Married in Seattle by Debbie Macomber Page A

woman and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Could you make sure I’m as far from Mr. Thomas’s seat as possible?”
    “This flight is booked solid,” the attendant said impaiently. “The only reason you and your…friend were able to get seats was because of a last-minute cancellation. I’ll do the best I can, but I can’t rearrange everyone’s seat assignments just before the flight.”
    “I understand,” Janine said, feeling foolish and petty. But the way her luck had been going, Zach would end up in the seat beside hers, believing she’d purposely arranged that, too.
    They boarded the flight separately; in fact, Zach was one of the last passengers to step onto the plane.
    By that time, Janine was settled in the second row of thefirst-class section, flipping through the in-flight magazine. Zach strolled past her, intent on the boarding pass clutched in his hand.
    Pretending she hadn’t seen him seemed the best tactic, and she turned to gaze out the window.
    “It seems I’m sitting here,” Zach announced brusquely, loading his carry-on luggage in the compartment above the seats.
    Janine had to bite her tongue to keep from insisting she’d had nothing to do with that. She’d even tried to prevent it, but she doubted Zach would believe her.
    “Before you claim otherwise, I want you to know I didn’t arrange this,” he said, sitting down beside her.
    “I know that.”
    “You do?”
    “Of course,” Janine told him. “The fates are against us. I don’t know how my grandfather arranged our meeting at the airport or the adjoining seats, any more than I know why I stumbled on you my first day at the Bonnie Inn. We might never have crossed paths. But somehow, some way, Gramps is responsible.” That didn’t sound entirely reasonable, but she thought it best not to mention their stroll in the moonlight.
    “So you’re not ready to unleash the full force of your anger on me?”
    “I don’t see how I can be upset with you—or the reverse. Neither of us asked for this.”
    “Exactly.”
    Janine yawned loudly and covered her mouth. “Excuse me. I didn’t sleep last night and now it’s catching up with me.”
    Her yawn was contagous and soon Zach’s hand was warding off his own admission of drowsiness. The flight attendant came by with coffee, which both Zach and Janine declined.
    “Frankly, I’d be more interested in a pillow,” Janine said, yawning again. The attendant handed her one, as well as a blanket, then offered the same to Zach. He refused both, intending to work on some papers he’d withdrawn from his briefcase. The minute the plane was safely in the air, Janine laid her head back and closed her eyes. Almost immediately she felt herself drifting into a peaceful slumber.
    She stirred twice in the long hours that followed, but both times a gentle voice soothed her back to sleep. Sighing, she snuggled into the warmth, feeling more comfortable than she had in weeks.
    She began to dream and could see herself walking across the moors, wearing traditional Scottish dress, while bagpipes wailed in the background.
    Then, on the crest of a hill, Zach appeared, dressed in a Black Watch kilt and tam-o’-shanter; a set of bagpipes was draped over his shoulder. Their eyes met and the music ceased. Then, out of nowhere, her grandfather appeared, standing halfway between the two of them, looking distinctly pleased. He cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted to Janine. “Is this romance?”
    “Yes,” she shouted back.
    “What else do you need?”
    “Love.”
    “Love,” Gramps repeated. He turned to Zach, apparently seeking some kind of assistance.
    Zach started fiddling with his bagpipes, avoiding the question. He scowled as he concentrated on his task.
    “Look at the pair of you,” Gramps called. “You’re perfect together. Zach, when are you going to wake up and realize what a wonderful girl my Janine is?”
    “If I do get married, you can be sure I’ll choose my own bride,” Zach