Although it was true that I did not hold the pilots to blame, it just felt as if fate was conspiring against me. Also, being as how I hated flying, the fact that it was raining did not ease my nerves in the least bit.
As I began to settle in, I decided to do some light reading. I take out a magazine, and begin leafing through it, skimming over the pages with minute interest. After a while, I give up and lay the magazine down. Leaning my head back against the head rest, and closing my eyes, I decide to relax and take advantage of the moment.
As I start to drift to sleep, I am startled back awake by a very sexy masculine voice.
"Excuse me...is this seat taken?"
I open my eyes, and looks towards the source of the question. My gaze locks on the handsome yet familiar features of the person. He is wearing sunglasses, but as he takes them off, my breath is taken away by his beautiful green eyes. Momentarily at a lose for words, I don't answer. Thinking that maybe I hadn't heard him the first time, he smiles and asks again.
"I was wondering if this seat is taken?"
Still dazed, I just not my head no. He puts his carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment, and then takes the seat next to mine. As he buckles his seat belt, he turns to me with a smile and extends his hand.
"Hi...my name is Roy."
Getting over my initial shock, I extend my hand, in an attempt to shake his, smiling.
"Hello. My friends call me Trace."
As he takes my hand in his, Roy winks, and raising my hand to his lips, lightly brushes a kiss across my knuckles. As he does, a slight shock, like an electrical charge, runs through my fingers and up my arm. Momentarily disoriented, I laugh nervously and smile. Noticing my sudden reaction, he smiles.
"Something wrong?"
I look down at my lap, and the magazine that is lying there. "Must be static electricity from the planes carpet." As I look back up, Roy smiles seductively in return.
"Yes...static electricity..."
Time stood still, as I lost myself in his green eyes. After a while, Roy released my hand, and lying his sunglasses on the armrest between us, reached for the magazine lying in my lap. As he did, he leaned even closer to me, and closing my eyes, I inhaled the pleasant aroma of his cologne. When Iopened my eyes again, he was looking directly at me.
"Don't like to fly...huh?"
Not wanting to let onto what I was really thinking, I just nodded my head. "No..and the rain doesn't help either. What about you...do you like to fly? Do you fly much?"
He laughed, a relaxed and inherently masculine laugh, the kind that would bring a smile to any females face.
"Not really... but I have learned to get used to it. In my business, you don't have a choice."
As he was talking, I couldn't help but think that there was something familiar about him. I felt as if I had seen him before, that I should know him. But, shaking the feeling off, and telling myself to get past it, I returned my attention to the conversation at hand.
"What kind of business are you in...if you don't mind me asking?"
He looked a little uncomfortable at first, but then his pleasant smile returned.
"I am in the entertainment industry. And how about you?"
I just smiled, and looking at the magazine in my lap, began to fidget with the corners of the cover. "Oh...I have my own business. I own a small gift shop in West Virginia."
He turned, as if suddenly intrigued, and smiling, continued. "West Virginia? Is that where you are from?"
"Well...that is where I live. I was born and raised in Columbus Ohio."
"Your gift shop...is that what brought you to New York?"
I looked up, and gazing into his green eyes, smiled. "No... I am on my way back from a combination vacation/business trip to Canada. I keep getting transferred due to the weather. This is my second transfer today, but this has been the longest delay so far."
"Yeah, the weather is something."
I turned, and looked out the small window, and momentarily lost in my own thoughts, replied."I don't like the rain... nothing good happens when it rains."
He placed his hand on mine, and I turned to look at him. "Its not that bad. I am sure that we will be underway in no time."
I smiled in gratitude. As we continued to gaze at one another, a crackle came across the planes intercom, and we heard the pilots voice.
"Ladies and Gentlemen... due to the inclement weather, our flight has been cancelled. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. Thank you for flying our airline."
As the intercom clicked off, I began to unbuckle my seat belt, and prepared to disembark from the plane. Turning, I looked at Roy.
"I guess we will have to get another flight."
Roy, looked at me with an apologetic look, as he stood. "I'm afraid not. This was the last flight out tonight."
