by Jenny Lynn
“Your ride? For what?” she asked. I winced, realizing I hadn’t told her about the trip.
“I’m going to a wedding in California for the weekend with a friend,” I said picking up my luggage and moving towards the door.
“California? And with who, Tabitha?”
“No, someone else. Look mom I’m sorry, I really have to go. I’ll call you when we land. I love you,” I told her.
“I love you too sweetheart, be safe.”
I hung up as there was another knock, then pulled open the door to find Nicholas standing there. He was wearing dark jeans and a soft grey dress shirt. He reached forward to take my luggage but I carried it with me.
“It’s okay,” I told him. “I can manage.”
I followed him outside to where a sleek black Bentley was parked along the curb. The driver got out and took the luggage from my hand, popping open the trunk and placing it inside. Nicholas opened the door for me and I slid across the soft leather seats, settling in as he slipped in beside me. After he shut the door we pulled away, leaving my familiar street for the airport. I turned to look at Nicholas but he was busy with his phone. I watched him a moment, he was undoubtedly good looking. With his head bent forward a piece of his dark hair hung against his forehead, and a small part of me wanted to reach forward and brush it away. I stayed firmly in my seat, reminding myself this was a business proposition between us and nothing else. Finally he put his phone away and looked over at me.
“Sorry about that,” he said. “A few things that I needed to take care of before we get in the air.”
“It’s not a problem, I imagine you’re pretty busy,” I told him.
“I am, but I still try to make time for other things in my life that are important to me. What about you, what do you do in your spare time Breanne?” he asked.
“To be honest, I spend most of my time lately working or studying. In my free time I try to see friends.”
“You’re studying Psychology and you’re a waitress, that I know, but I need something else. There has to be something that interests you, that you’ve always wanted to do.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because if people ask me about you, which they undoubtedly will, I need a few things to say about you so it doesn’t seem like we’re strangers.”
“But we are strangers,” I countered.
He smiled. “We are, but no one else needs to know that. So give me something to work with.”
I leaned back in my chair and tried to think. “I like to bake, I took a course on cake decorating and like to make nice cakes for friends and family. I like ballet, I danced when I was younger but I wasn’t cut out for the life of a ballerina so now I just watch it. And I enjoy jazz music, there’s a great place on my block that I go to as often as I can.”
Nicholas nodded. “Thank you Breanne, that’s all helpful. See? You’re a lot more interesting than you give yourself credit for.” His phone began to ring, cutting off our conversation. “Excuse me,” he said before answering it. I turned and looked out the window, trying to give him privacy while he dealt with some kind of issue with a business acquisition. I noticed we were driving past the main terminal gates and turned around to face him, pointing out the window. He just nodded, seeming unconcerned, and continued with his conversation. We wound our way past the main airport to a side area, where the driver slowed to provide a security guard ID. They moved a barrier and we drove past, while I looked around in confusion. Where were we going?
The car slowed to a stop and the driver got out, opening my door for me before heading to the trunk to retrieve our luggage. I looked in front of me and saw a small white plane, the engine humming. I couldn’t believe it, we were going to be taking a private jet. Nicholas smiled at me, then wrapped up his conversation as he headed for the steps leading up into the aircraft. He looked at me over his shoulder.
“Coming Breanne?” he asked. I followed him up and into the cabin, where he took a seat and I lowered myself across from him.
“This isn’t exactly what I expected,” I told him as I looked around the cream colored interior.
“I thought about telling you, but it’s more fun this way,” he said with a grin. “The thing is I need to travel a lot, so it just makes sense.”
“I’m not going to complain,” I said, stretching out my legs. It was so roomy. A woman came up to me and smiled.
“Can I get you anything to drink?” she asked.
"Water would be great," I told her, my throat feeling a bit tight. I had never been on such a small plane before and I felt a bit nervous. In my mind the larger aircrafts seemed much more sturdy and stable.
"And for you, Mister Blackstone?" the woman asked, turning to Nicholas.
