Glass Towers, Shattered (Glass Towers Trilogy) (18 page)

“Huh?  Oh, you have the confirmation number.  You can check in with that.”  She turns back to her screen, as if staring at it will somehow help make sense of how her ticket was upgraded.

I turn on my laptop, and within minutes, I am logged in to Delta’s website.  I enter my confirmation number, and once my reservation is on the screen, I see my that status is upgraded to first class as well.  I turn to Simone, who is staring at me now with eyes shining.

“Girl!  I don’t care how it happens that we are flying first class.  I’ll take it!  What a fabulous surprise!  I am hitting the confirm button.  First class, here I come… er we come!”

Her enthusiasm is contagious, and I find myself feeling giddy.  I feel my phone vibrate in my jeans pocket.  I pull it out, and see that I have received a text from Harrison.  Gah, I haven’t spoken to him all day!  I hit confirm on my computer screen and then log out.  I close my laptop and turn to Simone.  “I will be right back; I have to call Harrison real quick.”

She sighs,  “Well you better hurry, I may just start celebrating without you.”  She holds up her almost-empty champagne glass and takes the last swig.

“Ok, I will be quick.”  I give her a wink.

I plop down on my bed and open up the text from Harrison.

6:20 PM

Harrison Towers

I would like to hear your voice.  Call me.

Oh!  That sent waves of delight coursing through my loins.  I would like to hear his voice also.

I hit dial.

He answers.

“
Bonjour mon Coeur
, Hello my heart.”  He is practically purring into the phone.

“Wow,
bonjour
to you too, Towers!”

“What’s this Towers stuff anyway?”  I am a little taken aback.  I call him that off and on.  I guess it is becoming my habit to call people by their last name.

“Hey, do you know anything about how getting upgraded to first class works?”  I am probing.  I don’t want to go out and ask if he did it, just in case it wasn’t him.  That would be awkward.

“Why, yes I do.  As a matter of fact, I just had Hilary upgrade two first-class tickets for a woman, of whom I am rather fond of and her odd little friend.”

Gasp.  Ok, there we go.  Fishing expedition successful.  My odd little friend?  I wouldn’t dare repeat that to Simone.  Have they even met?

“Oh, so that was you.  I knew it!  Thank you. Harrison.  That was very thoughtful of you.”

“I am happy to do it for you.  I want you to have a wonderful trip.  In fact, I will send a car for you to take you to the airport.  Jeff will be there at 4:30 AM, since you are on the 6:10 AM flight.”  He sounds so business-like at the moment.

“Sounds good, but so damned early.  I have to admit that I am looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend.  I will miss you though…..”  I just got him back, so I am apprehensive about being apart from him again so soon.

“Well, you could always skip the trip and spend the whole weekend with me, utilizing the many surfaces in my penthouse…again.”

“Oh.  That is so very tempting.  Believe me.  But, I can’t do that to Simone.”

“I know that Albert told you about today.  I don’t think I can handle living at that condo anymore.  When I return from Palm Springs, I am going to actively look for a new place to live.  I know you said you had some ideas, but I am a big girl, and I want to take care of this myself.”

I get a long silence.

“Fair enough.  I will back off and let you figure out your living arrangements, but just keep in mind that I will be happy to help, should you change your mind.”

“Thank you.  I appreciate that.  So, I should get going and finish getting ready for my trip.  Thank you, again, for the upgrade.  That was such a wonderful surprise!”

“You are welcome.  Now, be a good girl and no flirting with the swarms of men who will be following you around.”

“Well, well, Mr. Towers, do I detect some jealousy?”

“No, just a gentle reminder.  Call me when you land.  Oh, and Danielle….. I love you.”

Oh!  I am melting!  “I love you too, Harrison! Goodnight.”

“Delta 1450 will begin the boarding process, starting with our

Medallion Members and first class cabin.”

