Hudson returned to his table where he slumped in a backseat and nursed his drink and ego for the rest of the night. Ty was back and forth to the Hamilton table several times, but he was always too busy talking to someone to notice her.
She took his silence as a compliment. He wouldn't be working so hard to avoid her if she hadn't tricked him so spectacularly.
She gave him space to pout until the Hamilton party called it quits for the night. Hank led the charge, propped up by Grant and Russell, singing a song out of tune. Hudson followed the group at a slow pace and Ty grabbed him before he could exit the lounge. He crossed his arms and gave her an uninterested look.
"Don't go far," she said, undeterred by his sullen teenager act. "I'll be off soon and I want to show you something." Her offer didn't elicit any sort of response from him, but she wasn't surprised when she left the lounge an hour later with Johnny's group and found him waiting for her.
He had changed into shorts and a t-shirt and was on one of the couches in the main lobby, his arms stretched out along the back. He looked up when he heard them and she smiled, breaking away from the group. "You waited."
"Who says I'm waiting for you?" he asked coolly. "Maybe, I'm waiting for someone else."
She looked around for this 'someone else'. But there was only Johnny's group and they were almost gone. "Who? Johnny?"
He shrugged like it was a possibility. She looked at Johnny who was waiting for the elevator and she caught his attention.
"Are you coming?" Johnny called to her.
"Not tonight. But I think Hudson is." She flashed Hudson a challenging smile. She started in the opposite direction. After a minute, she could hear him following her, but he stayed a couple of paces behind her like he wasn't sure of his decision.
"Do you always play this hard to get?" he asked. "Or are you doing this just for me?"
She stopped abruptly and with his long strides, he quickly caught up to her. "What are you talking about?" she laughed. "You were the one waiting for 'someone else'. I was the one who asked you to wait." He pursed his lips when he couldn't argue with her.
She laughed in victory and grabbed his hand. "Come on Prince Pout-a-lot, I have something I want to show you." He didn't resist as she pulled him along and she looked back to find his pout had disappeared. After a moment, she was no longer pulling as he caught up to her and matched her steps.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"My favorite spot!" Her eyes got big and her excitement added a bounce to her step.
He easily caught her energy and matched her quick pace. She led them through an 'employee only' door and the glitz of the ship immediately disappeared. Everything became white and metal. She took them through a maze of hallways until they reached a set of stairs.
"You up for more stairs?" she asked.
He looked at her like that was a laughable question and began to climb. She was impressed he was able to keep up a steady climb even after all the ruins he had raced up earlier that day. She matched his stride and they pushed each other to go just a little faster with each flight. By the time they reached the top, they were out of breath and had to take a moment to catch their breath.
When her heart rate had returned to normal, she looked at him as she reached for the doorknob. "Ready?" She braced herself as she pushed open the door. She was met by a powerful burst of wind that rippled through her clothes and sent her hair flying.
The first time she had found this spot, the force of the wind had thrown her back. But now she anticipated it. She enjoyed feeling the force trying to topple her over. She stepped out into the warm air and turned to watch Hudson's reaction. They were on a narrow walkway at one of the highest points at the front of the ship.
From that vantage point, all there was to see were the stars and water stretching out before them until they collided at the horizon in a dark line. The moon's reflection stretched out long, running towards the ship on the dark water.
"Wow," Hudson breathed out. The word was quickly whipped away by the wind.
Ty shut the door and waved for him to follow her. Halfway along the walkway, there was a large power box next to a water tank. Between the two, was just enough space for two people to sit side-by-side. The structures provided a barricade against the wind and once within their protection, the wind died down to a quiet hum.
Ty sat and Hudson joined her. Their backs rested against a cool metal wall as their feet dangled over the edge of the walkway. She took a deep breath and her whole body relaxed. With the waves and stars the only thing in view, she never felt as free as she did in that very spot. She was so caught up in the sight before her, she started when Hudson spoke.
