Tom Nickalls, a 30-year-old black British airline pilot, was having a terrible day. His flight from London to New York was delayed by several hours due to bad weather. As he left the airport feeling frustrated, he noticed a woman hurrying towards him. She was Nicola Whittington, a 29-year-old airline attendant from a rival company.

"Excuse me, do you have the time?" Nicola asked.

Tom checked his watch and replied, "It's 6:30 pm."

"Thanks," Nicola said, flashing a smile. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm in a rush."

Tom smiled back and watched her disappear into the crowd. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she was. He shook his head and reminded himself that he was still recovering from his last relationship.

As he walked to his car, Tom's phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and read a message from his ex-girlfriend. He sighed and tried to compose himself before driving off.

Nicola was also having a terrible day. She had just been on a date with a man who turned out to be a complete bore. As she left the restaurant feeling disappointed, she noticed Tom walking towards her.

"Excuse me, do you have the time?" she asked.

Tom checked his watch and replied, "It's 6:30 pm."

"Thanks," Nicola said, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm in a rush."

Tom smiled back, and Nicola noticed how handsome he was. She shook her head and reminded herself that she was not ready to date anyone at the moment.

As she walked to her hotel, Nicola's phone buzzed in her bag. She took it out and read a message from her best friend, telling her about her latest date.