He lifted his hand and put it along her cheek. “Don’t worry. We’ll use it as get-to-know-each-other time. No pressure. No decisions. You’re right about one thing. Last summer was so fast, and now we’re being thrust into parenthood. If we stand any chance of doing this together, we have to know each other better. Develop trust. I know where you live and your world. But you don’t know mine.”
It all sounded perfect, which was exactly why Tori was so uneasy. Nothing was ever perfect.
“I’ll have to ask for the time off first,” she said, surprised she was actually considering it.
“We can go whenever you like. I can work my schedule around you, though I do have a series of meetings on the nineteenth and twentieth I can’t miss.”
“So I’d be back here for Christmas.”
“I’m sure you’ll want to be with your mom, won’t you?”
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll go.”
A wide smile lit up his face. “That’s great!” He gathered her hands in his and kissed her knuckles. “We’re going to be fine. Just wait and see.”
* * *
Jeremy watched as Tori’s eyes widened at the sight of the private jet sitting on the tarmac at Halifax’s airport. The option for a direct flight would have taken them only to Newark, with all the other flights requiring a stop. Why would he do that when he could charter something and leave on his own schedule?
Plus he wasn’t above trying to impress her a little bit. The woman deserved a bit of pampering and glamour. She worked hard and didn’t have a lot to show for it. A cozy little house, sure, and a close-knit work family. But there was a big world out there and he wanted to show her a little bit of it.
“Is this yours?”
He laughed. “No. I chartered it.”
Her face relaxed. “Oh. I was having a moment thinking you had your own plane and I was... I don’t know.”
“I thought about it, and went back and forth about whether I wanted to own one, but in the end, I keep coming back to using charters. It seemed simpler than worrying about where to keep it, having a pilot on call, maintenance... This way I pick up the phone, my assistant books me a charter and I show up.” He took her arm as they got to the steps leading to the door. “I like to keep things simple, believe it or not.”
It was her turn to laugh. “Jeremy, there is nothing simple about you.”
He wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or a criticism, but her voice was easy and a smile was on her lips so he was going to take it as a compliment.
She climbed the stairs ahead of him. He watched the gentle sway of her hips, thinking how pretty she looked in jeans and ankle boots with her jacket bundled up around her. She turned and flashed a smile at him when she reached the door and he realized he loved how young and energetic she looked with her hair back in a simple perky ponytail and the minimal makeup she wore, which made her skin look fresh and dewy. Or maybe that was her pregnant glow. It was then that he noticed how snug the jacket was around her tummy. She was only going to get bigger, and the winter was barely begun.
A shopping trip would definitely be on the itinerary.
Once inside, an attendant named Gerry took their coats and got them settled in soft leather seats. The more Tori looked around, the happier Jeremy was that he’d booked the flight. Her lips were open in what he thought was amazement and her eyes flitted over every seat, table and detail of decor in the Gulfstream.
They took off, and her face was fairly stuck to the window as they raced down the runway and left solid ground beneath them.
“This is maybe the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” she said, turning away and smiling up at him. “Is this normal for you? I don’t know how I’d ever get used to it.”
“It wasn’t always. For a while I usually booked first class.” He grinned at her. “And some of the commuter jets don’t even have a first class.” He shuddered for effect, making her laugh.
“I’d be disappointed if I thought you meant that,” she replied, sitting back against the comfortable seat. “But you aren’t the pretentious type. At least, I don’t think you are.”
He frowned a little. “That’s one of the reasons I suggested the week, Tori. So we could get to know each other better. But I’m relieved you don’t think I’m a stuck-up snob.”
“Stuck up, no. Used to the finer things? Definitely.”
At that moment, Gerry returned. “Are you ready for your breakfast, sir?”
“Breakfast?” Tori parroted, looking from Jeremy to Gerry and back again.
“You didn’t think I wasn’t going to feed you, did you? It’s only ten. If you ate at all this morning, it was hours ago.” It was true, because it was over two hours to the airport, and they’d had to return his rental to the agency, then clear security and then customs before boarding.
The meal smelled delicious, and Gerry whisked the cover away to reveal scrambled eggs, a bagel with butter and jam, and heaps of fresh strawberries and raspberries. “Would you like something to drink, ma’am?” he asked.