“Well, I chose to rise to the occasion. It would be stupid not to,” I answered J as I grabbed Allen’s hand.
“Then it’s settled. Don’t play stupid. Put on your big-girl panties and keep your eyes on the important things,” Joanie said as she started out of the car. “Thank you,” she hummed to Allen as he helped her out of the limo after me. The wind kicked up and gave me an opportunity for his Old Spice cologne to fill my nose. The scent pulled me back to summers in Mendocino with my grandpa. It was the same aroma that would fill the car when he’d pick me up from school every June. It reminded me of the times he’d splash it on before he and grandma would go ballroom dancing at the Mendocino Community Center every Wednesday night. Every time, Grams would start sneezing and complain that he smelled fine without putting that crap on. Gramps would smile and tease that it’s what won her over. Standing there on the tarmac, I became that little girl who danced on his toes and drove the car while sitting in his lap. I was that same scared little girl who clung to his arm as he and Grandma dropped me off at Bethany’s School for Girls when I was 8 years old. It was the same aroma that reminded me my grandpa was gone.
“You are most certainly welcome,” Allen retorted, pulling me out of my memories of my grandfather. “Your plane is waiting.” He turned and pointed to a compact yet impressive white commuter jet with GP spread across the side in gold script writing. It looked amazing. I tried to swallow but I don’t think I had any saliva left in my mouth. My eyes burned from staring and the chill of the day worked to remind me I was still standing in Aspen.
I didn’t have a chance to respond to J’s pep talk. A guy dressed in a gray jumpsuit came over to the car and grabbed our bags out of the trunks.
“Is this it?” the guy asked.
“Yes, these lovely ladies are traveling light today,” Allen said as he winked at us. “Well, this is the point where I say good-bye. It was my pleasure to drive you both.” Allen took our wrists, and bent down to kiss the tops of our hands.
“Thank you so much!” Joanie smiled as she pulled her hand from his and looped her arm through mine. We walked to the fold-down door that also served as our stairs to enter GP’s private jet.
There were two men waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs, both dressed in eye-blinding, white polyester with blue and gold stripes down both sides of their pants and across the seams of their sleeves and shirt pockets. One nodded to us as he grabbed his white hat and wedged it between his elbow and the side of his body.
“Welcome, ladies, I am Captain Richard Brenner and this is my copilot Captain Joshua Meyers. We will be piloting your flight this morning.” Both men must have been in their late thirties. Clean shaven, slicked-back hair. I wonder if all pilots have to slick back their hair?
I nodded at them before looking over at J, wondering what was going through her mind.
“Oh thank you,” Joanie responded.
“Miss Mooney?” the co-pilot asked pointing to Joanie.
“No, she’s Miss Mooney,” Joanie said pointing to me.
“My apologies. I have that we are arriving in Concord, California, is that correct?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“I have a message from Mr. Goldstein. He made arrangements for your transportation once in Concord.”
“He did?” I asked, almost embarrassed. The pilot didn’t respond.
“Please watch your step,” he said as Joanie and I started up the stairs. We both squealed, as quietly as possible, and clung to one another as we felt the stairs give under our weight.
“Holy shit, we are going to fly on a private jet!” I whispered as my breath caught in my chest.
“I know, unbelievable, eeekkk!” Joanie responded in a mirrored tone. I looked behind us; the pilots smiled, shook their heads, and laughed as they watched us climb to the top of the stairs.
“Oh my God! Are you seeing this, J?” I asked as we both stepped into the jet. All I heard was Joanie catching her breath.
It was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. Now, I can tell you what I truly expected—maybe ten rows of seats like the little puddle-jumper planes you see on the travel channel when people hop from island to island in Hawaii. But this was something else. I never expected to see gorgeous, soft cream-colored leather captains chairs, with plush head rests and wide arms that were plump enough to hug you in place. Thick tables with honey-colored cherry wood. Matching cabinets hung along the top of the plane with GP etched in frosted glass, beveled mirrors, and recessed lighting. A long, posh couch ran the length of the sitting area with mocha-colored pillows that matched the carpeting. Deep gold GP insignias were embroidered on the pillows, matching the GP on the headrests.
