Here's a master list of some of my one-shots, writing prompts, etc. Enjoy!!!

Sick Day: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/810358577327964160/sick-day?source=share

What a Mess: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/810037755080015872/okay-okay-for-the-prompts-ask-what-about-6-or-11?source=share

Anniversary Gone Wrong: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/805178880493305856/dude-prompt-1219-lets-be-honest-it-was?source=share

New Year New Possibilities: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/804505416793997312/no-one-asked-for-it-but-heres-a-little-something?source=share

I'm Afraid You Will Hurt Yourself Even More: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/804214577245093888/ooooh-its-friday-eve-and-we-all-need-emotional?source=share

There is a fine line between stupid and genius: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/803186235159003136/after-re-reading-the-last-list-of-writing-prompts?source=share

I can still see it in your eyes: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/803136061999087616/howdy-howdy-friend-happy-sunday-abd-i-hope-its-a?source=share

Defending them, even when they're not there to witness it: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/802740030899650560/ive-been-on-a-tumblr-hiatus-so-i-just-saw-your?source=share

I’m just getting comfortable: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/799851702927900672/hi-i-hope-youre-doing-well-and-having-a-nice?source=share

I wish I had an answer for you: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/799851549643931648/ooooooo-how-about-35-i-wish-i-had-an-answer-for?source=share

A Piece of Home (AO3): https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/790528669628153856/a-piece-of-home-1708-words-by-rainletty21-ao3?source=share

Free Falling- Chapter 1- Without a Parachute: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/820514211934470144/free-falling?source=share

Free Falling- Chapter 2- The Climb: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/821133906100305920/free-falling?source=share

Free Falling- Chapter 3- Turbulence: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/821780750502379520/free-falling?source=share

Free Falling- Chapter 4- No Vacancy: https://www.tumblr.com/rainletty21/822310638852374528/free-falling?source=share

Chapter 5- Severe Diplomatic Consequences

Sometime during the night, Dina stirred.

Her consciousness returned in slow waves. The first thing that hit her was the scent—Ellie’s cologne, rich and mouth-watering, clinging to the sheets and filling her senses.

The second thing she noticed was the temperature. She was fucking roasting.

Slowly, her eyes blinked open and immediately found the source for the overwhelming warmth.

Dina was practically draped across her bedmate.

Her head rested on Ellie’s chest, close enough to hear the slow, even rhythm of her heartbeat. One arm was slung across her waist, Dina’s hand having ventured beneath the hem of Ellie’s soft, cotton t-shirt during the night and was currently splayed across the warm, ridged plane of her stomach. Beneath the covers, one of her legs had somehow become tangled with Ellie’s, while her other leg rested comfortably across Ellie's thigh.

And Ellie—she had an arm wrapped around her.

Not loosely, either.

Her left arm was draped securely around Dina’s back, holding her close even in sleep.

Dina froze, heat immediately rushing to her face.

The last thing she remembered was lying on her side of the bed, carefully maintaining a respectable amount of space between them as they’d talked about. Apparently Sleeping Dina had decided that was a terrible plan.

Very carefully, she tilted her head upward.

Ellie was still asleep.

A soft glow from the streetlights outside filtered through a gap in the curtains, painting faint, pale streaks across her face. Her expression was relaxed, peaceful.

Dina felt a tug of fondness.

The previous day replayed in fragments through her mind—the long conversations, the shared meal, the easy laughter that had somehow come so naturally.

Dina swallowed.

She should move. Immediately. Retreat to her half of the bed.

As if sensing the impending movement, Ellie shifted slightly in her sleep. Her arm tightening for half a second around Dina’s back, her thumb rubbing absently against her shirt.

Dina’s breath caught, then Ellie settled again, exhaling softly.

Still asleep. Still holding onto her.

Dina lifted her head again, just enough to study the firefighter who’d seemingly turned her world upside in a matter of hours. She found herself studying the details she hadn’t had the opportunity to notice for long. The faint crease in Ellie’s eyebrow that remained even in sleep. The small scar near her temple and lip. The way the stray light softened the sharp angles of her face.

Most striking was how peaceful she looked.

Her head had lulled slightly to the far side of the pillow sometime during the night, her auburn strands fanning across the pillowcase. Dina's gaze wandered to the smooth column of her neck, the sharp line of her jaw, the relaxed curve of her mouth. A quiet ache bloomed low in her stomach and Dina wondered how that skin would feel beneath her lips, against her tongue.

Her fingertips began to move. Slow, feather-light strokes traced the grooves between Ellie's abdominal muscles, following each defined ridge, dipping into the valleys, then gliding over the gentle rises again. The motion widened with each pass, palm spreading wider across heated skin.

Ellie stirred, a soft, contented sigh escaping her chest that vibrated against Dina’s cheek, but Dina kept tracing, lost in the feeling under her fingers.

After a few moments, Dina glanced up, the green eyes she had been admiring all day were now open and quietly gazing down at her. A fond, sleepy smile touched Dina’s lips the moment their eyes met. The air between them thickened instantly, charged with a sudden, electric tension. Dina’s gaze flickered down to Ellie’s lips, the urge becoming unbearable.

To new beginnings.

Dina stretched upward, her body arching slightly as Ellie responded in kind, leaning down to meet her. When their lips finally touched, the contact slow, gentle, and tentative—a soft question being asked in the dark. But the hesitation didn’t last long. The kiss deepened, turning bold and explorative as heat flared between them— breath mingling, tongues brushing, bodies pressing closer under the covers.

Dina’s hand slid out from under the hem of Ellie’s shirt, her fingers reaching up to tangle firmly in auburn locks, pulling her closer. Ellie hummed softly into the kiss, her right hand coming up to caress Dina’s cheek and jaw with a tender intensity, while her left arm tightened around Dina’s waist, hauling her flush against her body until there was no space left between them.

Holy shit!

Dina's brain short circuited, her body taking over. 

The kiss deepened, tongues dancing in a slow, rhythmic slide that mirrored the heat building between their bodies. Their hands wandered with a soft, innocent curiosity at first—palms skimming over shoulders, fingers tracing the curves of waists—until Dina’s hand wandered lower. Her fingers traced the waistband of Ellie’s boxer briefs, the fabric thin, the skin beneath it searing.

Ellie’s hand hesitantly covered hers, gentle but firm, stopping Dina from dipping lower. She eased back, resting her forehead against Dina’s, both of them breathing heavily, their chests heaving in perfect synchronization as they tried to catch their breath in the dimly lit room.

“I want you…believe me, I do,” Ellie said lowly, meeting Dina’s gaze, her voice strained and thick with desire, yet laced with vulnerability. “I just…I don’t think I can be a regretted one-night stand…not with you. You deserve better than that.”

Dina’s thumb brushed Ellie’s lower lip. Her gaze softening as she looked into Ellie's eyes.

“I don’t think I could ever regret anything when it comes to you… Besides, we’re both headed home to LA, who says this has to be a one-time thing?”

Ellie paused, her eyes searching Dina’s, looking for any hint of hesitation or falsehood. The silence stretched for a heartbeat, heavy with anticipation.

“Yeah?” Ellie breathed, the word barely a whisper.

Dina nodded confidently. She reached up, her fingertips tracing the elegant line of Ellie’s collarbone through the fabric of her shirt, the touch light but intentional.

“Yeah. I really like you, El. I’d like to see where this goes.”

Ellie held her gaze for a moment longer, the last of her reservations melting away under the sincerity in Dina’s expression and the impossible burn of her touch. A look of certainty washed over her face, and she leaned back in, capturing Dina’s lips in a kiss that was no longer tentative, but hungry and sure.

“I’d like that,” Ellie murmured against her mouth, “I really like you too.”

Dina smiled into the kiss, the victory of Ellie’s confession sparking a new hunger low in her belly. With a sudden surge of confidence, she pressed her palms against Ellie’s chest and pushed her flat against the mattress.

Ellie let out a soft chuckle of surprise as her back hit the bed, but she didn’t resist. Dina immediately shifted, swinging her leg over to straddle Ellie’s hips, her weight settling firmly against the woman beneath her.

Ellie’s hands found Dina’s hips at once, fingers anchoring her and pulling her down as they collided in a heated, desperate kiss that tasted of possibility.

Of a potential future.

Dina’s hands slowly slid down Ellie’s arms, nimble fingers curling around her wrists with a grip that was both insistent and tender. She lifted Ellie’s arms above her head, pressing them firmly into the pillow on both sides of her head.

Even though Ellie could have easily twisted free, she chose to yield. The pressure of Dina’s palms against her wrists sending a thrill up her spine, a delicious mix of anticipation and trust.

Dina’s weight was a warm, grounding presence, pressing Ellie further into the softness of the mattress. As their tongues tangled in a wet, hungry dance, the gentle grind of their bodies rubbing together through their clothes stoked a searing heat that made Ellie’s breath hitch.

Breaking the kiss just an inch, Dina trailed her lips down to the sensitive skin of Ellie’s neck, nipping lightly at the junction where her shoulder met her throat. Ellie let out a shaky moan, her back arching instinctively as Dina continued a slow, aching grind. The pressure of Dina's groin against her own was agonizingly maddening, a steady friction that sent sparks straight to Ellie's core.

Pulling away from her assault on Ellie's neck, Dina shifted, sitting back on her heels while her knees still bracketed Ellie’s hips. With a confident, lingering look in her eyes, Dina reached down, gripping the hem of her own t-shirt. In one fluid movement, she tugged the material upward, baring her golden skin in the dim light.

Ellie’s green eyes tracked every new inch of skin, pupils blown wide as the fabric cleared Dina’s head and dropped to the floor, leaving her completely nude from the waist up.

Dina looked like a goddamn masterpiece before her, the contrast striking—the soft curves of her waist leading to a flat stomach before climbing to the swell of her breasts perfectly framed by the shadows. Her skin is flawless save for the slow appearance of goosebumps on heated skin against the cool air-conditioned air.

Ellie felt a surge of heat rush through her and the urge to touch this beautiful woman on top of her could no longer be resisted. Her warm and slightly calloused palms rose slowly, gliding up the smooth length of Dina’s thighs, over the flare of her hips, then higher still until they reached the warm curve of her waist.

Questioning eyes flickered up to Dina’s and after a gentle nod and sexy smirk, continued her ascent, skimming the undersides of Dina’s exposed breasts, grazing the sensitive skin with a lightness that made Dina gasp and arch her back.

Feeling bold, Ellie slid her palms over Dina’s supple breasts, kneading them gently. Nipples stiffened under the attention and Ellie’s breath hitched.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” Ellie whispered, voice thick with adoration and arousal.

Ellie surged forward, sitting upright to wrap her arms around Dina’s back and pulled her flush. Their mouths met hard, tongues sliding deep as Ellie’s strong arms locked her in place. Dina’s bare chest pressed to Ellie’s shirt, heat blooming between them as the kiss turned urgent and hungry once again.

Dina pulled back from the kiss, her head lolling back to expose the elegant line of her throat. The movement was an invitation, and Ellie didn't hesitate to accept it. She leaned in, capturing Dina’s earlobe between her teeth and giving it soft bite. The playful tug that followed sent a shiver down Dina’s spine, a soft whimper escaping her lips. Ellie didn't hold back; she began trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down the column of Dina's neck, her tongue swirling against the sensitive skin.

Dina gasped breathily, the sensation sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core. Her hips bucked involuntarily against Ellie’s, the friction of their bodies grinding together fueling the fire raging between them.

Desperate for skin-to-skin contact, Dina ran her hands down the expanse of Ellie's broad back, her fingertips digging into the muscle. She didn't want the attention to her neck to stop, but the fabric barrier had become intolerable.

Beneath her. Ellie suddenly froze in place, but didn't speak.

As Dina’s touch lightened, she noticed the skin beneath the shirt and her palm wasn't smooth. There were ridges there—uneven patches that felt different from the surrounding skin, stretching across much of her upper back from the feel of it.

"Ellie?"

For a moment, Ellie didn't answer. Her forehead slowly dropped forward and came to rest between Dina's heaving breasts, her shoulders drawing inward as if she were trying to make herself smaller. The easy confidence she carried seemed to disappear in an instant.

"Can we leave it on?" Ellie all but whispered, like she was bracing for rejection.

Dina was taken aback. She waited a moment before gently placing her index and middle fingers beneath Ellie's chin and encouraging her to meet her gaze.

"It's okay," Dina said softly, "we can leave it on if you want to."

Ellie seemed to relax a little, but not fully like she'd been before.

"But," Dina continued after a brief pause, her tone gentle and soothing with sincerity. "Whatever it is, you don't have to hide from me...it won't change how I feel about you."

Ellie's eyes met hers, searching as if she'd heard these words before and had them taken back. She let out a slow breath.

"There was an apartment fire a few years ago."

Dina rested her forearms on Ellie's shoulders, her finger tips running gently through the short hairs at the base of her head—soothing and grounding Ellie all at once.