"Bourbon on the rocks," he said.
"The usual then," she said with a smile. "I'll be back as soon as we're in the air. If you could both fasten your seatbelts we'll be taking off shortly."
She walked away, her hips swaying slightly in her navy skirt, towards the front of the plane. Nicholas clipped his seatbelt together and I did the same, the metal clip rattling as my hands shook nervously. Nicholas looked over at me.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I'm a bit of a nervous flyer," I admitted, squeezing my eyes shut as the engine began to roar and we started to move along the runway.
"Take a deep breath," he told me, his voice calm and even. "Fear is a natural human response. It lets us know we're alive. You study Psychology, you know better than anyone that it's all in your head."
"Yes, but there are also physiological aspects," I told him as I squeezed the armrest. "Tremors, stress reactions, heart palpitations." The plane lurched and we began to move forward fast, I gasped. I felt his hand close over mine and opened my eyes, he was looking at me with a steady calmness that stopped my derailing train of thought.
"You can control your reactions Breanne. Focus on how incredible it is that we can fly, how beautiful the world looks as you pull away and see everything shrink. How small we really all are. Look out the window," he instructed.
I bit my lip and turned my head nervously, we were leaving the ground and rising steadily. I always avoided looking out the window but now found myself watching with curiosity. The runway shrank and as we moved through the air I saw the city stretched out below me, towering buildings became a scale model, like I was looking down at the skyline in a snow globe. We reached the clouds and they swirled around us, thick and white, seeming so tangible I believed without the glass it might be possible to reach out and touch them.
My breathing slowed and a sense of calm washed through me. I looked down to where our hands were connected, then back at Nicholas. He cleared his throat then pulled his hand back, just as the stewardess approached. She handed Nicholas a glass tumbler filled with dark liquid and passed me a bottle of water. I unscrewed the top and took a sip, the cool liquid traveling past my lips and down my dry throat.
"Better?" Nicholas asked me. I nodded.
"I've never looked out the window when I flew before. It's actually pretty amazing, like you said."
"You should see the view when you skydive," he said, taking a sip of his drink.
I laughed. "I can't see myself jumping out of a plane."
He shrugged. "You might just surprise yourself some day."
"How did you get into things like skydiving?" I asked.
Nicholas looked down at his drink, swirling it in the glass and causing the ice to clink. He was clearly thinking about his answer.
"I guess I had a really typical upbringing and I was looking for excitement where I could find it," he said with a shrug, not looking me in the eyes. A part of me felt he was evading my question but I didn't press him on it.
"I should probably tell you about some of the people you'll meet at the wedding," he changed the topic. "There are my sisters Evelyn and Sasha, Sasha’s husband Liam who you already met. They’re friendly. My mother's name is Nancy, fair warning, she might be a bit co
ol towards you. The wedding is between Nicole Windsor and Charles Beaumont, they're old family friends. If there is anyone else important I'll flag them for you when we're there but really just have a nice time and stick by me to shield me from anyone who's trying to set me up."
"Can I ask, why are you so opposed to dating someone?" I secretly wondered if he might be gay and not ready to tell his family.
"Oh, I’ve dated plenty of women," he said with a shrug. "The relationships just burn out quickly. I meet the same kinds of women, we run in the same circles. It never lasts. So I'm trying to take a break from all that, especially since my dad passed away. I need to run Blackstone Enterprises now, the way he wanted me to. Whenever I'm lonely I have my hobbies."
"I'm sorry about your father," I told him. "Were you two close?"
Nicholas smiled and leaned back in his chair, as if reflecting on a cherished memory. "We were. He could be stern, he had a strong work ethic. He built the entire company himself, purely self made. He saw to it that my sisters and I had everything we wanted growing up, but always made sure we remained grateful of our privilege. I worked closely with him at the company after I graduated, learning the ropes." He stopped and took a slow sip of his drink. "Honestly, there was still so much I know he wanted to teach me. He didn't even have any health problems, I guess it was just one of those things. I was just as surprised as anyone that he left me in charge, not Liam, but I'm ready to work hard and make him proud."