"This is amazing!" he said. She recognized the awe in his voice as the same thing she always felt in that spot. "How did you find this place?"
"I like to explore the ship. I found it my second year working."
He shook his head like he couldn't believe the sight before them. She smiled and moved a little closer. "This has got to be the best view on the ship. They should include it in the tour," he said.
A guilty grin slipped onto her face. "That would be a great idea, if they allowed people to come up here."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"I mean, we're not supposed to be up here. Security will arrest us if they find us." He looked at her, unsure. "I'm kidding," she laughed and he relaxed until she added, "they'll arrest you. I work on the ship so I'll be fine."
"That's really funny," he said dryly like she was a kid who's jokes he had to tolerate.
"I thought it was," she laughed, but she grew serious. "I am kidding. But don't go telling everyone about this. Technically, we aren't supposed to be up here so I could get in trouble."
He nodded, like this too might be a joke. "You explore the ship in your off time, you read ancient ruins and you make paper airplanes," he listed off. "But other than that, I don't know much about you."
"I also created an app," she added. He smiled at the reminder. "And what about you? I know you also created an app, your paper airplane skills are passable and you love to dance and sing." She thought about it for a moment. "Actually, that feels like a pretty complete picture. I don't think there is more I need to know."
He shrugged. "You might have missed one or two details, but you got the basics." She laughed and he smiled as he watched her.
"A detail or two? I don't want to miss out on knowing them. Let's play The Question Game," she proposed. He gave her a curious look and she explained. "It's very simple, you ask the other person a question and they answer."
"How innovative. And you call this The Question Game?" he mocked.
"Yes. The only rule is, you have to answer your own question."
"Answer my own question. Answer my own question," he repeated seriously as if committing the rule to memory.
"You think you can handle that?" she teased.
He shrugged, doubtful. "My paper airplane skills are only passable so we shall see."
"You can go first," she offered.
"That's a lot of pressure." He looked back at the water. Even in their protected spot, they could still feel the steady warm breeze. It pulled at Ty's hair and she tried to pin it down to keep it out of her face. The movement caught his attention and he looked at her.
"Where did you grow up?"
An involuntary smile rose to her lips at the thought of home. "San Diego. You?"
"Los Angeles."
"Because of the family business," she guessed. "What exactly is the business? You said it has to do with shipping?"
"You know those massive ships in the Miami port with all the shipping containers on them?" She nodded. "Well, my family owns and manages those types of ships out of the LA port."
The boats he was talking about were just as big as the cruise ship, but instead of passengers, they will were filled with massive metal containers the size of tiny houses. "Wow. That must be a huge operation," she said, leaning in close with interest. Knowing the basic logistics it took to run the cruise ship, she could appreciate how complicated the business must be.
"It's massive, and one my father runs with military precision," he said. "We handle cargo moving in and out of fifteen different major ports. It's a lot of moving pieces."
"And what part do you play in the family business?" she asked eagerly. She received a rebuking look as she asked a second question out of turn. "Fine. Go."
"I'm not the one who created the rules," he teased.
"Did you have a question?"
"What's your family like?" he asked. "Parents? Siblings?"
She puffed out a breath. "Wow! Starting with family this early in the game. That's bold."
"I'm just trying to even out the playing field. You've already met half of my family."
"True." She looked out at the water as she tried to figure out where to begin. "My family is very, academic," she started. "My mother teachers at a San Diego University and my father has his doctorate in chemical engineering." Hudson let out an impressed whistle. "It's as awful as it sounds," she grumbled with a loving smile.
"And siblings?" he asked.
"I have two. Both older. My brother Aaron, the one I buy the sombreros for, works at the University of Chicago as a researcher. He does something in microbiology. He has explained what he does many times, but I can never keep up. My sister Lauren, lives in the Midwest and studies toads."
"Toads?" Hudson repeated hesitantly.