"By the time we got there, most of tenants had gotten out, but there were still two kids missing. They were hiding in a bedroom closet," Ellie swallowed and continued. "They couldn't have been more than four years old."

Dina listened silently giving her space to continue.

"The fire had already spread through most of the unit, we didn't have time to wait for a line so we went in," Ellie glanced away briefly before continuing. "I wrapped my turnout jacket around them and carried them out, but the heat...was intense..." She shook her head. "It was worse than I realized."

Her thumb subconsciously rubbed over the ridge of Dina's hip.

"I ended up with third-degree burns across most of my back..."

Dina stared at her—not in pity, not in horror, but wonder.

The story itself was remarkable, but what struck her most was the way Ellie told it.

No boasting. No attempt to impress her. She recalled it plainly, almost reluctantly, as if she still didn't think it was worth mentioning.

If anything, Ellie seemed embarrassed to talk about it at all.

The realization settled over Dina slowly. Ellie wasn't sharing this because she wanted recognition. She was sharing it because she trusted her with it.

After such a short time of knowing one another, that trust felt significant.

Dina's expression softened. "The kids made it out ok?"

A shadow of a smile appeared on Ellie's face. "Yeah."

The answer came instantly, without hesitation. As though that was the only part of the story that had ever mattered.

Dina smiled back and leaned forward to capture Ellie's lips once again before pulling back to frame Ellie’s face gently with her hands to look her in the eye.

“I don’t care if you had a third-eye hiding under your shirt,” Dina smiled, “you’d still be just as beautiful to me.”

Ellie studied her a moment then slowly raised her arms above her head, a silent offering. Dina gripped the hem of the fabric and pulled the garment over Ellie’s head, tossing it carelessly to the floor beside the bed exposing the map of burn scars across Ellie's back.

Dina didn't flinch or pull away. Instead, she leaned in, her breath warm against Ellie's skin. She began placing gentle, open-mouthed kisses along the curve of Ellie's neck, her lips soft and lingering. Each kiss a silent promise, a way of telling Ellie that she was seen, completely accepted, and wanted. While her mouth worked its way across the sensitive skin of Ellie's shoulder, Dina’s hands began to move.

With a reverent touch, Dina ran her palms over the scarred tissue. She didn’t treat them as something to be avoided or pitied; she touched them as if they were simply another part of the woman she was falling for, gliding her fingers over the ridges and smooth patches as if they weren’t even there. Her touch was light, almost ethereal, tracing the patterns of the skin with a tenderness that bordered on worship.

Ellie let out a long, shuddering exhale, the tension that had held her shoulders tight finally snapping. The fear of judgment, the anticipation of a recoil—all vanished under the warmth of Dina’s palms.

For the first time in a long time, Ellie felt safe. She felt the weight of her insecurities lift, replaced by a profound sense of appreciation and desire.

Slowly, Ellie began to relax, her body melting as she surrendered to Dina’s touch. The rhythm of their yearning, which had momentarily paused for this confession, began to burn white hot once more. Ellie tilted her head back, exposing more of her throat to Dina’s lips, her own hands reaching back to grip Dina’s hips, pulling her closer.

As Dina continued to kiss and stroke her back, Ellie felt a surge of raw affection for the woman above her, the intimacy shifting from a tentative exploration to a deep, soul-aching need to be as close as humanly possible.

Dina sat back on her heels for a moment, her breath hitching as she took in the full view of Ellie's toned body. The dim light played over the defined lines of Ellie's abs and the powerful slope of her chest. Her eyes traced the intricate lines of Ellie's tattoos, ink Dina hadn’t known existed traced across her ribs and climbed up her left arm all the way to the top of her shoulder. Dina’s lips parted.

"Jesus Christ…" Dina whispered, her voice raw and thick with craving. Her eyes scanned every inch of Ellie, drinking her in with an intensity that felt almost ravenous.

Unable to keep her distance any longer, Dina leaned forward. She moved slowly, appreciatively, running her palms across the firmness of Ellie’s breasts, thumbs brushing over the pierced peaks, feeling the heat radiating from her skin. Her hands glided up Ellie’s chest and over the curve of her strong shoulders, her touch possessive and admiring. As she explored, Dina leaned in, capturing Ellie’s lips once again in a deep, searing kiss that tasted of longing and mutual hunger.

Dina pressed her weight forward, her body molding against Ellie's. Ellie took the hint immediately and laid back against the mattress once again with a soft exhale. Dina followed her down, her body sliding over Ellie's, the feeling of skin on skin pressing together sending a wave of euphoria through her.

Looking down into Ellie's green eyes, Dina felt a surge of disbelief and warmth. She had never imagined that her trip would lead her here—to this wonderful woman, and certainly not to this bed. When she had first seen this beautiful stranger walk by her in the terminal, she had felt a spark, but she hadn't known it would ignite into this. Yet, as she felt Ellie's hands slide beneath her shorts to grip her bare ass, bodies grinding, and hearts racing, it somehow felt inevitable.

Another thing that was inevitable?

Kat was never going to let her live this down—

Chapter 4- No Vacancy

Despite being crowded and loud, the shuttle bus to the hotel was light-years better than the tram ride between terminals. Apparently though, the majority of the passengers from the canceled flight had the exact same idea Dina and Ellie had.

By the time they arrived at the hotel, the lobby looked more like a TSA checkpoint. The line of stranded travelers stretched nearly to the front doors.

"Oh, this is bad," Dina muttered.

Ellie followed her gaze. "Yeah."

For the next forty minutes, the line crawled forward inch by inch, the lone hotel receptionist working as quickly as she could given the circumstances.

People checked phones, argued quietly with airline representatives, and desperately refreshed hotel booking apps.

Eventually Dina reached the front desk.

To her immense relief and surprise, there were still vacancies. Without hesitation, she swiped her credit card and booked the room.

Clutching her room key like a winning lottery ticket, Dina stepped away from the desk and found a quiet corner off the lobby to call Kat, who answered on the second ring.

"Are you boarding?"

Dina sighed. "Nope."

"Why do I hear disappointment in your voice?"

"Because my flight was canceled."

Kat groaned. "Noooo, you're kidding."

"I wish."

Dina explained the situation, absently nudging her duffel bag with the toe of her shoe.

"So you're stuck overnight?"

"Yep, but hey you can go out tonight now."

Kat cackled deviously. “And now I have an excuse to be late picking you up tomorrow."

"You were going to be late anyway."

"That's hurtful."

Dina smiled. “Yet, it’s the truth.”

“Hey, how was your flight next to the hot distraction?”

Dina chuckled and hesitated, knowing the can of worms her answer would open.

“It was good…we actually just had dinner together during the layover.”

There was a dramatic pause.

“WHAT?!!!! OMG, YESSSSS!”

Dina yanked her phone away from her ear for fear it would start bleeding.

“I need the details, D!”

Dina chuckled and shook her head, “And I need sleep, talk to you tomorrow?"

“You can’t drop something like that on me and NOT give me anything, Dina!”

“And yet, I just did...”

"Ughhh you’re killing me! Fine, but I want ALL the juicy details tomorrow!"

Dina chuckled, resigned to her fate. "Night, Kat."

As she hung up and slipped her phone into her pocket, she spotted Ellie in the lobby.

Ellie walked toward a seating area in the corner, dropped her backpack beside a chair, and practically collapsed into it. The defeated sigh that followed was audible from several feet away.

Dina hesitated then headed over.

"Hey, you okay?"

“Yeah,” Ellie laughed softly, though there wasn't much humor behind it. "The hotel's full."

Dina winced. "Oh shit.”

"Yeah." Ellie patted the arm of the chair she was sitting in. "It'll just be me and this baby tonight."

She ran a hand over the worn upholstery. "I think we're ready to take the next step in our relationship."

Dina laughed. "I'm happy for you two."

"Thank you. It's moving pretty fast but when you know, you know."

That earned a grin.

Then Dina glanced toward the front desk. "I actually managed to get a room."

Ellie nodded. "Nice, I’m glad you got lucky."

"Yeah..."

A brief pause followed.

Then Dina took a breath.

"You're welcome to stay with me."

Ellie's eyebrows rose immediately.

"Dina..." Ellie smiled, clearly touched, but shook her head. "That's very kind, but I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking." Dina shrugged. "I'm offering."

Ellie opened her mouth to object again.

Before she could, Dina continued. “There’s two beds. Do you really think I'm going to let you sleep in the lobby?"

Ellie looked around. The chair, the crowded foyer, the dozens of stranded travelers, then back at Dina.

A laugh escaped her, the sound carrying a note of surrender.

"When you put it like that..."

Dina smiled, nudging her foot. "Come on."

Ellie shook her head, chuckling in defeat as she stood and grabbed their bags as she had done since landing in Colorado.

"Lead the way."

For reasons she couldn't entirely explain, Dina found herself smiling all the way to the elevators.

xxxxxxxx

Like most of their time together, the elevator ride was easy.

They laughed about their impromptu sprint through the airport after the flight cancellation, and by the time they reached their floor, Dina had almost forgotten how nervous Ellie still made her.

Almost.

"Here we are," Dina said as they stopped outside room 515. She slid the keycard into the lock, pushed the door inward.

And immediately froze, her brain taking a moment to process the information before her.

There was one queen-sized bed sitting squarely against the right-hand wall.

One.

No second bed, no fold-out couch.

Dina's heart launched itself directly into her throat. "Oh shit."

Beside her, Ellie leaned forward to peer into the room.

There was a beat of silence.

Then another.

"Oh…”

Dina stared at the bed.

She distinctly remembered the clerk saying two beds.

Hadn't she?

Maybe she’d misheard her?

Maybe the clerk selected the wrong room?

Maybe the universe simply hated her.

"Well," Ellie said carefully.

Dina finally looked over and realized Ellie had noticed her reaction. Of course she did. There was no missing the way Dina's entire body had gone rigid.

A small, understanding smile appeared on Ellie's face. "Hey, it's okay."

"What?"

"I'll be fine downstairs," Ellie said, setting Dina’s bags just inside the door and adjusting the strap of her backpack. "Seriously, I appreciate the offer."

Dina blinked. "Huh?"

"The lobby," Ellie shrugged, “it won't be that bad."

"Ellie—"

"I'm sure they'll have coffee in the morning." She took a step backward. Then another, turning to leave.

Before she could get more than a few feet away, Dina reached out automatically, her fingers wrapping around Ellie's wrist.

Ellie stopped.

Both of them seemed equally surprised by the gesture and Dina immediately felt heat creep up her neck but didn't let go. "No."

Ellie's eyebrows lifted.

Dina tugged her gently back toward the doorway, “you're not sleeping in a chair downstairs."

"Dina—"

"—we'll make it work."

Ellie looked from Dina to the bed and back again. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "We?"

Dina immediately regretted her wording. "You know what I mean."

Ellie's grin widened slightly.

Dina rolled her eyes and finally released her wrist. "Get inside, you're staying here."

Ellie considered this then offered, "I can sleep on the floor then."

Dina stared at her for a full second. Then another. "Absolutely not, that's worse than the chair."

"It is not."

"It 100% is."

"Dina, people sleep on floors all the time."

"People also eat gas station sushi, but it doesn’t mean you should."

"That's not even remotely the same thing,” Ellie snorted.

“They’re both bad ideas,” Dina pointed emphatically toward the room. "No chairs. No floor. We have a perfectly good bed.”

Both of them fell silent.

Dina could practically hear her own heartbeat.

Ellie looked at the bed. Then at Dina. A faint flush touched the top of her cheeks.

Another beat of silence.

Then Ellie rubbed the back of her neck. "If you're sure..."

Dina was very much not sure. Not because she didn't trust Ellie, but because she didn't trust herself.

But there was no way she was letting Ellie spend the night on the floor—or worse, in the lobby.

So she stepped inside and flicked on the light. "I'm sure."

A smile slowly spread across Ellie's face. Small. Warm. A little amused. "Okay."

And somehow that single word made Dina's heart beat even faster than when she'd first seen there was one bed.

Ellie dropped her backpack onto the small table in the corner and took a slow look around the room.

The hotel room was clean but unmistakably utilitarian, furnished with just the essentials for weary travelers passing through.

Immediately inside the door, a tiny bathroom sat to the right, its narrow doorway revealing a compact vanity, toilet, and shower tucked efficiently into the small space.

Beyond the bathroom, against the opposite wall, stood a single queen-sized bed made with crisp white linens. Matching nightstands flanked either side, both topped with a simple lamp that cast a warm, amber glow over the room.

Directly across from the bed was a large rectangular dresser. A single oversized cabinet door dominated one half of the piece, while several drawers occupied the other. Resting on top was a modest flat-screen television, angled toward the bed.

Beside the dresser sat a small wooden desk with a rolling office chair tucked neatly underneath, the only real workspace in the room.

The muted earth tones, beige walls, and generic landscape print above the bed gave the room the familiar, anonymous feel of a hotel—a place designed not to be memorable, but to provide a comfortable night’s sleep.

