Friendly Skies Page 11

  “Oh Judy - this is kismet!” Dani exclaimed. “You see that, right?” Dani was beaming.

  “Dani - you don’t even believe in kismet.” Judy rolled her eyes.

  “I know, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real for other people! Seriously. This is the universe pushing you where you need to go. Let’s get out of here, we need to work on your wardrobe.” And she was off.

  Judy had planned to go into the office after yoga and coffee, but Dani took over. By Saturday evening she had a new work wardrobe, replete with three new curve-hugging power suits that emanated confidence, so Dani said, and a few extra-feminine camisole shells for underneath the jackets.

  “Trust me, these aviation types love a little lace. They are so predictable.”

  Dani knew a lot about men. When she dated that partner at her first law firm, she managed to end the relationship gracefully and on her terms. Her current law firm made her a partner after a year. She had succeeded in breaking through the male-dominated partner levels as a litigation attorney, and she was rarely without a date. Maybe it was growing up with all those brothers. You learned a thing or two about boys being completely surrounded by them.

  Judy had grown up with Mom and her younger sister, Kate. Dad passed when she and Kate were in elementary school, so it had basically been just the girls in the house. Everything she knew about men she learned from Greg. That was a pretty limited frame of reference.

  Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were a blur of activity. After extensive research on Bradford Aviation (for Judy) and Callahan Enterprises (for both of them), she and Mark had put together a press release that conveyed the business aviation leadership role of Bradford Aviation and the family-oriented, local flavor attitude of Callahan Enterprises. Both hadsolid foundations as businesses and should be easy to represent in the media. By Wednesday, Judy felt like they were ready to meet with Bradford.

  “I think you and Mark are good to go with Bradford.” Stephanie reviewed the press release and general outline for creative and media. “I like the aspects you and Mark are focusing on, this is a solid first round.”

  Judy couldn’t suppress a swell of pride for the work they had done in such a short period of time.

  “Thanks, Steph,” Judy said just as her phone rang.

  She walked out of Stephanie’s office and checked the display. It was Charisse, undoubtedly with news about the divorce proceedings.

  “Hi Judy, do you have a moment to talk?”

  “Hi Charisse, of course.” She hoped things were moving along. She felt now, more than ever, she needed this chapter of her life to be over.

  “I wanted to let you know that I filed the complaint for divorce, which freezes yours and Greg’s assets, including bank accounts, as we’d discussed.” She had been ready for this. She doubted Greg was, but he was no longer her responsibility. “Also, the court set a mandatory mediation date with one of the Family Law mediators. I know our mediator—she’s pretty good. Anyway, the mediation is in three weeks, Wednesday before Memorial Day. Mark it on your calendar, it could take all day. Let’s plan to meet on Tuesday, the day before. By then I should have received a settlement demand from Greg’s counsel.”

  “Okay, that sounds good. Great, thanks Charisse.” Judy was almost hopeful—the end could be in sight for this whole ugly mess of their marriage.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  ON THURSDAY MORNING, JUDY woke up at 4am with butterflies the size of velociraptors in her belly. She didn’t even know if she would see Jason today, but the idea of being in proximity to even just his business was enough to awaken all those feelings from the last time she saw him. She still remembered him leaning on the plane, hands in his pockets, watching her walk away, then waving at her when she turned around for one last look. Judy remembered the sunlight bouncing off his hair, making the blonde highlights jump out, and how sexy and disheveled he’d looked. She had hated leaving him.

  Today was a new day, though. It was the first week of May, the sun was shining in Seattle. That alone made everything feel brand new, as if nothing could possibly go wrong. She blew her hair out and instead of pulling it back in a low, professional ponytail, she decided to let it be loose and drape over her shoulders. She wanted the aviation boys to know a woman is in the room and she wasn’t afraid of her femininity. It’s always such a game between men and women, but she learned early on that embracing her womanhood was better than trying to play the man’s game.

