I was running late. Again. If the darn plane left without me, I was seriously going to freak out.
In my three-inch heels and dress skirt, I walked as fast as I could through the airport terminal, dragging my black suitcase behind me. Every curse word I knew flew through my head. It wasn’t my fault I was late. Really. I had a conference call that had run over. Not that the airline would care. I was just one passenger out of hundreds to them. It didn’t matter to them that it was extremely important I get on the plane before it left.
Nearly tripping over my heels, I kicked them off before clutching them in one hand and continuing toward my gate. My loose blonde hair flapped around everywhere and was probably a tangled mess, but thankfully, when I neared the gate, I saw the plane was still there and the gate door was still open. Breathing heavily, I dug through my small purse and pulled out my ticket. The not-so-friendly woman snatched the piece of paper from me, scanned it, and then handed it back.
As I stepped past her, she muttered that I had held up the entire plane. I highly doubted that, but it no longer mattered. It hadn’t left without me, and that was all that was important. By the time I walked to the open door of the plane, I had regained my breath and slipped my shoes on before stepping over the threshold. A much friendlier flight attendant glanced at my ticket before telling me where my seat was located.
Walking through the half-empty plane, I realized I couldn’t possibly be the last person on or the flight was going to be blessedly empty. It was a couple hour flight, and I personally had checked how often flights left to San Diego. It was only once a day so I was surprised there weren’t more people. Either way, I had one of the seats near the rear. Once I found it, I dropped my purse into the seat before hefting my bag into the overhead storage area.
Plopping into my seat, I breathed in deeply. Made it. I pushed my purse under the seat and then closed my eyes.
I had a meeting the next morning that had already been delayed once, and if I didn’t make the single afternoon flight, I would have to reschedule the meeting again. It had been the other party’s fault last time, but it didn’t matter. The meeting was important. I worked in Human Resources and it was my job to meet with every new employee. I had to make sure they were settling in well, especially the higher up positions that were filled from outside the company. Not just any company. My family’s company. My grandfather had started it and passed it to my father, who would likely pass it to me. However, I was expected to learn my way up that ladder, not just be handed it. I knew I’d get promotions that I hadn’t worked as long and hard for, but I also wanted to experience as much from every level in the company so I could draw on them when I did lead it. Even though that wouldn’t be until many, many years down the road. I was only twenty-two and good ole dad was in his late forties since he’d had me when he was young.
The meeting was with the head of the branch in San Diego. Our main office was in New York, but I was heading there from another one of our offices that was remotely located. When I wasn’t welcoming new people into the company, I had the most unpleasant job of letting people go. It was never easy and my least favorite part, but someone had to do it.
I felt the air shift as someone dropped into the seat next to me, a whiff of cologne told me it was a man. The unexpected company snapped me from my thoughts.
Opening my eyes, I turned my head to meet a pair of sparkling brown eyes and a set of broad shoulders covered in a suit jacket. He was fairly attractive, even though he was closer to my father’s age than mine. The small specks of gray peeking through the dark brown of his hair along with discernible smile lines told me he was probably in his early forties.
“Hi,” the man said with a warm
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