“Holy shit, Wilson, it has an actual kitchen area with a fridge and microwave,” Joanie said as she shuffled past the couch and executive sitting area. She pulled open the fridge.
“The company stocked the refrigerator per Mr. Goldstein’s request,” Captain Richard said as Copilot Joshua twisted the lock on the door.
Diet Coke, water, orange juice, and chocolate dipped strawberries crowded the space in the refrigerator. I noticed a can of royal whipped cream with the red cap and smiled. Max must have wanted me to remember our first time up in his room when he fed me chocolate covered strawberries and filled my mouth with whipped cream before kissing me. I pushed my fingers to my lips as every flicker of my butterflies’ wings rattled in the space reserved only for him.
“Oooh, chocolate covered strawberries,” J said out loud as she grabbed one and took a bite of it.
“Alright ladies, it’s probably best if you find a comfortable seat before we begin to fly this bird to California,” Captain Richard said as he pulled open the cabinet closest to the front of the plane and stowed his cap.
“Okay, anywhere?” I asked.
“Please make yourself comfortable in any of the seats with the exception of the couch. I’m going to ask you to remain in your seats until I let you know it’s safe to roam about the cabin. Also I will be communicating with you via the speakers overhead and with the in-flight phone, located here,” he said in a monotone voice before he headed to the cockpit.
Joanie shut the fridge door and tossed the last bit of chocolate covered strawberry into her mouth. I sat in the chair closest to me; Joanie took the one directly across from it, with a coffee table between us. She plopped into the seat and snapped her seatbelt across her lap. I seemed to struggle trying to find my buckle. Copilot Joshua dug it out from the crevice under the arm of the chair. It wasn’t long before he gave us the safety spiel about our seats being a floatation device, restricted electronic usage, and oxygen masks that drop from the ceiling in case of an emergency. He also talked about the added luxuries of traveling privately. He demonstrated how the coffee table between us had dials we could adjust according to our needs, with a remote that was attached to our chairs so we could recline, raise, or swivel. He showed us how to turn on the bum heat, start the different types of massage settings to release any tension in our backs, and all the other bells and whistles. He pointed out where the restroom was, how to open and close cabinets and doors, and how to lower the lights in case we wanted to sleep.
J and I couldn’t help but giggle every time Copilot Joshua pointed out new things we should be aware of while flying in GP’s private jet.
“Do you have any questions?” he asked.
J and I looked at each other before looking back at him.
“Can I use my cell phone right now?” I asked.
“Sure, but right before takeoff and landing we will ask you to shut off all electronic devices, including Kindles, e-readers, and iPads.”
“Oh good, thanks,” Joanie answered. I just smiled thinking about all the rich people who walked around with so many devices on at the same time.
Joshua took his seat next to Captain Richard. I was totally amazed at the view of the pilots and how complex everything was in the cockpit. The sound of the switches being flicked, the tin voices from the t
wo-way radio, and the captain’s voice faded behind the click of the door separating us from the men who were going to fly us to California. But seeing as this was my first time on a private jet I really didn’t have much to judge it against.
“I’m going to text Max, tell him we are on the plane,” I said as I looked over at J, who was already on her iPhone. Texting Nick, no doubt.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled down to the last text I’d sent to Matt Gladstone…aka Max.
I pressed the buttons quickly, anxious that I wouldn’t be able to get a message out before I was told to shut it down.
BaBE, We R On PLane! OMG its AMAZING! Miss U HARD ALREDY. J SAYS HI Dont worry-I stopped cryN 4 now. <3 U sooo much. GET 2 ME FAST. U.R.MY.HOME.
I pressed send and watched the little envelope sail across my screen, then turned to J. She had her thumbs bouncing back and forth on her keys, laughing under her breath as she responded to the texts she was receiving.
