The Trouble With Tomboys by Linda Kage

“It’s okay. I’ve got it. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.
    We’re still going to make it.”
    He managed a nod but looked green around the gills. Not that she blamed him. He probably wouldn’t believe her until they actually touched ground.
    It wasn’t the smoothest landing she’d ever
    made, but with shaking hands and no help from her plane, she thought she did damn fine. By the time they stopped skipping down the runway and were slowed to a stop, Grady had his seatbelt off and looked like he was going to leap from the plane and kiss the tarmac. But he stayed rooted to his seat, both hands wrapped firmly around the edge of his thighs as if they might have to be surgically removed.
    B.J. tugged off her headphones and undid her safety harness. “You okay?”
    He nodded. “Yeah. You?”
    “I’m good,” she said, then let out a whoop of triumph. “God damn !” She leapt across the cockpit and right into his lap. Grady jerked in surprise as she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a brief but hard victory kiss on the mouth.
    When she pulled away, she grinned and let out a breath. “Was that great, or what? Oh yeah! It feels good to be alive.”
    Ignoring the stunned look on his face, she
    shimmied off him and threw open the door, already 66

    The Trouble with Tomboys

    hopping out.
    Her father and all three brothers barreled
    toward her. As soon as her two feet hit the runway, she hurried to meet them, aiming straight for Leroy.
    “You could’ve gotten us killed, you jackass,” she snarled, her fists already clenching.
    “What?” he said. “You landed just fine.”
    Growling, she wound her arm back and decked
    him full in the mouth, causing his head to snap back.
    He cursed and covered his face with both hands.
    Red immediately seeped through the cracks between his fingers.
    Feeling no remorse, B.J. raged, “Next time
    you’re not going to do something I ask you to, tell me so I can goddamn do it myself.”
    “Next time, just do it yourself.” Leroy muttered, wiping blood out of his nose. He took a step toward her, his own hand balling. B.J. widened her stance and braced herself, in the mood to fight.
    But Rudy caught her around the waist and
    pulled her away just as Buck put a hand on Leroy’s chest and stopped him midstep.
    “Cut it out, you two,” Pop bellowed.
    “She hit me first,” Leroy said, scowling around Buck’s shoulder at her.
    “And you deserved it,” Pop stated, getting a defiant sneer for his comment.
    B.J. was about to smart back something else to set Leroy off even more when she finally noticed Grady exiting the plane with his bag in tow.
    She paused and turned. Still pale as all get out, he hobbled past them. Her innards lurched with guilt.
    “You sure you’re okay?” she said, moving toward him. “I’m fine,” he said and held up a hand as if to ward her off.
    67

    Linda Kage

    “Grady.” Pop stepped forward, yanking off his ball cap and holding it to his chest. “On behalf of the Gilmore plane service, I apologize for all this trouble.
    If you’ll just follow me to the hangar, I’ll write you out a refund right now.”
    B.J. gulped, suddenly remembering he was a
    customer, and she’d just gravely mistreated her customer. Damn, he could sue her if he wanted, and not just for almost getting him killed, but probably for sexual harassment too. Shit.
    But Grady shook his head. “No...just...just send it through the mail.”
    He began to turn away when Leroy opened his
    dumb mouth. “Hey, you ain’t going to sue us now, are you?”
    B.J. tensed and held her breath. She noticed her brothers and father doing the same.
    Grady glanced around to glare at Leroy, and she was sure that was it. They were going out of business from one lawsuit. But Grady’s eyes
    flickered her way, silently studying her. “No, I’m not going to sue you. I just want to be left alone.”
    He pivoted and strode away. Still feeling crappy for the way she’d treated him,