Behind Blue Eyes

Chapter 4

Matt shoved sixty dollars in twenty-dollar bills into the taxi driver's hands, not waiting for either change or a receipt, as he grabbed his carry-on bag and rushed into the airport terminal building. He hustled through the priority lane of the security checkpoint, courtesy of his business class boarding pass, only to hear his name and the final boarding call to gate forty-four over the public address system. Matt swore out loud. Gate forty-four was at the farthest end of the domestic terminal. He had two choices: admit defeat and retire to the airline lounge where someone could help him re-book his flight and lose his upgrade, or risk vomiting on a dash to the gate. He hefted his bag over his shoulder and sprinted through the concourse. He made it to the gate just as the agent was preparing to close the doors. He stopped briefly for her to check his boarding pass and drivers permit, then continued his sprint down the boarding ramp. The flight attendant waiting at the aircraft door tapped her watch in visible agitation.

"Thanks for waiting," he said. Winded, he bent over and gasped for air. It was time for the charm. Smiling as he straightened up, she was instantly enamored by his violet-blue eyes and dimples. The reddening of her face only made him smile more.

"This is one flight you didn't want to miss, Mr. Stevens." She took his suit jacket and hung it in a small closet at the front of the business class cabin. "My name's Judy. I'll get you a glass of orange juice as soon as I can. Or would you prefer something in it?"

From her tone, he imagined she was considering presenting herself in the glass. "Surprise me," he said.

Walking down the aisle, the irritation of his fellow passengers was palpable with several muttering their displeasure at his tardiness. He avoided making eye contact with any of them as he stowed his bag in the overhead bin and then awkwardly negotiated the legs of his seatmate to sit down in the window seat.

"Hi. I'm Luke."

Matt paused from trying to stuff his iPad, book, and earphones into the seat pocket in front of him. He'd been too flustered to pay any attention to the guy in the aisle seat, but the voice sounded familiar. Still bent over, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at a pair of scuffed army boots and ripped jeans—not usual business class attire—before lifting his head and getting confirmation his seatmate was Luke Dornan, lead singer of Blue Fusion. "Of c...course...you are," he stammered, cheeks burning.

Matt was fully aware of all things Luke Dornan courtesy of his ex-girlfriend, Jenna, who'd at least shown sufficient self-control not to adorn her bedroom wall with posters, and thus avoid him experiencing performance anxiety under his brooding glare. Contrary to what he'd ever admitted to Jenna, Dornan was an incredibly handsome man, but Matt considered his bad-boy image a bit clichéd: carefully-groomed stubble, a shock of perpetually bed-head black hair, and full sleeves of tattoos that extended onto a much photographed, and suspiciously hairless, six-pack torso. Matt had always thought Dornan was what boy-band members or Disney child stars grew up to become. Matt shook the hand extended towards him. The nails were bitten down. How bad-boy was that?

"And you are?" Dornan asked.

Matt didn't detect any trace of amusement in his obvious discomfort, only patience and perhaps an underlying concern over the apparent moron he'd been seated next to. "Err...M...Matt Ste...Stevens." He took a deep breath. "Matt. Sorry." He felt sweat beading at his hairline.

Dornan smiled. "I usually like to introduce myself first, to avoid any awkwardness."

"And that usually works?" Matt said, immediately hating himself for the sarcasm.

"Usually," Dornan said, his smile broadening. "Relax bro, otherwise it's going to be a very long flight for both of us."

As Matt struggled to know what next to say, he was bought more time as Judy interrupted them and handed Matt his promised orange juice. He took a sip and looked up at her.