"That seems like a lot of pressure," I told him. Suddenly I thought of the tense meeting with lawyers the first time I met him.
"It can be. But I'm sure you understand, studying full time. When we have a goal that's important to us we need to push other things aside and make it a priority. Which is why I appreciate you attending this wedding with me. Oh, that reminds me," he said reaching into a bag at his side. "This is for you."
He passed me a thick envelope, I already knew what it contained. "Thank you," I mumbled, pushing it deep into my purse.
"Really, let's not be awkward about this,” he said with a smile. “I mean it when I say I appreciate you taking the time away from your job, and I know it'll help you with your tuition. So let's make the most of this weekend." His smile was so warm and genuine it calmed me and I nodded.
"I don't want to be rude but I do have a bit of work to get to while I have the time now. Mind if I get started?" he asked.
"Of course, go ahead. I brought a book with me," I told him.
Nicholas pulled a laptop from his bag and opened it, turning his attention to the screen. I took out my book and started to read, looking up every so often over the pages to glimpse at Nicholas absorbed in his task, locked inside his own private world.
6
As our plane began to land I inhaled deeply, breathing through our descent. I felt much calmer this time, but my nerves were still there just under the surface. Nicholas watched me as I was peeking out the window, seeing the world take shape as we descended through the cloud cover and the scene below magnified. I felt relief when we were safely on the ground.
We disembarked the plane and walked over to a black Bentley that was waiting for us. Nicholas checked his phone and listened to his messages, frowning, then dialed a number as we took our seats inside the humming vehicle. We pulled away and I watched the scenery speed by, still amazed that all of this was even happening. I was in California for the weekend, in the glorious warmth and sunshine. I had no complaints.
We started to drive through busy streets, passing beautiful restaurants and high end shops. I watched the people walking by, wondering how different their lives were here from my relatively simple life in Chicago. I was lost in thought when the car slowed to a stop along the curb. I knew the wedding was at a vineyard, but wondered where we were staying. The driver stepped out and opened my door for me, I slid along my seat and stepped out onto the sidewalk while Nicholas wrapped up his phone call and followed after me. We were standing in front of a two story department store, tuxedos and gorgeous gowns on display in the front windows.
"Come on," said Nicholas holding the door open for me. I stepped inside, the store was large and well lit, every surface neat and white.
"What are we doing here?" I asked as a sales associate approached us.
"Getting fitted before the wedding. I need a new suit and you'll need a gown."
"But I packed a dress, I really don't need-"
Nicholas shook his head. "Please Breanne, I said I'd cover your expenses. Go and pick something out, I'll be in menswear."
"I'll help her find something perfect for the occasion," the sales associate said with a smile. She gestured for me to follow her and I did, shooting Nicholas a look over his shoulder.
The woman brought me up to the second floor where there were dozens of incredible dresses on display. She had me turn around in front of her, scrutinized my figure, then pointed towards a large dressing room.
"I'll be back in a minute with a few options," she told me before walking away.
I went into the change room and started to undress, leaving my clothes and purse on the small armchair in the corner. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, fixing my hair and brushing away a stray eyelash, when there was a knock at the door. I opened it partially and the woman made her way inside, placing a few dresses on the hooks along the wall.
"Let's start with these," she said. I nodded, eyeing them. I still didn't see why I couldn't wear the classic black cocktail dress I had brought.
I slipped on the first dress, it was fitted yellow lace. I pulled up the zipper when I noticed the tag. It was a Givenchy dress and cost more than double my rent. I gasped, suddenly afraid I'd accidentally snag or tear the delicate fabric.
"Everything okay?" asked the voice from the other side of the door. I stepped outside and was led to a small circular platform in front of a wall of mirrors. I blushed, looking at my reflection. I'd never worn anything so beautiful.
