“Stop that nonsense Carol,” she said to herself as she fixed on her travel face to the greeting staff at the door. She was a romantic she acknowledged and why not she asked herself.
It was a whimsical distraction from her busy corporate life which she acknowledged had been fabulously successful. Now approaching 40 she was wondering if there was something else or somebody special out there for her. Over the years as she built up her business there had been several distinct Mr Right possibilities but in the end, she felt let down when they didn’t measure up to her list of ideal requirements.
“Am I too damned picky?” She often asked herself but this was what had made her very successful. Never settle for 2nd best if the best was available. Well, here she was nearly forty and getting tired of the roundabout.
She shook her head as she made herself comfortable in her very expensive 1st class suite and sipping the cold crisp champers offered to her from the smiling handsome flight attendant. Probably gay so no fun there she thought. After take off she tried to rest and get comfortable and gather her thoughts for the long flight ahead before she arrived at the next round of meetings and appointments. Thank god she had arranged for her driver to meet her at the airport so that she could get straight to work when she arrived.
Carol was trying not to think of her most recent breakup if you could call it that. It wasn’t her fault she reasoned if her younger partner of nearly two years had decided that he wanted his married domestic life back with his beautiful doting wife and two small children. Truthfully it was a relief from Carol’s point of view. Pity, he was such fun but she was so used to living her hectic life as she wanted and wasn’t ready to be a stepmom to two children under twelve. The demands on their alone time were hampering her ideal lifestyle of weekends or special breaks away somewhere romantic or at least interesting. She recalled her most recent lucky escape when she remembered that it wasn’t very much fun staying in a luxury hotel suite on a tropical island when the weather was abysmal and even the so-called kids club couldn’t keep the little blighter's occupied. She would much rather have spent the few precious days alone with him in the huge four-poster net draped bed and the tempting private plunge pool was just made for skinny dipping no matter what time of day or night. They had returned home earlier than planned and she had been sort of grateful when the relationship had ended.
The flight was reasonably full and 1st class was always a hive of quiet activity as the flight attendants served the tantalising food and fine wines and helped passengers with their sleeping requirements.
“I’m not hungry yet and I can’t relax enough to sleep so I think I’ll go up to the bar upstairs and see if that can quieten me down,” she told herself.
Climbing the staircase at the rear of the 1st class cabin to the sky bar was like stepping into another world at some classy hotel bar. The light background music and the comfortable soft chairs set around the little circular bar at the end and the quiet clink of glasses and the soft hum of conversations were just what she needed. The seating was arranged in pairs around the perimeter with some seats facing each other with small circular tables between them and some swivelled around to the windows. After ordering from the bar she looked around but there was only one vacant so she slipped into it. It was facing a rather large balding man hiding his face in the Wall Street Journal who didn’t even look up or take any notice as she sat down opposite him.
Carol wasn’t used to being ignored. With her tall slim figure immaculately clad in her French label travelling outfit and long dark thick glossy hair framing a face with fine features and big expressive emerald green eyes she was used to men watching her every move when out and about. Probably her air of confidence and obvious wealth also helped. She sipped her champers and looked over her fellow travellers. Just the usual bland businessmen and a few women and some who were obviously enjoying their 1st foray into the sky bar. There were a few middle eastern thick set men with their heavily made up and expensively dressed female companions jangling with their heavy gold jewellery. I bet they are the paid trophy women she thought and instantly dismissed the whole crowd.
The only one she couldn’t really observe was the man opposite her. Suddenly the plane made a slight shudder as they hit an air pocket. Her glass on the small table between the two chairs splashed and almost tipped over.
The silent man lowered his paper and looked her squarely in the eyes. She was momentarily taken off guard by his direct gaze so she smiled and attempted to mop up her wasted vintage on the table between them before it reached his side and part of the newspaper resting there.
“Hmmm,” he murmured.
“Oh gosh I am sorry,” she said as she reached over to his side of the table.
“Hazards of flight” he answered and his grin spread to his eyes which crinkled up at the corners.
“I don’t usually come up here on flights but am feeling a bit restless and hoped this could relax me before I sleep”
“Yes, I always think it is a very good way to unwind too” He smiled. “My name is Jonathan Kingston” and he leant forward and stuck out his hand.
“Hello Jonathan I’m Carol” and she reached the offered hand and he held it for a few seconds.
“Business or pleasure,” he asked as he swept his arm around the bar.
“Oh business, as usual, I’m afraid” she answered “Sometimes I would just love to go somewhere special with someone special without all the deadlines” She exclaimed and bit her lower lip.
“Oh gosh, I didn’t mean for that to come out as jaded as it sounded!” as she put her hand over her mouth and laughed.
“I know exactly what you mean Carol. That used to be me a few years ago until I decided that time was marching on and I wasn’t really enjoying all my hard earned perks so I cut back on the business travel and visited all the places I usually go to just as a tourist. Such a different exhilarating experience with no deadlines!”
Carol noticed that his whole face lit up again and thought that he really was a very interesting middle-aged man despite his overweight and balding appearance although of course he was very well dressed and groomed. Even his bald head was shiny and almost matched the shine from his silver cufflinks she glimpsed as he waved his hand to the waiter. Very different to the usual good looking younger types she favoured.
“Please another glass for my companion here,” he said to the waiter as he came over to the table.
“Oh no I am fine thanks,” she said
“And you sir,?” asked the barman as he took the now empty glass from in front of Carol.
“Oh nothing for me at the moment thanks” he replied. He swivelled his seat around to directly face Carol and said “I don't like to drink too much either when I fly because I always get hungry too and I certainly don’t need any more here” he said as he patted his belly and laughed.
Carol wasn’t sure how to answer that so she just grinned.
“Constant travel doesn’t help keep a healthy lifestyle does it?” he said “Although you obviously don’t show any signs of that,” he said and smiled and took in her perfectly poised demeanour.
She grinned again and nodded her head. This was what she was used to.
“Thanks but it is a constant battle to stay fit and healthy and have the stamina required for different countries let alone quite different time zones. I always stay at the same places so at least I know the area and feel confident to go out for a run when I want. This time I have actually given myself a couple of free days so am hoping to sightsee or at least relax more”.
“That's a wonderful idea,” he said. “I have a few days of business to attend to and I also have given myself some downtime. Perhaps I can show you some of the best-hidden spots that only the locals get to see,” he asked “but of course I don’t want to impose on you if you would rather be by yourself”
He looked carefully at her with a big smile on his face while she made up her mind. Maybe that's just what she needed to get her out of her deepening melancholy and she was always ready for a challenge and he looked like a man who was used to enjoying his life.
“You know that would be wonderful. Thank you very much. I think I would enjoy that”.
They sat and talked for awhile and she was impressed with his intimate knowledge of the various places where she also did business and the cultural constraints some of them presented. They laughed at some of the stories they shared and the conversation flowed freely. She began to think that there was an older man with many intriguing possibilities.
They accommodation details and he said “I will contact you to arrange the time and plans if that's OK? Is Tuesday free for you?”
“Yes as far as I know at the moment that will be fine”
Then she realised that Tuesday was Valentines Day and she would love the company of a titillatingly different type of man to what she usually was attracted to.
“Love is in the air” she hummed to herself as she made her way back downstairs with a dreamy look on her face ready to get her beauty sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment