Chapter 6: Noah Hatches a Plan

"What?" Noah said.

As if his day wasn't going downhill. Yes, he was on a plane with a beautiful woman, but the beautiful woman wanted something from him. They always did. She wanted an interview and he wanted peace of mind.

Neither of those things was going to happen.

Noah took the phone from her as the pilot came onto the intercom. "We're about to take off. Please put your phones in airplane mode."

"I can connect to the Wifi as soon as the plane is in the air," Noah said. "Where is this? What social media?"

"Instagram," she said as he handed her phone back to her.

She did as the pilot instructed and then tucked her phone away. Noah had seen the picture long enough to know what it looked like. They looked as if they were having an intimate moment. From the outside, he could see how reporters thought he'd dropped into the airport to pick up his love. He'd been holding her hand and looking down at her with a curious, but a delighted expression. That hadn't been what he'd been feeling at the time. He'd only wanted to protect an innocent bystander. Now he knew she wasn't so innocent.

"I'm sorry, Noah. I had no idea."

He put up a hand as the plane left the ground. "It's not completely your fault. The picture does paint us as more intimate than we are."

She frowned and nodded, settling back into her seat. Her hands gripped the armrests.

"Are you afraid of flying?" Noah asked.

"No. I'm not a fan of takeoff. Once we're in the air I'll be fine," she said.

She could have lied to him. She could have passed it off as nothing, but she'd been honest with him. That was a point in her favor, not that he was keeping track.

The plane leveled off and she loosened her grip on the armrests. She flexed her hands as if to relieve some pressure.

"These armrests aren't comfortable when you're resting on them. I can't imagine it is any better when you have a death grip on them," Noah said.

He wanted to lighten the mood even if it only worked for him. She gave him a weak smile. "All I wanted was a scoop."

"Now you're part of the scoop."

She rubbed a hand down her face. This affected her more than him, but he'd always been one to turn things around. He just had to think. What would make this better? "We don't have to talk about it. No one should be at the next landing sight or think you'll be back here."

She frowned. "Do you have a girlfriend in the wings that is going to be jealous?"

He chuckled. "Is that the reporter talking, Hailey? Or you?"

"Both, Noah. I still want the scoop, but I also need to know if there's going to be backlash from someone else. I don't need some crazy woman spreading rumors about me."

He didn't answer the question at first. "Spreading rumors?"

"That's how women do things sometimes. We withdraw support from someone who isn't following the rules."

"Sounds like high school," Noah said.

"It just is."

He studied her for a moment. She was being transported to someplace she hadn't decided to go, but she was taking it all with aplomb. Then again, she did get herself into this predicament by pursuing him.

He couldn't completely feel sorry for her. "Why gossip?"

"You're steering me away from the interview," she said.

His life wasn't that interesting and he didn't want to talk about it. "I am. I don't have a girlfriend and I don't plan on having one."

She cocked her head. "Why not?"

He let out a long sigh. This was deeper than he wanted to go with anyone let alone a reporter. "Off the record?"

She frowned but seemed to be calculating something. She finally nodded. "Okay."

"I've been hurt too many times. I don't believe in relationships. They are more trouble than they are worth," he said.

She nodded. "I get it. I have a trail of exes that I'd rather forget. I have no plans on adding any more," she said.

"So we are equally cynical about having a relationship."

It was a bonding moment. Even if he never saw Hailey again, he knew there would always be one person on this planet that understood his need to stay single. Too bad he couldn't find a way to get away from his adoring fans while he kept them as fans.

"It seems that way," Hailey said. "Relationships bring heartbreak, no matter what type they are. Besides, no one can live up to my standards and I'm okay with that," she said.

That was a loaded statement. If the plane ride was going to be longer, he might ask more probing questions, but they'd be on the ground in a short time. They'd part ways and he'd never see her again.

Some part of him was sad at that. Why? He'd just met her and he hated her job. He'd never liked the interviews or press conferences that he'd been forced to do. He could opt out of many of them. He'd gotten big enough, but then he could come off as a snob. His fans bought his music and he felt he owed them something.

Then an idea struck him. A crazy, stupid idea.

"Where did you just go?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Because a whole host of emotions crossed your face," she said.

"Good thing I don't play poker."

"Good thing. Your face lit up for a moment."

He nodded looking down at her. "I have an idea. You're going to think it's crazy, but I think it can work for both of us."

She eyed him but shrugged. "Go ahead. I can't go anywhere and I might as well listen to your crazy idea."

He rolled it over in his mind and chose the right words. Then again the idea was so crazy that there were no right words. Noah just had to hope that Hailey could see the genius in his idea.

He shifted so that he was looking at her fully. "Pretend to be my girlfriend."