Thinking to myself "Oh..great!", I stood and joined Roy in the aisleway. Roy took his luggage out of the overhead compartment and turned to me.
"I guess I will try to get me a hotel reservation then. Any suggestions?"
"I am staying at the Hilton. I do whenever I am in town. I would highly recommend it."
I rolled my eyes and stifled a chuckle. "Oh, I think that is way outside my price range. I am more the Motel 8 type."
As Roy started down the aisleway, intending to disembark from the plane, he turned and smiled. "It was nice meeting you Trace. I am sorry that we couldn't spend more time together."
I smiled, fidgeting with the strap of my backpack purse. "Yeah... it was nice meeting you as well. Maybe we will meet again sometime."
Roy smiled, "Maybe" Then he turned and exited the plane.
As I started down the aisle, something caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. As I looked at the seats that we had just vacated, I saw Roy's sunglasses lying on the armrest. I leaned over, and picked them up. I ran for the exit door, but when I got there, and looked down the exit ramp, Roy was nowhere to be found.
Thinking to myself for a few moments, I looked down at the sunglasses in my hand, and remembering that he said that he was staying at the Hilton, a smile spread across my lips.
***************
Entering the hotel lobby, feeling that this may be a big mistake, I tried to shake as much water from my raincoat as I could. The rain storm had picked up, drastically, in intensity during the trip from the airport. And, to my dismay, I had to admit to myself that it looked as though it wouldn't be letting up anytime soon.
Having quickly navigated across the lobby, and finding myself at the information desk, I rang the bell for service. After a few moments, during which I almost talk myself into turning tail and running, the hotels concierge appeared.
"Yes, ma'am...how may I be of service?"
Not knowing exactly how to word what I needed to say, I just chose to come right out with it.
"Hi... I was looking for someone, and was wondering if you could help me?"
The concierge smiled politely, and taking a position behind his computer monitor, typed quickly.
"Okay...what is the guests name?"
A sudden blush travelled up my neck and into my cheeks. "Well...that's the problem. I just met him, and only know that his first name is Roy. He said that he was staying here. Maybe you know him? Beautiful green eyes... auburn hair... " Before I could continue, the concierge smiled and nodded his head. Then, moving from behind the computer monitor, he spoke.
"Ah... Monsieur Dupuis... the French-Canadian actor."
As he said this, my mouth dropped open, and I could only stare. Seeing my reaction, the concierge chose to ignore it, and continued.
"I am afraid that it is against hotel policy to give out information on our guests... especially such high profile ones."
As he said this, my shock wore off, and was replaced by disappointment. Realizing that I was probably just wasting my time, I smiled, and turned to walk away. As I placed my hands in the pockets of my raincoat, my fingers touched upon the sunglasses. Suddenly, remembering that they were the reason I had ventured here in the first place, I turned back around, and reapproached the desk.The concierge, noticing my return, looked up, nodding his head, smiled weakly.
"Really Miss... I cannot help you anymore."
I smiled in return, and taking the sunglasses out of my coat pocket, laid them down on the counter.
"I understand. I just need to know if you can make sure that Roy...I mean Monseiur Dupuis ... gets these. He accidentally left them on the airplane, and I didn't want him to worry about them."
The concierge looked at me, as if he was deciding whether or not to believe me. Then, he started smiling and nodded his head.
"Well...okay." He reached down under the counter, and retrieved a white envelope. Picking up a pen, he handed both items to me. I looked at him, and he noticed my confusion.
"Would you like to include a little note... for Monsieur Dupuis?"
Understanding, finally, I cast my gaze down in embarrassment. Then, after thanking him, I walked across the lobby, and sat down in one of the chairs. After writing Roy a note, telling him that he had accidentally left his sunglasses on the plane, I added my name, and the name of the motel where I was staying. I told myself that I was being foolish.. the I would never hear from him again, but I included the information anyway.
After finishing the short note, and placing it, and the sunglasses into the envelope, I stood and walked back over to the desk. The concierge looked up from his work, and I handed the envelope across the counter to him. He smiled, and took the envelope.
