3

When they arrived at the terminal there was no one there yet and Micha chuckled to himself. “Not surprising.” He said softly as he walked over to the desk and began talking to one of the attendants at the gate. Sophia watched the man and could now see the things she had missed about him. The subtle way he moved was something she had seen a hundred times with the hands on the farm. It was something that she would have easily missed with him wearing the normal three piece business suit that he was fond of wearing in the office. Though she had very little interaction with him in the office she had seen him around many times.

Neither him this way or when he was in the office and completely professional was a bad look for him. Lost in her own thoughts as she looked down to the her luggage bag and then leaning forward to stretch in the chair she found herself looking forward to the plane ride where she could get some more sleep. Though being on the plane with any of her co-workers she knew she should remain on guard. Who knew what any of them were planning to make themselves either look better or how they really could be. This was a cut throat industry and she had seen some of the men be ruthless and the women even more so. They would use every advantage they could.

Sophia wondered how she could even be a part of it. Being ruthless wasn;t in her nature. She liked being in her office looking over the numbers and then reporting things to her boss. That was what she wanted to continue to do. Things like this trip were also against her nature though the trip itself wouldn’t be bad now that she had time to think about it. She liked working alone. The idea of being a cog in the system was better for her than being a on a team.

When Micha walked back to the younger woman who was still stretching in her seat he handed over a new piece of paper to her. Sophia took it and looked down at it and saw a new boarding pass. She quickly looked up to him. “I think there is a mistake.” She said softly. “This isn’t where I was sitting a few minutes ago.”

“I know. I upgraded your seat.” Micha said with a smile, “Such dedication should be rewarded.”

“Because I follow instructions?” Sophia laughed, “Thank you sir.” Micha glared at her when she said that and that made her laugh even more. “Sorry. Old habits.”

“Well forget those habits.” Micha said as he looked her over, “Do you like camping?”

“I guess,” Sophia replied as she looked at him slightly confused with the change in questions. “Why?”

“Well part of this is a cattle ride. You said you can ride and I was wondering if you were going to have a problem sleeping outside.” Micha said.

“I often did sleep in the barn just to get away from my family. It won’t bother me.” Sophia said with a slight chuckle though it was something more underlying than she really wanted to say.

“You are fascinating you know?” he said as he sat back in the chair and began the waiting for the other members of the trip to arrive.

“I don’t really think so,” Sophia replied as she did the same.

It took until the last minute for most of the team to arrive. Everyone had begun the finger pointing at different members to make themselves look better. Though Sophia had stopped listening she could sense the man next to her was getting fed up with the excuses. It wasn;t until her boss actually said that it was her fault he was late for some reason that was complete nonsense that Micha stood up and almost snapped at him. When he did stand the rest of the people stopped bickering and trying to get his attention. Micha walked off to the counter again and as he smiled to the people there as he spoke and they nodded to him his whole demeanor had completely changed.

The people who had been crowding around him before all had taken their seats and Sophia could feel the glares directed toward her when he sat down and looked over to her, “Well hopefully this will teach them all a lesson.”

“What will?” Sophia asked quietly.

“You’ll see,” Micha said as a wicked smile appeared on his face. Then he turned his head down to glance at the floor to hide the reaction to whatever he was planning. The look in his eyes seemed calculating when she had seen it. Almost like a child who was going to do something that he knew he shouldn’t. The flight attendant was calling them all up one by one and handing them new boarding passes. “The funny thing is they won’t realize until they get on the plane.”

“What did you do?” Sophia asked.

“You will see.” He smiled again and then waited as the entire team got new passes. “If they can’t follow simple instructions on when to actually be here they need to learn their lesson before we head out on the trails. As you know that isn’t easy work and we all have to work together.”

“I do.” She replied and then just waited for something else to happen. She hadn’t realized how they must have looked to everyone else with their heads put together and by themselves. She wanted to inwardly scream right then. That was the last thing she needed was the added target on her back because of him.

She shook her head and tried to focus on anything else but him at the moment. She decided to slink deeper into her chair and close her eyes. Sophia knew this was going to be a good but very long trip. She was going to try to make the best of it but now this wasn’t helping. She would have to be more guarded now. So much for her quick fling now that he was really trying to make a point. A sigh escaped her as she thought about it more.

The boarding for their flight was to begin. She looked down at her boarding pass again and really saw what he had done to upgrade her seat. She had thought maybe she had moved up a few rows not what had happened. She looked over to him as she looked at the pass again and held it up. “You upgraded me to first class?”

“Yes,” Micha replied without anything else.

“Why?” Sophia asked as she looked at him closer.

“I like to reward people for things. My guess is you have never had the chance at sitting in first class before, farm girl. You might find out it is really the only way to fly.” Micha said as he chuckled.

“Problem with that though,” Sophia said.

“oh and what is that?” Micha said as he stood when the boarding for first class started. He held out his hand to her as helped her up as he then bent down and picked up both sets of bags.

“I can’t afford to fly first class and I can get my own bag,” Sophia said as she reached for hers to try and take it from his grip.

“I am sure you can, cowgirl, however what type of gentlemen would I be if I didn’t help the woman sitting next to me?” Micha asked with an arched eyebrow. “plus do you really want to make a scene now that everyone is watching you?”

“You’re an ass.” She muttered under his breath.

“That my dear is exactly the truth,” Micha stated as he chuckled. “I think you and I will become fast friends on this trip.”

“I doubt that, sir,” Sophia said as she glared at him.

“Careful. Your face may stay like that.” He said as they walked to the empty space for the line. “We should be the only ones in first class.”

“You bought the entire section to prove a point?” Sophia asked with widened eyes.

“I had the section already. I only moved a few to the back of the plane.” Micha chuckled.

Sophia could feel the heated looks on her back. She wanted to hang her head down and slink to where she was supposed to sit as they walked down the walkway to the planes door. Micha right there by her side matching his pace with hers. He could see her reaction to his way of dealing with the spoiled people that worked for him.

“Ignore them.” He said softly.

“Easy for you to say,” Sophia said again a little to loud to be under her breath but still lower than her normal tone. “You won’t have to hear it day in and out for the next year.”

“And them thinking you’re my friend is a bad thing?” Micha asked.

“Friend sure.” Sophia replied, “If only they thought that.”

“I am not sure what you could possibly mean then,” Micha stated as he chuckled.

“Like I said. You are an ass.” Sophia said as she watched him laugh it off.

“I need more people like you cowgirl,” Micha said still laughing, “to keep me from getting a big head.”