“It’s not bad,” Ellie shrugged.

“By stranded-passenger standards?” Dina asked.

“Exactly.”

Ellie wandered toward the cabinet beneath the television. There was a pause followed by an excited—

“Oh, hell yes!”

Dina looked up from where she was unpacking her phone charger from her bag. “Hmm?”

Ellie stepped back to expose a mini fridge tucked into the cubby of the dresser. With a grin spreading across her face, she opened the refrigerator door, revealing a fully stocked mini bar inside. “Score.”

Dina laughed. “What goodies did you find?”

Ellie crouched in front of the open door and began surveying the contents. “You down for a nightcap or three?”

Dina considered it for roughly half a second. “Why not?”

“Yessss.” Ellie pumped a fist triumphantly.

Dina shook her head, smiling. “You are way too excited about overpriced, bottle barrel alcohol.”

“You say that like we aren’t stranded overnight.”

“Fair point.”

Ellie began pulling items out one at a time. “Let’s see what we’ve got.”

She held up a tiny bottle. “Vodka.”

Onto the counter it went, then—

“Gin.”

“Ugh, Christmas tree in a bottle, hard pass.”

Ellie glanced with a chuckle, “Agreed!”

Pulling out another.

“Whiskey.”

Dina raised an eyebrow. “That’s promising.”

Ellie reached back into the fridge. “We’ve got Tequila and some mixers…sour mix, tonic water, ginger ale, club soda, coke…”

She lined them up beside the liquor bottles like a bartender preparing for a very disappointing shift. “Oh, and tiny wines to keep things classy.”

She held up two miniature bottles.

Dina laughed. “Those are adorable.”

“They’re trying their best,” Ellie said, setting them down and scanning their options.

For a moment she looked genuinely thoughtful. Then she pointed dramatically at the lineup.

“We’re either about to have a surprisingly sophisticated evening or wake up regretting every decision we’ve ever made,” Ellie shrugged like she was fine going in either direction.

“I appreciate that those are the only two possibilities,” Dina chuckled.

“It’s important to stay realistic.”

Dina crossed the room and joined her near the fridge. Their shoulders bumped lightly as they looked over the selection.

Ellie held up the vodka. “Thoughts?”

“I don’t trust mini-bar vodka.”

“Fair point, maybe later when we’re in more desperate times.”

The vodka was returned to the shelf, the gin following close behind.

A few minutes later they had assembled a pair of simple drinks in plastic cups and settled onto the floor at the foot of the bed.

The atmosphere shifted almost immediately.

Not because of the alcohol.

But because they were comfortable. The kind of comfortable that felt strange when you realized you’d only met someone a few hours ago.

Ellie lifted her cup.

“To canceled flights.”

Dina laughed and clinked hers against it. “To mechanical failures before takeoff.”

“And to whatever poor mechanic is having the worst day of their life right now.”

“Oof, definitely to that guy.”

They drank.

xxxxxxxxx

Breaking into the mini bar had proven to be a terrible idea.

Or maybe a great one.

Dina hadn't decided yet.

A handful of miniature bottles sat empty on the dresser while she and Ellie still occupied the carpet at the foot of the bed, backs resting against the mattress.

The conversation had continued to flow effortlessly for hours.

Every story seemed to lead to another.

A missed connection in Chicago.

A six-hour delay in Seattle.

A rental car disaster in Phoenix.

At one point Ellie laughed so hard at one of Dina's stories that she nearly spit out her drink.

"There's no way you actually got locked in the airport bathroom."

"It wasn't locked," Dina protested.

"That's not what you said five minutes ago."

"Okay, fine. It was locked."

Ellie pointed triumphantly. "Ha!"

Dina rolled her eyes, laughing. "You're so annoying."

"That's not the first time I've been told that."

“I wouldn’t doubt it…”

The warmth from the drinks settled comfortably in Dina's chest. Not enough to make her feel out of control, just enough to smooth away the remaining nerves and give her a buzz.

Somewhere along the way they'd drifted closer together, but neither seemed to notice when it happened.

Dina's attention caught on the tattoo disappearing beneath the sleeve of Ellie's hoodie.

"Can I see those?"

Ellie glanced down. "My tattoos?"

"Yeah."

Without hesitation, Ellie pulled her hoodie over her head leaving her in a black t-shirt and more body art than Dina anticipated.

Holy hell…

Dina didn’t know where to look first as Ellie offered her her arm.

The ink started at Ellie’s wrist and stretched the length of her arm before disappearing under the sleeve of her tee.

Dina gripped Ellie’s arm carefully and settled the limb across her lap.

"These are amazing."

Up close, she could appreciate the detail she'd only glimpsed earlier on the plane.

Dina gently rotated Ellie’s forearm in her hands, studying one of the larger pieces that stretched along the inside of her arm.

Below the crock of Ellie’s elbow was a moth, its wings spread wide as if frozen mid-flight. The artist had packed an incredible amount of detail into it—the delicate veins in the wings, the soft texture suggested in the body, the subtle shading that made it seem almost three-dimensional. Framing the moth were curling fern fronds that wound around it in graceful arcs, their leaves overlapping and intertwining with the design as they snaked to the top of Ellie’s forearm and down onto the back of her hand. The whole piece felt natural and understated, flowing beautifully without being flashy.

“I think this one’s my favorite,” Dina admitted, tracing one of the fern leaves.

Ellie’s expression softened immediately. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s gorgeous.”

A small smile tugged at Ellie’s mouth. “That one’s for my mom.”

Dina looked up.

Ellie was staring down at the tattoo now, her thumb brushing absentmindedly across part of the design.

“She loved being outdoors,” Ellie said. “Any chance she got, she’d drag me out onto a hiking trail somewhere. Forest preserves, state parks, mountains if we could afford the trip.”

Dina smiled. “The ferns remind you those trips…”

Ellie nodded. “Everything was always green. Always smelled like dirt and wet leaves and fresh air.”

“And the moth?”

A quiet chuckle escaped Ellie. “Mom loved them. Said they reminded her of new life, reminded her to always look for the light when things got dark.”

“That’s a great outlook.”

“Yeah,” Ellie said, her smile growing a little. “She used to leave the porch light on in the summer and then spend half the evening pointing out different ones she’d find. She acted like every moth was a rare discovery.”

Dina glanced back down at the tattoo. Suddenly it felt less like ink and more like a collection of memories preserved in skin.

“That’s actually really sweet.”

Ellie nodded. “After she passed away, I wanted something that reminded me of her without just putting her name on my arm.”

Dina’s gaze lingered on the design for a moment. The moth at the center. The ferns surrounding it. The care that had clearly gone into every detail.

“You chose well.”

For a second Ellie didn’t respond, then she smiled softly. “Thanks.”

The room fell quiet, but not an uncomfortable silence. Just one of those moments where neither person felt the need to immediately fill the space.

Dina carefully turned Ellie's arm a little further to get a better look at another tattoo partially hidden along her inner bicep.

This one made her pause.

A giraffe.

Not a cartoon or a stylized silhouette, but a beautifully detailed giraffe rendered in fine black lines. Its long neck curved elegantly upward, ears perked forward, expression almost peaceful. The artist had captured something surprisingly graceful.

Dina smiled. "Okay, I need the story behind this one."

Ellie glanced down and immediately laughed. "I get that reaction a lot."

"I mean..." Dina looked back at the tattoo. "The moth made me emotional, but this giraffe has me a little confused."

Ellie snorted. "That’s fair."

Dina settled back against the bed. "So?"

A fond smile appeared on Ellie's face. "A few years ago, Joel and I took a trip together—"

“Wait, I'm sorry to interrupt, but who’s Joel?” Dina asked. The way Ellie said his name carried obvious affection.

“Oh, he and his wife, Tess, are the folks in Wyoming who took me in after my mom passed, they’re basically my parents without the shared DNA,” Ellie explained with a fond smile.

“I like them already, go on,” Dina smiled.

"Joel always wanted to visit one of those wildlife parks where the animals roam around and you drive through."

Dina nodded. "That sounds fun."

"It was,” Ellie's eyes brightened as she remembered. "They had this platform area where you could hand-feed the giraffes, it was unbelievable."

Ellie glanced at the tattoo again. "I remember standing there just absolutely in awe of how huge they were. Up close they're enormous, they could seriously fuck you up if they wanted to."

Dina raised an eyebrow sarcastically. "That’s comforting."

"But they don’t,” Ellie's smile softened. "They’re so gentle."

For a moment she seemed transported back to the memory.

"These massive animals would lower their heads down and carefully take leaves right out of your hand." She held up her fingers to demonstrate. "They were so careful, like they knew how much strength they had."

Dina listened quietly.

"Their eyes were huge," Ellie continued. "And they were curious about everything. One of them almost tugged my hood over my head."

"You sound like you're in love with them."

Ellie laughed. "Maybe a little."

"I knew it!" Dina chuckled, taking a sip of her drink.

"But honestly?" Ellie looked down at the tattoo. "I think it stuck with me because it surprised me so much."

Dina tilted her head. "How so?"

Ellie considered the question.

"I expected something intimidating." Her thumb brushed lightly over the ink. "Instead I got something gentle…it kind of taught me not to judge a book by it’s cover."

Dina's gaze lingered on the tattoo, then on Ellie's face—at the fondness there. The way she smiled when talking about the people and memories connected to the artwork.

"You know," Dina said, "that's actually a pretty great reason to get a tattoo."

Ellie smiled. "Yeah?”

A beat passed.

Then Dina grinned. "I'm still going to tell people you have a thing for giraffes."

Ellie groaned and lifted her cup to her lips. "Please don't."

"No promises."

The laugh that escaped Ellie filled the room again, warm and easy, and for a moment Dina found herself thinking that she could probably listen to her tell stories all night.

She gave Ellie’s arm a gentle squeeze, running her fingertips over her inner forearm again, tracing the moth’s wings. “I think this one is still my favorite.”

Ellie’s smile returned, warmer this time. “Mine too.”

The next several minutes passed with Dina asking more questions and Ellie explaining pieces of artwork.

Some represented places. Others represented more memories.

A few were simply things she'd thought looked cool at nineteen.

"At least you're honest,” Dina chuckled at a band logo near her elbow.

"No point in lying."

Dina laughed, leaning closer to examine a small detail hidden among the lines. "Oh, that's clever."

"What?" Ellie leaned over.

"This,” Dina pointed out.

Ellie looked down then back up.

And found Dina watching her. For a moment neither spoke and the laughter faded naturally into silence.

Ellie suddenly became aware of how close they were sitting.

Close enough to notice the different shades of chocolate in Dina's beautiful dark eyes. Close enough to see the faint smile lingering at the corners of her mouth.

The room felt quieter than before.

Neither looked away.

Dina felt her heartbeat pick up as Ellie's emerald gaze flickered briefly downward before returning to her eyes.

The moment stretched.

Long enough for both of them to become aware of it.

Long enough for Dina to realize exactly why her pulse was racing.

They were both slowly leaning in—

—and that realization hit her like a bucket of ice water.

Dina stood so abruptly that Ellie jumped, recoiling so hard she ended up on her opposite hip, her arm sliding off Dina’s lap and onto the floor.

"I should—" Dina cleared her throat, "uh, get ready for bed."

The words came out far less smoothly than she'd intended.

"Oh," Ellie blinked. "Yeah, ok."

Dina immediately regretted her actions. But instead of explaining herself, she grabbed her duffel bag.

"I'll only be a minute,” she said quickly and then escaped into the bathroom.

The door clicked shut behind her and Dina leaned both hands against the counter, staring at her reflection.

Her heart was pounding.

"What are you doing?" she muttered to herself.

The answer was unfortunately obvious.

She'd panicked.

Dina groaned softly and covered her face with her hands.

There had been a moment there. A real, mutual moment. Everything she’d been not so secretly hoping for all day.

And she'd practically sprinted in the opposite direction.

Outside the bathroom, she could hear Ellie moving around the room, tidying up the empty bottles, giving her space.

Inside, Dina shook her head at herself.

When she’d first spotted Ellie outside the coffee shop, the attraction had been immediate. Simple. Easy to explain.

Ellie was beautiful, case closed.

Or so Dina had thought.

Now, things felt considerably more complicated. Somewhere between the coffee shop and sharing appetizers over beers, Dina had discovered that Ellie was more than just attractive.

Much more.

She thought about the way Ellie’s face had lit up while talking about her mother and the subsequent move to Wyoming. The obvious love she had for firefighting and being a paramedic. The pride in her voice when she talked about helping people.

Even the way she’d insisted on paying for dinner—not because she was trying to impress anyone, but because she genuinely wanted to.

There was a kindness to her, a sincerity that was so rare she hardly recognized it at first.

Dina found herself smiling. It was ridiculous, really. She’d known this woman for a less than a day yet somehow, she already felt more comfortable around Ellie than she had around people she’d known for years. She trusted her.

