"You have got to be kidding me!" Chloe exclaimed when the disjointed voice came over the intercom All outgoing flights from JFK International Airport have been cancelled due to extreme weather. "My brother is going to kill me!" She fumbled in her bag for her cellphone to send him a quick text message. She cursed when her phone started ringing, "Ryan? Yeah, I know, it sucks." She looked around the terminal, similar conversations were happening all around her, "It's a blizzard, Ry, there's not much I can do about it." Chloe slumped back in the hard plastic chair, apparently this side of the airport hadn't been renovated recently, "Look, I think I just have to wait this out. They said the storm system should pass in a day or two." She laughed, tired, "Yeah, it is a good thing that your rehearsal dinner is five days before the wedding. I promise, Ry, I will make your wedding if I have to rent a car and drive down to Florida myself." Chloe grinned, "No, I promise I won't actually do that. I know that would be bad. Okay, yeah, I love you too. I'll be there."
"Delay have you missing something important?" A soothing voice had Chloe jumping out of her seat in surprise. The mystery woman laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."
"Jesus!" Chloe placed her hand on her chest, her heart fluttering madly underneath. "Hi," she said, smiling brightly when she finally had a look at the woman in front of her, "I'm Chloe." She lifted her hand out for the other woman to shake.
Taking her hand, the other woman smiled gently, "I'm Beca."
"Pleasure." Chloe couldn't help but marvel at the life she found in Beca's eyes. "So," Chloe cleared her throat and moved her hand back from Beca's grasp, "What brings you to the airport today?"
Beca laughed and sat down next to Chloe, easily moving her carryon bag to the floor, "I should be on a flight to LA right now. You?"
"Florida. Brother's wedding," Chloe frowned.
"Ouch," Beca commisserated. "Are you going to miss it?"
"Hopefully not," Chloe sighed, taking in the sight of the other woman who had made herself at home next to Chloe. "The wedding is in five days, so I should be able to make that. If I don't, my best friend is going to kill me."
"Best friend?" Beca looked confused, "I thought you said it was your brother's wedding."
"Yeah," Chloe laughed, "My best friend is marrying my brother.
"Ooh, that's an interesting turn of events. How did that happen?"
"Tell you what," Chloe said, standing up suddenly, "How about I tell you all about it over coffee, my treat."
Beca grinned and stood up as well, "I thought you would never ask."
"Wait, wait, wait," Beca couldn't stop laughing, "She did what?"
"She got so nervous she threw up all over his favourite pair of shoes. He was so pissed. She thought he would never speak to her again."
"And this was when she was asking if he wanted to go on a date?"
"Yep," Chloe nodded and wiped a stray tear from her eye. "I'll admit, it took a while to get used to the idea of my best friend dating my younger brother. But they're kind of perfect for eachother. In that whole Nicholas Sparks novel kind of way. But with decidedly less tragedy."
"What about you?"
"What do you mean?" Chloe stirred her coffee slowly, looking carefully at Beca.
"Do you have your Nicholas Sparks romance yet?"
"No," Chloe took a sip of her drink, "Plus, I'm not really his 'genre' apparently."
"You totally are," Beca motioned, "You're attractive. And judging by that business suit, you're accomplished. What wouldn't he like?"
"I'm also gay," Chloe laughed when she saw Beca's mouth drop open a little bit before she composed herself.
"No kidding," Chloe was almost certain that if there was closed captioning on their conversation, there would be sarcasm in all capitals underneath the other woman. "I'm just kidding," Beca laughed, "But that's a relief to hear. It would be embarrassing if I was flirting with a straight woman."
"Flirting, huh?" Chloe felt her cheeks flush slightly, "Is that what you're doing?"
Beca smirked, "Don't tell me you didn't notice."
"Okay," Chloe smiled, "I did. But first, I need to know, before we go any further."
"Yeah?" Beca was intrigued, "What's up?"
"How old are you?"
"Fair enough," Beca agreed, "Want to make sure you're not robbing the cradle. I'm 24."
"Robbing the-" Chloe frowned, "How old do you think I am?"
"No clue," Beca shrugged, "I'm terrible with ages. All I know is you are really pretty."
Chloe blushed again, usually she was more suave than this, but the other woman seemed to have stolen her ability to be smooth, "Flattery will get you everywhere. And I'm 28."
"Well, see, we're good then. What's the rule?" Beca leaned over the table so she was closer to Chloe, "Half your age and then plus seven?" Beca winked, "You're more than okay."
Chloe moved closer to Beca and grinned wickedly, her gaze flicking down to Beca's lips, "Awesome."
"Ow, ow!" Chloe hissed pulling back from Beca who was pressing her up against the wall in the handicap stall.
"What? Are you okay?" Beca looked concerned, her hair tangled and her face flushed, Chloe thought she looked like the most beautiful woman in the world.
