The Woman on the Plane — Zoe Cannon

Another red-eye flight. Another work trip to try to persuade wealthy businessmen to part with a small fraction of their money for her underfunded charity. A trip that will probably end in another failure.When Haley got into charity work, it seemed like a dream come true--a chance to make the world a better place. Now she's overtired, underpaid, and full of hard-won cynicism.She doesn't mean to unload her feelings on the glamorous stranger in the seat next to her. But one look into the woman's eyes, and suddenly she can't stop talking. And there's no harm in confessing her frustrations or revealing her secret dreams. This stranger can't actually make her dreams come true... right?Haley had better hope not. Because every dream has a cost.This short story is 4,800 words long. It is also available in Devil's Bargains, a short story collection.