Chapter 157: The Scheduling
Xavier guided April to the right side of the compact cockpit, opening the door so she could climb up into the co-pilot’s seat.
April settled into the leather chair, her fingers immediately tracing the mesh texture of the four-point safety harness as she buckled herself in. This much she could do.
Xavier smoothly walked around the nose of the aircraft and slid into the pilot’s seat beside her.
The cabin was high-tech and exceptionally intimate. Because the two-seat tactical helicopter was designed for maximum agility and a streamlined frame, the console separating them was incredibly narrow.
"We won’t be taking off today," Xavier explained, his deep voice sounding slightly muffled but clear within the acoustic confines of the cockpit. "Before you ever lift off the ground, you need to familiarize yourself with the primary instrument cluster, the collective, and the cyclic controls."
"Understood," April said, already tilting her head closer to his side to get a clearer view of the primary flight displays.
As Xavier reached forward to point out the master switch and the digital fuel gauges, his shoulder pressed firmly against hers.
The fabric of his blazer brushed against her black blazer, a small friction that sent a quiet rustle through the quiet cabin. April didn’t pull away; her eyes were locked onto the glowing numbers on the screen, her mind running a quick diagnostic on how the fuel consumption would alter based on altitude.
"This is the collective stick," Xavier murmured, his hand dropping down to the lever on the left side of his seat. He began to demonstrate the subtle upward and downward motions required to change the pitch of the rotor blades. "It controls your altitude. A very slight movement goes a long way so it’s more delicate than a steering wheel."
To show her the exact tension of the lever, he guided her hand toward the control. As April reached down, her fingers naturally brushed across the back of his hand, their skin meeting for a brief, warm second before her hand rested on the grip.
Xavier’s chest locked for a split second, his breath hitching quietly in his throat. The subtle heat of her skin against his was entirely unexpected, and though he tried to maintain his strict composure, his eyes lingered on her profile, tracking the absolute seriousness of her expression.
April, however, was completely unbothered. She felt the warmth of his hand and the physical proximity, but she actively chose to ignore it for the greater good of their alliance.
She was here to learn how to fly, not to indulge in the feeling of a man’s skin. If her hand brushed his sleeve or their legs knocked against the narrow center console as he demonstrated the anti-torque pedals, she simply chalked it up to the cramped engineering of a dual-seat aircraft.
"I see," April remarked, testing the resistance of the stick. "The manual input requires far more precision than the steering wheel of the Jeep."
"Significantly more," Xavier managed to say, his voice a bit rougher than usual as he pulled his hand back, resting it on his knee to steady the slight, internal thrill running through his veins. "It requires complete coordination between both hands and both feet."
"Hm, it’s a bit complicated," April said, turning her head toward him, her dark eyes entirely focused. "In order for me to learn properly, we need to establish a proper schedule for these lessons. I am practicing my driving with Alexander every two days." She lifted two fingers. "Since today is my free day, I will have my driving lesson tomorrow. That means my flight lessons should take place the day after the driving lessons."
Xavier listened, his mind quickly calculating the calendar rotation as he stared at her fingers before him. "That creates a rolling cycle. One day for ground navigation, one day for aerial navigation."
"Yes. And since my black market trading is scheduled to begin next week, it will mostly occupy my nights. Therefore, the driving and flight lessons must happen exclusively during the day." She paused, adjusting her posture in the co-pilot seat. "I won’t be too overwhelmed with the schedule because I intend to have Samuel handle most of the bulk purchases. I still need to haul a massive amount of medical and construction supplies before the deadline."
Xavier didn’t hesitate for a single second. "Consider it done. Samuel and my private logistics team will manage every invoice and delivery route you provide."
April looked at him, her brows lifting slightly. "Xavier, are you sure you can bear to clear an entire day out of your schedule just to teach me how to fly? And not just one day but on multiple days?"
Xavier looked back at her, a genuinely soft, incredibly handsome smile breaking across his face. The lingering tension from his jealousy completely melted away, leaving only an unyielding, protective devotion. "Is that even a question worth considering, Miss April? Of course I can clear my schedule for you. My businesses can run themselves without me."
April turned her head away for a moment, her eyes drifting out toward the hangar floor.
She couldn’t help but make a silent comparison. Unlike Nat, who was entirely shameless, loud, and constantly loved to impose himself on her space without warning, Xavier was polite, structured, and deliberate. Yet, despite their completely different personalities, April realized they now shared one distinct, undeniable trait.
They were both being very, very forward with her. They were expressing their interest and their desire to occupy her time with absolute openness.
’Well, April thought to herself, her expression remaining entirely neutral as she looked back at the control panel, I won’t mind it. As long as they don’t do something I dislike, their forwardness doesn’t make me uncomfortable.
For the next hour, Xavier patiently talked her through the secondary systems—the emergency hydraulic overrides, the radio frequencies, and the rotor brake parameters.
April listened intently, taking mental notes of every single word, completely absorbing the layout of the cockpit until she could point to any dial without looking.
Once the initial briefing was complete, Xavier clicked his seatbelt open and stepped down from the cabin, offering her a hand to help her down from the high co-pilot seat.
"That’s enough data for the time being," Xavier said, his tone warm and satisfied as she took his hand briefly to step onto the concrete floor. "Now, let’s go have that meal. I believe you owe me the exact details of this upcoming global cooking competition."