An Enchanting Liftoff Read online

  An Enchanting Liftoff

  By A.J. Marcus

  The sky’s the limit….

  It’s wealthy advertising executive Rusty Donovan’s first time at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. When he scores a ride on a hot-air balloon in rainbow colors, he’s as captivated with the balloon’s pilot, Chad Holmes, as he is with the breathtaking experience. Rusty learns Chad’s business is struggling to the point where he might have to close it down. Fortunately, Rusty has some ideas about promoting Chad’s Santa Fe based tour company, and he also has some ideas about what he’d like to do with Chad. As they work together and get to know one another, the future—both for the business and for them as a couple—looks as bright as the brilliant New Mexico sky.

  States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

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  RUSTY DONOVAN glared at the line of traffic he found himself in. “Are you really sure this is worth it?” he grumbled to his best friend, Tyler Shadworth, who sat in the passenger seat of Rusty’s Land Rover looking sleepy in the predawn light.

  Yawning, Tyler lifted the brim of his baseball cap and looked out the windshield before lowering the cap again. “Yeah, it’ll be worth it. You were wanting to get some new pictures for the New Mexico Department of Tourism account. You don’t get any more iconic than the Balloon Fiesta.”

  “But couldn’t we have come when the traffic wouldn’t be so bad?” Rusty asked as they managed to get another two feet closer to their goal, several miles away.

  With a huff, Tyler shook his head. “We need the crowds in the pictures, and we need lots of balloons to make them any good. Look, you’re the advertising guy. I’m the photographer. Trust me in this. We’ll get some good stuff today. It would’ve helped if we’d been able to get up and going a couple of hours ago.”

  Even knowing Tyler wouldn’t see it from under the bill of his cap, Rusty flashed him a hard glare as they continued their glacial movement toward the balloon field. “And that wasn’t my fault. You forgot to set your alarm.”

  “Hey, I got a little distracted with that cute thing at the hotel bar last night.” Tyler pulled up the collar on his jacket as if trying to hide from the impending light of dawn. “After she heard I was a photographer, she had to show me her modeling poses.”

  “I hope you still have enough space on your memory cards for the paying work,” Rusty snapped. He’d already known why Tyler had been running late. He wasn’t sure if he was overly tired from a long week of dealing with clients, or if he was jealous about how easy it was for Tyler to get laid. But then Rusty had always held himself to a little higher standard than Tyler did. Since high school, Tyler had chased anything in a bra and often caught it. Rusty tended to be a little more selective with the guys he went out with. It was more than just a quick way to get off. Unfortunately he tended to be attracted to men who were the same level of workaholic as he was. Jobs came first and sex second. It had been a while since he’d even tried dating, and he’d resorted to cruising apps when he had the urge to get off.

  “Who says I won’t get paid for the pictures I took of her?” Tyler chuckled. “I always make sure they sign a release form. There’s plenty of websites out there that pay good royalties for sexy pictures.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure there are.” Rusty finally spotted a police cruiser ahead of them and the line of traffic heading west, kicking up a plume of dust.

  A soft glow slowly rose above the horizon and drifted toward the east.

  Tyler jerked up in his seat. “Man, we’re missing Dawn Patrol.”

  “Not my fault.” Rolling up his window to prevent the dust from getting all over his leather seats, Rusty turned to follow the traffic. “What’s Dawn Patrol?”

  “They send a couple of balloons up before first light.” Tyler leaned forward to watch the balloon go past. “I don’t know all the specifics of it. But they fly off to the east, then come back if the winds are blowing the right way. If you get in the right spot, you can get some great pictures of the balloons as the sun comes over Sandia Peak.”

  “That might’ve been a good opportunity, then.” Rusty slowed the Land Rover down even further as the cars in front of him hit their brakes.

  “We can try again tomorrow. We’re here all weekend, right?”

