Flying Backwards Read online

  It was their last day in St. Petersburg. Nora wondered where Sergei was. It was getting late. She thought she should probably call him. What am I going to say to him? she pondered as she dried off and dressed. She was just pinning her hair up when she heard a knock at the door.

  She let Sergei in; he bent to kiss her. The smell of hot coffee distracted her from all thought. “Good morning,” he said. “I brought you some coffee and something to eat.”

  “Mmm, you are so sweet.” She took the cup with a thank you. After a few sips of strong coffee Nora felt the hangover clearing. Sergei pulled from a paper bag what looked like a glazed croissant, and he handed it over to her with a flash of a smile. She nibbled on it, all the while contemplating what to say about last night. All she could come up with was how delicious her breakfast was.

  Sergei ate his in three bites and told Nora that Lydia would be by in twenty minutes to take them to see Pushkin. “We’ll have time to see the palace and stop by to say good-bye to my mother before Lydia drops us off at the airport.”

  “Okay. It’ll only take me a few minutes to pack everything up.” She’d learned to live out of her suitcase and had never left anything behind so far, but she glanced around the room to make sure she hadn’t carelessly left something in an “out of normal” place. She spotted her bangle bracelets on the floor where she had discarded them last night.

  Sergei broke her train of thought. “I’m going to get my things together.”

  Nora nodded and watched him close the distance between them. He bent and brushed a soft kiss across her lips. She allowed him to do so.

  “I’ll be right back.” His Russian accent seemed thicker in his native country. Nora nodded, giving him a sweet smile, and then he was gone.

  She bent to pick her bracelets up off the floor and prayed she could shake this feeling of regret.

  * * *

  Nora stood outside her townhouse in Philadelphia with Sergei. She thanked him again for the lovely time in Russia. She told him that she truly wouldn’t want to have visited with anyone but him. She said that both Sergei and his sister were amazing guides, and she could not have asked for a more authentic visit. “It was a trip I won’t soon forget,” she concluded sincerely.

  Sergei wrapped his arms around Nora in a big hug, and then he paused before he gave her a light kiss on the mouth.

  Nora stepped back a little too quickly, which she at once thought probably wasn’t lost on Sergei. “I have to fly out soon,” she said vaguely, hoping to discourage the question “When am I going to see you again?”

  “Yes, I have to leave as well. Tomorrow. I will call you in a couple days after I return.”

  Nora nodded and made her way up the steps. She paused with her key in the door to look back at him. As he crossed the street to his townhouse, Sergei carried his duffle bag slung over his broad shoulder. Nora thought Sergei was really sweet. Based on appearance, someone else might not necessarily label him sweet, but that’s what she liked about him. She knew the real Sergei. She was lucky that he cared for her.

  Stepping inside, her heart skipped a beat when she saw Bree standing at the window. Nora could tell by her friend’s raised eyebrows that she had been watching them.

  “Hello. It looks like you two had a nice trip,” she said slyly.

  “Hey, Bree.” Nora stashed her roller-bag by the stairs and headed for the kitchen. “Yeah, Saint Petersburg was amazing.” As she moved around the kitchen and poured a glass of water she gave a monologue about the places she’d visited and how great meeting Sergei’s family was.

  “And?” Bree prompted. As Nora’s innocent eyes stared back at her, Bree pulled a face. “Sergei and the kissing I just saw! Is there something I should know?”

  “Ugh.” Nora looked heavenward. “There’ve been a few times when we’ve had this…‌tension… This attraction. On the last night things got steamy, and we almost hooked up,” she admitted.

  “I knew it! I thought it was weird he asked you to go to Russia with him.” Bree pulled out a chair and sat down, waiting to hear more. With a roll of her eyes Nora sat across from her.

  “We had separate hotel rooms. It’s not like we were planning this or anything. We went to a club, and I drank too much. We went back to my room. But I stopped it. It just didn’t feel right.” Nora shrugged, not knowing how else to explain how she felt. She didn’t mention the earlier kisses.

  “It’s obvious he is interested in you, but I didn’t know you were interested in him.” Bree said. “So? Why did you stop it? Was he a bad kisser or something?” she joked.

