I love you all. Seriously.
Chapter Two
“Pretty snazzy jet,” Bre laughed, her bag slung over her shoulder as she looked up at the plane in front of us. The three of us girls had been somewhat awed by the limo trip to the airport on the fine Sunday afternoon, standing on the windy runway with our few items of luggage scattered around us. Joe, Nick, and Kevin were amused by our wondering expressions, having grown accustomed to traveling in style all over the country.
The bags were loaded into the plane and a staircase was pushed over to the door. Melissa and Bre followed Kevin into the passenger area. Joe was just about to head up the stairs after Nick when he noticed that someone was still standing on the tarmac.
The wind whipped his dark hair around him as Joe looked over his shoulder at me. “Ash?” I looked up at him with wide eyes. “Have you never flown before?”
I shook my head, clutching my carry-on bag closer. He guessed at the reason for my trepidation, though it wasn’t exactly a mystery. Joe smiled at my sudden nervous silence, used to a more energetic Ashley, who could match his intense energy levels like a pro. Jumping down the three steps he was on, Joe walked over to me, picking up my back with a grin. “Then you’ll just have to sit right next to me so I can protect you, right?” he winked.
I forgot about my fears for a good minute, looking into his brown eyes that beamed down at me. He held out his arm and I linked mine with his, calming the butterflies in my stomach. I realized with a slight grin that the nervous fluttering was no longer just because of the upcoming flight.
The two of us stepped into the air-conditioned cabin in time to see the other four settle into their seats contentedly, leaving a pair open near the front. I sat down, tucking my bag under the seat, and fastened the seatbelt determinedly, making Joe laugh again. I fiddled with the strap, feeling way too jittery to sit still.
To my surprise, I felt a warm hand grasp mine, placing it on the arm rest. I looked up, catching Joe’s eye, and he gave me a reassuring look. “It’s going to be fine, Ash. Trust me.”
I nodded, feeling calmer already. “Okay,”
It didn’t escape my attention (or Bre or Mel’s, for that matter), that Joe didn’t let go of my hand until the in-flight dinner was brought out. I wasn’t complaining—his presence had eliminated any traces of anxiety, making for a relatively relaxing flight. Melissa was nodding along with the song on her iPod, Kevin reading a magazine next to her and laughing when she started mouthing the lyrics. Bre was half-asleep on Nick’s shoulder, staring dreamily out the window at the fluffy clouds in the darkening sky.
I was just settling into the whole new flying experience, thinking maybe I could get used to this.
And then the turbulence hit.
I don’t think Joe, being used to the slight bumps that come along with most flights, was prepared for me to latch onto his arm with a death grip and muffle a shriek into his sleeve. He stared down at me in surprise, then his expression softened as he noticed the motion of the plane. I felt his free hand brush my hair out of my face. “Ash, it’s just a bit of turbulence.”
I pulled back, raising my eyes to meet his. “You’d tell me if the plane was going down?”
He grinned. “You’d know it. Believe me. I’d probably be screaming like a little girl,”
“I’ll second that,” Nick spoke up from across the aisle, and I had to laugh.
The flight was almost over by the time I finally relaxed enough to drop my hands back to the arm rest. Joe laughed and pretended to wince, rubbing his arm. “I’m sorry!” I exclaimed, flustered.
He grinned. “Actually, I shouldn’t complain.”
I blinked, wondering what exactly he was getting at. Before I could ask, the cheery flight attendant passed by, announcing that we would be landing in about ten minutes and requesting that we buckle up. Joe decided it would be funny to start a rousing chorus of ‘Free Falling’, and I elbowed him in the stomach. Whether he was doubling over with pain or laughter, I couldn’t tell you.
Jet lag is interesting, I learned. We left the east coast in the afternoon, and arrived still in the afternoon. I think. It’s pretty confusing, and Melissa gave up on trying to figure it out. All I know was, it was still light out when we arrived at the hotel, giving us a lovely view of the building we would be spending the next week living in. I had a feeling the guys were expecting us to be excited about seeing the sights in the lavish California town.
They were not disappointed.
“This hotel is GORGEOUS!” Bre exclaimed, looking over the top of her sungl*CENSORED* in awe. The place had a very tropical feel, with intricate architecture and beautiful grounds. There were so many different trees and flowers, the place had a brilliantly colorful look. We all peered through the windows of the tinted SUV we were in, the vehicle traveling up the cobble-stoned path once we were admitted through the gate.
I grinned, kicking back in the seat next to Joe. “Is this how you guys live on the road? I like it.”
Kevin laughed. “The label’s really going all out,”
As we pulled up next to the lobby, piling out of the car under the towering columns of the hotel, I had a feeling this was going to be a very interesting week.
