Falling at 30,000 feets

Jayden's hand moved instantly-quick and precise, closing around Michael's forearm under the table. His fingers tightened until his knuckles blazed white, a silent warning that brooked no argument.

Michael froze mid-sentence, his smile faltering as he felt the pressure of his friend's grip. He'd pushed too far-he could tell by the way Jayden's jaw was set, by the sharp look in his eyes that he only reserved for serious situations.

Flashback - Jayden's Office

The afternoon light cast long shadows across Jayden's office, where stacks of flight reports and personnel files were neatly organized on his desk. Michael had collapsed onto the leather sofa, kicking his feet up on the coffee table despite the "no feet on furniture" plaque Jayden kept there.

"Wait-" Michael leaned forward, his eyes wide with sudden realization. "So Jane doesn't know you're Aurelia's heir? Or that you're ridiculously rich-like, 'own half the airport' rich?"

Jayden exhaled slowly, spinning his chair to face the window overlooking the tarmac. "I forgot to mention it," he said, his voice carrying the weight of exhaustion. "When we got married ... there hasn't been a right moment to sit down and explain everything."

Michael stared at him for a long moment-then slapped his knee dramatically, making Jayden flinch slightly.

"Disastrous," he declared, standing up and pacing the room. "Absolute disaster. If this leaks to the press? It'll look like a high-profile marriage scam. The whole 'mysterious heir marries unknown captain' story-people will dig into every detail of your relationship. They'll say she trapped you, that you used her for PR... and Jane doesn't deserve that kind of attention."

Jayden shot him a sharp look, his eyes darkening with frustration. "I know that. That's why I haven't said anything."

Michael immediately backed off with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Fine. Forget that part. But you have to be careful-

He leaned in again, lowering his voice to a serious whisper.

"For now, keep it hidden. Trust me on this. You need a private moment-just the two of you. Somewhere quiet where you can explain everything properly. Don't let her find out in public. That would be a disaster-for both of you."

Jayden pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a familiar headache building behind his eyes. "I can't hide it forever, Michael. She deserves to know who she's married to."

"You don't have to," Michael replied, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Just... not here. Not like this."

Jayden hesitated-Then he nodded slowly.

"Alright."

Back at La Mer

Michael suddenly burst into laughter-loud and genuine, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over the room. He threw his hands up in the air, his face splitting into a wide grin.

"I'm kidding! I'm kidding!" he said loudly, his voice carrying across the dining room. "Even if the Chief Pilot isn't here to join us-his wallet definitely is! Tonight's feast is on the company, so eat as much as you want!"

Laughter rippled through the room like a wave, the earlier tension dissolving instantly as pilots relaxed back into their seats. Plates clattered, glasses clinked, and conversations picked up again with renewed energy.

Reuben leaned back in his chair, exhaling in visible relief as he reached for his wine glass.

Jenny lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening slightly around her glass until her knuckles turned white.

"Alright!" Michael clapped once, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Everyone dig in! The chef says the lobster bisque is to die for-and I've already tested it, so you know it's good!"

"Yay!" several captains cheered, reaching eagerly for serving dishes. Marco, the burly pilot who'd mentioned being a champion eater, immediately piled his plate high with grilled salmon and roasted vegetables.

"I won't hold back," he said eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement. "Before I became a captain, I was a champion eater in college-won the state pizza-eating contest three years in a row!"

"Take it slow," Sophia teased, passing him a bowl of soup. "Last time you ate too fast, you got sick on a cross-country flight."

"Forget that," a third captain laughed, pouring himself a glass of white wine. "Tonight we enjoy! Who knows when we'll get a feast like this again?"

The room came alive again-warm, bustling, filled with the kind of camaraderie that only comes from shared experiences and mutual respect. Pilots who'd once been strangers now talked like old friends, passing dishes, sharing stories, and making plans for future flights.

Michael turned slightly-his eyes scanning the room until they found Jayden standing by the door, his expression calm but focused.

Caught Jayden's eye.

Jayden gave a small nod-a quick, almost imperceptible gesture. A quiet understanding passed between them: Thank you.

They moved together through the crowded room, Michael chatting casually with pilots as they passed while Jayden kept his eyes forward, his attention focused on Jane sitting at the far end of the table. She was watching the crowd with a soft smile, her hands folded in her lap as she listened to another captain tell a story about a particularly memorable flight.

They took the empty seats beside her-Michael sliding into the chair on her left, Jayden taking the seat on her right. The table was crowded, but there was something comfortable about the three of them sitting together-like pieces of a puzzle that had finally fallen into place.

Michael immediately launched into a story about a flight he'd taken last month to Alaska, gesturing wildly with his hands as he described the Northern Lights he'd seen from the cockpit. Jane laughed, her eyes lighting up as she asked questions about the route and the aircraft he'd been flying.

Jayden sat quietly beside her, his hand resting lightly on the back of her chair as he listened. He watched her face-how her eyes crinkled at the corners when she laughed, how she leaned forward slightly when she was interested in something, how she unconsciously played with the edge of her napkin when she was thinking.

He'd never really taken the time to just look at her like this-really look at her. She was beautiful, yes-but more than that, she had a strength and warmth that drew people to her. He'd known it from the moment they'd met, but now it felt more real than ever.

Jane leaned slightly toward him, lowering her voice so only he could hear over the din of conversation.

"That scared me," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear. "When Michael was about to say who you were-I thought for a second you were the Chief Pilot."

Jayden widened his eyes in mock surprise, his lips twitching with amusement. "Oh? And is that such a terrible thing?"

"You don't like him?" he asked, his voice low and gentle, his thumb brushing lightly against the back of her chair in a small, comforting gesture.

"Not exactly," she said, shaking her head slightly. "I don't even know him-he's always been this mysterious figure at the top of the company. Everyone talks about him, but no one's ever met him. I just..."

She paused, her gaze drifting to the table as a waiter placed a large platter of grilled lobster in the center.

"Let's just eat," she said, her voice brightening as she looked at the food. "I'll tell you later why I was so startled. I've been craving seafood all week."

Her attention shifted immediately to the table, her eyes lighting up as she reached for a serving spoon.

"Seafood first," she said, pointing excitedly at the lobster platter. "That comes before everything else. I've been dreaming about this since lunch."

Jayden watched her for a moment-her face animated, her hands moving with excitement as she piled lobster onto her plate. A faint smile formed on his lips-the kind of soft, genuine expression he rarely showed to anyone but her.

Across the table-

Jenny watched too. Her grip tightened around her glass until her knuckles were white, her jaw set in a hard line. Jealousy flickered in her eyes-raw and unfiltered-as she saw the way Jayden looked at Jane, the way he leaned slightly closer when she spoke, the small, intimate gestures that spoke of familiarity and affection.

Then-

She spoke. Her voice was clear and sharp, cutting through the chatter like a knife.

"Jane," she said, her eyes fixed on the other woman.

The table quieted slightly, pilots pausing mid-conversation as they turned to look at her.

"It's only been a few days since you broke up with Reuben..."

A pause. She let the implication hang in the air, her eyes sliding slowly toward Jayden-taking in his crisp shirt, his expensive watch, the way he sat so close to Jane.

"...And you've already found a new boyfriend?"

The question landed with a thud. Several captains shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Jane's smile faded slightly, her hand pausing mid-air as she reached for her wine glass. She looked up at Jenny, her expression calm but her eyes darkening with irritation.