"That one is lovely on you, but I think we can do better. Let's try another," she said. I headed back to the dressing room. I modelled a backless silver gown, a fitted floor length red dress and a navy lace gown that flared at my waist. When I came out wearing the final dress, a pale pink Versace gown, the woman's eyes went wide and she nodded. I turned in front of the mirror, the gauzy fabric floated around me.
"That's the one, it's utterly perfect on you," she told me.
"I'd have to agree," said a familiar voice. I turned and saw Nicholas approaching, looking devastatingly handsome in a three piece suit.
"I can't accept this Nicholas, it's too much," I told him, blushing from the way he was looking at me. He laughed.
"You won't be saying that after you've been through this wedding and tolerated the people I'm around all the time. Especially after you meet my mother. Trust me, it's the least I can do." He turned to the woman. "We'll take it. Have it sent to our hotel along with the tux." There was no sense in arguing. He walked back to the men’s section and I made my way back to the change room where I carefully removed the dress and put my regular clothes back on. The saleswoman took the dress when I was done and I met Nicholas back by the front of the store.
“Ready to go?” he asked, holding the door open for me. I nodded and we exited, climbing back into the Bentley. As we pulled away Nicholas turned to me. “Tonight is the rehearsal dinner, we’ll stop at the hotel so you can change and freshen up then I’ll meet you in the lobby. It’s going to be held in the hotel’s ballroom, the wedding is tomorrow evening at a nearby vineyard.”
“No problem, it won’t take me long to change,” I told him.
We wound through a few streets before pulling up outside a gorgeous hotel, a tall fountain in the front. A man approached to take our bags from the trunk. I followed Nicholas inside where he went up to the front desk.
“I’m checking in, two rooms under Nicholas Blackstone,” he told the woman. She typed on the computer then nodded.
“Both of your rooms have a courtyard view, to
p floor.” She handed us both key cards. “You’re in room 1507 Mister Blackstone and you’ll be in room 1508 Miss.”
“Thank you,” he told her, taking the key cards and handing me mine.
“Enjoy your stay,” she told us as we walked towards the elevator, the bellman trailing behind with our bags. We got into the elevator and went up to the fifteenth floor. When the doors opened, the hallway was carpeted with a cream rug, delicate wallpaper along the walls and soft overhead lighting. We found our rooms and I opened the door, the bellman placed my bag inside.
“I’ll meet you downstairs in a half hour,” Nicholas told me. I nodded then he went to his room, leaving me standing alone in a large and opulent suite. There was a king sized bed and a sitting area near a window. I drifted towards it and realized there was a balcony overlooking the courtyard below. I opened the double doors and stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air. A slight breeze caught my hair, brushing it past my cheek. The sun was just starting to set and I leaned against the railing taking in the view. I had been so busy lately I didn’t realize how much I needed a break. And Nicholas was being a perfect gentleman. I felt lucky. I heard noise to my left and noticed Nicholas had also stepped outside onto his balcony when he turned and looked at me.
“Aren’t you supposed to be getting ready, Breanne?” he said with a smile.
“It won’t take me long,” I told him. “I couldn’t resist the view.”
“I don’t blame you. I have to admit, the view is stunning,” he said, looking at me instead of the landscape. I blushed under his gaze, turning back towards the doors.
“I should get ready,” I told him.
“See you downstairs Breanne,” he said.
Back inside my heart was beating quickly. I shook my head, reminding myself that this was a favor to Nicholas and nothing more. I went to my luggage and pulled out my black cocktail dress, it was flattering on me but nothing compared to the dress Nicholas had bought me for the wedding. I removed my clothes and slipped it on, stepping into black heels. I scooped my hair into a low bun, then put in silver chandelier earrings. A silver bracelet completed my outfit. I spent a few minutes touching up my makeup, adding liner and curling my eyelashes; then a swipe of red lipstick. I checked my reflection and when I felt presentable I picked up my clutch then left my room. Nicholas was in the lobby waiting for me.