  As she brushed her hair and took a little extra time with make-up, she realized that the last time she did this it was for her non-date with Jason in Catalina. She blew out a big sigh.

  She put on the gray suit with the skirt cut an inch and a half above her knee, and she chose the salmon camisole with the lace. Thanks to Dani’s expert advice, it fit her like a glove but was comfortable and allowed her to move. Her well-worn black patent leather pumps completed the look. She’d worn these pumps everywhere and considered them her lucky shoes. They were comfortable in the way that patent leather became with use, but they remained shiny like the day she bought them.

  One last look in the mirror, and she was ready. Sort of. Shit. What if Jason was there?

  What if he wasn’t?

  Putting Jason out of her mind for a moment, she grabbed her slim briefcase-sized shoulder bag and her purse. The facility they were meeting at was south of Seattle, and she needed to be there promptly at 9am. Mark already lived south of the city, so he’d meet her there. It was time to get on the road. With slightly shaky fingers, she grabbed her keys and was out the door.

  Judy arrived at Bradford Aviation, and was greeted at the door. “Hi, you must be Judy Morehouse, I’m Trina, Rich’s office manager.” Trina held out her hand to Judy.

  “Hi, yes, I’m Judy. Pleased to meet you,” Judy shook her hand and walked into the lobby.

  “I’m going to take you to Rich’s office first, and then you both will head into the hangar for the tour.”

  “Well, hello there, Judy, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rich said with a Texas drawl as she and Trina walked into his office. “You sure are a ray of sunshine compared to the boys we always have wandering around here.”

  Ah, here we go, Judy thought. Rich was already pouring it on and it was barely 9 a.m. His office was enormous, with wood paneling, a leather office chair, and matching couch and club chairs. He had a wet bar set up off to the side, with what appeared to be an impressive display of liquor. Good Lord. The only thing missing in here is a couple of stuffed animal heads mounted on the walls.

  He was on the shorter side, maybe 5’9” or so, and barrel-chested. He had a belly, like he’d lived well and indulged regularly. His full head of hair was a too-perfect brown, and was obviously colored. At least he didn’t have the fake tan to go with it.

  “Lovely to meet you Mr. Mulcahey. Am I the first to arrive?” She shook his hand and looked around at the empty office.

  “No, no. Your colleague, Mark, is here, and I’ve asked Jason Callahan to join us from Callahan Enterprises. I think at least for this first campaign and the press release, Jason will have an integral part in things. And please, call me Rich.” He said all of this while ushering Judy out of the office and down a hallway. “Let’s go see the planes,” he said like a proud boy, ready to show off his toys.

  Judy didn’t know what she expected, but with the mention of Jason’s name, she could feel the steely resolve she walked in with flutter away like a Monarch during migrating season. She suddenly felt like she was moving through quicksand, and it was all she could do to not lose her breakfast right then and there.

  But then, it was Jason, right? If she wasn’t throwing up or bursting into tears, he’d hardly recognize her.

  They got to the hangar, and it was enormous. She openly stared at the cavernous space trying to take it all in. There were only about 5-6 planes, but there was room for 5-6 more easily. This was only a fraction of the fleet, according to her research.

  The planes varied in size, from Lear
s that sat probably 20-30 people to the 4-seater Jason flew her and Greg to Catalina in.

  “This here is the garage,” said Rich, gesturing through the whole room. “It’s where we keep the toys, as you can see. Most of our birds are out right now, but this is a fair smattering of what we have. We can accommodate the corporate client taking a business trip, as well as the private client just out for a little fun. Ah, here he comes, the man of the hour. Jason Callahan, meet Judy Morehouse.”

  Judy saw Jason coming before Rich said anything. She hadn’t realized it before this moment, but she would have known that walk anywhere. It was more of a swagger. That must be a pilot thing. He was in a dark suit with a clean white shirt and blue tie. His hair that had been so disheveled and sexy in Catalina had been cut and combed perfectly. He looked neat, professional, and unbearably handsome. He no longer had the few days of beard growth, making him look less the free spirit she met in Catalina and more the seasoned businessman. He seemed confident but not arrogant, but also someone not to be trifled with.

