When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes

When Julianne Riley’s flight from England landed in her home state of Maine, she sighed with exasperation. She leaned her head against the orange chair behind her and waited for the flight attendant’s permission to remove her seatbelt. Her patience was wearing thin after two different flights (England to New York; New York to Maine), she was exhausted. The front wheel of the plane coasted downward until it touched the runway pavement, and the rest of the plane followed until it came to a bumpy stop.

“Remove your seatbelts, grab your carry-on bags and you can be on your way. Thank you for flying with us.” An attendant in a blue hat with a pearly white smile said, gesturing the passengers off of the plane.

After exiting through a dimly lit hallway, Julianne realized that she was finally back in the Bangor International Airport. White tile beamed against sunlight shining through a mass of windows and the smell of bleach and cinnamon wafted in the air around her. Anticipating a few hours worth of riding home and regretting a massively time consuming trip from England, the only thing that Julianne could focus on was a cup of iced coffee.

She tugged her carry-on bag higher on her shoulder and pushed her black bangs out of her eyes, searching for a place to retrieve all of her luggage. A black conveyer belt was located near her and she waited patiently among a crowd of other travelers for her things. A few moments later, Julianne was falling asleep where she stood. Her eyes snapped open just as her luggage was passing in front of her. She yanked it from the moving black material, extended the handle and drug it behind her all of the way to the Starbucks Coffee franchise.

The strong scent of cocoa beans drifted around Julianne’s nose and she smiled, falling in line behind a tall man with messily gelled, chestnut colored hair. He stepped up to the counter and ordered an iced white mocha, and this struck Julianne as odd. He was at least 6’3, and a thin but masculine band of golden tanned muscles banded his arms. He didn’t seem like the type of guy that would take an extremely sweet cup of coffee.

“Name?” Julianne heard the cashier say.

“Jacob.” He replied.

The cashier scribbled vigorously on the back of his clear cup, and for some peculiar reason that Julianne couldn’t put her finger on, she smiled. She stepped up to the counter and placed her order before waltzing over to the pick-up counter, once again falling into place next to the man with the gelled hair—she had heard him say that his name was Jacob.

She turned when she heard the sound of his voice, just in time to realize that he was speaking to her. “What brings you to the airport over here, Julianne?” Her stomach dove when she took in his large gray eyes and his visibly clear and tanned chest that could be seen beneath his deep cut v-neck shirt.

The ground beneath her sandals dropped, and her legs tingled with nervousness. “I’m sorry; do I happen to know you?” Julianne said kindly, her heart fluttering with excitement. He knew her name?

“No, I’m from California. I heard the cashier ask for your name. Was that intrusive?” He chuckled, showing a layer of broad, white teeth.

She beamed back at him. “No, I noticed that you’re name was Jacob as well.” the two shared a small laugh as one of the employees sat his coffee down on the counter with a green straw next to it. Julianne chewed on her bottom lip, cursing the lack of conversation they’d had before he got what he had came for. She leaned patiently on the cool counter-top next to her, luggage in hand. “Are you staying around here?” She said, anxious jitters creeping down her spine.

“My grandmother is sick, so I should be staying around Eastwood to take care of her for the next few months. I take it you’re from this area?” Jacob said, tearing the end of his straw paper off with his teeth, right before throwing it into the trash. The blender sounded as it grinded ice into fine crystals for frozen espresso.

Another employee sat Julianne’s order on the counter, and she picked it up in a rush. Beads of ice dripped off of the sides of it and it was cool on her bare hand. The two began to exit the store at a similar pace. “Yeah I’m from Eastwood. Wait, did you say you were staying in there?” Her heart stopped altogether.

“Yes, I sure did.” Jacob said, and then paused, smiling down at her. “Maybe we could meet up sometime…grab a coffee of something.”

“It looks as if we’re kind of doing that now.” Jacob smiled and Julianne shot one back in exchange. “Eastwood is a small town; I’ll count on seeing you around, Jacob.” Julianne said, brimming with confidence and elation.

Jacob offered her his hand and she shook it. Their palms pressed together and warmth surged up Julianne’s arm. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Julianne.” He said with chivalry.

“Likewise.” She said, touching the nape of her neck with ecstasy.

She opened her straw, shoved it into her drink, pulled her bags away from Bangor International Airport, and entered the town that she had been to elated to leave a few weeks prior.