"I will see to it that Monsieur Dupuis gets it."
I nodded, smiled, and turned to leave. As I walked across the lobby, towards the door, I smiled. As I reached the door, and exited onto the street, a sudden clap of thunder jolted me out of my reverie. I hailed a cab and headed to my motel, to wait out the storm.
The rain storm continued on through the day, and well into the evening. As night fell, and the lightening cut across the sky, I became more and more convinced that the phone call I was awaiting would never come. The airline had assured me, that if a flight were able to get out, they would notify me. But after waiting anxiously for hours, I came to the conclusion that the call would never come.
Looking out the window of my simple little motel room, I looked through the blurred glass, and out over the city. I had not even eaten dinner, and my stomach was making sure that I did not forget. I had intended to eat as soon as I had dropped off Roy's sunglasses, but had totally forgotten. Moving across the room, to retrieve my purse, I heard a soft knock at my door. Walking over and opening the door, my breath was taken away when I saw Roy standing on the other side. He looked at me, then smiled.
"Hello again."
I only stood, holding my purse, with my jaw gaping wide open. Then, Roy broke the silence, and spoke.
"I was just wondering, maybe I could pay you back for returning my glasses to me" I smiled, and looking down at the purse in my hand, blushed.
"That really isn't necessary. I just didn't want you to worry about them is all." Roy smiled, and continued looking at me.
"Well, at least you will join me for dinner. I hate to eat alone."
Looking back up at him, I was suddenly at a loss for words. I was staring into his eyes, and momentarily lost myself there. After a few moments, he spoke, and I returned to reality.
"So, what do you say? "
I shook my head, to clear my thoughts. Roy misinterpreted the gesture, and his smile faded.
"Well...okay...I am sorry to have bothered you."
I looked at him, and as realization dawned on me, I began to laugh. Roy, with a confused look on his face, just stared at me.
"No... I didn't mean no. I would be happy to join you."
Roy smiled brightly once again, and moved to the side and gestured with his arm. "Then...shall we?"
I stepped over the threshold of the door, and closing and locking it behind me, proceeded down the hallway with Roy. Once we arrived outside, I saw that he had a limo waiting for him. As I inhaled in surprise, he turned to me, and spoke.
"Don't be too impressed. It goes with the job. My agent booked the room for me, and the limo went with it. Believe me, I am not the limo type."
I turned and smiled to him. Then the limo driver walked over and placing an umbrella over us, escorted us to the car. As we neared it, Roy moved in front of me, and opened the door, and gestured to me.
"After you."
I smiled, and slid into the car. Roy then closed the door, and walking around to the other side, entered the car. Then, the limo driver took his place behind the wheel, and we headed off.
*********
On the way back to my motel room, after dinner, Roy and I laughed and talked. We learned that we had alot in common, including a love for the outdoors, and a shared love for dogs. Arriving at my door, I took out my key. Roy, taking the key from me with a smile, placed it in the lock, and turned the tumbler. Then, after opening the door, and reaching in to turn on the light, he turned back to me.
"I really had a nice time Trace."
I looked down at the floor, and smiled. "So did I."
Roy reached out, and taking my chin in his hand, tilted my head up and gazed into my eyes.
"I am sorry the night has to end so soon.
I averted my gaze, not wanting to give in and invite him into my room. As if he sensed my uneasiness, he leaned in, and softly placed a kiss on my forehead.
"I will excuse myself now, before I am unable to maintain my gentlemanly thoughts."
I smiled back at him, and he reached down and took my hand in his. Raising it to his mouth, he lightly brushed a kiss across my knuckles.
"Until we meet again, cheri."
Roy then turned, and walked down the hallway. I waited until he was out of sight, then I turned and walked into the my motel room, just as the phone rang.
Walking over and picking it up, the person on the other end informed me that they had found me a flight home after all. Hanging up the phone, I stopped and smiled. I couldn't help but think to myself... good things happen in the rain, after all.