Todos los capítulos de He Promised Me the Northern Lights, Then Took Her Instead: Capítulo 1 - Capítulo 10

It was past ten by the time I got to the hotel.The front desk clerk checked the reservation and looked uncomfortable."Ms. Lane, someone has already checked into your room."My executive room had been switched to a windowless room at the staff rate.Lana stepped out of the elevator in a bathrobe, holding Nathan's thermos."The cabin pressure hurt my ears, so I need somewhere quiet to rest."Captain Ford said it doesn't matter where you stay. You don't mind, right?"Nathan came out behind her with his shirtsleeves rolled up to his forearms. He'd obviously just finished settling her in.A sudden ache rose in my throat."I have a pricing meeting in my room tomorrow morning."I kept my voice level."Have it in the lobby.""The meeting's confidential."Nathan rubbed his brow, irritated."Avery, don't turn a small thing into a big deal. Lanie isn't feeling well."All the hurt I'd swallowed on the way here came rushing up at once.I stared at him, my voice shaking no matter how hard I tried

The day before we were supposed to fly home, a blizzard closed the roads and delayed both our return trips.That afternoon, for the first time, he came knocking on my door."Let's have dinner tonight. It's our sixth anniversary."I froze.He took out a booking confirmation for a private northern lights tour and apologized quietly."I didn't handle the last few days well. The clouds are supposed to clear tonight."Let me make it up to you. We'll go see the northern lights together."My head told me not to believe him. But then he took my hand.Six years of memories came rushing back, and they still hurt.I didn't pull away. I went with him to a glass-walled restaurant by the harbor.White roses surrounded a table for two overlooking the water.The lights dimmed. Nathan stepped out from behind a wall of flowers in his captain's uniform, knelt, and opened a ring box."Six years ago, I never gave you a proper proposal. Avery, marry me again."From now on, I won't make you wait, and I'll ne

The Oslo station had just opened. The office was in the airport's old cargo building, and there were only four employees.The desks and chairs were borrowed, and the clock on the wall had been stuck for three years.In my first week on the job, a massive ice storm hit.More than 20 flights were canceled, nearly 3,000 passengers were stranded, and the hotels jacked up their prices overnight.The shuttle buses still hadn't arrived, and the airlines were busy blaming each other.I tied my hair back and slapped the list down on the desk."Take care of the elderly, children, and passengers who need medication first. I'll negotiate with the hotels. You coordinate with the rail operators and arrange ground transportation."One of my colleagues asked, worried, "What if the hotels in the city won't lower their rates?"I pulled on my coat. "Then let's show them what three airlines plan to spend over the next two years."We worked through the night to reshuffle transport and lodging.By noon the

Three months later, I flew home for the annual industry conference. I'd been invited to speak about how we'd handled the Nordic ice storm.After my talk, airline representatives lined up to exchange business cards with me.Henrik, the same regional head who'd sent me to the overflow table that night, came over too and apologized in front of everyone."Ms. Lane, we failed to check the guest list properly that night."I took the contract he held out, my reply cool."Partnerships depend on the plan, not the seating chart."Outside the venue, Lana had been waiting a long time.She wasn't in uniform, and she'd cut her hair short.When she saw me come out, she hurried to block my way. "Avery, can we talk?"I stopped, my expression flat. "Outside of work, you and I have nothing to talk about.""Nathan handed all the evidence over to the company. Now no airline will hire me."Her eyes were red. "All I did was fall for someone. Did you really have to destroy my career?"I held my anger in check

Two years later, the Oslo station had grown into the Northern Europe Emergency Center.When my posting ended, headquarters gave me two choices: stay on and oversee six airports, or go home as director of operations.I chose to go home.Not for anyone else. There were just bigger projects back home, and the life I wanted.My first winter back, I was invited to an aviation safety forum.Nathan was one of the guest speakers, there to talk about pilot mental health.In the two years since I'd last seen him, he'd gone back to flying, but he'd chosen to cut back on long-haul flights.Onstage, he didn't tell a story about a heroic captain who'd overcome the trauma of a crash.Instead, he spoke openly about being grounded, about trauma, about dependence."Real recovery isn't holding on to another person. It's learning to take responsibility for yourself."The room was quiet.He didn't mention my name, and he didn't use what happened between us to fish for sympathy.After his talk, we ran into