It’s a rainy day in Portland, and I am so happy to escape the random monsoons and complete craziness that has consumed my life the past few months.  Simone has some mega-hot Hollywood producer type she knows that has been so kind as to let us stay at his estate in Palm Springs.  Ahh… Palm Springs, the land of old Hollywood glamour, golf, tennis and complete and utter Zen.

“Now boarding zone 1.”

“That’s us, Dani!  Thank god!  I am ready to get into some sizzling hot fun! Preferably over 6’3.

Whoa, who are you?  Throw me down tie me up.. hello, ticket god!”  Simone is busy ogling the ticket guy.

Dear God, please help me. The last girls trip to California we were on was in our early college days.  We woke up one morning in some Beverly Hills mansion, wearing nothing but cowgirl hats, ponchos and string bikinis.  Suffice to say, Simone has a way of meeting Hollywood’s movers & shakers and partying the night away.  I have grown out of the party mode, but Simone still loves to tie one on. 

“Ladies, your tickets please,”  Says the tall, dark drink of water, Gilles Marini look-a-like.

We haven’t even hit Cali yet, the land of the beautiful people, and Clarke is panting....no, drooling out of both sides of her damn mouth.  As I nudge her with my left elbow, her jaw closes to a tight clench.

“Miss Danielle Austen, you have been upgraded to first class.  Here is your new seating assignment.”

“Oh yes, thank you.”  I pause and remember who arranged that little upgrade for us. Simultaneously, Clarke and I turn to each other and lock eyes in amusement.  In unison, “Towers.”

Of course, he managed to somehow use  his Diamond Medallion status, or whatever the hell he is, and upgraded us to first class.  Figures.  The man has no boundaries.

The hot ticket guy says, with a killer smile and tight dimples, “Enjoy, ladies.”

“Oh we will!”  Clarke says in her seductive tone, as she grazes Mr. Hotty Toddy’s hand and reclaims her ticket.

“Score Danners!  God, you gotta love it.  Gorgeous, older, most-eligible man on the damn planet taking time out of his bazillion investment deals to bump us to the land of drunk, flying-high, first-class professionals.  This is the start to an amazing weekend, Dani.  You better keep his fine ass around.”  She winks at me with a cool smile, drops down her oversized gunmetal DVF sunglasses and throws her Dolce tote over her shoulder, as we head down the jet way.  We take our seats in first class and she immediately orders two cocktails.

“This is the perfect way to start our weekend in the desert, Dani.  Have you heard from Towers?”

“No, he hasn’t called yet.”

I reach into my oversized tote and pull out my phone.

1 new text message received.

5:35 AM

Bradley

Have a great time in Palm Springs, Dani.  You both be safe down there.  Call me if you need anything.

Okay, really?  It just amazes me that after we are no longer together, Bradley is more concerned with me and my life than he ever was while we were married.  How did he know I am going anyway?

5:45 AM

Me

Thanks.  Take Care.

There, short and sweet.

Just as I get ready to put my phone away, another text message comes through.  This time, it’s from Harrison, and I get chills all over my body.  Seeing his name on my text messages makes me feel like a young school girl with a bad crush.

5:45 AM

Harrison Towers

Thinking of you, Danielle.  Hope you and Simone are enjoying your new seats.

5:46 AM

Me

Thank you, Harrison.  We are just loving this.  It has really made the start to this weekend memorable.

5:46 AM

Harrison Towers

Oh, it will be memorable, Danielle.  I miss you.  See you when you get back.

He misses me!  Oh my!  He loves me and he misses me!  How am I going to let go and focus on me this weekend, when the man I love is not with me.  I guess what they say is true about missing someone makes the heart grow fonder.  I just hope I can let loose this weekend and shake off all the crazy!

About five hours or so later, we land at the Palm Springs Airport.  The land of perfectly-lined Palm Trees.  Th
e rich and famous’ playground. Clarke has arranged the whole shebang.  I am sure that it will play out smoothly, like a scene out of a movie.  Glitz and over-the-top glam...all complimentary, according to Clarke.  Who could pass this lifestyle up?  At least for the weekend!  It’s just the getaway that I have been craving.  A little of Simone’s crazy might actually make my life look normal!  However, no matter how far I can run or travel from all that has taken place, can I ever really escape the past or what I have to deal with when I get back?

