It had entertained him.
Adam appeared at the galley entrance.
He glanced toward the sleeping passengers before stepping closer.
“We need to talk privately.”
“There is nowhere private on an aircraft.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I know exactly what you mean.”
He lowered his voice.
“Trinity is angry.
She is sending you selective messages to hurt me.”
Dakota held up the Florence receipt.
The details were turned toward her, unreadable to him, but he recognized the shape of the document.
“Did she create the company card statement too?”
Adam’s mouth tightened.
“That was a legitimate business expense.”
“Was she the business?”
“Do not be sarcastic.”
Dakota almost smiled.
He had lied for eight months, humiliated her in front of a full cabin, and charged his affair to his employer.
Yet he still believed her tone was the problem.
He stepped closer.
“We have built a life together.
You cannot throw away nine years over one mistake.”
“One mistake does not require eight months of reservations.”
“It was not serious.”
“Then you destroyed our marriage for something you say did not matter.”
His eyes flickered.
That answer had reached him.
He changed tactics.
“I have been lonely.”
Dakota stared at him.
“You ate breakfast with me yesterday.”
“You are always focused on training, schedules, your new career—”
“You told her this began eight months ago.
I started training three months ago.”
Adam said nothing.
Another lie had collapsed before he finished building it.
Dakota moved around him.
“Return to your seat.”
“Dakota.”
“That is a crew instruction.”
He looked toward the cabin and obeyed.
For the rest of the flight, Adam shifted between silence and frantic whispers.
He tried apologizing to Trinity.
When that failed, he blamed her for keeping the messages.
Then he accused her of planning the entire confrontation.
Trinity finally moved to an empty seat across the aisle.
“You really think everyone else caused this,” she said.
Adam did not answer.
Several hours later, he asked Dakota for coffee.
She brought it exactly as requested.
He attempted a small, familiar smile.
“Can we start again when we land?”
Dakota set the cup on his tray.
“We cannot even return to this morning.”
His smile disappeared.
