“You’re a volatile woman who is easy to distrust others.”
“I’m fun, aren’t I?”
“I don’t mind it.”
“Even though you told me that I could take the job and you would simply walk away from yours,” Lana continued. The dream iteration of her was apparently not listening. “Neither of us would really be happy with that arrangement. What, you think I want to spend the rest of my life working for others? I’m bigger than that. I’m worth more than that.”
“Of course you are. I fully expect to be competing with you within ten years. My only advice is that you reconsider naming your firm Losers. Maybe partner up with someone named Wieners.”
Lana flicked the top of his hand. “Why not make me your partner?”
Ken awoke with a start. Sunshine streamed through his window, blinding him from the number on his clock.
His plane was supposed to take off in two hours.
***
“We will be ready to take off within a few more minutes, ladies and gentlemen.” Every time the flight attendant got on the speakers, Lana got another headache. This was the third time they had been delayed. At this rate she would not be back in DC before dinner. Not with traffic sure to fuck up her cab ride home. I should stay at the airport until rush hour is over. It was going to be a long day, and she was due back at work tomorrow. “We’re currently waiting for one last passenger who has been held up by unforeseen circumstances.”
What a bitch! Lana was willing to bet that it was some woman who was held up in the toilet because her period shits got the best of her. Always assume the grossest, and you’re usually right. At least there was one thing on Lana’s side: the First Class seat next to hers was empty. The flight may have only been an hour long, but she would take what she could get.
A man in a suit and carrying an overnight bag hurried through the door. Immediately a flight attendant closed it, and Lana kept her eyes down, wondering if she should read a book or take a nap.
The late passenger stood next to her seat. Are you kidding me? She dropped her bag and looked up.
No.
No way.
Ken dumped his overnight bag into his First Class seat the moment he saw Lana. If she entertained any thoughts that he was stalking her, that he had conspired to make this happen on purpose, those thoughts were purged when she saw the exploding surprise on his face.
“Sir?” A flight attendant appeared. “Can I help you with that, sir? We really need to take off.”
“What are you doing here?” Lana couldn’t look away from him, even with the flight attendant now fussing with Ken’s overnight bag. Once his seat was cleared, he sat down, showing her his ticket.
“New York JFK to Miami MIA, temporary stop in Washington IAD.” Lana had heard announcements detailing that her plane was going on to Miami after she was let off in DC, but that still didn’t explain why… who…
“Have a last minute business meeting in Miami.” Ken pocketed his ticket and buckled up his seatbelt. His skin was flushed a beet red even though he tried to play everything as cool as possible. “I honestly had no idea that you were on this flight. Let alone that we would be sitting next to each other.”
“I should hope not.” Lana held herself to the wall and crossed her legs away from him. “This has got to be some sick joke.”
She tore open her bag only to have a flight attendant chastise her to put it away until they were in the air. Lana threw it back beneath the seat in front of her with a huff. I must be dreaming. I fell asleep in my seat and am dreaming about Ken come to fuck with my head.
“You know.” He stared straight ahead. “It almost feels like fate.”
Lana chomped on her lip, tasting the wax of her makeup. After waking up feeling more bedraggled than a wet cat, she took care to wash her hair and do her makeup just so. She was determined to waltz back into DC with nothing but perfection leading the way. “There’s no such thing as fate,” she grumbled.
“I used to think that.” He finally glanced at her. “Yet here we are.”
Something bothered her. No, Ken’s presence wasn’t the primary thing making her want to bite her nails and have a fit. The Lana that was falling in love with him is dead now. This is the real Lana, checking in. She wants to deck him. Choke him. Make him choke on her metaphorical dick because that’s what he is. What bothered her was something she kept thinking about from the night before.