My Heart Is Yours

Chapter 48

Martin and his co-pilots were really surprised that Richard joined them when the group decided to sight-see. Richard usually went around on his own whenever they were out of the country, only joining them when they decided to eat. He mentioned to Martin once that he didn't want to burden anyone in case he wanted to stop by a shop that they didn't particularly like. So he kept to himself most of the time whenever he roamed around the city. Other times, he would just stay in his hotel room either reading a book or writing some songs. Martin knew he wrote songs, remembering in some stops, he noticed Richard discreetly asking around where and if he could borrow a guitar from any hotel staff. So he stopped inviting Richard to go out and join them.

But Martin noticed something different this time around. When Martin asked Maine if she wanted to joined the group for sight-seeing, Maine naturally said yes, this being only the second country she had travelled to. He wanted her to enjoy so he decided on showing her around the local sights, Milan being one of their frequent assignments. When they were at the lobby of the hotel, everyone was shocked when Maine arrived with Richard.

"You're coming?" Martin asked, shock was clearly etched on his face.

"Am I not allowed to join anymore?" Richard said, his brows furrowed in question.

"It's just unorthodox, Jase," he replied, looking at both Richard and Maine who were standing right beside each other. "You don't usually join us when we go sight seeing."

"There's always a first time," Richard defended, taking sidelong glances at Maine.

"Just don't give me problems, Jason," Martin remarked with a smirk. "Don't make me separate the both of you."

"You can try," he smirked. "And when have I ever been a problem for you, Martin?"

"There's always a first time," Martin retorted, repeating the words Richard said earlier. But he smiled and ushered everyone outside, acting as the perfect tour guide for the group.

During the tour around the city, Richard never left Maine's side. There were moments when the two of them would lag behind with Richard telling his own trivia about the landmarks they went to or a story that a local told him about the place. At times Richard would just hover, letting Maine enjoy the company of her team mates but still keeping close enough to her so that she knew he was there, just at arms reach when she needed it. When there were moments that they would reluctantly separate, Martin and Jerald would notice Richard's lingering stare. He kept his eyes on her, watching her every move, a bedimpled smile would come out here and there whenever Maine did something funny or endearing to his eyes. Richard knew she was enjoying and that made him happy.

On their way to lunch in one of the local restos in the city, Maine and Richard stopped in front of a theatre that was showing "Fifty Shades Darker". Ardee and Anne saw them stop and came back to hear Richard and Maine talking.

"Do you want me to ask them for you?" Richard asked a very reluctant looking Maine.

"Ask us what?" Ardee asked as she noticed Maine discreetly shook her head at him.

Richard sighed but ignored Maine's silent plea, figuring she was just embarrassed to ask, "have you guys watched 'Darker'? Maine was looking for someone to watch it with."

"Why don't you just watch it with her, Cap?" Anne said, a teasing smile played on her lips.

"Not my thing," was his only answered.

"I actually want to watch it!" Anne exclaimed. "It says here there's a five thirty showing. Let's buy the tickets now and come back later."

The rest of the team returned when they noticed they've stopped. The team was then divided into two groups, the girls including Martin decided to watch the movie that afternoon while the pilots and the two male FAs, George and Tom, will wait for them elsewhere.

The group continued with their lunch plans and Martin forced Maine and Richard to separate when they were ushered to their seats. Martin sat beside Maine in one table with Ardee and Anne, while Richard was seated with Sam, Valeen, and Raqz. As lunch was served, Martin couldn't help but notice that the jacket Maine took off was three sizes bigger than her and it seemed to look familiar to him.

"Do you always wear big jackets, Maine?" He inquired.

"Not really," she replied. "The jacket that I brought for this trip wasn't thick enough. Ar - I mean, the Captain lend me his."

"You and Jason seem pretty close for the short period that you guys met," Martin raised an eyebrow and smirked. Maine bowed her head slightly to hide her blush.

"Yeah," Ardee remarked. "Captain Jase has never been this attentive to any other FAs in his team before. You're very special Maine."

"We're neighbors," replied Maine simply. "We're just trying to catch up for lost time. I used to know his brother."

Martin saw the sad smile on Maine face so he quickly changed the subject before either Anne or Ardee could ask about Alden.

"I've been with Jase since he started working for MJN," he quickly said. "He's very professional. That's why I never had a problem with him. It's a running joke between the two of us when will be the first time he'd slip up."

"If he'd slip up," Ardee teased. "I'm sure it would be with Maine. And we'll be right behind you, cheering you on."

"Don't worry, Maine," Anne added. "The Captain is a pretty decent guy. We used to force him to go out on blind dates. The girls said he was a perfect gentleman. He never took advantage on the situation."

Maine took a glance at Richard who was at the other table. He was only half paying attention to the conversations of Sam, Valeen, and Raqz as he was texting someone on his phone. She wondered about that as he rarely took his phone out. She noticed he smiled as he read a text message, and he placed the phone back on his pocket. That was the only time he gave his full attention to his companions on the table. It suddenly bothered her that whoever texted him could make him smile like that.

"Do you think RJ has a girlfriend?" She suddenly asked. She couldn't keep the jealously away from her voice.

Martin's eyebrows shot up in surprise as he looked at Maine and then at Richard who was suddenly laughing at one of Valeen's jokes. He said, "where did that come from all of a sudden? But no. I'm very sure he doesn't have a girlfriend. You were the first girl he actually took an actual interest to, the first girl who actually got him to go outside the cockpit while we're high up and you're the only girl whom he dragged to the washroom to talk."

Maine couldn't help the sigh of relief she let out. It got Martin curious and he couldn't help but tease.

"Although," he started. "I do wonder where he goes off to when we land. He rarely joins us. He usually keeps to himself, going off on his own most of the time. Especially when we're here in Milan. He would leave in the morning and we wouldn't see him until the next day. This is actually the first time he joined us the whole morning. Usually, we just see him when we eat and then he's off somewhere again."

"And you never asked?" Maine inquired.

"He never really gave any reason to, Maine," replied Martin. "It's his off time too. What he does outside of his duties is actually his business."

Maine glanced again at Richard in time to see him fish out his phone from his pocket once more to read a text message. There was a different gleam in his eyes when he smiled. She saw him reply back and placed his phone again in his pocket. She suddenly frowned.

Martin saw this so he reached out and held her hand. He said, "Maine, don't think too much. I'm sure it's nothing."

Maine just nodded and put the thought at the back of her mind.