Read Online Snowed In by Teodora Kostova - Free Book Online Page B

rummaging through his bag, looking for something.
    “Wait. We?”
    “Yeah. You’re taking Brandon’s place. He was supposed to be in the cockpit with me, for moral support or whatever.”
    Nate pulled out a pair of boxers and a clean t-shirt from his bag and headed for the bathroom as if he hadn’t just told Quinn he was going to be locked in a flying death trap in a few hours.
    “There’s no way in hell I’m going on that thing!” Quinn said, louder than necessary with just the two of them in the room.
    “Oh, you’re going,” Nate threw over his shoulder as he walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
     
    *    *    *    *    *
     
    The car was waiting for them when they got in front of the hotel at half past four. The air base wasn’t too far away and they were there in time for the safety briefing. Quinn didn’t hear a word of what was said. All he could think about was that in a few minutes he’d be locked in a tiny plane that could be blown away by the slightest of winds. He could feel Nate watching him, but couldn't bring himself to turn around.
    If Nate needed someone in that plane with him then Quinn was going to be there for him. That didn’t make it any less terrifying.
    The pilot came to introduce himself. With a kind smile, he assured them there was nothing to worry about, and proceeded to give them the equipment they’d need.
    “Quinn,” Nate said next to him, startling him out of his terrified thoughts. “You don't have to do this.” He touched his forearm gently, taking the helmet away.
    “No, I want to,” Quinn protested, sounding fake even to his own ears.
    Nate laughed. “You look like you’re about to walk down to the electric chair, Quinn.”
    Quinn exhaled a loud breath, running a trembling hand through his hair. “You’re right. I’ve never been more scared of anything in my life. But I want to do this with you.”
    “Quinn,” Nate said softly, taking a step closer. “You hate flying. You clutch the armrest the whole time when you fly in a big ass commercial airplane. Trust me, you don't want to do this.”
    Relief washed over Quinn, making his lungs work again. “No. I really don’t. I’m sorry.”
    “It’s fine.” Nate smiled, putting his helmet on. “Give me a sec.”
    He jogged to the pilot who was waiting for them next to the plane and after a short conversation returned to Quinn holding what looked like a small radio.
    “This is connected to my headpiece,” he said, tapping the microphone in front of his face. “Just press that button here and you can hear me. If you press that other button, you can talk to me.”
    Quinn took the radio, grateful to have some contact with Nate while he was in the air.
    “Thanks.”
    Nate nodded and turned on his heel.
    “Nate?” He stopped midstride and turned to face Quinn. “Be careful, alright?”
    Nate saluted him with a cheeky, excited smile before he ran off to the plane.
     
    *    *    *    *    *
     
    Quinn's heart dropped every time the tiny red airplane made a sharp turn or wobbled unsteadily in the air. He’d switched on the radio the moment the plane took off and could hear the pilot’s instructions as he explained to Nate what he was doing and what Nate eventually had to do. Quinn had never heard Nate so calm and so focused on something. He didn’t curse once and was polite to the pilot, only talking when he had a question.
    Deciding to give Nate space and only listen for now, Quinn leaned against the wall of the building, his eyes never leaving the red dot in the sky, the radio close to his ear. The white knuckled grip he had on it made his fingers ache. His head was spinning just from watching the plane circle above him. Time seemed to crawl and the next thirty minutes felt like an eternity to Quinn, whose overactive imagination conjured hundreds of ways for this whole thing to go wrong.
    “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t ya?” Quinn heard the pilot’s