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A strange feeling washed over Matteo She’d objected quite strongly to the trip to Ro? Haven’t you ever flown before?”

She didn’t even open her eyes, or release her grip There was a tic at the side of her jaw as she spoke through clenched teeth “I’ve flown lots of times Just not recently”

“And are you always like this when you fly?”

He was astonished She generally seemed quite relaxed and happy This was a whole other side of her The plane started to pick up speed for take-off As the nose lifted her hand stopped gripping the seat rest and grabbed his hand, squeezing so tightly he lost all feeling in his fingers

Matteo leaned back in his seat and said nothing It seeer than expected After a few minutes he put his other hand over hers “Phoebe, you okay? Want to talk?”

Noas feeling guilty He’d given her an ultimatum He’d forced her to co the houses finished and on theelse

Phoebe started doing so exercises In Out In Out He felt hi with her Now he knehy she’d been so tetchy He should have considered so like this

“Take it easy, Phoebe We’re up Safe take-off You can relax”

She opened her eyes, and he was surprised to see they ith tears “I won’t relax until we’re back on the ground”

“You’re that scared of flying? Why didn’t you say?”

She pressed her lips together and shook her head “I couldn’t It’s new Well, not that new”

He rubbed her hand again “At soers I entle smile “What happened that you feel like this?” He kneas prying He knew this was none of his business But he hated seeing Phoebe like this

Her grip loosened just a little on his hand, but she didn’t pull it away “Sorry,” she breathed, then stayed quiet for a few aze “I had a fiancé Jason He was a pilot He died in a flying accident three years ago”

It was like being punched in the guts A fiancé?

“I’m sorry, Phoebe I had no idea” He couldn’t help the next words “What happened?”

She blinked Her voice was a little shaky “Engine failure Double engine failure So that shouldn’t happen Jason tried to land the plane He had to divert it away froave her head a shake “I’ve just had a thing about flying since then” She took a deep breath “I had a funeral to go to last year—an old school friend I’d bought a plane ticket but just couldn’t do it I ended up driving the four and a half hours to Washington instead of taking the hour-long flight”