  She was breathless.

  As Jason approached, she noticed that his eyes registered surprise for only an instant, and then he covered nicely. Obviously, he hadn’t had the benefit of a few days to prepare for their meeting like she had. Not that it had prepared her for seeing him again. His eyes also registered something else. Hurt? Hope? Something like a mixture of the two, but she could tell he was working to keep his expression level. He held out his hand.

  “Hi Judy, Jason Callahan.” His voice was steady but a little husky, the only giveaway that he might be as nervous as she. His touch lit her body on fire from the inside out.

  She followed his lead and pretended they didn’t know each other. “Hi Jason, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  She gave him a genuine smile. No matter what, it was wonderful to see him again. Her heart had not stopped fluttering since he walked in the room. With the touch of his hand, images ran through her mind, some of him clothed, most without. For a moment, she feared this might have been a mistake, seeing him again, but there was nothing she could do about it except weather the storm.

  “Jason, why don’t you show Mark and Judy around the aircraft and give them the spiel of why Callahan Enterprises was so eager to take up with Bradford,” Rich said. “I’m going to go see what Trina has for me today. I’ll catch up with you all a little later.” Rich nodded to all of them and took his leave.

  “Okay,” Jason looked at Mark and Judy. “Why don’t I show you through some of our planes?” He headed toward a medium-sized corporate jet.

  “My dad loved a plane like this one. It’s the perfect corporate plane. You can work on the way to wherever you are headed, have a meeting on the plane, or just relax and have a meal. This plane has it all.”

  He gestured for Mark to head up the stairs into the fuselage, and fixed Judy with a smoldering stare while he put his hand at the small of her back and followed her up the stairs. It was hard to tell if he was angry with her or if he was glad to see her. Regardless, his touch was electrifying and if she wasn’t careful, she was going to start panting.

  “Wow,” Mark said, “this one is a beauty.” He admired the details.

  “What was the impetus for your dad to start Callahan Enterprises,” Judy hoped her voice sounded business-like, and not like she had pictured him naked just a few seconds ago.

  He glanced at her with a hint of a smile. Dammit. Busted. The bedroom voice must have snuck out.

  “My dad built the company originally to give business travelers a means to go across the state in one day if they needed to. As commercial airlines began adding commuter flights, Callahan Enterprises began marketing itself as the no-fuss way to fly, especially for business.”

  He led them out of the plane, taking the stairs first and then offered his hand to Judy as she took the stairs. She shouldn’t take his hand—this was business. She should have been asserting herself. But she couldn’t help it. It was like she’d been starving these past few weeks and Jason was her food. She took his hand and felt the now-familiar tingles throughout her body.

  “In the early 2000s,” Jason continued, “they added vacation travel as a significant part of the business. I went to college, majored in business, and got my private pilot’s license. I started as one of the pilots flying the 4-seaters on the pleasure trips, but eventually logged enough hours to train and become rated to fly the Lears.”

  It was clear he loved being part of the family business, loved flying still, and that he had loved working with his dad. His loss must have been immeasurable.

  “What prompted you to sell Callahan Enterprises?” Judy was curious. As much as Jason seemed to love the business, it made little sense for him to sell.

  “My dad always had an idea to sell this business to a bigger player, someone who could throw some money at it and help it evolve to cater to the wealthy set as well as the business class and upper-middle class vacationers. Unfortunately, he did not live to see that come to fruition, but I think he’d be happy with what Rich and I have come up with here.” Jason said, wrapping up his part of the tour.

  “I have never had much ambition to run the business,” he continued. “I love flying and always have, but not so much the management part.” He smiled. That was the real Jason. He was a pilot for sure, and a businessman only reluctantly.

