Half Empty (First Wives, #2)(12)

“When we got in the car. I looked for a ring last night.”

She thought of her sleazy Italian. “A ring would have stopped you?”

Wade sipped his wine. “I am many things, but I don’t sniff around another man’s woman.”

The plane started to pick up speed. “No one says things like that anymore.”

“I’m Texas, born and raised, and I’ve always talked like that.” The smirk told her he was proud of it.

Trina took a deep breath and spat out the truth as the plane lifted off the ground. “My late husband shot himself one year ago this weekend.”

Her confession wiped the grin off Wade’s face. Before he could comment, she continued. “I was in Italy because I didn’t want to see that look of pity hovering in every corner of my life. Which is why I’m not in a hurry to get home and see my friends.”

“Whoa.”

“So I would appreciate it if you could just absorb the fact and move past it.”

“I think that might take me more than a few minutes.”

She looked out the window at the rain, which was starting to run down the side of the plane. If she told him they were married less than a year before she buried Fedor, it would only prompt more questions. The answers wouldn’t be something she wanted to give. She sat alone in her thoughts for a few minutes before changing the subject. “What would I have found out if I had stayed awake and looked you up on the Internet?”

The pity in his eyes slowly faded. “I’m a singer.”

She’d guessed maybe an actor when he’d told her he was famous. Since she hadn’t been to the movies in over two years, he could have been the latest and greatest without her knowing.

“A country singer,” he added. “I just finished my tour in Miami.”

“That’s why I’ve never heard of you. I don’t listen to a lot of country music.”

“I’ll see what I can do to change that.” He’d turned on his charming smile.

The plane hit a pocket of air and dipped left, then right.

Wade glanced at the ceiling.

“Just a little turbulence.”

“You fly a lot?” he asked.

“I was a flight attendant, before . . .” She dropped the end of her sentence.

That look of pity started to cross his face again.

“None of that. Please, Wade. I’m not worthy of your pity on the subject. I wouldn’t have mentioned my late husband if I could have gotten around it.”

Wade closed his eyes and shook his head. “I’m glad you told me. It’s all adding up now.”

“What’s adding up?”

“The not wanting to go home. Your desire to dis me last night and never see me again.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “We are on a jet together, so my conviction to stay away obviously wasn’t that strong.”

“Yes, but you’re sitting over there instead of in my lap, which is where I’d rather you be.”

That had her laughing. “You’re so blatant.”

“I’m honest. It’s a curse, though my mama would say differently.”

The plane dipped again, forcing Trina to hold her glass up to avoid spilling the wine. The intercom system inside the plane made a noise, and the voice of a man she assumed was the captain started to talk.

“We’re hitting some rough weather, Mr. Thomas. I’d suggest you and your guest stay seated with your seat belts fastened until I can get us away from this storm.”

Wade sat a little taller and looked out the window. “Don’t have to tell me twice.”

Trina took a drink of her wine to keep it from spilling. “They wouldn’t have taken off if it wasn’t safe. It’s just gonna be bumpy.”

Trina peered at the flight attendant, who was sitting several feet away, the phone to the cockpit to her ear.

“This doesn’t bother you?”

“Not at all. In fact, I was working in the private sector as a flight attendant before my marriage. I’d planned on creating a company for private flight attendants.”

“That didn’t work out?” Wade asked.

“I didn’t pursue it. I might, eventually. I’ve had other priorities this year.”

“I can imagine.”

“Enough about me. What’s your story?” The way he was watching the rain against the window told her Wade was nervous. In her experience, the best way to quell that was to get him talking.

“I started singing in the shower as soon as I realized a hairbrush could double as a microphone.”

The image of a young boy covered in soap, holding a round brush, popped into her head.

“When I was about eight, me and my buddy started a two-man band. He used an old paint bucket as a drum, and I had a hand-me-down guitar I learned how to play on my own.”

The plane dipped again. This time Wade’s glass fell to the floor and started rolling around, spilling wine everywhere.

Trina looked at the flight attendant, who reached for her seat belt to cinch it tighter.

“Whoa.”

“It’s okay—”

“Sorry for the turbulence, Mr. Thomas. This is the captain speaking. It looks like we’re being encouraged to land on Grand Bahama instead of Nassau. There are lightning strikes on the smaller island, and turning back to Miami would have us chasing this storm. We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. As soon as the weather clears, we will get you to your destination.”