The Brightest Star - Fern Michaels Page 0,73
menu.
“Wow again,” Lauren said.
“We have a full kitchen. Staff, too.”
Lauren could not wait to share this experience with Madison. She’d flip out.
“What’s your recommendation?”
“The flight’s around five and a half hours, so I would choose something to tide you over until dinner. Of course, you can have snacks, desserts, espresso, ice cream. We have almost any snack you can imagine. Also, there is this.” She took another smaller, leather-bound menu and gave it to Lauren. “These are the movie selections if you decide you want to watch a movie.”
Lauren skimmed through the list, all movies that were currently in theaters. “I’ll see. I planned on reviewing my notes, but who knows? Thanks so much.” She returned the movie menu to Felicia.
“I’ll try the captain’s course,” Lauren said. “I like the aviation references.”
“I know; that’s a great choice. You’ll get a taste of everything Seattle.”
“It looks like it,” she said. “I adore salmon and oysters, so this is a real treat for me.”
“Then I’ll leave you to get settled, and if you need anything, just press this.” She handed her an iPhone. “There’s an app for everything you need here. Lights, movies, and, of course, online shopping.” Felicia gave her a quick tutorial on the apps, then excused herself.
Lauren sat down on one of the leather swivel chairs. Feeling giddy, she used her high-heeled shoe to take a short spin in the chair and felt like a kid at Christmas. Felicia was right. She couldn’t imagine anyone being afraid to fly in such luxury. A virtual home in the sky. She almost wished the flight was longer so she could sleep in the giant bed and have a shower. Unreal, she thought.
A tap on her door startled her.
“It’s me,” said Felicia.
“Come in.”
“Marcus said you might need this.” Her bag.
“I felt like something was missing. I think I had too much caffeine this morning,” she said. “Tell Marcus thank you.”
“I’ll do that. You get settled in, and I’ll bring you a drink. What would you like? We have a full bar.”
“Is there anything you don’t have?” she asked, grinning.
Felicia laughed. “Probably. There’s always that one little item we miss, but as a rule, Mr. G likes to leave no stone unturned.”
“Thank you again. This is a dream,” she said. “I think my fear of flying is a thing of the past.”
“You’ll be as comfortable as we can possibly make you. We’re still waiting for the copilot to arrive. He’s going to be delayed longer than expected, so just relax, and I’ll bring you whatever drink you’d like.”
“Oh, sorry. Just a ginger ale. I’m not much of a drinker,” Lauren said.
“One ginger ale coming right up,” Felicia said. “Now, relax. Enjoy the trip.” She flashed a beaming smile. “That’s an order.”
Who couldn’t relax when traveling in an aircraft fit for a king?
She took her laptop out of her bag and opened the file containing her notes on Mr. Giampalo. She would have to remind herself to use his full name when they met; she didn’t want to assume it would be okay to call him Mr. G. Not yet, though if he was the man she’d researched, she felt sure he’d invite her call him Mr. G, too.
She hadn’t given much thought to his son, though she knew he had one. Apparently, Mr. G had kept his son out of the business, but she planned to ask about him. She typed several questions that came to mind. Another tap on the door.
Felicia said, “It’s just me, with your ginger ale.”
“Thank you.”
Lauren took the glass from the tray Felicia was carrying. Real crystal, clear ice. Perfect. She took a sip.
“I needed that. Nerves,” she said. “I always get a dry mouth when I’m nervous.”
“Are you sure you don’t want a drink, something a bit stronger, a glass of wine?”
“No, really. I’m nervous, but in a good way.”
“All right, but don’t hesitate to give me a call if you need anything more,” Felicia said. “I’m going to see to your lunch now.”
Lauren almost felt guilty, being waited on hand and foot. It wouldn’t be hard to get used to this kind of lifestyle. She planned to ask Mr. Giampalo if adjusting to life as a billionaire had challenges. Experiencing how he traveled, she couldn’t imagine this ever being an issue. Though having a fortune at one’s fingertips didn’t necessarily constitute a perfect life. She knew this from the previous biographies she’d written. Money didn’t guarantee happiness.
Lauren heard a soft chime from the iPhone Felicia had