My Heart Is Yours

Chapter 78

To Martin's dismay, Richard and Maine kept their professionalism while at work, both focusing on the job at hand while they were on duty. Although Richard kept visiting Maine's station whenever he gave control over to Jerald and Sam, he would just stand behind the curtains, watching her work, doing his best not to bother anyone from his position. He would stay there for 10-15 minutes and would head back to the cockpit.

Even when they were on standby in the crew lounge before boarding, Martin would see Maine with his team and Richard with his pilots, focusing on the briefing and very rarely would he see them glance at each other. It was still Jerald and Valeen who he could catch stealing private moments together when they can.

It was a whole different story once they landed though. Richard and Maine would be inseparable once they have settled in their hotel. They would sometimes join their team in sight seeing, but would be a step or two behind the group having a tour of their own.

Martin noticed that Richard never let go of Maine. He would either hold Maine by her waist, shoulder, or her hand while they walk, keeping a physical connection between them. On the rare occasion that they would separate, they would easily find each other. Neither Richard nor Maine would have a frantic look in their eyes when either partner was out of their sight, unlike Valeen and Jerald. They seemed to know where the other one was all the time as Martin observed that they would always find each other, however crowded the place may be.

But more often, Richard would take Maine around on their own, giving her a special guided tour of the city they were at, especially if Richard has a particular interest in the country they were in. More than one occasion, Richard and Maine left the team immediately once they were settled in the hotel, only coming back the evening of the next day. Those moments were happy ones for Martin, as he was happy for Richard to have found Maine. He had never seen the younger man as happy as he was right now and he wanted to keep that happiness. A plan forming on his head when the experiment starts.

On their last assignment in the current rotation, the team were getting checked in at a hotel in the Bahamas. Martin and Richard were at the reception, getting their team's rooms in order while the rest of the team were huddled together so as not to get in the way of the other guests.

Suddenly, Richard felt agitation coming from Maine. He turned to face her and saw her scowl at the group that went in, especially at one guy in particular.

"Martin! Jase!" A man in a tie-dyed shirt and trunks said as he waved at them when he approached. "On time as usual! You should head for the beach once you've checked in. The water's great!"

"Hey Marc!" Richard smiled and gave the guy's hand a shake. Martin did the same but once Marc turned, Martin rolled his eyes and discreetly shook his head. "You guys are flying back tonight, right?"

Marc was a batch ahead of Richard and was another captain of his own flight team at MJN. He was about Martin's height and had a lean built. He had a reputation of being too arrogant and a playboy, but his heart was in the right place although he sometimes gets himself into trouble for his misplaced arrogance. He was a good pilot nonetheless, second only to Richard. He knew that Richard's team would be arriving that day, and he wanted to greet the new arrivals.

"Yeah," he replied. "We're just trying to enjoy as much as we can before we head out. So, we'll see you guys later at the beach?"

Marc didn't wait for a reply from either Martin or Richard as he looked around. He saw that his team was interacting with Richard's team. The whole group was happy and some started to become a bit rowdy, except for one girl who only smiled timidly beside Ardee.

"Maine!" He shouted as he approached the group.

Upon hearing her name, Maine took an involuntary step back and went a little closer to Ardee. Her team saw her uneasiness and were discreetly on alert, especially Jerald and Sam who both shot a look at their captain, who scowled when Marc called Maine's name.