Maybe it was because Ellie seemed so unapologetically herself—no games, no posturing, no trying to impress anyone. Just genuine.

And God, that was attractive.

More attractive than the green eyes. More attractive than the tattoos hidden beneath that hoodie. More attractive than the smile that kept making Dina’s stomach do backflips.

The physical attraction had been what caught her attention, but it was Ellie’s heart that was keeping it.

Eventually, after spending far too long staring at herself in the bathroom mirror and replaying the last few hours in her head, Dina splashed cold water on her face and changed into her sleep wear— a pair of athletic shorts and an oversized t-shirt.

She adjusted the hair tie holding her locks in a high, messy bun and took a steadying breath before opening the bathroom door.

Ellie was sitting on the edge of the bed, with her phone in hand.

“I set my alarm for eight," Ellie announced, looking up.

And froze, just for a second.

Dina paused halfway through closing the bathroom door.

"What?"

Ellie blinked. "Huh?"

"You just made a face."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

A grin tugged at the corner of Ellie's mouth. "I was just surprised."

"By what?"

Ellie gestured vaguely.

"The whole..." Her hand circled in the air. "Not-airport version of you."

Dina laughed. "The not-airport version of me?"

"Yeah. No backpack. No coffee. No panic over canceled flights."

"I didn’t panic."

"You definitely panicked."

Dina rolled her eyes and finally took a proper look at Ellie.

She was still wearing the same jeans and t-shirt she'd been in all day.

"Wait."

Ellie looked up.

"Is that what you're sleeping in?"

“Yeah.” Ellie glanced down at herself. "The rest of my stuff is in my checked bag."

Everything clicked into place for Dina. "The checked bag currently trapped at the airport."

"Correct."

Dina winced. "That's rough."

Ellie shrugged. "I've slept in worse, I once passed out in the locker room after a call in full turnouts."

There was a brief pause.

Then Dina cleared her throat. "You know...you could take the jeans off if you'd be more comfortable."

The words sounded significantly more awkward once they'd actually left her mouth.

Ellie raised an eyebrow and grinned instantly.

Dina immediately regretted everything. "That's not what I meant."

"Are you trying to get me naked, Dina?"

For a horrifying second, Dina's brain completely stopped functioning. The joke landed so unexpectedly that all coherent thought vanished.

Ellie watched her struggle not to choke on absolutely nothing. Then she laughed. "I'm fucking with you."

"I know."

"You looked terrified."

"I was not terrified."

"You were."

Dina pointed at her. "You’re an ass."

"So I've been told."

Still chuckling, Ellie stood and undid her belt. She kept her head down while she unzipped and stepped out of her pants, leaving her in a snug pair of black boxer briefs.

"Happy now?"

"Very."

"That's a weird answer."

Dina groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Please stop talking."

Laughing, Ellie stepped over to the desk in the corner and folded her jeans neatly and set her hat and socks on top. When she turned back toward the bed, the casual confidence she'd carried all day was somehow even more disarming without the oversized hoodie she'd been hiding in all day.

Dina gave her a quick—and hopefully sly—once over, taking in her broad shoulders, defined arms, and general athletically toned body.

Fuck.

Dina quickly looked away before she could get caught staring. The last thing she needed was another awkward moment. Unfortunately, her brain seemed determined to create them tonight.

She busied herself with turning down the blankets while Ellie plugged her phone in on the nightstand.

Outside the window, the lights of the airport glowed against the dark Colorado sky.

"So," Ellie said after a moment, climbing onto the mattress on the other side, "how do we share this bed without making it weird?"

Dina laughed. "I think we're way past making it weird."

Ellie smiled and pointed to an invisible line down the center of the mattress.

“Alright, treaty line. Half the bed is yours, half is mine."

Dina smirked, quirking a brow. "What happens if someone crosses the line?"

Ellie pretended to think about it. "Severe diplomatic consequences."

Dina snorted. "Reasonable, yet frightening."

"I thought so."

The easy banter helped. The nervous energy that had built up after the almost-moment gradually faded into something softer.

Eventually they both settled beneath the blankets, careful to leave an exaggerated amount of space between them.

The silence lasted all of thirty seconds.

"This bed is smaller than it looks," Ellie observed.

"It really is."

Another pause.

Then both of them laughed.

The tension finally broke.

As the room grew quieter, conversation drifted from favorite books to terrible jobs they'd worked, and places they wanted to visit someday.

Somewhere in the middle of Ellie describing a disastrous camping trip with Joel, Dina found herself smiling into the darkness.

Somehow a random conversation on a plane had turned into one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable nights she'd had in a long time.

Eventually Ellie's voice grew softer, then slower until a yawn interrupted the story she was telling.

Dina smiled. "Tired?"

"A little."

"Liar," Dina teased.

"Okay, very."

The room fell comfortably quiet again.

"Good night, Dina."

"Night, Ellie."

Chapter 3- Turbulence

After a surprisingly bumpy tram ride between terminals, Dina and Ellie stepped off into the organized chaos of Concourse A.

"Ok, that thing felt like it was designed by a roller coaster engineer," Dina laughed as they followed the signs toward the brewery.

"I thought we were about to be cleared for liftoff," Ellie agreed.

A few minutes later they arrived at Breckenridge Brewery.

The restaurant felt like a small slice of Colorado tucked inside the airport. Dark wood beams framed the space, televisions quietly played sports highlights above the bar, and warm amber lighting reflected off polished wood tables. A field stone fireplace crackled along one wall, giving the brewery a cozy mountain-lodge atmosphere despite being surrounded by busy travelers dragging suitcases past the entrance.

"Wow, this is actually really nice," Dina said as they stepped inside.

"You should see the one in Littleton.”

A hostess greeted them and led them through the restaurant.

"Are you guys okay with a table by the fireplace?"

Dina and Ellie exchanged a glance.

"Absolutely," Dina said.

Moments later they settled into a booth beside the fire. The warmth felt especially welcome after the air-conditioned chill of the plane.

They immediately picked up a menu and for several minutes neither spoke, just the occasional page flip and thoughtful hum.

Finally, Ellie sighed. "This is a problem."

Dina looked up. "What?"

"I want everything."

Dina laughed. "Same."

Ellie pointed at her menu. "I want a burger, but I keep coming back to the mozzarella sticks."

"Of course you are."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're looking at the menu like a twelve-year-old. I'm with you on the burger though."

"What’s wrong with mozzarella sticks? They're delicious."

"It’s fried cheese."

"And?" Ellie asked looking genuinely confused why that wasn't reason enough. "What are you getting?"

"Brisket nachos."

Ellie considered this. "The giant pile of nachos topped with like a pound of cheese?"

"Yes."

“So, if it’s not fried it’s ok…” Ellie shook her head in mock offense. “The double standards are strong at this table.”

A chuckle bubbled out of Dina's chest.

"Hmm."

Dina narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"What if..." Ellie's grin appeared. "What if we stop pretending to be responsible adults for a minute?"

Dina immediately started smiling. "I'm listening."

"We get both the mozzarella sticks and the nachos...and we share."

Dina stared at her for a second, then pointed. "That is the smartest thing you've said all day."

"I have my moments."

The waitress arrived before either could change their mind. After a brief debate over beer selections, they each ordered a tall draft along with both appetizers and their entrees.

After the waitress left, Ellie leaned back in the booth looking extremely pleased with herself.

"You know what, I think we made excellent choices."

Dina smiled. "I think you're mostly excited about the cheese sticks."

"Yeah, pretty much."

Their beers arrived a few minutes later. Tall, frosted glasses crowned with a layer of foam.

Ellie tilted hers in Dina's direction.

"To layovers?" Ellie suggested.

Dina smiled. "To layovers."

Their glasses clinked together and they sipped.

Neither of them knew it yet, but this lull between connecting flights was rapidly becoming the best part of their trip.

---------

The dinner rush had started to pick up around them, but neither Dina nor Ellie seemed to notice.

Their entrees had arrived twenty minutes ago, yet both were eating slowly, more focused on the conversation than their burgers. The easy rhythm they’d stumbled into on the plane had followed them to dinner.

Dina had discovered that Ellie was surprisingly easy to talk to once some of her nerves had settled. Every answer seemed to open the door to three more questions.

Ellie took a sip of her beer and tilted her head. "So, what do you do?"

Dina looked up from her fries and smiled.  "I'm a nurse. I work primarily in the ER but sometimes float to the ICU if needed.”

Ellie's eyebrows lifted immediately. "Wow, talk about an intense job."

Dina laughed, blushing slightly. "It can be."

"Can be?"

Dina snorted. "Okay, it usually is."

Ellie laughed. "That's more believable."

Dina leaned back in her chair. "No two days are ever the same. One second you're treating someone with the flu who insists they're dying and the next you're helping stabilize someone who actually is."

Ellie's expression softened slightly.

Dina continued. "And honestly," a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, "I love the randomness of it."

Ellie grinned. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Why?"

Ellie shrugged. "Just a feeling."

“And what is that?"

“It’s nothing bad, you just seem like the type who's comfortable operating in complete chaos."

"Ok that's surprisingly accurate, I'll give you that one," Dina laughed and Ellie pointed at her triumphantly. "But seriously, I love it."

"Which part?"

She thought about it, considering carefully. "The teamwork."

Ellie nodded immediately. "I can understand that."

"I love being part of a group where everybody knows exactly what needs to happen," Dina gestured with her beer. "When a trauma rolls in, there's no confusion. Everybody moves, everybody has a role."

Ellie smiled.

"And I love the problem solving," Dina's eyes brightened as she spoke. "Someone comes in and all you have are symptoms or bits of information, and whatever story they can give you, and you have to figure out what's actually going on."

Ellie listened attentively. "Like a detective."

"Exactly," a laugh escaped Dina. "And every once in a while, you get to genuinely make someone's day better...that's the best."

They shared a smile.

Then Dina rolled her eyes dramatically. "Well, most days."

Ellie laughed. "Most?"

Dina took a sip. "Of course there’s exceptions."

"Such as?"

"Not everyone can be saved," Dina said sadly, then groaned. "Ugh, and dealing with firemen."

"Isn’t that normally the part nurses look forward to?” Ellie asked with a chuckle, glass paused half way to her mouth. “What’s wrong with firemen?"

Dina shook her head. "Those meatheads are the bane of my existence sometimes."

"I'm sensing a back story here," Ellie smirked, the smile tugging at her lips growing increasingly difficult to suppress.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they’re great at spraying stuff with a hose, but it’s been my experience that they kinda suck with the medical side," Dina shrugged. “Half the time they roll in, give the world's shittiest report, dump the patient on us, and disappear."

Ellie took a drink to hide her amusement.

"Patient doesn't feel good," Dina deepened her voice dramatically. "'Vitals are somewhere between alive and dead.'"

Ellie nearly choked on her beer.

Dina laughed and handed Ellie her napkin. "I swear, if their ego isn't getting stroked or women aren't fawning over them, they're not interested."

For a split second, something flickered across Ellie's face. Like someone trying very hard not to laugh.

Dina narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just funny," Ellie replied with a shrug.

"That was definitely not nothing."

"It was," Ellie said, picking up her burger and taking another bite.

Dina popped a nacho in her mouth and leaned back in her chair.

“What made you want to become a nurse?”

Dina chuckled.

“Well, you have a choice,” Dina smiled, “there’s a short answer and a long answer. Pick your poison.”

“Long answer,” Ellie grinned instantly.

Dina laughed softly. “When I was twelve, I played a lot of soccer.”

“I can see that, you seem athletic,” Ellie smirked, eyes gleaming. “What position did you play?”

“Midfield.”

“Oof. Lots of running.”

“Sooo much running,” Dina made a pained face, shaking her head.

Ellie chuckled.

“My team qualified for this big tournament a few hours from home,” Dina began, glancing out the window for a moment, remembering. “My parents couldn’t get the time off work, so I rode up with one of my teammates.”

Ellie nodded, listening intently.

“Late in the semifinal game,” Dina continued, “I went in for a loose ball at the same time as another girl.”

She unconsciously touched the side of her forehead.

“It was a pretty nasty tackle. I don’t remember much after I hit the ground.”

“A concussion?” Ellie grimaced softly.

Dina nodded. “Yeah, a pretty bad one.”

“What do you remember?”

“Bits and pieces,” Dina smiled faintly. “I remember waking up in the emergency room completely confused.”

Her voice softened.

“My head was pounding. Everything was too bright and loud. I didn’t know where my parents were.”

Ellie’s expression grew sympathetic.

“My teammate’s family wanted to stay until my folks arrived, but they had small kids of their own to take care of.”

“So eventually you were by yourself?”

“Yeah, for a while,” Dina nodded. “There was this nurse…”

She smiled at the memory.

“Her name was Heather.”

Ellie noticed the way Dina’s face brightened.

“She knew my parents were still a couple of hours away.” Dina looked down at her hands. “She could’ve checked on me every now and then like she was supposed to, but…”

A warm smile spread across Dina’s face. “Whenever she had a free minute, she’d sit and talk with me.”