I looked at my phone, hoping I’d have a text back from Max. Right then, a voice came over the ceiling speaker, telling me my wireless time was up. Okay, so not taking my eyes off my phone wasn’t going to make his text come in any faster. But when you are up against a deadline, wishing under your breath that he’d hurry and respond, nothing was too unreasonable.
I blinked and raised my eyes over to J, who was in a full-on conversation with Nick. I felt my heart start to lower into my stomach. The jets fired up and the whistling of the clicking time clock began to make me ache to hear back from Max before the wheels rolled against the asphalt. Just as the wheels started to roll, my phone chimed with a text. I looked down and sure enough, a bouncing envelope with Matt Gladstone above it made its way to me.
I slid my finger across and pressed open.
Hey, Sweets, glad 2 hear U R on plane. Glad U are comfortable. I’m HARD missing U 2. (LOL). Did they stock the fridge 4 U? Like the choc strwbrys & whipped cream? Hope U R thinkn’ bout me. I am heading N-2 the office now. Just ended call w/Gary. Working my way 2 U. I promise. B-safe, U R my WORLD. Tell J hi back.
My heart jumped into my throat. I loved that he got back to me so fast.
I pushed reply and began typing my response when the captain’s voice came over the ceiling speaker.
“Alright, ladies, we are 3rd in line and have been cleared for takeoff. Please take a moment to turn off all electronic devices while we taxi out. Thank you for your cooperation and please remain in your seats until I announce that it’s okay to walk about the cabin.”
Reluctantly, I pressed the power button on my phone. I wished I was able to get one more I love you off to him before my deadline was up. I looked over at J, smiled, and told her Max said hi before I closed my eyes. I didn’t want to look around the plane during take-off. I didn’t want to see things bounce and watch J’s face as I traveled backwards. Why didn’t I sit in the other chair facing toward the front of the plane?
Once the hiss of the engine and the force of the plane speeding along the runway intensified and I felt the weightlessness of being in the air take over, I opened my eyes and regained my composure. I was, after all, on a luxury jetliner.
“Well, that wasn’t half bad,” Joanie sighed.
“Nope…and hey, you know I am sorry I blew up at you, right? I do appreciate you being here with me,” I mumbled as J nodded, accepting my apology. A silent moment took over our space before I decided to lighten the mood. “So what did off-limits guy have to say?” I teased.
“He’s fine…hey wait a minute…off-limits guy?” J groused.
“Yeah, just like Dump Donnie,” I reminded her.
“That was totally different. I was dating Donnie, and the second I dumped him, Cindy scraped him off the floor and made out with him in the back of the limo at our junior prom right in front of us!” J carped.
“You know, she probably had sex with him in the bathroom stall at the dance,” I added.
Joanie didn’t respond to my sex in the bathroom statement. As a matter of fact, her face started to change to a pale pink. Then it clicked in my head…J already slept with Nick.
“Oh my God, you slept with him.”
“Who, Dump Donnie? Of course.”
“No, Nick! You already had sex with him, didn’t you?”
Joanie’s cheeks grew to the deepest of crimsons. It was written all over her face. There was no way she could lie to me. I knew her quirks and foibles when she was holding something back.
Captain Richard came on the ceiling speaker and told us we could roam about the cabin. When she looked over at me, my jaw must have been on the floor. She smiled and reclined her seat. After a slight moment of silence, J continued, “And just so you know… Dump Donnie is nothing like Naughty Nick.”
“So you really like him? No more Dump Donnie or Rebound Robert? I mean, if you went that far with him…it must be the real deal,” I said as I got up and opened the cabinet above my head. A stack of navy blue blankets were perfectly folded in a neat pile. I grabbed two, tossing one at J and causing her to flinch as it landed against her chest. I snapped my blanket open as I fell back into my seat then snatched the remote on my chair and reclined as heat radiated across my entire backside.