  Rusty didn’t bother saying he’d hoped they could get the pictures done and head back to Santa Fe so he could spend Sunday working on a proposal for a ski resort. It could be a major account if everything went the right way. “Sure. If we don’t get everything you want this morning, we can come back tomorrow.”

  Tyler turned from the balloon and smiled at Rusty. It was a look that had gotten him into so many women’s pants, but it didn’t have any effect on Rusty. “Thanks. I know this was a bad weekend for my truck to crap out on me. You’re the best friend ever for bringing me down here.”

  For nearly twenty years, Rusty had been rescuing Tyler as much as Tyler had been saving him. At first it had been from school bullies who saw the photography geek and the gay science nerd as easy targets. Even if Rusty had dated the quarterback for a while, it hadn’t been enough to remove the target on his back, and he and Tyler relied on each other. Even when Rusty got mad at Tyler for little inconveniences, they were still best friends, and Tyler was helping him with work, so it only felt right to drive him around.

  “No problem,” Rusty mumbled and let out a little sigh as they crested a rise and entered the parking lot proper. The place was busier than a mall at holiday time. It reminded Rusty of the time they’d driven up to Denver for a Broncos game, but there were more people. Each vehicle seemed to have at least three people, and the lines going down the hill, from the parking area to the huge field where little flashes of flame flickered off and on, were more impressive than the stream of traffic had been. Rusty hated crowds and wondered again why he’d let Tyler talk him into coming to the biggest event in New Mexico.

  Even before they parked, Tyler was scrambling over the seat, reaching into the rear floorboard for camera equipment. “Hey, you’re cool with being my packhorse today, right?”

  “I guess that means I get to carry your purse again?” Rusty said, smiling slightly at the running gag between the two of them.

  “Wouldn’t be the first time someone thought we were together.” Tyler chuckled as he pulled his camera strap over his head. “Besides, you’ll know what I need before I do. You make a great photographer’s assistant.”

  Without bothering to reply, Rusty grabbed the photography bag from the floorboard before he opened his door and stepped into the cool morning air. The crowd in the parking lot was already loud as people hurried down to the launch field. Every so often, a car horn cut through the human sounds, or a voice was raised louder than the surrounding din.

  “I really wasn’t expecting this many people,” Rusty said as he and Tyler stepped into the line.

  “What else were you expecting?” Tyler brought the camera up to his eye and took a couple of quick shots, the soft snap of his shutter just audible over the conversations around them.

  “Based on the number of cars, about a third less attendees.” Rusty shrugged, trying to settle the weight of the camera bag more comfortably on his broad shoulder.

  “It’s a family event.” Tyler lowered the camera.

  “Yeah, I can see that,” Rusty mumbled.

  When they got to the footpath leading down the slope to the launch field, the spectacle spread out before him. Down on the field, balloons were laid out
on the ground in almost perfect rows while people wandered among them. Most just appeared to be milling about, but around each balloon, crews moved with purpose. Some tugged the fabric envelopes out and others got the baskets into position.

  “Step to the side for a second,” Tyler said.

  Rusty looked at him, questioning, as they moved out of the flow of foot traffic. Tyler didn’t seem to notice. He was pointing the camera down at the field, snapping pictures.

  Tyler stopped and looked at the screen on the back of the camera, then frowned. “Light is still a little low, but I might be able to save a couple of them.” He put the lens cap back on. “Let’s keep moving.”

  “Okay.” Rusty followed along as they rejoined the throngs of people marching down the footpath.

  The aroma of funnel cakes hit Rusty as they reached the launch field. The sweet scent made his mouth water, even though he’d had some of the continental breakfast at the hotel while waiting for Tyler to finish getting ready.

  “Okay,” Tyler sighed. “Once all the balloons are in the air, we’re going to have to stop for some food.”

  “That shouldn’t take too long,” Rusty said, looking at the hundred or so balloons out on the field.

  Tyler laughed. “This is only the first wave.”

  Rusty blinked at him. “First wave?”

