Waking Up To Love (Lakeside Porches Book 4) (19 page)

“No, I do not.”

“You’re pissed.”

“I cannot tell you how much I hate this. I know it’s important to you and to Justin, so I’m doing it. Don’t expect me to like it.”

His silence told her she’d gone too far. She stopped short of the door to the building. Students flowed past her. Two said hello. One offered to hold the door for her. She shook her head and separated herself from the traffic. “Kyle, I apologize for taking it out on you. I know you don’t like it any better than I do.”

“You’re right.” His tone was clipped. “Let’s hope it’s worth it. It tears us apart every time you talk with him. Shall I tell Justin the deal is off?”

She brushed angrily at a few tears. “No, I-I’ll manage. It’s just . . . I’m sorry. I’ve got to get myself together for my class. Let’s talk later. Maybe dinner at my place?”

“I like that plan.” His voice was a caress.

“I wish I could be less emotional. Maybe tonight you can share some of your secrets for that.”

His chuckle relaxed her.

“No worries, luv. I’ll give it some thought. Have a good class.”

Lyssa’s goal of making friends on the faculty had gone nowhere in the time she’d been at Tompkins College. She’d been busy with classes, caught up in Rand’s craziness, and glad for stolen moments with Kyle. She hadn’t followed through with the interesting women she’d met, like Bethany.

At the restaurant in Corning, while Rand roamed the parking lot for the perfect parking space, she went ahead to tell Brad and Bethany they’d arrived. She glanced at her phone.
Only ten minutes late
.

“Hi, Bethany.” Lyssa’s bright tone brought Bethany’s dreamy gaze to her. “You may not remember, I’m Lyssa Doughty.”

Bethany mimed giving herself a mental shake. “Sorry, Lyssa. Brad and I lost track of time.” Thick, dark waves floated around her heart-shaped face, and her green eyes gleamed with intelligence.

“Which is good, because we’re a bit late.” Lyssa smiled warmly.

“Isn’t Rand with you?” Brad asked.

“Yes, he’s just parking. Are you excited about the soaring this afternoon?”

Bethany frowned. “Rand said something about going on to some flying activity. Is that what you mean?”

“With the Tullys, yes.”

Bethany directed a worried frown at Brad. “We didn’t get a lunch reservation for six. I hope that’s not a problem.”

“Not a problem. They’re picking us up
after
lunch.”

“Well, we hope you enjoy it.”

“Wait. You’re coming, too, right?”

Brad and Bethany exchanged puzzled looks. Brad answered, “No, we’re in Elmira for the weekend, strictly a romantic getaway.”

Lyssa struggled to keep her composure.
He set me up
. And when the Tullys arrived, she’d be by herself with . . .

“But Rand has been such a good friend,” Brad said, “and Bethany has been wanting to talk with you, Lyssa, so here we are. We hope you like our favorite restaurant.”

Lyssa’s heart thudded so loudly she tuned out half his words.

“You know, Rand started at Tompkins College with us last year, and we’ve all hung together. He’s a lot of fun, and he throws a hot party.”

“Did you enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres at his loft when the semester started?” Bethany asked.

“Very much,” Lyssa stammered.

“Lyssa brought the layered taco dip, remember?” Bethany grabbed Brad’s wrist and jiggled it. “We’re going to make it for company next weekend, Lyssa. That was really clever and thoughtful of you to leave the printed recipe by the serving dish.”

Brad beamed at Lyssa. “My sister and her family will love it. And Bethany needs to stop worrying about meeting them.”

Lyssa pasted a smile on her face. “The dip is really easy to make. Sounds like an important occasion. I hope they love it.” She jumped as a hand closed on her shoulder.

“Anyone hungry?” Rand held out a chair for Lyssa and took the empty seat next to Brad. The men wasted no time on small talk but dove into the controversy surrounding an unpopular decision by their department chair.

With a sparkling laugh, Bethany said, “They’re off and running. Let’s have our own conversation.”

Lyssa made an effort not to ruminate on Rand’s trickery as she and Bethany talked. It turned out they had things in common, including a passion for consignment shops. Lyssa invited her to join them for an upcoming Saturday trip to the shops in Ithaca. Manda and Bree had already set it up and informed Lyssa she was the designated driver.

