled at her friend, picked up flight Captain Mitch McGovern's in- flight meal tray and turned to head into the cockpit.
"Whoa there!" She had nearly spilled the meal across him. The Captain had left the cockpit in the capable hands of his co-pilot while he stretched his legs in the galley. He was tall, muscular, tanned, with thick wavy dark hair and a square jawline.
Melanie blushed. The truth was that she had a crush on Mitch. Ever since the first flight she had shared with him six years ago on Drummond Airlines.
"I love it when you do that." He said, only making her blush even harder.
"It's kind of hot in here, don't you think?" Melanie said to Margaret.
"Too hot for me." Her friend grinned. "I better get out of here."
"No Margaret--" Melanie protested, but it was too late. Her friend was gone, leaving her alone with Mitch. In his smart Captain's uniform, he cut a strong figure.
"This is for you." She said. "Would you like it here or shall I bring it to the crew rest area?"
"Oh, I'll have it here." He said in his deep voice. He took the tray from her and placed it to one side. Melanie went to squeeze by him but he blocked her way. She felt her heart beat faster. It was happening. He had noticed her after all these years.
"Where are you going?" He said.
"I've got work to do Mitch. Let me out." She put her soft white hand to his strong forearm but he didn't budge.
"I'm the Captain. I need you here Melanie. I have something I want to discuss with you."
He was way too close and her skin tingled with excitement.
"What's it about Mitch? Can't it wait? I've got a whole planeload of people to look after."
"This is much more important than them." His lips came closer.
"Mitch--" He pressed his mouth to hers and she felt all her will power collapse, her fears vanished as his arms surrounded her, and their tongues explored deeply.
Mitch reached behind him and yanked the curtains over while he lifted her up effortlessly to sit on the counter in front of him.
"Don't speak Melanie, not yet." He reached inside his jacket and took out a small box. Melanie's heart almost stopped.
"Mitch, no--"
He put his fingers to her lips. "Shh, Melanie. Let me do the talking for once." He went down onto one knee and opened the box carefully, the sparkle of diamonds glinted. Melanie began to choke up.
"Melanie Hutchinson, will you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
It was true. Only now did she realize how much she had longed for someone to ask her this question. But Mitch? He had hardly paid any attention to her in six years. It didn't make sense.
"Yes." She whispered. Why spoil the moment with rational thought?
"Give me your hand." He said and then carefully pushed the ring onto her finger. When she had admired it he stood up and gathered her into his arms, his warm breath on her neck excited her beyond belief. This gorgeous man was hers. In moments, they were naked and he was making passionate love to her on the galley floor. No -- it wasn't the floor, but a giant, soft bed with satin sheets -- but something was wrong. The whole plane surrounded them and people were staring at them, clapping, giving them a round of applause. Frantic to cover herself, she drew the sheets up to her chin.
"Mitch, what the hell is going on?"
"It's okay baby, these people are just happy for us. Come on, relax!"
"No, I can't! Are you crazy?"
She yanked the sheets up higher and then a thud brought her to herself.
Melanie looked around the room of Mitch's bachelor apartment.
"Oh my God." She moaned. "I'm still here. Twenty-eight years old and still waiting for this idiot to get serious." She looked at the good-looking man snoring next to her. Even with his hair all tousled and his mouth half-open, he was attractive. Still, nothing compared to the Mitch of her dreams. And he was no airline pilot, either. He was a ground staff supervisor. He had decent job a pay grade or two above her own but still at the lower end of the airline industry pile. He was such a sweet guy with a heart of gold, but would he ever move on from where he was? Would she, for that matter?
"I can't do it." She mumbled to herself. "I can't fly this stupid LA to Columbus route again." Melanie had been stuck on the same boring route for the last six months and it seemed like forever since she had been anywhere exotic or interesting. "No more fat, drunken, lecherous businessmen. Please." She wanted to curl up and stay under the covers all day but the alarm next the bed let her know it was 3:30 a.m. and time to go. The sound didn't wake the slumbering Mitch. He wouldn’t be up for hours yet but she needed to start looking good for her long day as a Drummond Airlines flight attendant.
She swung her legs out of bed and began searching for her clothes. Now she regretted not going back to her own place last night. It was nice to hang out at Mitch's sometimes. The guy atmosphere meant that kicking back and drinking beers while watching a movie was relaxed. But then she only had her overnight bag to get ready for work.
Where had she left the damn thing last night?
It wasn't in plain view, so she began searching under the bed, quietly, so as not to disturb her boyfriend.
"There it is." She whispered. She slid her hand along the floor and felt something lacy, small, and feminine under her fingers.
"What the--?" She pulled her hand back and then went into the bathroom to take a look at what she had found. What Melanie saw made her blood boil.
She stormed back to the bedroom and turned all the lights on.
"Wake up, Mitch." She said tensely. He didn't move. She looked around the room again and then saw what she needed: Mitch's baseball bat. He liked to keep it in the bedroom for protection in case of intruders. She picked it up in her right hand and then walked to the bed. The lacy black underwear was in her other hand.
They weren't hers.
"Wake up, Mitch." She said louder now, but still he didn't move. She pulled the bedclothes off his body and watched him huddle up in the chilly nighttime air. He began to come to, slowly rubbing his eyes until he could see Melanie standing over him. She was still in her underwear.
"Hey, baby." He said with a smile. "What's up?"
She thrust the bundled panties into his face. "What are these?" She demanded. He stared at them bleary eyed, confused. Melanie shook them out and let them dangle in front of his eyes.
"Oh, those." He said. "Those are uh... a present. Yeah, a present for you."
She planted the baseball bat on the bed between his legs.
"A present for me?"
Melanie had never struck another human being as long as she lived.
"Yeah, baby." He glanced nervously at the bat. "Where did you find them?"
Melanie threw the panties at him. As Mitch reached up to catch them, she raised the baseball bat and took aim.