  “Yeah, as the balloons that are laid out here go up, more will come in and take their places.” Tyler paused and pointed his camera toward the north end of the field, where the first balloon was lifting off. “It’ll be at least two, maybe three hours before it’s all done for this ascension.”

  “Ascension,” Rusty repeated, realizing Tyler had used that word on purpose.

  “Going up,” Tyler explained as he brought his camera down and glanced at the screen again. “When there’s a lot of balloons going up like this, it’s called a Mass Ascension.”

  “Okay.” Rusty could understand where the term came from, but it sounded a bit like a whole lot of Christians dying at one time and storming the gates of heaven.

  Tyler headed off toward where more balloons were lifting off. “Come on. We’re going to be going up and down the field like crazy for a little while.”

  The thought of getting too deep in all the people made Rusty nervous. He hated being jostled around, and that looked like what was about to happen. “Wouldn’t it be better to find a spot up on the hill and just shoot as they go up?”

  “Tomorrow morning, maybe.” Tyler pushed his way through people, then turned and looked at Rusty. “Right now I want shots up close and personal.”

  “Okay.” Rusty heaved a sigh of resignation. “If you say so.” He plunged into the crowd, following Tyler.

  RUSTY’S FEET were starting to hurt, and his shoulder ached. He’d never carried Tyler’s camera equipment around for so long, and particularly not in the nonstop crowds they were dealing with among the balloons. The festival was pretty and exciting. The repeated roars from the gas jets that lifted the balloons off the ground took a little getting used to. The first time one went off near him, Rusty had jumped. The brightly colored spectacle of it all kept him watching everything that happened. He was amazed that more of the balloons didn’t have problems when they’d bump into each other on their way off the ground, but he hadn’t heard any of the pilots angrily shouting at each other. For the most part there was a bit of laughter, and the whole event had an overall air of happiness about it.

  “Hey”—Tyler touched Rusty’s arm, bringing his attention away from the Wells Fargo balloon that was lifting off just a few spots away from them—“there’s a guy I know. We should see if we can go up with him.”

  “What?” Rusty looked in the direction Tyler pointed. “Go up with him? You didn’t say anything about trying to go up in one of the balloons. Is that even allowed?”

  “It’s all up to the pilot.” Tyler started pushing his way through the crowd.

  The balloon they were passing fired its flames, and anything else he said was lost in the roar.

  Rusty didn’t see any choice but to follow in Tyler’s wake. The crowds weren’t any thinner than when they’d arrived. If anything, there were even more people, all pushing their way through the launch field.

  Tyler made it over to a half-inflated balloon with a series of alternating rainbow patterns going up the side. The three visible were a pride spectrum, a bear spectrum, and a leather spectrum. In between the spectrums, the fabric panels were a dark blue, almost black. The contrast made the spectrums pop.

  “Hey, Chad!” Tyler shouted over the roar of the balloon next door.

  A handsome man turned toward them. His green eyes sparkled in the early morning light. “Hey, Tyler! You made it out again.”

  Extending his hand, Tyler closed the distance between them. “I love the Balloon Fiesta.”

  “The weather’s perfect this year.” Chad returned Tyler’s handshake.

  “Yeah, it is.” Tyler gestured for Rusty to come closer. “Chad, I’d like you to meet my best friend, Rusty. Rusty, this is Chad.”

  “Hi, Chad.” Rusty offered his hand. “Nice to meet you. Beautiful balloon you’ve got here.”

  “Thanks.” Chad’s hand was big, strong, and warm. He flashed a bright smile. “She’s my baby.”

  “Speaking of your baby,” Tyler cut in on them. “You think we could go up with you this morning? I’d really love to get some shots of the event from a balloon. Rusty might even be able to use them in an advertising thing he’s doing for the state.”

  “Let me see if I can bump a member of my ground crew to a later flight,” Chad said.

  A sudden feeling of guilt over displacing someone else from the flight hit Rusty. “Hey, if it’s a problem, just take Tyler. I’m okay.”