Their lunches arrived, thick sandwiches for the men, abundant salads for the women. Along with the food, a pitcher of beer vanished. After Lyssa and Bethany had run through favorite movies and authors, Bethany asked, “Tell me how you like it at Tompkins College, Lyssa.”

“I love the students, but I’m a little uneasy about whatever’s going on with the grade fixing. What do you think about it?” It had been her standard comeback for the past two weeks when she talked with any of the faculty, but she winced to hear herself say the words to Bethany. She hadn’t meant to get into it today since Kyle had already cleared them.

Bethany had no idea what Lyssa meant by the grade fixing, but Rand and Brad’s conversation came to a halt at her question. “Lyssa,” Brad said quietly, “I wouldn’t ask questions like that if I were you.”

“Really, Brad?”

Rand’s mouth was tight. He made a show of glancing at his phone and looking aghast at the time. “We’re officially late, darlin’. Great lunch, everyone. We’ll have to do this again in another romantic location. Maybe Skaneateles next time. Right now, Lyssa and I need to shove off for the airfield.” He touched Lyssa’s forearm. “Jim Tully called as I was parking and said Tommy is sick with strep throat. They won’t be joining us after all.”

“His little boy’s name is Timmy.”
So it’s just Rand and me. Why isn’t that a relief?

“And you’ll want to make a pit stop here, darlin’, as there aren’t bathrooms at the air field.”

Lyssa smiled falsely at him. “You really know how to take care of a lady, Rand.” She stood and waved to Brad. “Enjoyed it very much. Bethany, Saturday after next. Come to my apartment, and I’ll take it from there.”

“I wouldn’t miss it.”

“You’ll love meeting my sister Manda and our friend Bree.”
At least one thing went right today
.

They churned uphill on the dusty road to the airstrip that, in reality, was just a high level field the size of several football fields. A windsock testified to brisk wind this clear fall afternoon. A low flat-roof shed, large enough to hold several gliders, sat just off the road.

One sailplane stood on the grassy area in front of the shed, its long slender wings gleaming in the sunshine. Lyssa’s blood quickened. She had wanted to soar since she’d first seen a glider riding the thermals, soundlessly, over Billy Adams’ orchard. Her one opportunity at seventeen hadn’t come close to satisfying her desire.

Rand steered the Miata off the dirt road next to their glider. On the airfield, the small tow plane sat at the ready, a pickup truck idling beside it. The pilot and the driver smoked as they carried on a conversation and took turns glancing at the road. When he spotted Rand’s car, the driver of the pickup took one last drag and stamped out his cigarette before driving to meet them.

Lyssa waved to the pilot and watched him ready the plane.

Rand spoke to the driver of the pickup, Les, so quietly she was unable to hear. The driver gave him a hard time about something, and Rand’s hand came out of his jacket with an envelope. The driver opened it, riffled through what looked to be a lot of fifty-dollar bills, and nodded.

Rand motioned her to the truck. “Get in the cab, darlin’. We’re going to hook up the sailplane for him to tow us to the field.”

Lyssa’s stomach fluttered, not with concern about flying. She knew she would love that. But something seemed off to her about the transaction. If the arrangements had been finalized, why the argument and why was more money needed?
A lot of money
.

She sat wedged between Les and Rand in the cab of the truck as they pulled the glider behind them the short distance to the plane.

Les hooked the motorless craft to the underbelly of the propeller plane that would tow them into the air and release them. Lyssa knew exactly that much about soaring. She had no idea how Les, whom she assumed was their pilot for the sailplane, would keep them in the air and get them safely back on the ground, but his weathered face and lean, muscular physique inspired confidence.

With the two planes in place, Les motioned Lyssa and Rand to take their seats in the glider.

“Wait,” she said to Rand, “
you’re
our pilot? I didn’t know you were so experienced.”

His eyes snapped with annoyance at the question and his tone was haughty. “I’ve been doing this for ten or twelve years now, starting on Long Island. My family has a home in the Hamptons, and there’s good soaring out that way.”

With some misgiving, Lyssa buckled herself into the front seat just behind the nose. She tugged her seatbelt tighter.

Rand yelled over the roar of the propeller as their tow plane started forward. “Keep your feet in the clear. Agreed?”

