Free Otherwise Engaged by Nicole Green

when the
flight attendant came around to ask if they’d like their pre-takeoff drinks
refreshed. Rain ordered his first, and Daphne said that yes, she wanted hers
refreshed. When the flight attendant walked away, he delved back into his
story, finishing with, “I felt like I was stealing a base in a championship
game when I skidded onto this plane.” He laughed. “I almost called, ‘safe’ when
I made it through the doorway.”
    She giggled.
“Do you still play softball in that league during the summers?”
    He nodded.
“Yep.” He’d been on his All-State high school baseball team and had played in
college as well. Now he played softball in a league with Skylar’s company’s
team—Rain’s company was too small for its own team—during the
summers, and he often found himself attending Nats games whenever he had a free
moment for them. Some called him a fanatic. Others, a highly
competitive lunatic. He considered himself dedicated to the things he
was passionate about.
    The flight
attendant came back with their drinks.
    Rain settled
back into his seat, able to relax for the first time in hours.
    “Are you okay?
I mean , are you going to be jet lagged or anything?”
Daphne asked. Her beautiful brown eyes filled with concern. She was one of the
best people he’d ever known. He’d been driven with the need to not let her
down. She’d been there for him so many times—especially when it came to
pouring out his heart about Carolina. Now that the adrenaline from that drive
to get to their plane before takeoff was starting to fade, he felt himself
beginning to drag a little.
    He shrugged.
“Maybe. But it was definitely worth it.” Things had almost fallen apart at the
last minute. They’d been able to patch a lot of the deal back together pretty
well, though. Most importantly, they’d gotten Panjamawat’s approval and had
gotten the go-ahead from the government for the factory. He’d had to leave as
they were working out the last details of purchasing a factory that was up for
sale. Rain left things in his uncle’s hands. He’d had to go. He sacrificed
Christmas and left at the last possible minute to make it back in time for the
flight to San Juan. Well, he’d thankfully thought to add on a few hours for
possible delays. He’d needed all of them. There was a possibility he’d have to
go back to Thailand after the wedding, but he knew that he couldn’t stand
Daphne up. He’d worry about all that after the wedding. Plus, everybody knew
how to get in touch with him if something went really wrong.
    “They have a
gym at his hotel resort place, right?” Rain patted his flat stomach.
    “I’m sure they
do,” Daphne said.
    “The aunties
loaded me up on food, and I didn’t work out like I should have when I was in
Thailand.” He clicked in his seatbelt when the flight attendant came around and
reminded him to do so.
    “I think we’ll
be eating with Carolina’s family at least a couple of times. They have a fiesta
planned for her, and one of her great-aunts is hosting the rehearsal dinner.
And you know what they say. The food in Puerto Rico is phenomenal.” She glanced
over at him. “Not that you have anything to worry about. You look great as
always.”
    “Thanks.” He grinned.
“So do you.”
    She smiled in
response. His eyes lingered on her full lips longer than they should have. Those
lips were incredibly soft. He knew. He remembered. They had never talked about when
they’d made out and almost done more that one time in college. That didn’t mean
he’d forgotten it—that he ever could. He couldn’t believe he was getting
hard. Well, he could, but it was so wrong. He couldn’t think about Daphne that
way. She was a friend, and he wasn’t going to mess with that. He didn’t want
her to turn into another bad situation.
    Speaking of bad
situations, he thought of Carolina. Soon, he would see her as an engaged woman for the first time. With this Manny fool
hanging all off her. Thinking of