"Yeah, just," Chloe motioned helplessly, "There's a hook in my back."
Beca laughed and rested her head on Chloe's bare shoulder. "I am so sorry!"
Chloe flipped them over, careful to make sure Beca's back didn't meet the same fate that hers did. "It is totally fine."
"Wow," Beca's pupils were blown as she watched Chloe stand up from her kneeled position.
Chloe wiped her bottom lip and smirked, "Yeah?"
"You are really good at that." Beca tried to catch her breath.
Chloe adjusted her clothing and handed Beca's jacket to the woman, "You hungry?"
"Are you?" Beca laughed, "Cause I mean-"
Chloe rolled her eyes and unlocked the stall door once she was certain Beca was decent. She washed her hands and then dried them, holding out her left for Beca to grab, "We should check on our flights and then grab some dinner. I think I saw an okay place near my gate."
"Okay."
"So what exactly do you do for a living?" Chloe cut into her halibut and watched Beca fiddle with her spoon in her mac and cheese.
"I produce music. Mainly I work the technical side of the music albums that come out. You know, work with the artist, give them some ideas, make them sound good. That type of thing."
"That is so cool. My best friend and I were in an a cappella group in college. But we were definitely no where near good enough to win anything."
"You sing?" Chloe blushed and nodded. "You any good?" Beca leaned forward in her chair.
"I'm not terrible," Chloe admitted, "But I don't sing much anymore, I don't really have the time."
"That's too bad." Beca took a sip of her beer. "I'd love to hear you sing sometime."
"I'm sure I don't compare at all to what you hear all the time. It was more of a club, definitely not a living."
"Well, in any case," Beca reached over to place her hand over Chloe's, "I'd like to hear you sing for me some time."
"Some time? As in a time other than now?"
"If you'd like," Beca shrugged as if she hadn't just suggested getting together with Chloe again at some point in the future.
"I would," Chloe smiled.
"So," Beca cleared her throat and retracted her hand, "What do you do for a living?"
"I work for a non-profit organization that works with hospitals so that they will have drop-in childcare for those patients who have children and need to go to the hospital frequently for treatments such as chemo, or just routine appointments." Chloe brightened, she loved talking about her job. "Actually, I kind of founded it. With my older sister, Bridget. We're doing a lot of positive work around the country."
"Wow, that sounds incredible. How did you think of the idea? If you don't mind me asking."
"My sister, Bridget, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer a number of years ago. They caught it early but she always had to go in and out of the hospital, and her son was almost three at the time. And she couldn't always rely on family to take care of him. It kind of spiraled from there."
"You're kind of amazing, you know that?"
Chloe shrugged, "I did what I had to. Too often people don't get the care they need because they're worried about who is going to watch their kid. Aiden's about to turn seven now, I think."
"So you just go around the country and work with hospitals?"
"Yep, pretty much."
"Cool."
"Hey," Chloe leaned over and kissed Beca softly on the cheek, rousing her. "I think they're starting to call boarding numbers again."
Beca sat up slowly from where her head had been resting on Chloe's lap, "Ugh, what time is it?"
"Way too late."
"I don't want to go back to LA."
"You don't?"
Beca shook her head, "I've had more fun here than I have for a while there."
Chloe bit her lip and looked at Beca. She made a quick decision, "When do you have to be back to work?"
"Officially? Not for a week. They've given me time to work on some new tracks but no artists will be coming in."
"Come with me."
"What?" Beca sat up straight, looking at Chloe.
"Come with me to Florida. To my brother's wedding."
Beca looked at her dumbly, "But-why?"
Chloe shrugged, "I had a really good time with you, and I don't want that to stop just because we're not going to the same place."
"I mean, are you sure?"
"I'm asking, aren't I?" Chloe smiled and wrapped her arms around Beca's neck, "Come with me. Be my date to the wedding, protect me from all those groomsmen that just don't seem to get that I'm not their type." Chloe winked, "And, I promise I'll sing some karaoke for you if you're good."
"If I'm good?"
Chloe hummed lightly and leaned down, kissing Beca's neck, "That's not all I'll do."
Beca swallowed hard and looked at Chloe, gauging just how serious the other woman was, "Let me see if I can switch my ticket."
"Awesome!" Chloe beamed, watching as Beca got up and started walking to the counter.
"But wait, I don't have a dress or anything for the wedding, all my luggage is on the flight to LA!"
"Don't worry," Chloe shouted to her, "I'm sure we can find you something. Now hurry! I think they're starting to board."
"So," Chloe wrapped her arms around Beca and dipped her low on the dance floor, "Was it worth it?"
"Mmm, was what worth it?"
"Hopping on a flight with a woman you had never met before to go to her brother and best friend's wedding."
"Oh, that." Beca swung Chloe around, smiling when she heard Chloe's laugher tinkle over the dull rumble of talking and the big band music playing. "Yeah, totally worth it."