She gave him a thumbs-up. That didn’t leave many places for her feet. A second set of pedals and levers filled the floor ahead of her seat. She put one foot on each of the narrow side rails. By the time she’d settled herself, they were skimming above the grass, tethered to the smelly, noisy propeller plane.

Lyssa pressed her hands against her fluttering stomach and got her breathing under control. Soon they were high enough that the shed and the airfield looked like miniatures on a diorama. She waved to Les on the ground.

“Ready, Lyssa?” Rand asked.

She glanced back with a nod, as he waved to the pilot. Their tether dropped, and the pilot banked to the left.

The glider floated free.
God, this is thrilling
. Fields stretched in every direction, some stubbled or bare after the harvest, some still ripe with grain. Acres of woods flamed with red, orange, and golden foliage.

The noise of their tow plane faded. Lyssa heard only the hiss of air breaking over the nose, a few feet from her, caressing every surface of their glider. Her breath rushed out in a laugh, and she blinked away a few tears of joy.

“What do you think?” Rand asked.

She gave him two thumbs-up, and he laughed. They banked to the right. Lyssa marveled that the air and the design of the glider were all that held them aloft. They soared for ten minutes or so, time had no meaning up here, and Lyssa savored the sensation of floating through the air and the feeling of freedom.

They climbed on a thermal, a move she hadn’t expected. She wondered if Rand had a plan or if he was just going with the flow.

On the ground, Les waved frantically to them and the pilot shook his fist. “Rand, they’re flagging us down. What’s wrong?”

“They don’t want us going far.”

“So let’s head back.”

“Why?” His challenge sounded like a teenager intent on having his way.

Uh-oh.
“Because I’m feeling a little sick since you caught the thermal,” she lied. “Please, let’s land. I don’t want to throw up all over someone’s glider.”

With an epithet of disgust, Rand banked in a slow curve to set up their landing. As they descended, turbulence buffeted the craft, and he swore. He worked the flaps too heavy-handed for her peace of mind.

The ground rose quickly. He backed off the controls so much they descended too gradually, and a windbreak of tall hardwoods that stood between the airstrip and the next field loomed in her vision.
Oh, God, we aren’t even wearing helmets.

Lyssa drew up her legs and buried her face in her knees.

As soon as the glider touched down, Rand braked hard. The craft skidded and bounced. Lyssa screamed as she sensed the tail rising.
If the nose hits the ground we’ll flip
.

“Shut up!” Rand snarled at her.

He muscled the controls, and the glider jerked to the right, jolting Lyssa out of her crash position. When the glider halted abruptly, her forehead smacked against the rim of the windscreen.

Lyssa surveyed their situation, her breath coming in noisy gasps. The sailplane had come to rest a few yards short of the windbreak. With trembling fingers, she unfastened her seatbelt, but she shook too much to climb out. Tears ran down her cheeks. Her forehead throbbed. She touched it. No blood but a good-sized goose egg.

Behind her, Rand climbed out. Instead of helping her, he made a circuit of the craft. As he finished his rounds, he snapped at her, “We’re all right. Stop sniveling.”

“Crazy fool!” Les yelled above the rattle of the pickup as it lurched toward them over the lumpy field. “I ought to make you haul it back to the shed by yourselves.”

At that, Lyssa scrambled out of her seat and faced Rand across the canvas shell of their sailplane. “If you don’t make it right with him, you’re hauling this by yourself.”

“Oh, and how will you get home?” he growled the threat, leaning close so Les didn’t hear.

“Like you care?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Crazy fool,” Les said again as he slammed the door of the pickup. He grabbed the tip of one wing and started to turn the plane. “Get the hell out of the way.” He waved his arm wildly at them.

Rand stood back. Lyssa circled the drama and planted herself firmly in the cab of the pickup truck. She dug for her phone and tried to call Kyle, desperate for his steadiness and a safe ride home. Her fingers would not cooperate.
God, help me to stop shaking
.

Les ranted as he shouted directions to Rand to position the glider for their tow. “I asked you to bring a letter from the glider’s owner giving you permission, and a copy of your license, and you brought neither. After that landing, you better not expect me to believe you’re licensed to fly.”

“Of course I am.” Lyssa heard the bluff in his voice. “We caught a little turbulence on the landing, that’s all.”

“You, I don’t care about, but you could have killed your girlfriend. And how do you expect me to explain to the owner how his glider got banged up?”