  “Noooo!” Nora laughed, relieved to feel the mood lighten a little. “To tell the truth, after my love affair with Antonio… Well, he might have ruined it for other guys. And besides, I think a need a little break. Antonio was intense.”

  “I’m jealous!” Bree sighed dramatically.

  “Shut up!” Nora chuckled.

  She stood, placed her glass in the sink, and leaned back against the counter. “Sergei is really sweet, you know. I just hope I don’t mess up our friendship when I tell him I’m not interested.” Nora’s eyes focused on the floor, but she was far away in thought. “Anyway…” Nora looked at Bree and feigned a cheery voice. “How are things with you? How was training?”

  “Great.” Bree beamed. “I’m officially an international flight attendant. Training went well. We had to become qualified on all the big international planes.” Nora’d had to do the same when she’d gone to training. Being qualified meant they needed to be able to operate emergency windows and doors and know where the emergency equipment was stored and how to use it on each type of aircraft.

  “How did the exams go?” Nora remembered memorizing the European airport codes. At the time she was glad their flights were limited to one other continent, which made codes easier to learn, but now she wished their airline would expand to include Asia or South America.

  “I did fine.” Bree collected her thoughts. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but while I was in Pittsburg the trainer was telling me about other hubs, international hubs, that we could work out of.” Nora knew about this, but she didn’t say anything. “There is a hub in London. We could transfer. Do you think you’d ever consider moving? You already have great friends in England.” She added, “We could still be roomies.”

  “Wow!” Nora was stunned. She could lose Bree or she could move to England. Ben’s face came to mind, and longing stirred within her. Would Ben want her there? Nora didn’t know. Ben had kept their friendship casual. What about her family? But more importantly, she couldn’t imagine losing her friendship with Bree. Now that they were both flying international, they were supposed to take every city by storm…‌together.

  “Bree, I’m glad things are going well with Evan, but it’s only been a month or so.”

  Bree held up her hand. “No, no, you are right about Evan. I’m not just considering moving there for him. I miss my old friends. I know we’ve only had this job about six months, but I feel like I’m ready to keep moving forward. I think I want to move to England. I always wanted to live there when I was younger, and I feel like now is the right time. Really, the only thing holding me here is you. So, Nora, come with me!” she pleaded. “At least think about it. I can’t even put in the request for thirty days.”

  “Well, I’ll think about it, but right now I need a shower and some food.”

  “Thanks for not saying no. I’ll call for a pizza?”

  “Veggie?” Nora suggested.

  “Yeah, then we can skip the salad.” Both girls grinned at each other.

  Nora grabbed her bag on the way up the stairs and made a mental checklist. She needed to do laundry, refill some items in her toiletry bag, sew a loose button on her uniform, find the needle and thread kit she’d stashed somewhere in her room, and iron her uniform shirts. Keeping herself prepared for each trip was tedious. Living out of a suitcase left her feeling as if she didn’t belong anywhere, be
cause she was never in one place long enough. At the same time, it allowed her freedom to seek out where she wanted to eventually plant herself.

  She pulled out her cell phone to look at the time. She noticed a missed call from Antonio. The thought crossed her mind that it was getting late in Italy. She compared spending time with Sergei to spending time with Antonio. For a few moments, Nora reminisced about Antonio’s touch. Oh, what is wrong with me! she chided herself. She needed to forget about Antonio and figure out how to deal with Sergei.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The warm days of August were over, and so was Nora’s trip quota for that month. Because she worked until the last few days in August, she got the first week in September off. She was in her room in Philadelphia unpacking her bag when she spontaneously picked up her cell phone and dialed Ben’s number.

  At the sound of his voice Nora smiled. “Hey, Ben, how’s the weather?”

  “Nora! I was thinking of you today. I spent the morning with Duchess.”

  She clamped her teeth onto her bottom lip. He was thinking about me!

  “Aw, how is she doing? And her foal–Grand Duke, right?” They talked for twenty minutes before Nora got around to why she was calling.

  “I have this week off and was thinking of coming over for my riding lesson if you are still up for it. Only if you have any free time, of course.”

  “Yeah, you’re welcome anytime. When can you come? I’ll adjust my schedule.” His accent was evident in the way he pronounced shed-ju-l.

  “I know its short notice, but I can come the day after tomorrow. Bree’s coming in tonight from a trip, and then she wants to see Evan. We’ll fly together, but she’s going to stay in the city. I’m not sure what day she’s flying back.” Nora hoped he remembered offering that she could stay with him and his family in the country.

  “I can pick you up, and you can stay with us. We have plenty of room. What time do you get in?” Nora was relieved he’d remembered and excited she would get some alone time with Ben.

  When she hung up she hugged herself. She almost hadn’t called. Nora had done a lot of soul searching over the last couple weeks; she had decided to see Ben again, and this time she was going to make a move. She didn’t want to look back and regret missing an opportunity with Ben. If things went well after this trip, she would seriously consider transferring to England with Bree.

  In the meantime, Nora kept things casual with Sergei. She had avoided seeing him for a couple weeks, which was easy since they had opposite work schedules. They spoke briefly on the phone before Nora caught her flight to London. She told him she was visiting friends and she wanted to talk to him when she returned.

  Several times Antonio had called from Italy, and when she answered their conversations were always the same. He said he missed her terribly and begged her to come visit him. She continued to keep him at bay but was secretly flattered that he still pursued her.

  Nora’s mother and Victoria relentlessly called to see what she was up to and when she was coming home for a visit. “We never see you, Nora!” her mother accused her, tears choking her words.

  Nora was going through a life change and needed space, but it was hard to disconnect from the family. She knew her parents were concerned when Nora told them about her trip to St. Petersburg with a Russian neighbor. They were concerned about who the man was. Nora sent photos and assured them that Sergei was a good friend who was just showing her around. They were a close family, and they’d been through a lot with the loss of Victoria’s baby. Nora felt guilty and promised to come home soon, but all Nora could think about was Ben. She missed him.

  Nora flew into Heathrow, butterflies in her stomach. A million times she rehearsed in her mind how she would make a subtle but pointed move on Ben. But how would he react? Did he have feelings for her? Would she make a fool of herself? I have to know.

  Evan met Bree and Nora in the baggage claim, holding a dozen red roses. The two lovers kissed and snuggled close, murmuring intimately to each other. Nora hung back, giving them some privacy, until Bree broke their embrace.

  “Hi, Evan. Beautiful flowers!” Nora exclaimed.

  “Isn’t he so sweet?” Bree and Evan exchanged a glance.

  “It’s nice to see you, Nora. Do you have a ride?” Evan asked.

  “Yes, Ben is picking me up. He offered to teach me to ride, so I’m finally taking him up on it. He’ll be here soon.”

  Bree tucked her hand into Even’s arm. “Okay, I’ll see you soon, and I’ll call you.” As Bree and Evan disappeared from view, Nora scanned the crowd for any sign of Ben. She spotted someone waving, smiling, and moving quickly toward her. She propelled herself and her bag forward until they clasped each other in a snug hug.

  “You made it! How was your flight?” he asked. He took her bag, as any true gentleman would.

  “The flight was fine. You just missed Bree and Evan.”

  They found Ben’s Land Rover and drove out into the green countryside. The rolling hills were dotted with sheep. Worn old stonewalls encircled cottages from another era. Ben tuned in a station on the radio and smiled when they both simultaneously commented, “I love this song!”

  “Nora, I have to admit I was completely, but pleasantly, surprised when you called a few days ago. It’s a long way to come for a riding lesson. Or maybe to an international flight attendant flying across an ocean to hang out for a few days is nothing?”

  He seemed thrilled to see her, which was what she’d hoped for. She beamed as she chatted about a trip to Demark she’d enjoyed.