“About what?”

Dina laughed. “Everything. Soccer. My dog. School. What I wanted to be when I grew up. Anything to keep my mind off everything going on.”

Ellie smiled.

“She even brought me a grape popsicle after the doctor said I could finally have something.”

Dina shook her head. “It probably took her thirty seconds to grab it, but to a scared twelve-year-old, it meant everything. I still remember how relieved I felt every time she walked back into the room.”

Ellie was quiet for a moment. “So that’s when you knew?”

Dina nodded.

“I realize she probably didn’t remember me after a few days, but sixteen years later,” Dina said with a small smile. “I still remember her.”

Ellie looked at her thoughtfully. “That’s pretty incredible.”

Dina nodded. “She didn’t save my life, but she made one of the scariest days of my childhood feel a lot less scary.”

She smiled.

“I remember thinking…if I can do that for someone else someday, that’ll be a life well spent.”

Ellie smiled warmly. “I think Heather would be really proud to know she inspired another nurse.”

Dina returned the smile. “I suspect she inspired more than me.”

A reflective silence fell over the table.

“Can I ask you something?” Ellie asked after a few moments and Dina smiled.

“Like I could stop you…”

“Good luck, right?” Ellie chuckled. “What took you to Boston if you’re from LA?”

Dina paused, a faint grimace crossing her face.

Ellie immediately noticed. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“No, it’s ok,” Dina smiled faintly then made a face. “I was going through a bad break-up.”

Ellie’s expression softened, “Ughhh, I’m so sorry.”

The simple response carried enough recognition that Dina knew Ellie wasn’t just being polite.

For a moment they sat in companionable silence. Neither seemed to feel the need to rush through it.

Eventually Dina shrugged.

“I just needed to get away for a bit. Everything reminded me of her.” Dina absently ran her finger through the frost on her beer mug. “My apartment. The coffee shop we always went to. Hell even the grocery store.”

She shook her head. “So I booked a flight and disappeared for a couple weeks.”

“Why Boston?”

Dina shrugged. “It wasn’t California…and I wanted to get far away from her.”

Ellie met her gaze.

“She cheated.” Dina looked down at her plate for a moment then shrugged, though the hurt was still evident. “It is what it is.”

“No. It sucks,” Ellie shook her head.

That earned a small laugh from Dina. “You’ve been there?”

Ellie nodded solemnly. “Twice.”

“Ouch,” Dina’s eyebrows shot up. “It’s the worst.

“It really is,” Ellie nodded, taking a sip of beer, “I don’t understand why people can’t just be honest with one another.”

Dina smacked her palm lightly against the table. “Thank you! I’ve been saying that for months!”

“Right?” Ellie matched her.

“If you’re unhappy, say you’re unhappy. If you want out, leave, but don’t lie and sneak around,” Dina said, shifting back in her chair.

“I know the natural thing to do is blame yourself, but—” Ellie leaned forward, green eyes holding browns and her tone grew serious. “It wasn’t your fault.”

The statement caught Dina off guard. She blinked. “What?”

Ellie held her gaze. “What she did to you, it wasn’t your fault.”

Dina tilted her head. The certainty in Ellie’s voice surprised her.

“It’s always the cheater’s fault,” she gestured with her beer. “Never the…” Ellie paused, looking upwards in exaggerated thought, “cheatee?”

“Cheatee?” Dina smirked, “I think you just invented a new word.”

Ellie settled back into her seat, the humor disappearing from her voice. “My point is, the person who cheats is the one making the choice to burn it all down.”

Dina listened quietly.

“She chose to betray your trust, you didn’t make her do what she did.” Ellie shrugged. “There are always better options. Relationship really aren’t that complicated.”

Dina found herself nodding. “What is complicated is rebuilding trust after somebody does that to you.”

“I think that’s the part that makes me the angriest,” Ellie said, her eyes meeting Dina’s, “you don’t hurt people like that.”

The conviction in her voice was unmistakable and Dina felt something tighten in her chest.

“Especially if you claim to love them,” Ellie continued, shaking her head. “It’s such a cruel thing to do.”

Dina stared at her for a second, not because of what she’d said, but how she’d said it. The complete certainty that nobody deserved that kind of treatment. That the betrayal was not a reflection of Dina, but of her ex.

Eventually Dina smiled.

“You’re surprisingly wise for someone who thought about eating mozzarella sticks for dinner.”

Ellie barked out a laugh, nearly choking on a fry. “Says the girl who made a sizeable dent in a buffet sized tray of nachos.”

Dina grinned, “As I recall, I had help making that dent…”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ellie smiled, popping a few more fries in her mouth.

A comfortable silence settled between them again.

Then Ellie tilted her head slightly.

“So, did it work? The distance?”

The question wasn’t intrusive. Just curious.

Dina considered it for a moment. Thought about the long walks she’d taken through unfamiliar neighborhoods. The museums. The bookstores. The quiet mornings with coffee and no expectations.

The space. The distance. The chance to just breathe.

Finally she nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. “Yeah, I think it did.”

Ellie’s expression softened. “Good.”

Dina looked down at her glass. “I didn’t realize how badly I needed the reset until I got there.”

“Sometimes you don’t,” Ellie nodded. “Sometimes a change of scenery does wonders.”

Dina glanced up. The understanding in Ellie’s eyes felt genuine. Not forced. Not performative. Just someone who’d been through enough in life to recognize when another person needed room to heal.

For a moment neither spoke then Ellie lifted her beer. “To fresh starts?”

Dina smiled and tapped her glass against Ellie’s. “To fresh starts.”

The clink echoed softly between them.

And for the first time in months, the phrase didn’t feel like something she was trying to convince herself of.

It felt real.

She took a long drink from her mug, watching Ellie over the rim.

“So what were you doing in Boston, anyway?”

Ellie swallowed a bite of food. “I had a continuing education seminar.”

Dina nodded. “For what?”

“Work.”

Dina looked at Ellie, knowing the woman had to know what the next question was, but decided to play along. “Which is?”

Ellie looked down at the table, hesitating for a fraction of a second before looking back up.

“What would you say if I told you I’m a firefighter?”

Dina blinked. “I would call bullshit…”

A smile tugged at the corner of Ellie’s mouth as she rolled up the left sleeve of her hoodie.

Ink covered most of Ellie’s forearm, but tucked among the larger pieces was a smaller tattoo.

A standard fire department shield.

Simple and clean.

The traditional Maltese Cross shape whose center scramble contained a crossed halligan bar, helmet, axe, and ladder. Another halligan and ladder adorned the right side of the shield while a fire hydrant occupied the left. The details were crisp despite the tattoo’s modest size. Below it, sat the number of a station—32.

Her station.

Dina blinked.

"Oh my god,” she said lowly and dropped her head into her hands. "Oh my god…I'm so sorry…”

Ellie lost the battle and burst out laughing. “It’s ok."

"No, its not,” Dina groaned. "I insulted your entire profession for like five minutes."

"It was closer to seven—"

"—please stop counting."

Ellie's laughter filled the booth and for some reason, Dina couldn't help but join in. “Really, I'm not offended.”

Dina leaned in to have a closer look. The tattoo was obviously older than some of the others, the lines softened slightly with age and wear.

“Is this your station?”

Ellie nodded. “It’s the first department I worked for in Wyoming.”

Dina studied her for a moment and suddenly several things clicked into place.

How did I not see it before?

The easy confidence. The strength she’d noticed when Ellie had lifted her duffel bag and backpack earlier without seeming to think about it. Hell, even the way she carried herself. She was used to being of service to others.

But she’s not like the firefighters I’ve run into.

Dina chuckled before she could stop herself.

“What?” Ellie asked with a curious smile.

“Nothing, just a lot of things make sense now.”

“What does that mean?” Ellie laughed.

Dina gestured vaguely. “The whole…” she motioned toward Ellie, “you.”

“That’s not very helpful.”

“You know what I mean.”

Ellie’s grin widened. “Actually, I don’t.”

Dina rolled her eyes. “The firefighter thing, it suits you.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is.”

“Good,” Ellie replied, taking a drink of her beer. “In your defense, I’ve worked with some womanizing scumbags who used the fireman angle to add notches to their bedposts. They’re douche bags. I've also witnessed some pretty shitty patient handoffs so I get your frustration.”

Dina shook her head, still smiling. “Still.”

The conversation paused while the server stopped by to drop off another round.  Once they were alone again, Dina rested her elbows on the table.

“Your first station was in Wyoming? Is that where you're from?”

A small smile spread on Ellie's face. "Yep, it was my first station but I actually grew up in Boston."

"Really?" Dina took a sip from her fresh beer. “What made you move halfway across the country?"

For the first time that evening, Ellie's expression faltered, but only momentarily and it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"My mom passed away when I was 14."

The words were spoken softly, but Dina still felt a wave of sympathy. "I'm so sorry."

Ellie offered a small nod. "It was a long time ago."

A moment passed before she continued.

“My dad wasn’t around and my mom was pretty much all I had so I headed west. A good friend of hers owns a ranch with his brother so I went up there for a while."

"And stayed?"

Ellie’s smile grew immediately. "Yeah, for about 10 years, it was really hard work but they’re great people, they took me in like I was their own. It’s breathtaking, the mountains, the valleys…"

Dina couldn't help smiling too. "You really love it, huh?"

"I do." Ellie leaned back in her chair. "The first time I saw the mountains, I was done for."

Dina laughed. "Just like that?"

"Just like that,” Ellie's eyes lit up as she talked. "You can drive for hours and barely see another person."

"That sounds amazing."

"It is."

There was a new warmth in Ellie's voice now that Dina hadn't heard before, almost a reverence. The kind people got when talking about something they genuinely loved.

"So how did ranch work turn into firefighting?" Dina asked.

Ellie frowned. "There was a wildfire near one of the neighboring towns."

Dina's eyebrows lifted. "A bad one?"

"Yeah, it was pretty bad," Ellie nodded. "It got close enough that people were worried it was going to take out a large chunk of land, destroy livelihoods.”

She picked up a fry from her plate.

"I ended up volunteering with some of the support crews."

Dina watched her. "What was that like?"

Ellie thought for a moment. "Terrifying."

That made Dina laugh. "That's quite the honest answer."

"Honesty’s important."

"It is."

Ellie smiled. "It was exhausting. Chaotic. Fucking hot, but exhilarating."

"Sounds scary."

"It was," Ellie's smile widened. “But somewhere in the middle of it all, I realized I'd fallen in love with it."

Dina tilted her head. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Ellie shrugged. “I loved being outside. I loved the teamwork. I loved feeling useful.”

Something about the way she said it made Dina’s chest tighten.

“What happened once the fire was out?”

“I signed up for classes through the department,” Ellie laughed. “My friends thought I’d lost my mind.”

Dina grinned.

“But I kept going.” Ellie took a sip of her beer. “Got certified. Became a woodland firefighter…then I decided I wanted to do it for real.”

Dina laughed. “Weren’t you already doing it for real?”

“Not completely. I was still a volunteer, but to be hired on at the department, I had to get my degree,” Ellie explained. “So, I went back to school for Fire Science and my paramedic certification and license.”

A softer smile appeared on Ellie's face. "It's the best job I've ever had."

For a moment Dina simply looked at her.

The confidence. The obvious passion. The way her eyes brightened whenever she talked about the things she cared about. It was difficult not to be impressed.

"What do you love the most about it?"

“Besides the annual calendar shoot?” Ellie asked sarcastically, feeling satisfied when Dina laughed and flushed slightly before smacking her playfully on the arm.

“I'm being serious, you ass...”

Ellie looked down at her glass for a moment before answering. "There's a lot of things..."

She thought about it.

"I love the people I work with."

Dina nodded.

"They became family pretty quick, much like your colleagues in the ER I would imagine."

"Oh absolutely, you spend so much time together it’s hard not to be."

"And every call is different." A laugh escaped Ellie. "Sometimes annoyingly different."

"I feel like there's a story behind that."

"There is, hundreds actually."

Dina grinned. "I want at least one."

Ellie pointed at her. "That's a dangerous thing to say."

"I'm willing to take the risk."

Ellie shook her head, smiling. "In all seriousness though," her expression grew more thoughtful. "I just like helping people."

The simplicity of the answer made Dina's chest tighten unexpectedly, knowing full well where Ellie was coming from.  It's why she became a nurse in the first place.

"When someone calls 911, it's usually one of the worst days of their life."

Dina listened quietly.

"If I can make that day a little less awful..." Ellie shrugged. "That's enough for me."

For a moment neither spoke.

The noise of the restaurant filled the silence.

Then Dina smiled. "That's a pretty good reason."

Ellie returned the smile. "Yeah, it’s the same reason you do what you do."

Dina found herself smiling, realizing she wasn't just impressed by what Ellie did. She was impressed by the way she talked about it and could easily relate.

The pride.

