When the plane lifted from the runway, she caught him watching her again—quietly, almost thoughtfully. Something flickered in his expression, something she couldn’t interpret, but she dismissed it as the tension of flying.
Once they reached cruising altitude, the veteran’s posture loosened. Elise offered a polite greeting, unsure whether he wished to talk. He surprised her with a warm reply, his voice steady but subdued, carrying a depth she recognised from people who’d lived through more than they spoke aloud.