Page 144 of Fly with Me

Right. She was in an airplane.

And she wasn’t completely hating it.

“Sure everything’s fine?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “Thank you so much for doing this. So, have you—have you seen Stella lately?” Olive’s attempt at nonchalance failed miserably.

Esther’s mouth quirked to the side. “No. No, I haven’t.”

“Oh, okay.”

“You know she quit the airline, right?”

“She… what?” Olive’s mouth fell open.

“Not sure I should be telling you this…”

“Please. Is she okay?”

“Seems to be. She should have been promoted years ago. She filed an HR complaint about Kevin O’Halloran’s behavior at the party and then decided she didn’t want to work for the airline anymore. Didn’t want to support a company with a culture that didn’t value women. Said she was sick of waiting to be valued. I’m looking for a new job too for similar reasons.”

“Oh my god.”

“I’ve heard a couple of the younger pilots were pretty inspired by her.”

“Does that mean she’s got to start over with a new company? What does that mean about her becoming a captain?”

Esther shrugged her shoulders. “Will probably be delayed a bit. Not by much. She’s talented and smart, with an excellent record. She’ll find a new job. She’ll accomplish her goals. She told me that some things are more important than a career. Can’t say I ever expected to hear Stella Soriano say that.” She smiled knowingly.

The plane shifted in the air, angling slightly. “We’re going back now?”

“Yes. Only logged a short flight today. Figured you’d want to start slow.”

Olive’s leg twitched beneath her; she was desperate to be on the ground again. But not for the reason she expected. “That’s great. Thank you. I—uh, there’s something I need to do.”

Something Olive needed to do right the fuck now. Plan be damned.

Chapter 52

Olive knocked on the door. Stella’s car was in the driveway. She must be here. She had to be here.

Olive heard the sound of footsteps from inside. Her heart galloped. Stella pulled the door open, and her eyes went wide. She stood frozen to the spot. Silent. Stella Soriano was speechless.

Olive pushed a plant in a periwinkle blue pot into Stella’s arms. “It’s a philodendron. Easy to take care of. I named it Seymour Hoffman on the way over, but obviously that’s up for negotiation given that it’s your plant and not mine. I guess it’s also a bit macabre since he’s dead. Rest in peace, seriously, he was such an amazing actor. Maybe Collins? Or Wilson? All a play on the whole Phil thing… you know?” Good fucking god, what was she saying? “I went up in a plane today.” Olive pointed to the sky as if to illustrate the point. As if Stella didn’t know that planes flew.

Stella still didn’t speak. She wrapped her slender arms around the potted plant and stared blankly at Olive.

“I always liked you, Stella. I never fake liked you. I agreed to be your fake girlfriend because of that. Even though my friends thought it was a bad idea, I went along with it because I liked being with you. I liked going to the awards thing. I liked meeting your dad. And talking to you on the phone every night. I know you’re nervous about relationships because you say you’ll be a bad girlfriend and those other two women got hurt. But there you were this entire time, doing girlfriend things. And doing them so fucking perfectly. I’m not asking for anything beyond exclusivity and the promise that both of us will be willing to try to do things that scare us. I’m not asking for everything to be perfect right away because I’m sure as fuck not perfect. You should know that I have depression and get panic attacks, but I’m seeing a therapist now. And I know you’re scared of hurting me, but I’m here to tell you that you are worth that risk. I know who you are. I know you. Believe me, I know there are absolutely no guarantees in life, but I want to be with you anyway. And that’s… that’s what I came to say. With the plant. Not that I was saying that with the plant, but you know, accompanied by a plant. Or whatever.”

Stella parted her perfect mouth, still mute for several seconds before she spoke in a quiet, tentative voice. “That’s the most words I’ve ever heard you say all at once.”

“Maybe you’re rubbing off on me.”

Stella slid the plant onto the entryway table beside her and stepped out onto the porch. “I’m sorry for what I said at the party. All of it.”

“I’m sorry about what I said at the party.” Olive braced a hand on the railing, focusing on the bare rosebush beside her so she wouldn’t have to make eye contact with Stella. Her eyes were too distracting. “I found out right before the party that Jake passed away. Then the whole Lindsay binder thing happened, and I completely spiraled. I didn’t hear what you were saying because I was feeling too shitty about myself and everything else. That’s no excuse, but it’s the truth.”

“Oh god, Olive. I’m so sorry about Jake.” Stella wrapped her arms around Olive’s shoulders.