The purpose.

The obvious love she had for her work. And judging by the slight warmth creeping into Dina’s cheeks, that realization was becoming a bit of a problem.

“That’s kind of incredible.”

Ellie looked slightly embarrassed. “It’s really not.”

“I disagree.”

“Dina.”

“I’m serious.”

Ellie shook her head, laughing softly. “You know, you’re very generous with compliments.”

Dina smiled into her beer.

Maybe. Or maybe Ellie just made them easy to give.

“What made you leave Wyoming if you loved it so much?”

Ellie’s expression grew thoughtful.

“I loved the mountains, the forests… all of it. I loved working wildland fires. There’s something incredible about being out there with your crew, miles from civilization, everyone relying on each other.”

Dina listened quietly.

“But after a while,” Ellie continued, “I realized I missed taking care of people.”

“The paramedic side?”

Ellie nodded.

“I still wanted to fight fires, but I missed responding to medical calls. We didn’t get many where I was, maybe an occasional horse bucking or a hiker with a sprained ankle. I missed feeling like I could make a difference one person at a time.”

“So why California?” Dina asked.

Ellie laughed softly. “It happened kind of on accident.”

“Well now I’m curious,” Dina laughed.

“I had a buddy from one of my wildland crews who’d moved to Los Angeles. One day he called and said his department was hiring so I figured why not?”

“Just like that?”

Ellie shrugged. “I flew out, took the physical agility test, interviewed, and somehow they offered me the job.”

Dina smiled. “’Somehow?’”

Ellie chuckled. “I still don’t know what they were thinking.”

“So you packed up your life and moved?”

“Pretty much.”

“Weren’t you scared?”

Ellie thought for a moment. “A little, it was a big leap. Kind of a culture shock at first.”

“I bet.”

She smiled to herself. “But I’ve learned that some of the best things in my life have started because I said yes to something that scared me.”

Dina found herself considering that.

It felt oddly relevant.

After everything that had happened with her ex, she’d been hesitant to trust anyone new, even casually. Yet here she was, sharing a meal with someone she’d met entirely by chance.

Ellie took another sip and pointed the glass lightly in Dina’s direction. “Alright, enough about me.”

Dina looked up. “What?”

“I’ve spent the last twenty minutes talking.”

“So, you’ve had interesting things to say.”

“So do you.”

Dina laughed. “That’s debatable.”

“They’re interesting to me,” Ellie leaned back in her chair smiling.

Yep, Dina was screwed.

---------

Dinner had stretched comfortably longer than either of them had expected.

Nothing but crumbs sat between Dina and Ellie. Somewhere over the last two hours they'd lost all concept of time to the easy conversation and banter that flowed freely.

Dina was in the middle of telling a story about Kat accidentally setting off her apartment's smoke alarm making a grilled cheese when Ellie's phone buzzed on the table.

Ellie glanced down out of habit, the smile immediately disappeared from her face.

"What?" Dina asked.

Ellie frowned at the screen. "Our flight’s been canceled..."

Dina instinctively reached for her own cell as Ellie read aloud.

"'Flight 274 to Los Angeles has been canceled due to a mechanical issue with the aircraft. Rebooking options will be sent shortly.'"

Dina's stomach dropped.

A second later her phone buzzed with the same notification.

"No way."

Ellie let out a long breath and leaned back in her chair.

A few more taps brought up the airline app.

Dina groaned. "The next flight isn't until late tomorrow morning."

For a moment they simply stared at each other.

Around them, other phones were beginning to chime as passengers received the same alert. A collective wave of frustrated groans spread through the restaurant.

Ellie drained the rest of her beer and looked around the room, gesturing to their waitress for the check.

Dina's attention remained on her phone, her thumbs moving rapidly across the screen.

“There's a hotel attached to the airport," she reported. “But they don't accept bookings online…we should head over there before everyone else does.”

A quick glance around the brewery revealed several travelers staring at their phones with similar expressions of annoyance. A few were already gathering their bags. Others were making phone calls.

The cancellation news was spreading.

The waitress returned with the check folder and Ellie snatched it before Dina could. She opened her mouth to protest, but Ellie shook her head.

“Nope, not happening,” Ellie said, throwing a few bills inside the folder and snapping it shut.

“You're a pain in my ass, you know that?”

Ellie just smiled overly sweetly, tucking her wallet away.

Dina pointed toward the terminal beyond the restaurant. Dozens and dozens of travelers were already moving with purpose.

Ellie looked at the growing crowd and hefted their backpacks onto her shoulder and gripped Dina’s duffle bag again.

She looked to Dina, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. “Do we run?”

Dina laughed and nodded. “We run.”

Chapter 2- The Climb

Once the plane reached cruising altitude and the seatbelt sign chimed off, the entire cabin seemed to relax.

Passengers began unbuckling their safety belts. A man across the aisle stood and stretched. Someone several rows ahead headed for the bathroom.

Overhead bins popped open as travelers searched for books, headphones, snacks, and chargers.

Beside her, Ellie pulled a pair of earbuds from her hoodie and tucked them into the seat pocket in front of her before settling back comfortably.

Dina, on the other hand, was having a much harder time relaxing seated next to the most attractive woman she’d ever encountered in an airport.

Possibly anywhere.

Her pulse still hadn’t completely recovered.

Reaching into her backpack, Dina pulled out her phone and powered it on. The screen lit up immediately, a flood of notifications appearing before she swiped them away.

Ignoring all of them, she switched to the front-facing camera. Casually and surprisingly discreet, she angled the phone slightly to her right.

Ellie was looking down the aisle, completely unaware, as the stewardess began passing out drinks.

Snap.

Dina immediately lowered the phone.

The photo wasn’t great, but her main features were visible and somehow that seemed like the important part.

Dina immediately opened her messages and sent it to Kat.

The responses came in rapid fire succession almost immediately upon delivery.

As Dina closed her thread with Kat and went to check her other unread messages, the phone buzzed with a system notification:

15% Battery Remaining

She groaned softly.

Of course.

She'd spent half the morning talking, texting, and scrolling. The battery never stood a chance.

With a sigh, she locked her phone and turned her attention to the inflight entertainment screen built into the back of the seat in front of her.

A movie sounded perfect.

She tapped the screen and the airline logo spun lazily loading the options.

She waited and tapped again when the spinning didn’t stop.

Still nothing changed.

"Come on," she muttered, a third attempt yielded identical results. The screen remained stick in an endless loop.

Beside her, Ellie glanced over. "Is it going slow?"

Dina nodded toward the malfunctioning screen. "I think it's broken."

Ellie watched the spinning logo for a moment. “Oh shit.”

"I was going to find a movie."

Ellie frowned sympathetically. Then, without hesitation, said, "Want to switch seats?"

Dina blinked. "What?"

"Mine works." She pointed to the screen in front of her. "You can take mine if you want, I was going to watch something on my phone anyways."

The offer was so immediate and genuine that it caught Dina off guard.

She smiled. "That's really nice, but its ok."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, thank you."

"Okay." Ellie settled back again, then her eyes dropped to the phone resting in Dina's lap. "You on Wi-Fi?"

“Yeah,” Dina nodded, "but the battery's almost dead."

As if on cue, she held up the screen showing the warning notification.

Without another word, Ellie leaned down and rummaged around her backpack for a moment, then emerged with a portable charging cube and a cable.

Dina watched curiously.

Ellie placed the charger in her hand. "There."

Dina looked down, then back up. "You don't have to—"

"I know,” Ellie smiled. At the same time, she reached forward and removed one of her wireless earbuds from the charging case, dropping that into Dina's palm as well.

Dina stared. "What are you doing?"

Ellie was already unlocking her phone. "Problem solving."

A few taps later, the familiar red Netflix logo appeared on the screen and Ellie tilted the phone slightly toward the space between them.

"I'll share," Ellie smirked, tucking the right earbud in place.

Dina couldn't help, but laugh. "You carry emergency entertainment supplies with you?"

"I'm a professional."

"A professional what?"

Ellie's grin appeared. "Life saver."

Dina shook her head, smiling. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Dina plugged her phone into the charging cube and felt immediate relief when the charging icon appeared. She slipped the left earbud into her ear.

Beside her, Ellie shifted slightly closer so they could both comfortably see the screen.

"What are we watching?" Dina asked.

Ellie scrolled through the options. "Hmm."

"This is important,” Dina commented before smirking. “No pressure…”

"Agreed,” Ellie smiled and paused on an action movie.

Dina made a face. "No."

"Wow, no love for Curtis and Viper...”

"I'm not in the mood for explosions."

"Harsh,” Ellie deadpanned, continuing to scroll.

A documentary. A thriller. A drama. Each received immediate commentary from one or both of them.

It wasn’t long before they were both laughing, shoulder-to-shoulder over the phone, debating movies as though they'd known each other for years.

“How does a comedy sound?” Ellie asked, selecting the category and slowly browsing.

"It’s kind of the failsafe genre.”

Ellie nodded and continued swiping.

Suddenly she stopped, her entire posture changing.

“I’ve got it,” Ellie said, turning the phone completely towards Dina. "Have you seen this?"

Dina looked at the title.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

She shook her head. "No."

“What?” Ellie stared at her. "You've never seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall?”

Dina laughed at the sheer disbelief in her voice. “Nooo?"

“Oh, this is perfect.” Ellie looked genuinely delighted. The grin spreading across her face was downright infectious.

Dina found herself smiling right back. "You're pretty excited over there."

"Because now I get to watch it with someone who's never seen it." She pointed at the screen. "This movie is hilarious."

“You’re really talking this up,” Dina said, eyes narrowed. "It better live up to the hype."

Ellie bowed dramatically. "It will."

"You sound awfully certain."

"I am." Then, completely serious, she asked, “Do you need to use the bathroom first?"

Dina blinked. "There is absolutely no way this movie is that funny."

Ellie looked offended. "Trust me."

"That's a dangerous phrase…"

"Trust me."

The confidence in her voice only made Dina laugh harder. "Fine."

"Is that a no?"

"That’s a no."

"No excuses later…"

Dina nodded her head. "I got it."

Ellie smiled triumphantly. Then she hit play and the familiar studio logos appeared on screen. Ellie settled back in her seat looking entirely too pleased with herself.

Beside her, Dina adjusted the earbud and glanced over. "You know if this isn't good, I'm going to give you so much shit."

“I'd expect nothing less.”

Dina smiled as the movie began.

xxxxxxxxx

The end credits began to roll.

Around them, many passengers were dozing or quietly watching their own movies. The steady drone of the engines filled the background.

Dina removed the earbud and sat back in her seat, her chuckle still lingering.

Ellie did the same. Then she folded her arms and waited.

Dina immediately recognized the expression. "Don't."

“Don’t what?” A grin tugged at the corner of Ellie's mouth. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"I don't."

Dina rolled her eyes.

Ellie's smug smile grew wider. The silence stretched and she continued waiting patiently, like a predator.

“Fine,” Dina sighed and Ellie's eyebrows rose expectantly. "You were right, it was good."

The smile appeared instantly. A victorious one.

Dina pointed at her. "I hate that look."

"What look?"

"That one."

“That's literally just my face,” Ellie laughed.

Dina groaned. "It was funny."

"I know.”

Dina narrowed her eyes. "You've been waiting two hours to hear me say that, haven't you?"

"Give or take,” Ellie smiled and settled deeper into her seat looking entirely too pleased with herself. "I already knew you liked it."

Dina shook her head. "What gave it away?"

"You laughed so hard during the Dracula puppet song, the flight attendant almost checked on us."

"I did not."

Ellie gave her a pointed look.

Dina laughed despite herself. "Okay, maybe that part got me."

Ellie pumped her fist triumphantly.

The smile lingered between them for a moment before Dina glanced back at her darkened phone screen and checked the time.

“Think we have time for another one?” Ellie asked.

“I think so, “ Dina replied, doing a quick mental calculation. “I think we’re about halfway there.”

“Wow…”

Was that a look of disappointment?!

The flight had passed much faster than either of them expected.

Ellie unlocked her phone and held it out to Dina. “Your turn.”

“My turn? Why my turn?”

“You picked apart half my suggestions earlier.”

“I did not, I simply had…opinions.”

Ellie laughed. “Well, now it’s your turn to choose.”

Dina accepted the device and began scrolling through their options.

Beside her, Ellie gathered their empty soda cans and the crumpled snack wrappers they’d accumulated during the first movie.

Just then, a flight attendant came down the aisle pushing a small trash bag.

Ellie held up the collection halting the attendant who smiled as Ellie dropped everything into the bag.

“Thank you.”

“Thanks,” Dina echoed before returning her attention to the screen. She barely scrolled another few seconds before stopping. “I’ve got it.”

Ellie raised an eyebrow. “That was fast.”

Dina turned the phone so Ellie could see.

Anchorman.

Ellie’s face lit up immediately. “Classic.”

“You’ve seen it?”

