Debbie Macomber - The Perfect Match - First Comes Marriage / Yours and Mine

A cup of coffee in one hand, she approached the airline counter with her passport in the other. The bag she had draped over her shoulder accidentally collided with the man standing next to her. An automatic apology formed on her lips, but before she could voice it, that same man turned to face her.

“Zach,” she cried, nearly dropping her coffee in shock. “What are you doing here?”

“You think this is intentional, don’t you?” Zach demanded. “It’s obvious you’re the one running after me. You found the note I slipped under your door and—”

“I checked out just before midnight so I couldn’t possibly have read your note,” she said angrily. “And furthermore I left a message for you.”

“I didn’t get it.”

“Then there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“To say the least,” Zach muttered. “A misunderstanding…” His tone was doubtful, as if he suspected she’d purposely arranged to fly home with him. She launched into an indignant protest.

“Excuse me, please.”

The interruption was from a uniformed airline employee who was leaning over the counter and waving in an effort to gain their attention.

“May I have your ticket and passport?” she asked Janine. “You’re holding up the line.”

“Of course. I’m sorry.” The best thing to do, she decided, was to ignore Zach completely. Just because they were booked on the same flight didn’t mean they had to have anything to do with each other. Evidently they’d both panicked after their encounter in the garden. He was as eager to escape as she was.

Okay, so she’d ignore him and he’d ignore her. She’d return to her life, and he’d return to his. From this point forward, they need never have contact with each other again. Then they’d both be satisfied.

The airline clerk punched something into her computer. “I can give you your seat assignment now,” she remarked, concentrating on the screen.

Standing on tiptoe, Janine leaned toward the woman and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Could you make sure I’m as far from Mr. Thomas’s seat as possible?”

“This flight is booked solid,” the attendant said impaiently. “The only reason you and your…friend were able to get seats was because of a last-minute cancellation. I’ll do the best I can, but I can’t rearrange everyone’s seat assignments just before the flight.”

“I understand,” Janine said, feeling foolish and petty. But the way her luck had been going, Zach would end up in the seat beside hers, believing she’d purposely arranged that, too.

They boarded the flight separately; in fact, Zach was one of the last passengers to step onto the plane.

By that time, Janine was settled in the second row of the first-class section, flipping through the in-flight magazine. Zach strolled past her, intent on the boarding pass clutched in his hand.

Pretending she hadn’t seen him seemed the best tactic, and she turned to gaze out the window.

“It seems I’m sitting here,” Zach announced brusquely, loading his carry-on luggage in the compartment above the seats.

Janine had to bite her tongue to keep from insisting she’d had nothing to do with that. She’d even tried to prevent it, but she doubted Zach would believe her.

“Before you claim otherwise, I want you to know I didn’t arrange this,” he said, sitting down beside her.

“I know that.”

“You do?”

“Of course,” Janine told him. “The fates are against us. I don’t know how my grandfather arranged our meeting at the airport or the adjoining seats, any more than I know why I stumbled on you my first day at the Bonnie Inn. We might never have crossed paths. But somehow, some way, Gramps is responsible.” That didn’t sound entirely reasonable, but she thought it best not to mention their stroll in the moonlight.

“So you’re not ready to unleash the full force of your anger on me?”

“I don’t see how I can be upset with you—or the reverse. Neither of us asked for this.”

“Exactly.”

Janine yawned loudly and covered her mouth. “Excuse me. I didn’t sleep last night and now it’s catching up with me.”

Her yawn was contagous and soon Zach’s hand was warding off his own admission of drowsiness. The flight attendant came by with coffee, which both Zach and Janine declined.

“Frankly, I’d be more interested in a pillow,” Janine said, yawning again. The attendant handed her one, as well as a blanket, then offered the same to Zach. He refused both, intending to work on some papers he’d withdrawn from his briefcase. The minute the plane was safely in the air, Janine laid her head back and closed her eyes. Almost immediately she felt herself drifting into a peaceful slumber.

She stirred twice in the long hours that followed, but both times a gentle voice soothed her back to sleep. Sighing, she snuggled into the warmth, feeling more comfortable than she had in weeks.

She began to dream and could see herself walking across the moors, wearing traditional Scottish dress, while bagpipes wailed in the background.

Then, on the crest of a hill, Zach appeared, dressed in a Black Watch kilt and tam-o’-shanter; a set of bagpipes was draped over his shoulder. Their eyes met and the music ceased. Then, out of nowhere, her grandfather appeared, standing halfway between the two of them, looking distinctly pleased. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted to Janine. “Is this romance?”

“Yes,” she shouted back.

“What else do you need?”

“Love.”

“Love,” Gramps repeated. He turned to Zach, apparently seeking some kind of assistance.

Zach started fiddling with his bagpipes, avoiding the question. He scowled as he concentrated on his task.

“Look at the pair of you,” Gramps called. “You’re perfect together. Zach, when are you going to wake up and realize what a wonderful girl my Janine is?”

“If I do get married, you can be sure I’ll choose my own bride,” Zach hollered.

“And I’d prefer to pick out my own husband!”

“You’re falling in love with Zach!” Gramps declared, obviously elated.

“I—I—” Janine was so flustered she couldn’t complete her thought, which only served to please her grandfather more.

“Look at her, boy,” Gramps directed his attention to Zach again. “See how lovely she is. And think of what beautiful children you’ll have.”

“Gramps! Enough about babies! I’m not marrying Zach!”

“Janine.” Zach’s voice echoed in her ear.

“Keep out of this,” she cried. He was the last person she wanted to hear from.

“You’re having a dream.”

Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Zach’s face close to her own, her head nestled against his chest. “Oh…” she mumbled, bolting upright. “Oh, dear…I am sorry. I didn’t realize I was leaning on you.”

“I hated to wake you, but you seemed to be having a nightmare.”

She blinked and tried to focus on him, but it was difficult, and to complicate matters her eyes started to water. She wiped her face with one sleeve. Then, straightening, she removed the pillow from behind her back and folded the blanket, trying to disguise how badly her hands were trembling.

“You’re worried about what happened after dinner last night, aren’t you?”

Janine released a pent-up breath and smiled brightly as she lied. “Nothing really happened.”

“In the garden, when we kissed. Listen,” Zach said in a low voice, glancing quickly around to ensure that no one could overhear their conversation, “I think it’s time we talked about last night.”

“I…You’re right, of course.” She didn’t feel up to this, but she supposed it was best dealt with before she had to face her grandfather.