  Tyler shook his head. “Oh no you don’t. You’re going with me.”

  “I don’t have to—” The balloon next to them roared again, cutting off Rusty’s objection, but Chad was already a few feet away, talking with a couple of the people in the gondola of his balloon who were operating the big flame jet.

  One of the women nodded to Chad, then climbed out of the basket. Everything rose a little bit off the ground.

  “Come on.” Chad reached a hand to Rusty. “Climb in!”

  The woman who’d hopped out grabbed hold of the gondola and pulled it down. She was fairly muscular, with big arms and a short haircut. Combined with the colors of the balloon, it made Rusty wonder if Chad and his ground crew were all gay.

  “Need help?” the woman asked.

  Rusty already had hold of Chad’s strong hand and was pulling himself up. “I think I’ve got it.” The camera bag shifted on his shoulder, and the sudden weight change threw Rusty off balance. He tumbled into the basket. Chad stumbled and managed to catch Rusty in his arms. They were strong and inviting, much like Chad.

  “Easy there.” Chad smiled as he helped Rusty straighten up.

  Heat rose in Rusty’s face. “Sorry about that.”

  “Hey, my gear!” Tyler scrambled over the side of the gondola.

  “No problem.” Chad apparently ignored Tyler. “Everyone has an awkward moment or two in a balloon.”

  “Nothing broke or anything?” Tyler reached for his bag.

  Rusty couldn’t decide who to address first. There was something in Chad that struck a warm chord in his heart, something no one had been able to find in a long time. Chad was attractive, even if Rusty didn’t normally go for guys wearing baseball caps—they reminded him too much of Tyler. But Chad had a ruggedly handsome face that seemed to go so perfectly with his strong body. His eager smile and sparkling green eyes helped hold Rusty’s attention.

  “Thanks for catching me,” Rusty said, hoping to hide some of his embarrassment by turning to Tyler. “The bag didn’t even hit anything—well, beyond me. Everything’s fine.”

  “Good.” Tyler stopped with his hands a couple of inches from the bag. “And you’re okay too?”

  “He’s fine.” Chad chuckled. “And I
think we’re about ready for liftoff. Do either one of you want ear protection? This can get fairly loud.”

  “It’ll make things harder to hear,” Tyler objected. “I think I’ll be fine. It’s not worse than some of the metal concerts I’ve been to.”

  Chad pulled on a lever on the burner. A blast of flame shot up into the balloon with a huge roar. “If you’re sure.”

  Rusty was torn, but he really wanted to hear everything that was going on. “I’ll be fine. I think.”

  “Okay,” said the woman who’d stayed in the basket with them. “Chad, we’ve got the okay to go.”

  “Good.” Chad pulled on the lever again, and the flame roared continually while the balloon slowly rose into the air.

  Trying not to watch the ground fall away, Rusty grabbed hold of the edge of the gondola and watched all the other balloons around them rising up into the clear morning sky. The bright colors played against the lightening blue like ink drops on water. Different balloons were going different directions at various altitudes. It looked like they were all dispersing across the desert.

  Finally Chad let up on the burner, and for a moment, a gentle silence engulfed them. After the noise and confusion of the launch field, the sudden stillness was almost unsettling, yet welcome like a friend appearing amid turmoil.

  “Wow, this is really peaceful,” Rusty said.

  “It is.” Chad looked around them, where other balloons at about the same altitude were heading south toward downtown Albuquerque. “Even with the others around, it’s always peaceful up here.”

  The woman with them chuckled. “Until the winds pick up and make things rough.”

  “There is that. Rose, I’d like you to meet Rusty,” Chad gestured between them. “And I think you’ve met Tyler.”

  Rose offered her hand to Rusty. “Nice to meet you. Yeah, Tyler’s been around a couple of times before.”

  “Hey, Rose.” Tyler pulled his camera away from his face for a moment. “Tell Shelly we really appreciate her giving up her seat this morning for us.”