A limo is awaiting our arrival at the airport to escort us to our weekend estate.  We head up the winding hills of Southridge Drive, which overlooks the entire Coachella Valley.  It’s the best-kept desert jewel of Palm Springs.  This sun-drenched corner of Southern California was made for the rich and famous, and this weekend, we will roll it out.  We come to a private road with a guardhouse at its base.  The guard motions us right on through.

“Ladies, there are the homes of Bob and Delores Hope and Frank Sinatra.  There are about a dozen homes on this particular street, all built in the 1960’s and 70’s.  The home you will be staying in was built by the master architectural legend, John Lautner.

“Here we are ladies,” the driver announces as he pulls into the long, narrow drive.

Simone and I are glued to the windows.  Silent and in awe.

“Um Clarke...?  Remind me, at which celebrity’s house are we were staying?”

“Dani, Omigod.  Uh, His name is Blaine Ford; he’s a big Hollywood Exec.  We really didn’t get that in-depth about what he does for work.  I didn’t want to seem so into him, so I pretended that I thought he was a nobody.  I have no idea what he really does in Hollywood.  All I know is that he  works in ‘the industry’.”

The driver interrupts, “That nobody is closely related to James Ford.”

Both of us turn and our jaws drop.  “You mean…James Ford....the designer?”

“Yes, that is correct.  You are in for a real treat staying at this estate.  Have you heard of the ‘Two-Hour Rule’?”

“Uhhh...two hour rule?”  I turn to Clarke and probably look as dumbfounded as she does, our mouths still hanging open.

“Yes.  It is legendary.  The ‘Two-Hour Rule’ of the Hollywood studios really did put Palm Springs on the map as the ultimate getaway.

Actors who were under contract had to be available within two-hours from the studio, just in case they were called in for last-minute business.  Palm Springs became the destination for celebrities wanting to get out of Los Angeles, but stay within their contract zone.  So, you just might just run into a few celebs, especially staying up on Hollywood Lane,” he smiles.

We both giggle in sheer and utter excitement.  I roll down my window.  The warm, dry air rushes in, through the back of the car.  We pull up to what seems like a contemporary castle, set high in the hills. The  gorgeous Palm Desert Mountains drape the background.

“Ladies, this is one of the largest and most avant-garde estates in Palm Springs.  It is a true legend, not only for its history but for the architect who designed it.”

“Dani!  This gorgeous
estate is ours the whole freaking weekend!  Its commanding view, dramatic architecture and designer interior makes it the perfect headquarters for our weekend in the desert!  Squee!”

I wake up the next morning in one of the most luxurious rooms that I have ever slept in, aside from Harrison’s bedroom.  I love how it felt to wake up in his bed, snuggled in his arms.  This room overlooks the pool area, with sweeping views of the Valley.  The bedding is white and fluffy.  I can tell the white duvet cover is Egyptian cotton, I’m guessing it is at least 1200 thread count.  I am a sucker for high-quality sheets.  The furnishings are beautiful custom pieces.  I glance around my room and notice that my are clothes strewn about.  We decided to drain a couple bottles of bubbly last night.  I was too tipsy and tired to care about being tidy.  Shit!  I forgot to text Harrison as soon as we were settled.  I only texted him when we landed, before we arrived at the mansion.  I think I should text him now.  On the other hand, I may just keep silent.  It seems to drive him mad when he can’t reach me, which is kind of a turn on.  After a long day of traveling, Simone and I indulged in not one, but three bottles of my favorite Barefoot Extra Brut Champagne.  Clarke knows that alcohol is all she needs to get everything out of me about anything.  Damn her.  Damn me!  I should know better by now.  I better remind myself to make her sign a confidentiality agreement, before it is splashed all over Portland Magazine.