A Match Made in Wilde (Wilde, Nevada Beginnings 2)

Chapter Twelve

Vibrating with excitement and concern, Maude walked over to Greg’s plane. He was wearing a coat and tie, which didn’t seem quite appropriate for a day of flying. But what do I know about flying? “I can’t believe you have your own airstrip on your ranch.”

“Dad was a pilot and built this in the sixties. He’s the reason I got my pilot’s license.”

The way both he and Grant talked about their parents, she knew they missed them very much. “Does Grant know you are taking me flying for our date?”

Greg smiled. “Absolutely not, but he did keep asking me what we were going to do. How was your date with him?”

“Very nice.”

“Where did he take you?”

She laughed. “Fair is fair. You didn’t tell him, so I’m not going to tell you.”

“So that’s how it’s going to be with you.”

She remembered those exact words had come out of Grant’s mouth during their splash war. “You two are twins in every way.”

“Why do you think that?”

“You obviously think alike since your brother said the very same words to me on our date.”

“And where was that?”

“You can’t trick me, mister.”

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

She’d not expected to be flying today. “Now I get why you asked me to dress up for our date. You only did it to make sure Grant didn’t get wind of what you had planned for me today, right?”

He shrugged, but didn’t answer.

When they got next to Greg’s plane, she took it all in. “Beautiful.”

It was red like Grant’s boat. The seats were also white, again, just like the boat. Twins. In every way.

“This is my Cessna 152.”

“Does she have a name?”

“No, but if you can think of one, we can start calling her that.”

“Greg, I’ve only been in a plane a few times in my life, and each trip was on a commercial jet. This is so small. It is kind of scary.”

“You’re going to love it. It’s totally different. Trust me.” Greg opened the door and helped her into the seat. “This is your headset.” He took the cord and plugged it in.

“I need a headset?”

“You’ll hear me better with it. Keep it on your lap until I start the engine. Let’s get you settled in, and then I’ll run my check list.”

She buckled up and watched him walking around the plane with a clipboard. His confidence and attention to detail helped ease her mind. She looked at the controls of the plane. She wondered what all the instruments and dials were for. There were two steering wheels, one in front of both seats. Why two? If he thinks I’m flying this plane like I did the boat, he’s crazy.

When Greg climbed into the cockpit with her, he continued checking off boxes on his list. Once finished, he turned to her. “Time to put on our headsets. She’s ready to go, Maude. Are you?”

She nodded, placing the headset over her ears.

He did the same with his. “Can you hear me?”