“Everything okay?” Zach asked.
“Yeah, sorry about that. How long have we been in the air?”
“About fifteen minutes.”
“That’s it?” Sure seemed like much longer. She’d even had time for a little daydream while she’d been trying to distract herself. More like a fantasy. Zach held her hand tight in his as they walked along the beach at sunset. Their bare feet made tracks through the wet sand. At the exact moment before the sun dipped below the horizon he’d turned to her, grasped her face between his hands, and kissed her like she’d never been kissed before.
Her cheeks burned as if the sun still danced across them. She hadn’t been this affected by a man in years. Not since she’d been around this man. No matter how much she wanted to slip her hands under his T-shirt and run her fingers over those defined pecs, Zach Anderson wasn’t an option.
Her dad would go into cardiac arrest. He wanted to have a say in everything, even down to what kind of guy she dated. As far as he was concerned, everything she and Teddy did reflected on him and his campaign. Zach hadn’t made the cut back in high school, and she’d be willing to bet the present Zach wouldn’t either, not with that tousled hair, the scruffy goatee, and a career based on snapping pics of swimsuit models.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” The flight attendant stopped the rolling beverage cart next to Zach’s seat and leaned into their row.
“Yes, please.” Reagan looked at Zach. “My treat. What do you want?”
“Got any single malt?” He raised his gaze to the flight attendant.
Hit with the full force of his panty-dropping stare, the woman smiled back. “Sorry, not in the main cabin.” Her eyelids batted against ivory cheeks.
“Maybe just a beer then.” Zach winked at her.
The flight attendant blushed.
Regan’s jaw dropped.
“Let me see what I can do. I might be able to sneak something back to you.” She took a cup filled with ice and spun around then walked all the way up the aisle to first class and disappeared behind the curtain.
Reagan jabbed him in the shoulder. “Does that ever backfire on you?”
“What?” His eyes went wide in mock surprise, and his lips bowed up in a delicious curve.
She shook her head and studied the list of beverages in the in-flight magazine. The attendant returned to the cart. She put a hand on Zach’s shoulder as she leaned over and set a drink down on the tray in front of him. “I borrowed a little from a bottle my friend picked up for her husband at the duty-free shop. Don’t tell anyone.”
“You got it, um…”
She thrust her hand in front of him, and he shook it. “Angie.”
“Thanks, Angie.”
Another smile from Zach. Another blush from Angie. Reagan may as well have disappeared underneath the seat in front of her. Angie stepped on the brake of the cart and prepared to move it down the aisle.
Zach reached out and touched her arm. “How about a drink for my friend?”
Angie’s smile morphed from dazzling to patronizing. “Sure. What can I get you, ma’am?”
Ma’am? Ma’am was for women like her mother. Reagan let the comment slide. “Chardonnay?”
Angie rummaged through the metal drawer and pulled out a single-serving bottle of cheap wine. Then she practically crawled over Zach’s lap to set the bottle and cup down on Reagan’s tray. For crying out loud. Reagan handed her a credit card and Angie tucked it into her apron.
“I’ll be back with your card in a couple of minutes.”
“Thanks.” Reagan dropped her wallet into the seat pocket in front of her and turned her attention to the screw top on her wine. At least it felt cold.
Zach lifted his cup and tapped it against hers. “Cheers.”
“To what?”
“To new beginnings. To Teddy and Cal, wherever they may be.” His gaze stayed on hers as he lifted the cup to his lips and took a small sip.
“I feel a little bad about keeping secrets.” It was one thing to keep her mouth shut in public or around strangers. But Zach had been the one she shared some of her deepest thoughts and concerns with as she navigated through life in the public eye. He’d always encouraged her to open up. It would be easy to slip back into the easy way they used to have between them. Way too easy.
“Don’t. I totally get it. I can’t imagine what that’s like, not being able to trust anyone. Not even people you’ve known for a long time.”
Reagan frowned. “It’s awful. I haven’t had any bad experiences lately, but there were a few times in college that got pretty intense.”
“What happened?”
“Maybe you remember seeing it play out in the tabloids. During one of Dad’s re-election campaigns, the other candidate’s camp planted the idea my dad was having an affair. It was a lie. But we still had photographers following us everywhere.”
Zach played with the edge of his napkin. “We’re not all complete assholes, you know.”
“I’m not talking about you. Your pictures are fun, exotic beaches and remote travel locations. These guys were only out to make a quick buck.”
He cleared his throat. “So I’ve heard your dad’s name mentioned as a possible VP nominee. Is your family excited?”
“Dad’s asked me to join his staff if he secures the nomination, but I don’t want the attention. I thought once I moved into my own place it would get better. Now, with Teddy getting married and Dad on the short list for VP, the next few months are going to be a little crazy.”
Zach took another sip of his drink. “I remember Teddy in high school. He was always making promises to the student body. My favorite was the time he vowed if elected he’d get a slushy machine installed in the cafeteria.”
“Yep. He did, too.” Reagan smirked at the memory of her overly enthusiastic sibling.
“Until the PTA petitioned and the principal had it removed.”
They shared a laugh. It was so easy talking to Zach. Too easy. A few minutes in his presence and the anger from the past eight years had already eased. He reminded her of simpler times when her biggest decision was whether to do her Algebra or English homework first and which pair of jeans to wear.
When did her life get so complicated? Trying to balance the demands of her father’s political aspirations with her own flourishing career had her operating outside her comfort zone. Reagan preferred to maintain tight reins on all aspects of her life, and when faced with uncertainty, it only made her want to clamp down tighter to regain control.
At least the wedding should go off without a major hitch. She sighed and took another sip of wine. The timeline had been burned into her brain. Even with her experience of working events at the resorts, no matter how well-orchestrated, little things always popped up.
This tiny glitch of a delayed flight should count as one of the little things. Once the plane landed in Miami, the plan would fall back in place, and she’d smooth out any additional wrinkles that dared to surface.
Zach turned back to his magazine and she shifted to gaze out the window. They’d risen through the dark gray blanket that had covered Chicago all day. She attempted to relax against the seatback as the plane appeared to float above pillows of soft, fluffy white clouds. If all flights were like this, there wouldn’t be any need for Calming Blend and the prescription of anti-anxiety meds she’d tucked into her purse.