“Who hasn’t?! I’ve probably watched it twenty times, I can practically recite it word for word.”

Dina laughed. “Why am I not surprised?”

“Twenty-one won’t hurt though.”

That was all the convincing Dina needed and tapped play.

As the opening scene began, Ellie shifted slightly closer so they could both see the screen comfortably once again and Dina settled back into her seat with a smile.

“Just so we’re clear,” Ellie began, “if you don’t laugh at this…”

Dina looked over.

“…I’m questioning your sense of humor.”

Dina laughed. “I’ve seen it before, I think I’m safe.”

“We’ll see…”

Shaking her head, Dina tucked the earbud comfortably into place.

The familiar jazz flute riff filled the tiny earbud and once again, the rest of the cabin seemed to fade.

They settled into a comfortable silence as the movie unfolded. Every few minutes one of them would quietly quote a line before it happened (usually Ellie).

Dina found Ellie’s reactions almost as funny as the movie itself.

She knew exactly which jokes were coming, yet still reacted every time.

“You’re laughing before the punchline,” Dina whispered.

“I can’t help it.”

The flight attendant passed by once more as passengers settled in for the remainder of the flight.

Around them, the cabin had grown noticeably quieter. Several people were asleep with neck pillows askew. Others stared out their windows at the blanket of clouds below.

The engines hummed with the steady reassurance unique to cruising altitude.

Without thinking about it, Dina glanced sideways.

Ellie was smiling at the screen, completely absorbed in the flick.

It struck Dina then how strange the day had been, how one woman in a Red Sox hat and faded hoodie had changed the entire trajectory of her day.

She smiled to herself.

There was something comforting about the realization that life could still surprise her.

That healing didn’t always arrive dramatically. Sometimes it arrived disguised as an airport passenger.

Or an offering to share an earbud with someone who felt oddly familiar despite being a complete stranger a few hours ago.

As Ron Burgundy delivered another ridiculous line, Ellie laughed—a full, unguarded laugh that drew one from Dina too.

Ellie glanced over.

“What?” Dina asked.

“Nothing…you’ve just got that smile again.”

Dina looked back at the movie, unable to suppress it. “I guess I’m just having a better day than I expected.”

Ellie’s expression softened. “Good, I’m glad.”

There was nothing performative about the words. No attempt to be profound. Just simple sincerity.

And Dina believed her.

She looked back toward the window, where the afternoon sun cast a golden glow across the wing.

For the first time in weeks, thoughts of her ex didn’t feel heavy or occupy every corner of her mind.

Instead, those thoughts had quietly made room for something else.

Curiosity.

Hope.

And the unexpected possibility that sometimes, when one chapter closes, the next can begin in the most random places.

Like seat 18B.

Next to a stranger who’d become the best part of the trip.

xxxxxxx

The last few scenes of Anchorman played out to a chorus of muffled laughter from the two of them.

Ellie, despite having seen it more times than she could count, was laughing just as hard as Dina.

“I swear,” Dina said between chuckles, “this movie gets funnier every time I see it.”

“That’s what makes it beautiful,” Ellie replied, wiping a tear from the corner of one eye.

The end credits rolled, accompanied by the upbeat music of Afternoon Delight.

Ellie slipped the earbud from her ear and stretched her shoulders with a contented sigh.

“Well I’ll hand it to you, you have excellent taste in comedies,” Dina smiled, handing over the borrowed earbud.

“I know.”

“And you’re insufferably smug about it.”

Ellie shrugged. “I know.”

Dina laughed and nudged her lightly with her elbow. “I regret giving you this satisfaction.”

“No, you don’t,” Ellie deadpanned before breaking into a smirk.

They sat quietly for a moment, the phone screen fading to black between them.

Ellie reached forward and switched the inflight entertainment display over to the flight tracker.

The small airplane icon had crept almost all the way across the map.

“Huh,” she murmured.

Dina leaned over to look.

“We’re already that close?”

“Looks like it.”

As if on cue, the overhead speakers crackled to life. A burst of static filled the cabin. Then the captain’s voice emerged through the distortion.

“Ladies and gentlemen, from the flight deck, we’ve begun our initial descent into Denver. Local weather is…”

The rest was largely unintelligible. The ancient speakers seemed determined to lose their battle against technology.

Dina caught maybe every third word.

Beside her, Ellie laughed. "I think he said we're landing."

"Bold assumption."

The announcement concluded in another burst of static.

Almost immediately, the atmosphere in the cabin shifted. Passengers paused their movies. Books disappeared into backpacks. The soft clicks of tray tables locking into place echoed through the rows. A flight attendant walked down the aisle reminding travelers to stow electronics and fasten their seatbelts.

Ellie unlocked her phone one final time. After a quick glance at whatever notification had appeared, she switched it to airplane mode and slipped it into the pocket of her hoodie.

Dina watched the movement then looked out the window as the brilliant white blanket of clouds began to break apart.

Patches of Colorado appeared below—long ribbons of highway, clusters of neighborhoods, and fields stretching toward the horizon of snow capped mountains.

The reality of landing settled unexpectedly heavily in her chest.

The flight had gone by far too quickly. A few hours earlier she'd been sitting alone in her seat contemplating giving the  romance novel another go when Ellie had sat down beside her. And somehow the entire afternoon had disappeared.

Now they were about to land.

The thought that they might simply walk off the plane and go their separate ways sat uncomfortably in her stomach.

Maybe that was how these things worked. People met. Talked. Shared a flight. Then disappeared back into their own lives.

Still, Dina didn't particularly like the idea.

Ellie shifted beside her. "So is Denver your final stop? Will you finally be home?”

Dina turned toward her, shaking her head.

"No, I have a three-hour layover before my connecting flight home to LA."

Ellie's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

Dina nodded. "Unfortunately.”

“So do I.” A grin appeared on Ellie's face. “I'm on the 5:15 to LAX.”

“Seriously?” Dina blinked. "That's my flight."

"Yeah."

A ridiculous amount of relief washed through Dina—enough that she hoped it didn't show on her face. It would be awfully difficult to explain why having approximately 6 more hours with her felt like receiving good news.

Instead she settled for, "well, I guess we're both stuck in Denver."

Ellie smiled. "It looks that way."

Outside the window, the city grew larger beneath the clouds.

Inside the cabin, Dina found herself smiling. The layover she'd been dreading suddenly didn't seem so bad.

xxxxxxxxx

The moment the aircraft came to a complete stop, the cabin erupted into motion.

Overhead bins popped open. Passengers stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the aisle, eager to shave thirty seconds off their arrival time.

Dina remained seated. There wasn't much point in rushing just to wait. It's not like she was in a hurry to get anywhere with an extended layover ahead of her.

Beside her, Ellie stood and effortlessly reached into the overhead compartment. Before Dina could even get to her feet, Ellie had already pulled down Dina's carry-on.

"Oh, I can get it," Dina said.

"Can you?" Ellie glanced over her shoulder. "This thing is heavy, did you pack a library in here? Some pet rocks?"

"Maybe. You never know when you'll need to use a heavy bookmark. Or a doorstop."

"Noted."

"Seriously though, I can get it."

The grin that followed made it clear Ellie wasn't remotely intimidated. Still, she set the duffel bag on her vacated seat next to Dina.

A few minutes later, the line finally began moving. They shuffled off the plane and into the boarding bridge with the rest of the passengers.

The stale cabin air gave way to the cooler, temperature-controlled expanse of the terminal.

Denver International bustled around them. Travelers hurried in every direction. Rolling suitcases rattled across the floor. Parents urged their children to keep up. Announcements echoed overhead.

Dina adjusted the strap of her backpack and fell into step beside Ellie.

"So," Ellie shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, slowing her strides to accommodate Dina's shorter ones. "Any exciting layover plans?"

"Oh, they're thrilling," Dina laughed. "I was thinking I'd grab a sandwich and read...maybe sit near the gate and stare into the void for three hours."

Ellie nodded thoughtfully and glanced over.

"As riveting as that sounds," she smiled, "I'm heading over to the brewery in the next terminal."

Dina's eyebrows lifted. "There's a brewery in the airport?"

"Yeah, can you believe that shit?," Ellie chuckled and pointed ahead. "If you want to eat actual food instead of a sad airport sandwich that's probably been sitting there all day, you're welcome to join me."

Dina smiled, the offer catching her off guard. Not because she didn't want to go, it was quite the opposite. The thought of spending more time with Ellie was embarrassingly appealing.

Still, she hadn't expected the invitation.

"It's cozy," Ellie shrugged. "Makes you forget you're in an airport for a little while…what do you say?"

"That sounds nice, I think I'll take you up on that.” Dina smiled. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Ellie smiled, glancing her way.

As they approached the tram station, Ellie reached over and casually grabbed the handle of Dina's carry-on.

Before Dina could react, Ellie had also slipped Dina's backpack from her shoulder. "I can carry my own stuff."

Ellie slung both bags over one shoulder with alarming ease. The movement barely seemed to inconvenience her.

Dina stared. "You even said my bag was heavy."

Ellie laughed, the sound warm and effortless. "I was just giving you shit, this is nothing compared to what I have to carry at work."

Dina narrowed her eyes. The woman looked like she could probably carry a refrigerator if properly motivated.

"At least let me take one."

"Nope," Ellie's grin widened. "I was a pack mule in another life, it would insult my ancestors."

Dina barked out a laugh, relenting. “Well, we wouldn't want that, now, would we?”

For a woman she'd met only a few hours ago, Ellie had become remarkably difficult to argue with.

Chapter 1- Without a Parachute

The airport terminal buzzed around Dina in a blur of rolling suitcases, boarding announcements, and exhausted travelers shuffling through the morning crowd like zombies. She stood in line at the coffee shop not far from her gate, one earbud tucked in as she balanced her carry-on over her shoulder.

“—and I’m telling you,” Kat’s voice crackled in her ear, “if you come back to LA still moping about the bitch who's name we refuse to say, I'm going to hurt you. ”

Dina laughed, shaking her head. “I wasn’t moping.”

“You absolutely were.”

“My heart was broken.”

“Same fucking thing, Dina.”

Dina chuckled. “It doesn’t matter, I’m over it.”

Kat made a skeptical noise.

“I’m serious,” Dina insisted. “This trip gave me the time and space I needed to make peace with things. I'm over her.”

“We’ll see.”

Dina rolled her eyes. “Kat.”

“We will see.”

Dina shook her head, smiling to herself as the line shuffled forward another step. She glanced absently toward the moving crowd on the concourse—

And immediately stopped paying attention.

A woman walked past the coffee shop with a backpack slung over one shoulder, hands shoved into the pocket of a faded dark gray hoodie. Her auburn hair pulled into a low ponytail beneath a worn Red Sox cap. She carried herself with that careless confidence that made people look twice without realizing they were doing it.

Dina definitely looked twice.

Ok, more like three times.

“D?”

No response.

“Earth to Dina!” Kat repeated louder, suspicion creeping into her voice.

“Hmm?”

“Did you hear what I said about Jesse?”

“No, sorry…” Dina laughed under her breath, eyes still following the girl as she disappeared farther down the terminal into the crowd. “Sorry, I got…”

Kat immediately groaned. “Spit it out, Merced.”

Dina bit back a grin. “Distracted.”

“By what? What’s more important than me?”

Dina rolled her eyes despite the smile spreading across her face. “You’re so nosey sometimes, it's kind of annoying.”

“And yet you called me.”

The line moved again and Dina stepped forward automatically, still half-looking down the terminal.

“Well?” Kat pressed.

Dina sighed theatrically. “There was a really cute woman.”

Kat let out a victorious squeal loud enough that Dina had to pull the earbud out momentarily. “You did make some progress on this trip! I'm so proud of you!!!”

“Oh my god,” Dina muttered, laughing.

“They say the first step to getting over someone is getting under somebody else,” Kat said scandalously.

“I told you, I'm over Tay—”

“—no! We don’t say her name!” Kat scolded before shifting back to a sweeter tone. “Describe hot airport girl. Now.”

Dina leaned against the rail, lowering her voice like she was sharing classified information. “Uh…our age probably. Auburn hair. Ponytail. Baseball hat.”

Kat hummed approvingly.

“Oversized hoodie, jeans,” Dina continued. “Chucks. Kind of tomboy-ish.”

“Oh, you are so gone…tell me more, D.”

“She’s tall,” Dina added before she could stop herself.

Kat barked out a laugh. “Yes!.”

“Like three or four inches taller than me maybe,” Dina admitted.

“You're not tall enough to ride that ride,” Kat giggled maniacally.

“Need I remind you we’re the same height?”

“It’s such a tragedy. You never stood a chance.”

Dina shook her head, grinning helplessly while her eyes searched the crowd one last time. “She was really cute, okay?”

Kat made an exaggerated kissing noise. “You little ho.”

“Relax,” Dina said, rolling her eyes affectionately.

“You know what's usually hidden under baggie hoodies right? A bangin’ body!”

