“What?”
“Beautiful. You said it was beautiful and I said that you are. I was agreeing with you.”
I could feel the blush creeping up my neck. “Thank you, sir.”
“You’re welcome.” He looked back up at the shuttle then back at me again. “You remind me of someone. The fire inside you, the longing.”
The sadness around him was almost tangible. “I’m sorry about your fiancé, sir. I know it has been difficult for you.”
He nodded. “Thank you.” Then more softly, “But I wasn’t talking about her.”
I glanced back at him. “I don’t understand, sir.”
William chewed his lip as he watched the men on the scaffolds. “I meant me.”
“You?”
He sighed. “I used to feel that. An eagerness to fly, to go to space. I loved the power of the shuttle. I lived for the vibration of the throttle in my hand.”
“And
