Chapter 2
Sonny wondered what was holding up the line, until he heard.
"Mommy, can I fold the stroller?" the child’s voice asked loudly.
Recognizing the voice from the little boy in the bathroom, the dark-haired man stepped to the side of the line to get a view of the blonde in her fitted jeans and sleeveless blouse. It couldn’t be easy flying with six kids by yourself, he thought. As he moved to offer assistance, he paused and watched her work with practiced ease.
She unbuckled the twins and lifted them out of the stroller. Each twin grabbed one of the hands of their eldest brother. She gently placed the sleeping baby in the arms of her eldest daughter and handed the baby bag to the pre-schooler. The woman made quick work of the stroller and handed it to the waiting stewardess for storage.
While she retrieved the baby from her daughter and took the baby bag from Tommy, one of the twins let go of Eric’s hand and went to hold their eldest sister’s hand. Tommy took hold of Eric’s now free hand. They fell in line and boarded the plane.
He was amazed at her efficiency and quickness; he needed someone like that to work for him. He smiled to himself and got back in line.
He felt someone staring at him. He knew that for a fact without even opening his eyes. The 30-something man had years of experience to thank for that. He cautiously opened his eyes and stared directly into the doe like brown eyes of a baby. The blonde’s baby was looking for someone to play with and he was happy to oblige.
"Hello, little one," he said softly. His greeting was rewarded with a dimpled smile revealing two bottom teeth. He continued to murmur to the baby and play hide and seek during the flight.
As the flight attendant began serving drinks, he took out the cinnamon roll from Cinnabuns, he’d purchased in the terminal. Upon seeing the white icing-covered sugary treat, the baby began salivating and a tiny hand palm up presented itself to him.
Chuckling, the man said, "We have to ask Mommy, little one."
"We have to ask Mommy what?" the blonde asked turning awkwardly with a sleeping toddler at her side.
He paused for a moment, struck by her freshness. He studied her face; it looked like she didn’t have any make-up on, but he knew that was impossible. He had yet to meet a woman who didn’t wear any make-up at all. He shook his head to shift his thoughts away from this woman and her natural, or seemingly natural, beauty.
The woman looked at the cinnabun and then at her daughter. "Willow, what did Mommy tell you about taking food from strangers and begging?"
Willow blinked her eyes a few times and gave her mother and the dark-haired man her most brilliant smile, all the while keeping her hand out.
The man and the woman laughed at the baby’s antics.
"Was she trying to bat her eyes?" the woman asked to no one in particular. She kissed her daughter on the cheek. "Oh, Willow, you’re too much."
"No food from strangers, huh? Well let me correct that. I’m Michael Corinthos, Jr.," he informed her with a dimpled smile.
Yum, she thought. He was very attractive. No, she couldn’t be having thoughts like these. Although, there’s nothing wrong with admiring the view.
He held out his hand and she shook it firmly.
"I’m Brooke Logan."
"Nice to meet you, Brooke."
Brooke nodded.
"Now can Willow have a piece?" he asked with a grin.
"Yes, she can."
Michael handed the baby a piece of cinnabun and watched her tear into it. He watched the baby as Brooke watched him.
He looked over and caught Brooke staring at him. "Do I have icing on my face?"
She shook her head. "No."
"What is it then?"
"What do your friends call you?" she asked curiously.
"What? I don’t look like a Michael to you," he responded.
"Not a Michael, not a Mike, not a Mikey, not a Mickey or a Mick, you don’t look like any of those names."
He smiled. He liked this woman. "My friends call me Sonny."
"Well, Sonny, it’s nice to meet you. Sonny as in The Godfather’s Sonny?"
"No," Sonny chuckled, "as in my Abuelo called me, Sonny boy, as a baby and the name just stuck."
"It fits you."
"I’m glad you approve, and since you do, you get a prize." Sonny handed her a six-pack of cinnabuns in a box and a little bag with a lone cinnamon roll in it.
"Oh, my gosh. You didn’t have to do this. How did you know we were going to be on the same flight?"
"I didn’t. You and your kids just saved me from sneaking downstairs to the kitchen at midnight to eat one of those," he answered, pointing to the box. "I have to watch my manly figure."
Brooke laughed and laughed. A tear roll down her cheek. She hadn’t laughed in a long time and it felt good. It felt real good. "Thank you for this treat and I’m glad we could help."
She pressed the call button and requested milk for her kids that were awake. This trip was getting better by the moment.