She nodded. "It has something with their biological makeup, or something about their skin. Again, she has explained it, but I haven't found the information about toads applicable to my daily life, so I didn't hold on to it."
"Really? I discuss toads all day long."
"Is that one of the things you ship?"
He gagged at the idea and she laughed. "That is an awful thought," he said. He grimaced like the idea had left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. "Moving on."
"It's your turn to talk about your family."
"You already know Grant and his many charms," he said, waving the question aside.
"No, you must answer your own question."
"Fine," he huffed. "Grant is my only brother. He oversees the Asia division of the company, and he takes karaoke and working out way too seriously. Happy?"
"Very," she said, flashing him a cheesy smile. "And your parents?"
"My dad is president of the company, my mom was a stay a home mom until Grant and I were in high school then she started working with my dad." He rushed through the answer, jamming his words altogether. He paused for a moment to see if she had any more complaints about his answer before he hurried on with his next question. "Were you ever interested in the sciences like your siblings?"
She gave a sharp laugh. "Not at all. Although, sometimes I wish I did. It would have made everyone's life easier."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"You really are horrible at following rules."
"No, I was never interested in science like your sibling," he answered flatly.
She playfully shoved his arm. "Really?"
"Ha! That is technically a question. Back to me," he said gleefully. She tried to argue but he shook his finger at her. "Rules are rules."
She rolled her eyes. "You haven't been playing by them this whole time."
"What did you mean when you said it would have made everyone's life easier if you were like your siblings?"
She sighed. The question required an answer with more personal information than she liked to share. She could feel them moving close to an edge. Going over would mean falling into more serious territory and she wasn't sure she was ready to jump. She turned her studious gaze on him and found him patiently waiting on her.
It was as if he understood her hesitancy to move closer to the edge and that strangely encouraged her. She took a deep breath, looked out at the water, and decided to jump.
"My whole family loves science. If you heard my mom tell it, my brother and sister came out of the womb conducting experiments. One of my earliest memories is of my brother hypothesizing how many times I would fall down on my bike before I asked for help. He watched me for an hour tallying each crash. Growing up, my house was basically a chemistry lab. And then there was me, with too much energy and not a scientific thought in my head."
She laughed, but there was nothing joyful about it. "My parents didn't have a clue what to do with me. They knew science. What were they supposed to do with a kid who couldn't sit still and didn't like school? They did their best, putting me in every sport they thought would wear me out long enough for them to get a moment of peace. I by no means had a bad childhood. I got to try a lot of different things and had a lot of freedom. But I've always felt like I'm a puzzle piece that got mixed in with the wrong puzzle. I was always the odd man out."
She let her words drift out to sea before she looked at Hudson. She was relieved there wasn't a hint of pity in his gaze. He nodded thoughtfully, taking his time with a response. "So... how many times did you fall on your bike before you asked for help?"
She grinned proudly. "I never asked for help."
"I bet that really screwed up your brother's hypothesis."
She laughed, finding she had worried about going over the edge for nothing. "He learned to never base his research around me. I wasn't a very cooperative subject."
"You haven't changed in that respect."
She flashed him a proud smile. "My turn. What part do you play in your family business?"
"I was training to be head of our European market."
"You were? What do you do now?"
"I took a leave of absence a year ago."
Her eyes went big in surprise. "I didn't know you could do that in a family business?" she joked.
He laughed sardonically. "Neither did my parents." There were layers of meaning under his tone.
"A leave of absence means what? Traveling the world? An extended vacation? More time for meditation?"
"I started my own company." His words came out defensive, almost like a challenge, and she wondered how many other people had guessed about the reasons for his leave of absence.
"And that company does...?"
"It's an airline."
Ty nodded like she understood but it took her a minute to fully comprehend what he had said. "Wait, what? An airline as in...?"
"Airplanes," he answered playfully slow, amused by her reaction.
"Wow," she breathed out.
"It's not as impressive as it sounds," he shrugged casually.