“Yeah, Wil, it feels so different with him. It just feels right with Nick,” Joanie said as if her feelings were pouring from the guarded space in her heart.
“Well, then, I’m happy for you, J. I really am. I can’t promise Max will feel the same way, or that we’ll start double dating any time soon. But with time…” I answered her as honestly as I could. How could I not? She was my best friend in the world. I wasn’t going to lose her over a guy; even if that guy was Nick.
“Thanks, Wilson, I know it’s not easy for you. And it means a lot to me,” Joanie said before she adjusted herself in her chair. “God, this is the good life,” she moaned as she vibrated from the full body massage.
“Yeah, you can say that again,” I answered as I pressed the massage setting on the remote.
“Could you have ever imagined that your boyfriend, a government teacher, would have such a luxurious life?” Joanie murmured as her voice vibrated to the motion of the rolling ball against her back.
“Well, the jet isn’t his. It belongs to his dad’s company,” I answered in an equally vibrating tone.
“And who is the CEO of that company now, Wilson?”
“Well, Max is,” I answered. And suddenly it hit me. When I first swooned over him, and eventually fell in love with him, it never crossed my mind that he would be anything different than what I knew him as. He was Max, a humble, wonderful man who fell in love with me for who I was. I never saw him as someone who wore stuffy suits and worried about profit margins 365 days a year. That wasn’t him; he never would have asked for a life that would steal him away from his passion. He wanted to be the Max who brought me to Aspen on a regular airplane. He was the boyfriend who would rather take me ice skating than to an exclusive party with uptight people in cocktail dresses and tuxedos. What was happening to him wasn’t what he truly wanted. What I was experiencing was nothing more than a make-believe life of a lost girl who wanted to be Mrs. Max Goldstein. How was this going to change us?
“What’cha thinkin’ about?” Joanie asked as she lifted her head up to look at me. I looked back at her, her body now rolling back and forth as the massage changed settings, and didn’t say anything right away. Joanie took notice and pushed the button to bring her chair up to the sitting position. I noticed she sat patiently, waiting to hear the whole story rambling around in my head. I guess the loss of color in my face clued her in. “Wilson, what’s going off in that head of yours?” she asked again.
“When Max and I got together, I never thought he’d be doing anything but teaching,” I murmured. “And now, everything has changed so fast.”
“Yeah, well, I would say maybe for the better? He isn’t going to love you any less when he is CEO of GP,” Joanie said convincingly.
“That’s the issue, J. It isn
’t for the better. Private jets, helicopters, and mansions in Aspen won’t give him what he truly wants in his life. I’m not saying it isn’t freakin’ amazing, and that some day, I too, may become accustomed to it as nothing more than the life I have simply because I am Max Goldstein’s girlfriend. All I’m saying is there has always been more to Max than the perks of being the son of an oil tycoon.”
Joanie’s face dropped white. She knew who I was and what was important to me. We both believed love and happiness was something made in fairy tales dreamt up by young girls who wanted something better than what they were born into. We just never thought we’d be living something so real in our lives.
Joanie wasn’t super rich by any means, but her family was well off. Her father was a retired pilot, and one of the perks was that she got to fly standby whenever she needed. When we were younger we’d talk about meeting really rich guys who were best friends so we’d live next door to each other and we’d use her flying privileges to travel the world together. Now she was falling for the son of a gazillionaire and I was in love with Max Goldstein, the CEO of a multimillion dollar family-owned company. Yeah, maybe fairy tales are things based on love and dreams coming true; but at whose expense?
Chapter Twenty-six
~ Max ~
The meeting was dragging on and on. Signing papers and making decisions that affected so many people and the financial standing of GP really sucked. I felt the pressure of hundreds of people’s livelihoods changing as it filled my lungs with shallow breaths of regret. My phone vibrated against my leg. God, let it be Wilson telling me she’s safe. I felt the tension in my chest loosen as I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and saw her words light up my screen.
Beyond Eighteen Page 19