  Despite her skin being on fire and those pesky flashbacks of the two of them on Catalina Island, Judy and Jason maintained an easy banter during the tour. Mark seemed completely oblivious to the fact that she was seconds away from rushing into Jason’s arms and tearing his clothes off. Jason also seemed to ignore her intense non-business-like feelings, though he certainly knew they were there. He had an easy manner, kept things light and moving. Except for his initial reaction, he was in control. He may have been surprised to see her, but after that initial shock, he went back to business as usual. How did he do that? She felt like she was going to dissolve in a puddle of desire any second.

  Had she misread Jason? Maybe he wasn’t very happy to see her. Maybe he was hurt and resented her, or worse, he viewed their time in Catalina as just a meaningless fling. Maybe he had just been trying to show a woman going through a tough time some fun. She hoped this wasn’t too awkward, having to work together for a time.

  Or too heartbreaking.

  “I’m sure your dad would approve,” Judy said earnestly. “This is a great business you have here - diverse in clientele yet still a simple game plan with enough transparency to woo consumers. I think you and Rich both are making my job easy. After lunch, we can show you what we have in mind for the press release and some general ideas, but honestly, Bradford Aviation and Callahan Enterprises are the dream client,” she said as she smiled at Rich and Jason. She had a burst of pride in being able to conduct herself so professionally. Dani would be so proud.

  And then Jason’s eyes reflected something back at her that she couldn't place at first. She finally realized she knew that look because she’d given it to him earlier. He had undressed her with his eyes. She suddenly felt hot. She needed to lose the suit jacket or get out of the hanger into some fresh air. So much for professionalism.

  They walked back into the offices and everyone took a courtesy break before heading downtown for lunch. She spent some time in the bathroom trying not to hyperventilate while Mark checked in with the office.

  “We really should get going if we want to make our reservation,” Mark said as she walked out of the bathroom.

  “Right. We’ll drive to the office, as the restaurant is just around the corner,” she said, thinking for the first time about the driving arrangements.

  They walked outside and she remembered, Mark had a Tesla. His dad bought it for him for something. Maybe for his birthday, she couldn’t remember. He loved that car. The boys would probably want to ride with Mark and she’d be on her own. That was okay with her; she needed a break. Pretending not to know Jason and to not be halfway in love with him was exhausting.
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br />   “Glory be, whose Tesla is that?” Rich exclaimed.

  “It’s mine,” Mark beamed. He really was proud of that car. Judy stifled an eye roll. Men and cars. First Greg and this classic Corvette obsession, and now Rich with this profession of love for Mark’s Tesla. Judy smiled good-naturedly, or at least she hoped it was good-naturedly, and walked toward her car.

  “Well that settles it, I’m riding with Mark downtown. Jason, come with! Let’s see what this thing can do!” Rich sounded like a kid in a candy store.

  “I’ll ride with Judy. I think it’s pretty tight in that Tesla. Anyway, we need to divide and conquer, right Rich?”

  Wait. What? She stopped in her tracks, and turned to face Jason.

  “Uh, it’s okay if I ride with you, right?” And then Jason looked right at her. He really looked at her. He let his guard down and she saw that he had a myriad of feelings going on in there. She hadn’t misread him. She was both relieved and intensely freaked out.

  “Of course,” she said, hoping she had a decent poker face, leading them to her SUV.

  As Judy opened the driver’s side door and started to get in, she locked eyes with Jason as he climbed in on the other side of the car. For the first time since Catalina, they were utterly alone. For all the things she had wished she could say to Jason over the last few weeks, she’s was now at a loss for words. Jason was quiet, too.

  They sat for a moment, looked at each other and Judy realized that she was supposed to be doing something, but she couldn’t seem to focus on what. She was so lost in his expression. He looked as bereft as she had felt these past weeks.

  “So maybe we should start heading toward downtown?” He said after a few minutes, gently touching her hand.