LITMIR.BIZ

       ONE

      They were running late, as usual.

      Before Jack, Margo’s life had been a model of organization. Reports were in before they were due, Christmas shopping finished by November. She was in her chair five minutes early for a meeting, ten minutes if the meeting was with the Senator.

      But then, before Jack, she wasn’t really living.

      She could have resisted this morning when he lured her back into that tangle of warmth and love. But what woman in her right mind would turn down an extra half hour in Jack McCarthy’s arms just to arrive at the airport with time to spare?

      Certainly not Margo.

      It was one of those typical Chicago winter days. The predominant colour was grey. The leaden sky was grey, the buildings were grey, spattered by salt and sand from the roads. Even the old snow was grey. An icy wind was blowing in off the lake and no amount of layering could keep the chill from biting into the bones.

      But to Margo, snuggled next to Jack in the taxi, the world seemed painted in primary colours. She was oblivious to cold. She knew that in six hours she would be lying in the sun on the coast of Mexico celebrating what had been the happiest year of her life. If they didn’t miss the plane.

      The taxi skidded to a stop at the terminal. Jack stuffed a handful of bills into the driver’s hand and they were out of the taxi instantly. They breezed through security and raced down one of the endless concourses for which O’Hare Airport was famous, suitcases careening behind them on tiny wheels.

      Jack ran effortlessly, his well-travelled trench coat billowing behind him like a cape. Margo, on the other hand, was panting like a golden retriever.

      ‘So much for all that fitness training I’ve been doing,’ she gasped. ‘Who knew thirty would turn out to be the new ninety?’

      ‘Thirty never looked better,’ Jack answered. ‘But jogging on a treadmill is not the same as running in a heavy coat dragging an over-packed suitcase.’

      He grabbed Margo’s bag and took charge of it without missing a stride.

      ‘Nothing in there but a few bikinis,’ Margo wheezed.

      Jack winked at her. ‘Like I said … over-packed.’

      Margo, doubling her effort to keep up, managed to sneak a peek at her husband as he ran ahead of her. As usual, a small thrill wormed its way straight to her core.

      He had sandy hair that invariably looked as if he had just crawled out of bed, which in this case he had. His square jaw was interrupted by a cleft in his chin. He had a Roman nose that had been broken more than once and a thin white scar snaked its way from his ear to his throat. Battle scars from some undisclosed conflict, she guessed.

      Rather than marring his looks, these imperfections somehow managed to make him more attractive. At thirty-six, he had a body that was steel-strong and his deep blue eyes held many secrets. Not from Margo. They had no secrets from each other.

      The loudspeaker crackled. ‘Flight 363, non-stop to Puerto Vallarta, is now boarding at gate 57.’

      ‘That’s us,’ Margo said.

      ‘We have plenty of time.’ Jack slowed to a walk; they were almost at the boarding area.

      Margo made a face at him. ‘If I recall, you are notorious for missing planes, trains and, most especially, ships.’

      ‘I may bend the rules a little now and then.’ Jack put the bags down and took her in his arms. ‘But you’ve never met a rule you didn’t feel like breaking.’

      She laughed. ‘I break rules that are arbitrary. Being on time is common courtesy.’

      He kissed her and they got lost in each other’s eyes.

      ‘Behave yourself,’ Margo said huskily. ‘We’ll miss the flight.’

      ‘If it’s anything like our first honeymoon, there’s no way I’m missing our second,’ Jack said, reluctantly letting her go.

      Margo pulled off her ankle-length coat and shook her mane of honey-blonde hair free of her cashmere headband. She was willowy and tall, almost as tall as Jack. Her eyes were hazel with green flecks and she had an extraordinary smile that Jack insisted could halt traffic.

      ‘I won’t be needing these where we’re going,’ she grinned, putting her winter coat and scarf over her arm and taking her bag from Jack.

      She was almost to the gate when she realized Jack was not behind her. He was still standing where she had left him, staring at his mobile phone.

      She hurried back. ‘Is everything okay?’

      ‘Fine. Everything’s fine. I was just shutting my phone off and ordering it not to ring for two weeks,’ he said lightly.

      ‘I’ll be happy to throw it in the ocean for you as we fly over,’ she replied, reaching for the phone.

      Jack pulled her boarding pass from the pocket of his jacket. ‘You go ahead and get on the plane. I just want to grab a paper.’

      ‘I’m not letting you out of my sight.’

      ‘Have a little faith,’ he grinned, pressing the boarding pass into her hand. ‘There’s an article I need to read for work and there may not be internet on the plane.’

      ‘Work! There will be no working on this trip.’

      Jack cupped her face in his hands and looked deeply into her eyes. It was a look that held such love Margo felt unexpected tears welling.

      ‘This one last thing,’ Jack said. ‘Then I’m done with work. Finished. That’s a promise.’

      He kissed her lightly, then took off at a trot in the direction of the newspaper stand, pulling his suitcase behind him. He waved without looking back and disappeared around a corner.

      ‘Do not miss this plane,’ she called to the empty corridor. ‘That’s an order!’

      Margo felt a little shiver of something. Anxiety? Fear? She didn’t know. She shook it off and boarded the plane. Later, when it all had gone wrong, she would remember that ominous feeling.