Gavin Royce wasn't supposed to be aboard Flight 907.
Not in seat 1A.
Not in any seat.
And certainly not with a flight attendant standing beside him looking frightened.
Noelle slowly placed her handbag on the empty seat across the aisle.
Then took out her smartphone.
Gavin laughed.
“Oh, what now? Calling your boyfriend?”
She unlocked the screen.
“No.”
“Your lawyer?”
“Not yet.”
He leaned back.
“Then who?”
Noelle looked at the flight attendant.
“Claire, who's the captain on duty?”
The blonde woman blinked.
“Captain Elias Mercer, ma'am.”
“Has he received final passenger acceptance clearance?”
Claire hesitated.
“I believe ground operations cleared the manifest.”
Noelle nodded slowly.
“Please ask him to remain at the gate. No departure until we resolve a passenger authorization issue.”
Gavin burst out laughing.
“Listen to her!”
He turned toward the attendant.
“She's giving orders to the captain!”
Claire looked uncertain.
Noelle held her gaze.
“Please make the request.”
There was something unmistakable in her tone.
Claire touched the communication panel beside the galley.
Gavin's smile disappeared.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Noelle looked toward him.
“Making sure this aircraft doesn't depart with somebody who isn't authorized to travel on it.”
He stood so abruptly that the leather seat shifted beneath him.
At six feet tall, he was physically imposing, with broad shoulders and the kind of expensive confidence that made employees instinctively move aside.
He stepped toward Noelle.
She didn't retreat.
“Sweetheart,” he said quietly, “you have about ten seconds to stop embarrassing yourself.”
Noelle looked into his eyes.
Then answered.
“Mr. Royce, I suggest you sit down.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Or what?”
She turned her phone toward Claire.
The screen displayed an executive authorization profile bearing the insignia of Ashford Executive Aviation.
Claire's eyes moved across the information.
Then widened.
Her hands flew toward her mouth.
“Oh my God.”
Gavin looked toward her.
“What?”
Claire looked back at Noelle.
Then at the phone.
“Ms. Ashford?”
Noelle nodded.
“Yes.”
The attendant's face drained of color.
For one brief moment, she appeared unable to breathe.
Then she whispered.
“I'm so sorry. I didn't recognize you.”
Gavin looked from one woman to the other.
His brow furrowed.
“What is this?”
Noelle slipped her phone into her hand.
Then looked directly at him.
“My name is Noelle Ashford.”
He stared.
She continued.
“I'm the founder and chief executive of Ashford Executive Aviation.”
For several seconds, Gavin didn't move.
Then she gestured toward the cabin.