The Brightest Star - Fern Michaels Page 0,84

the luxurious bathtub, transcribe her notes.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. I’ll arrange for your ride back to the penthouse, so you can rest up. Could be a late night,” he said, and winked. So this is where John had picked up the habit.

She dreaded the thought of getting in another vehicle, especially since she’d learned that Seattle traffic was a nightmare. She’d pop one of the Dramamine tablets Sandra Marie had discreetly tucked inside her bag.

Mr. G walked over to his desk, picked up the phone, and spoke into it, though she couldn’t hear what he said.

“Your ride will be here in ten minutes,” he announced, a sly grin on his face. “You’ll need these,” he said, reaching inside a drawer and handing her a pair of headsets.

She put them in her bag.

“You’ll need those for the ride. I’m having the chopper take you back to the penthouse. I don’t want you getting carsick again. You’re good with a helicopter ride?”

Her stomach twisted, her fear of flying kicked up. “Honestly, I’ve never been in a helicopter.”

“I always say there is a first time for everything. You’ll want to put those on so you can talk with the pilot, keep down the noise.”

Lauren seriously doubted she’d be in any shape to carry on a conversation, but she would keep those thoughts to herself. “Sure,” she said.

“I’ll let Sandra Marie know you’re ready, and she’ll walk you up to the heliport.”

Lauren nodded. Living a life of luxury did have its share of perks. It wouldn’t be too much of a leap to get used to this, she thought. Traveling in a helicopter . . . Hopefully, it was a short flight to the penthouse.

“Then I’ll see you tonight?”

“I’ll have the chopper pick you up at seven forty-five.”

The office door opened, and Sandra Marie entered the room. “Chopper’s six minutes out, G. You want me to bring anything tonight?”

“Just yourself,” he said, winking at his assistant’s assistant.

“Later, G,” she said, and led Lauren down the hall to a flight of stairs.

“We’ve got an elevator to the roof, but it’s only a couple of flights up. You’re looking much better, I have to say,” she said.

“I feel better, and thanks for everything. I feel so silly and embarrassed.”

“As I said, you’re not the first one, though I hope you’ll be the last. Derek needs to learn how to drive like a human being.” She took a card from her pocket, scanned it, and the door to the heliport opened.

“Put that headset on now,” she instructed.

Lauren took it from her bag, pulled her hair behind her ears, then placed it over her ears. A long cord with a silver plug at the end dangled from the left-ear side of the headset.

“The pilot will hook it up for you,” Sandra Marie said, pointing to a chopper headed in their direction. She cupped her hands together and shouted, “I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

The loud whirring of the helicopter startled Lauren, even with the headset on. She waved at Sandra Marie, curious as to what her relationship with Mr. G, or just G, was. She hoped they were a couple, because didn’t everybody need to be loved by somebody?

Chapter 23

Lauren clutched her Chloé bag close to her body as she made her way to the helicopter. Even though she was short and the blades were barely spinning, she ducked when she reached the chopper. A girl about Charlotte’s age helped her inside, buckled her in, then plugged her headset into the jack. “I’m Evelyn. That better?” she asked, a grin revealing a mouthful of braces.

“Yes, I can hear you. A female pilot, awesome,” Lauren said, thinking she was quite young. This was going to be fun.

“I’m not a pilot yet, but I hope to be someday,” Evelyn said. “I’m just getting some hours in.”

Lauren had no clue what she meant, but nodded. Evelyn slid into the front of the chopper and disappeared. Never having seen the inside of one before, Lauren sat there, waiting to find out what happened next. She had a death grip on her bag when the chopper’s blades whirred into action, and seconds later, they were hovering above the rooftop, then slowly gliding away from the building.

This was fantastic!

She peered out the window, amazed. The traffic really was insane. She was clueless as to what roads went where, but from her vantage point, it looked as though it wouldn’t matter which road you took. One could plan on spending time just sitting in