  When they reached the house, Molly the dog greeted them exuberantly at the door before Ben carried Nora’s bag up to the guest room. “Wow, this is lovely!” Nora looked at the papered walls, the dark antique furniture, the lushly adorned bed linens, and the artwork depicting the English countryside. She noticed the windows were framed by satin material with a subtle pattern and edged in a heavy bullion fringe. The room was rich, yet cozy. “This whole house is amazing.” She crossed to the window and smiled to see that it looked out over the stableyard.

  Ben stepped next to her, smiling at the view. “I’m glad you think so. It was an amazing place to grow up in.” He was so close Nora could smell his scent of fresh air and aftershave. “This room was my grandmother’s when she visited.” His eyes flickered through the room, as though he could picture his grandmother there. “She liked to do needlework. She’d sit by this window. She said it had good light. I’d sit by her feet playing with my toys.” His eyes rested on Nora’s face. “So I think you will be comfortable in here.”

  “I will.” This seems like a special room to him, and he purposely put me here, which I love. Nora wondered if now would be the right time to kiss him. His lips were so close, and they were alone in the room. She swallowed the lump in her throat and said quietly, “Thank you, Ben, for letting me stay here. I’m looking forward to my riding lessons. Although, I have to admit, I’m a little terrified. What if I fall? Or the horse doesn’t like me or something?”

  Ben laughed at her admission. “Well, falling off a horse does hurt. But we won’t be doing any crazy galloping this week. And the horse I have in mind will adore you. I think you’ll do okay.”

  Nora squeezed her eyes closed and said, “I hope you are right!”

  “Let’s get some lunch. Then we can have our first lesson,” Ben suggested. “No sense wasting a perfectly good day.”

  Nora’s hand flattened over her stomach. “I don’t think I can eat. I’m too nervous.”

  “All right, then, we’ll pack a lunch. Once you’ve successfully maneuvered your horse down to the river we’ll picnic there. That’s the best way to eat anyway, in my opinion.” She nodded. Ben asked about her boots. She unzipped her bag and showed him the hiking boots with heels she had packed on Bree’s advice. She had also packed a few pairs of jeans, as well as a couple supportive sports bras, which she did not show him.

  Nora freshened up and changed her c
lothes while Ben went down to the kitchen to pack something for them to eat. She figured that the kiss could wait. Anyway, maybe she needed to feel him out more. She didn’t want to do something stupid like kiss him if he only wanted friendship. How would she face him again–or Corrine, or Bree? She realized she was second-guessing herself.

  When she joined Ben in the kitchen, Nora announced, “Okay, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Let’s go.” He grabbed the small cloth cooler bag from the counter. “After you.” He pointed to the back door and looked over at Molly. “Stay.”

  The day was warm for early September, but the shade cooled the air inside the stable. The smell of horses filled her nostrils. She could also discern the smell of leather and sweet hay.

  Ben introduced Nora to her horse for their afternoon ride. “This is Stargazer.”

  Nora was pleased to see that Stargazer was on the smaller side, compared to the other horses she had seen in their stalls. “Hello there,” she cooed.

  Ben named each piece of equipment as he saddled the mare. Nora was a little surprised to see Ben lifting a western saddle onto Stargazer’s back. Oh, good, she thought. It’s not one of those postage-stamp saddles!

  “I’ll go saddle my horse while you two get acquainted.” While Ben left the stall Nora moved closer to Stargazer and stroked her soft coat. When he returned they led their horses out into the stableyard. She noticed his horse was outfitted in a brown leather English saddle, which looked insubstantial and slippery to her eyes, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Some people use a mounting block, but you look athletic enough to mount from the ground. And Stargazer’s not too tall.” Ben instructed her to put her left foot in the stirrup. Nora gave it five noble attempts before she finally stepped up and swung her right leg over Stargazer’s back and landed soundly in the saddle.

  Nora smiled brightly. She wasn’t sure if mounting the horse had made her giddy or if it was Ben thinking she looked athletic that set her heart pattering. She was glad he noticed her physique. He held the reins from the ground and led the horse in a wide circle so Nora could get a feel for the mare’s movement. He gave her tips after he observed her rigid body struggling to find the right rhythm. With Ben’s astute tutelage, it did not take Nora long to get the hang of it. Before long they were walking the horses east toward the river.