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of the last plane model he’d acquired. They would make tents in her bedroom and camp out. When they were fourteen, their parents started to worry that it might be inappropriate for them to sleep in the same bed. There were several arguments about how Ryan and Alexis’ bodies were changing to which they ignored. They knew they were only friends and their parents needed to get a clue to that as well.
    That argument ceased after Cora’s passing.
    The day of Cora’s funeral, Ryan stuck to Alexis like glue. Even at the tender age of fourteen, he could feel his friend’s pain. He loved Cora and thought of her like a sister. He grieved for the young girl, but worried about Alexis. She took the death of her sister hard. All through the funeral, he held her tight. He remembered how his collar was soaked with Alexis’ tears, but not once did he complain or attempt to change his shirt.
    That night he left her, at the bequest of their parents, only to be awakened by her screams from across the street.
    Ryan didn’t think twice. He ran to her side. The moment he wrapped his arms around her, she calmed down. Miles and Melanie quickly realized Ryan’s importance and the innocence of the arrangement. So, after that, their parents said nothing about them sleeping in the same bed. They knew nothing was going on between Ryan and Alexis besides sleeping.
    Not that Ryan wouldn’t have minded something more to have happened. For as long as he could remember, he was in love with Alexis York. She was beautiful, popular, and smart. But aside from all that, she had the soul of a poet and the freedom of a pilot. Every night he held her in his arms, close to his body. Many nights he would lay in silence listening to her breathing, while his hands would tenderly caress her.
    Her body was created just for him. It had to be. There was no other explanation as to why she fit to him like a perfect puzzle piece. But no matter how much he loved her, he knew she was out of his league. Alexis would never see him as anything more than her best friend. So with a heavy heart, he kept their relationship platonic.
    “Why didn’t I think of this before?” Kix bellowed.
    Ryan jumped, pulled back to reality. “Think of what?”
    “I should check the passenger manifest for her name.”
    Ryan’s eyes rolled upward. “Let it go already,” he grumbled.
    A knock came to the door of the cockpit. Ryan leaned back and unlocked the door. It opened and Makenna stood at the entrance, her face pinched with aggravation. She blew her hair back from her eyes.
    “Everything all right?” Ryan asked.
    “Not really. I have a passenger who’s about to drive me bonkers. Ever since you turned off the fasten seatbelt sign…” she trailed off.
    “What’s wrong?”
    “She wants to speak with you.”
    Kix started to unbuckle his seatbelt. “What about?”
    “Not you, Captain. She wants Fisher.” She cast a sideways glance to Ryan.
    Ryan pushed back. “Me?” He poked his own chest and wondered why this woman would want to speak with him. Not that he minded, but he was second in command. This wasn’t a commonplace occurrence. People usually wanted the captain, not the co-pilot.
    The stray hair fell back into Makenna’s eyes, only agitating her more. She thrust her hand through her midnight locks, forcing the hair out of her face. “Yep. You.”
    Kix laughed, smacking Ryan on the back. “Good luck, Buddy. Glad it’s you and not me.”
    Ryan winced at the sting of the slap. “I’ve never had a passenger ask for me before. They’re usually disappointed to get me instead of the captain.”
    Makenna smiled, her over-exaggerated irritation disappeared. “She wanted me to give this to you.” As Makenna opened her hand, Ryan leaned over and glanced at the object lying in her palm. He recognized it immediately. It was an old, faded red toy compass. “She said to tell you ‘forever and always ’.”
    Ryan took the compass and flipped it over between his fingers,