Dina felt herself flush slightly and mumbled “Oh my God…”

She did have broad shoulders…

“Did you get her name?”

Dina opened her mouth to answer when the barista cleared their throat loudly from the register.

“Miss?”

Dina blinked and realized the entire line had been served ahead of her.

Heat rushed into her cheeks. “Oh—shit. Sorry.”

Kat cackled in her ear as Dina stepped up to the counter.

“You’re such a mess,” Kat said between laughs.

Dina ignored her long enough to order an iced coffee and breakfast sandwich before moving off to the side to wait.

Kat was still laughing. “You literally forgot where you were.”

“She caught me off guard.”

“And I caught your soul leaving your body.”

Dina smiled despite herself, shifting her bag higher onto her shoulder. “You’re being dramatic.”

“I’m being accurate.”

A few moments passed while the airport noise filled the silence between them.

“What time does your flight land again?”

Dina groaned instantly. “Jesus Kat, I’ve told you like a hundred times.”

“Okay, but this time I’m listening.”

“Mmhmm.”

“What time?”

Dina smirked. “You better not leave me stranded at LAX.”

“I would never,” Kat said solemnly. “I’ll be waiting at the curb exactly as promised.”

“We’ll see.”

“Dina. What. Time?”

“8:15.”

“Jesus, are you walking back from Boston?”

“I have a three-hour layover in Denver.”

“Lame,” Kat sniped before adding, “you really should've sprang for the nonstop.”

“I don’t recall you offering to chip in the extra $200 for the direct flight home.”

Kat laughed. “Girl please, I'm about to start my apprenticeship. I'll be living on ramen noodles and caffeine for the next 3 years.”

“That's what I thought,” Dina laughed as the barista called her name. She grabbed her coffee and sandwich with a quick thanks and started walking towards her gate.

“Alright,” she said, weaving through the crowd. “I’m going to let you go.”

“Text me when you land.”

“Because you’re concerned for my wellbeing or to make sure you're awake and on the way to pick me up?”

“Yes...and because I’m your favorite person.”

Dina snorted. “That's debatable.”

Kat gasped theatrically. “Wow, all this grief when I’m sacrificing my Friday night to fight downtown traffic to pick you up? It’s cruel, I'm not feeling the love.”

Dina smiled into her coffee cup as she reached the quieter stretch near her gate. “Goodbye, Kat.”

“Bye my little bi-curious bestie.”

Dina shook her head fondly, slipping her phone into her pocket before stopping near the windows to wait for her boarding call.

She settled into a chair near a few rows over from the gate and crossed one leg over the other, balancing a paperback in her lap while she sipped her coffee.

The terminal buzzed gently around her; a pair of teenagers arguing over a phone charger, rolling suitcases rattled across tile, and a toddler somewhere nearby was engaged in a heated argument with his parents about something involving gold fish crackers.

She took a sip and turned the page. Normally, she could lose herself in a book for hours. It was one of the reasons she always carried one when she traveled. Airports were perfect for reading—nothing to do but kill time and wait.

But today her concentration was questionable at best.

She turned another page.

The novel’s protagonist had just met a beautiful stranger at a bar.

Of course she did.

The woman was charming, witty, devastatingly attractive, tall, and had a ball cap turned backwards while apparently delivering perfect flirtatious one-liners at a moment’s notice.

Dina lowered the book.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered before taking another bite of breakfast sandwich.

The universe was making fun of her. There was no other explanation.

Dina rolled her eyes, immediately thinking about the woman in the Red Sox hat.

Sadly, she hadn’t seen her since the coffee shop. For all Dina knew, she’d already boarded a plane to the other side of the world.

Still, her mind wandered and the romance novel faded into the background.

Maybe she’d run into her again. Not in the airport, that felt too easy. Maybe a coffee shop. No…a bookstore. That seemed more appropriate.

Dina imagined herself browsing a shelf and when she reached for a book at the same time as someone else, their hands bumped. They both apologized and laughed.

And when Dina looked up—Red Sox hat. The same quiet confidence she’d caught a glimpse of earlier.

”Sorry,” the woman would say.

“No, my fault.”

”Pretty sure it was fifty-fifty.”

Dina smiled faintly at the page in front of her. The imaginary conversation continuing on its own.

Maybe they’d start talking about books. One recommendation would lead to another.

One conversation would become coffee. Coffee would somehow turn into wandering around the city together for the afternoon. You know, the sort of thing that only happened in romance novels or cheesy rom-coms—and apparently in Dina’s increasingly ridiculous imagination.

In her daydream, she’d learn the woman’s name.

Maybe she’d discover she was funny. The dry, quick-witted kind of humor that caught people off guard.

Maybe she’d tell stories that made Dina laugh so hard she forgot to be nervous.

Maybe she’d be the kind of person who listened more than she talked. The kind of person who made eye contact when you spoke and actually seemed interested in the answer.

They’d have dinner somewhere—nothing fancy, but comfortable. A cozy diner perhaps. Followed by walking through city streets after dark, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.

Favorite movies. Terrible exes. Places they’d always wanted to visit.

The kind of conversation where hours disappear without either person noticing.

Dina found herself smiling.

In the daydream, the woman laughed at something she’d said. Not politely, but genuinely. The sound was warm and infectious, Dina could almost hear it.

Then she looked at her with a softness that made Dina’s stomach flutter.

“Flight 5591 to Denver will begin boarding in approximately 10 minutes. Passengers in zone A, if you could please have your boarding passes out and ready we’d greatly appreciate it,” a voice crackled over the speaker directly above her head.

Dina jumped and blinked, the airport snapping back into focus.

Her book was still open to the same page, but she hadn’t read a single word in quite a while, too lost in her daydream to concentrate.

A laugh escaped her as she lowered the novel and rubbed her forehead.

“I’m fucking losing it…”

She was building entire fictional relationships around a woman she’d never spoken to. A woman whose name she didn’t know. A woman she’d seen for all of sixty seconds.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Kat.

Kat: Still thinking about the mystery woman?

Dina stared at the message suspiciously. Then looked around the terminal as if Kat might somehow be hiding behind a potted plant.

Dina: I hate that you know me so well.

Kat’s response arrived almost instantly.

Kat: So that’s a yes.

Dina groaned and glanced down at the romance novel. The heroine and her attractive stranger were now exchanging phone numbers.

Dina slipped her bookmark between the pages and closed it, at this point it was just mocking her anyway.

Coffee in hand, Dina turned her attention toward the massive windows lining the terminal.

Outside was a completely different kind of story, one that never seemed to stop moving.

A jet slowly pushed back from its gate while a tug guided it into position. Farther down the apron, a line of fuel trucks crawled between aircraft like worker ants carrying out some massive, coordinated operation. Baggage carts zipped across the tarmac, drivers somehow navigating around planes worth hundreds of millions of dollars without colliding with anything.

From inside the terminal, everything looked chaotic, but the longer you watched, the more you realized there was an intricate rhythm to it. A choreography and language everyone outside seemed to understand.

Ground crews in reflective vests communicated with practiced hand signals. Marshaling wands glowed orange as workers guided arriving aircraft into position. Cargo doors opened. Luggage was unloaded. Fuel hoses connected. Catering trucks arrived.

Then, somehow, thirty minutes later, the entire process reversed itself and the plane was gone again.

A machine made of thousands of moving parts.

Dina took a sip of her coffee.

A regional jet rolled slowly toward the runway, pausing briefly before continuing on. Beyond it, ships moved slowly though the harbor, the white fluffy clouds reflecting beautifully off the water.

The sight made her smile.

For the first time in months, her thoughts felt quiet. Not empty, but settled. Boston had helped with that.

The breakup wasn’t something she thought about every second anymore. It still hurt sometimes. Certain songs still caught her off guard. Certain memories still lingered, but the sharp edges had begun to wear down—like a forgotten bruise being pressed rather than a gaping wound.

The city had given her space to breathe, to think. To remember who she was.

Her gaze followed another aircraft taxiing past the terminal.

People were arriving.

People were leaving.

Thousands of stories crossing paths for a few brief moments before continuing on in different directions.

The thought brought her back, inevitably, to the woman in the Red Sox hat. A stranger she’d never spoken to.

Dina smiled to herself. It was ridiculous, really, the entire thing.

Still, she wondered what the woman’s story was. Where she was headed.  Whether she was traveling for work or for fun. Whether someone would be waiting for her when she landed.

The questions drifted through her mind lazily, without the intensity they’d had earlier. Just curiosity now, nothing more.

Outside, a departing aircraft accelerated down the runway. Within seconds its nose lifted and the wheels left the ground.

And just like that it was climbing into the sky, shrinking against the backdrop of the harbor's water until it disappeared into the clouds.

Dina watched it go.

Then took another sip of her coffee and settled deeper into her chair, content to simply watch the dance of the airport unfold beyond the glass while she waited for her own turn to leave.

--------

Thirty minutes later, Dina’s zone was finally called to board the aircraft.

Dina slid into the window seat, carry-on was safely stowed overhead, thankful her coffee had survived boarding and tucking her backpack beneath the seat in front of her.

The cabin was still only half full, passengers filtering aboard in a steady stream while flight attendants directed traffic and helped wrestle oversized bags into overhead bins.

For once, Dina was perfectly content to just sit.

She leaned her head against the window and watched the activity outside. It was calming. Predictable. The kind of thing that let her brain drift.

She was just beginning to wonder if the middle seat might stay open when someone stopped beside her row.

A backpack bumped lightly against the seat.

Then came a scent—clean and warm, something woodsy underneath citrus, subtle enough that it didn’t feel overpowering, but also impossible to ignore—wafting through the air.

The seat beside her shifted as its occupant sat down, the motion jostling the armrest.

“Sorry.”

The voice was warm. Easy.

Dina turned her head and promptly forgot how to function.

She was met by green eyes, auburn ponytail, and a Red Sox hat.

For a second, her brain simply refused to process what it was seeing.

No. Absolutely not. There's no way.

The woman offered an apologetic smile.

“I'm sorry for rocking your seat.”

Dina’s heart slammed against her ribs.

She stared. Between the cologne and the fact that the universe had somehow dropped this woman directly into the seat next to her, coherent thought had become surprisingly difficult.

Up close, the woman was somehow even cuter than Dina originally thought. The freckles she’d only vaguely noticed before were now more apparent. She could just make out a scar cutting delicately through her right brow beneath the shadow of the hat’s brim.   

And those green eyes—Jesus, those eyes.

The woman tilted her head slightly. Concern flickering across her expression. “Everything okay?”

Words. Dina needed words, now.

Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. She blinked rapidly. Once. Twice. Then finally managed:

“Yep.”

The woman’s smile widened, something suspiciously close to amusement appeared on her face. “Good.”

Dina’s brain short-circuited for a second time and she shook her head. “Sorry.”

Now it was the woman’s turn to look confused. “For what?”

“I just…” Dina laughed nervously. “You surprised me.”

The woman glanced around the cabin. “By sitting in the seat I paid for?”

The dry humor caught Dina off guard enough to make her laugh. “Yeah, that.”

A flight attendant walked past, continuing the boarding process while passengers got settled into their seats.

For a moment neither spoke.

Dina desperately tried to remember how normal human beings behaved.

Eventually she found enough courage to speak. “Heading home?”

Smooth. Very smooth.

The woman settled back in her seat with a tired sigh.

“Yeah.” A small smile appeared. “Finally.”

Dina nodded. “Long trip?”

“More like a long week.” Something about the answer felt familiar.

Dina smiled. “I know the feeling.”

The woman looked over at her then, really looked at her for the first time. Whatever she saw seemed to put her at ease because her expression softened immediately. “Business or vacation?”

“Mini vacation.”

“Those are usually the best trips.”

Dina smiled. “Sometimes.”

The conversation paused again.

Not awkward, just new. The kind of pause that happens when two strangers are deciding whether they’re interested in continuing a conversation.

Then the woman extended a hand.

“I’m Ellie.”

There it was. A name. An actual name.

Dina looked down at it, then back up at those impossibly beautiful eyes, and somehow managed not to completely embarrass herself.

“Dina.”

Ellie’s handshake was warm. Confident. Strong.

“Nice to meet you, Dina.”

Dina smiled despite the butterflies currently staging a hostile takeover of her stomach.

I'm screaming right now! Detroit's new PWHL team posted this on their Instagram this morning and you know damn well those emoji's have to be hinting at the new team names. If Detroit is in fact the Riviters (after Rosie the Riveter and a nod to our automotive industry) I'm going to lose my shit! Please, please, please let this be true!!

Howdy anonymous! Thanks for the mysterious ask. 😆 I've been working on a few TLOU WIPs. One where Dina is a famous singer and Ellie is her bodyguard. The other is a short series (that's rapidly expanding) about young Dina growing up and making her way to Jackson.

As far as what I'm reading, not much at the moment. I've been traveling a bit and writing when I'm not working so I'm so far behind. The growing stack of novels in my spare room is threatening to topple and day now. Lol