She laughed. "I think it's exactly as impressive as it sounds." It took her another minute to fully wrap her head around it before the questions came spilling out. "You started an airline? How does that even work? I mean, how does one even go about buying a plane? Even if I had the money, I wouldn't know where to start. And you said planes, as in plural. Do you own multiple planes?
"Or are you in the private plane business? Renting it out for people to use. That could be a lucrative business too. But again, back to the question, how do you go about buying a plane?"
She paused when she realized he hadn't said anything for the last couple of minutes. She looked at him and found him silently laughing. "No, no, keep going," he chuckled. "You were on a roll."
"No, no," she said, matching his tone. "I don't want to have all the fun. You talk."
"Don't worry about me. I was having a great time listening to all your ideas."
She smiled and shook her head. She pantomimed locking her lips and throwing away the key before she sat back and waited patiently.
After a minute, he gave in. "Yes, I started an airline company. No, it isn't renting out private jets. But it isn't a big airline. It doesn't even fly in the US. Its purpose is very specific.
"Have you heard of the company PAX?" She shook her head. "They are a huge tech company in Germany," Hudson explained. "They have headquarters in Hamburg and Dortmund." She nodded slowly, waiting for the piece of information that would make all these details make sense.
"I have a friend who works there and he is always complaining about how the employees bounce between the two locations frequently, but there is no easy commute. It's almost four hours by car or train, and there are no direct flights. My airline will provide direct flights between the two cities four times a day, and it will get them there in less than an hour." He proclaimed the last details with pride.
"Wow," she repeated, "that leave of absence hasn't been that productive." He laughed loudly and it broke the aura of greatness that she had begun to see around him. "Your parents must be so proud. That is a brilliant business idea."
"Well, I didn't do it on my own. I have a partner aboard."
She couldn't help but laugh at his attempt to downplay his accomplishment. "Starting an airline is impressive, no matter how much help you had."
"Tell that to my family." He said it so softly, it almost got whipped away by the wind before Ty heard it.
She smiled sympathetically. "They aren't proud of you?"
"To them, the only thing worse than taking a leave of absence is taking a leave of absence and being successful."
"Ouch."
He shrugged carelessly, and it was clear he wanted to move on from the subject. Ty obliged. "Well, I ran away from home at sixteen. At least you had the decency to tell your family you were leaving."
He sat up in surprise. "You ran away?"
She shrugged like it was no big deal. "It's a story for another night. It's getting late. Come on." She stood and offered him her hand, "I'll walk you to your room."
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Miłej podróży (Polish)
Ty and Hudson shared impressive stories, this is your time to shine: share an impressive story of your own! 🗯💭💬🚢
(If you make one up none of us are going to know, so you can wing it if you want to)
I'm going to tell you an impressive story that isn't really story and isn't at all impressive...
Why? Because do you ever have those moments in your life that really don't mean anything or don't seem great to anyone but you even though it's been years since it happened?
Yeah, exactly we all have those.
Here's mine. You might know this but I come from a family of ten who used to be homeschooled. We were friends with another family that also had a lot of kids.
Eventually we grew apart but at times whenever any of us would cross paths, we'd know generally who the person was because we were childhood friends. Mainly because we'd still exchange Christmas cards.
I loved getting the cards because I thought one of the guys, Luke, my age was extremely cute, more than cute he was very attractive.
There's the setup.
The pay off: once when I was in the grocery store parking lot I crossed paths with Luke. We met gazes and we both knew generally who the other person was but not in a way that either of us said anything. So we walked past each other. But because he was so good looking I naturally had to look back.
And when I did, he was looking back at me.
That's it. That's the story that lives in my brain for no reason whatsoever.
Haha maybe I should have made up a better one since nothing about that was impressive or a story. Whateves.
Vote, comment, follow! I hope that you know from my story that anything can feel impressive even if its not, so don't be down on yourself!