“Is that right?” Natalie smiled and took a sip of her drink.
Xander gave Kyle an off-color smile. “Real smooth, Kyle.”
“Damn it . . . sorry," Kyle said, dropping his head in shame. “What I meant to say was, Natalie, there isn't a better man who has ever walked the face of the earth."
"Oh yeah? What about all those deep dark secrets you mentioned on stage?”
"Nope, not that drunk. Nice try, though,” Kyle joked.
Annie walked up sipping on a Manhattan cocktail. She seemed to Xander to be the same age as Natalie—late twenties. She was tall with long dirty-blonde hair and a tight black dress that hugged her slender but curvaceous figure. Her right arm was almost entirely covered in tattoos—a sleeve of sorts. Right up Kyle’s alley.
“Kyle, this is Natalie's friend Annie. Annie, my friend Kyle.”
Xander could tell immediately by the look on Kyle’s face that he was in love. Not in love in the sense you would think of as romance. In love in the sense that for the rest of the evening the only thing on Kyle’s mind would be how to get Annie naked and in bed with him.
Some things never change.
5
Natalie Rockwell Takes a Chance
The next couple of hours for Natalie were like getting to know someone she had already known for years. She could tell that for Xander the feeling was mutual. It was rare for her to have such a great conversation with anyone, much less a man she’d just met at a party. She was down from Los Angeles for the weekend visiting Annie, whom she had met on the set of one of Natalie’s movies years ago. Annie was an extra then, but the two hit it off and had been almost inseparable ever since. Maybe it was how she met her best friend that left her with an open mind toward Xander. It was either that or his undeniable charm. Or maybe just those gorgeous blue eyes?
* * *
The two of them talked about anything and everything. The conversation was easy, and Xander already felt as if he really knew Natalie. As they swapped travel stories, misadventures, and Natalie giving him some insight on the craziness that is Hollywood celebrity, both of them couldn’t help but laugh whenever they would periodically glance over to see Kyle and Annie making out at the bar.
“Damn, Xander, it's late. What time were we supposed to leave for Kentucky?" Kyle asked as he hurried over to them.
Xander checked his watch, and sure enough, it was already 12:30—thirty minutes past the time he’d told Sam wheels up. He knew before he looked at his phone that she had already messaged or called him at least a dozen times.
He checked, and it had been three texts and four missed calls.
“Can you excuse me while I make a quick phone call?” Xander asked Natalie.
“Of course, go right ahead,” she replied.
Xander opened his phone and dialed Sam.
"So, what is so important that you have to get back to Kentucky tonight?" Annie asked while he dialed.
"Let me guess, the Kentucky Derby?” Natalie interjected.
Xander smiled and nodded his head. "Hey, Sam. No, I know. I know I said wheels up at midnight. I’m sorry, we are just having so much fun we lost track of time."
Natalie smiled at Xander's words. "I have always wanted to go to the Derby. It looks like so much fun," Natalie said to Kyle and Annie.
A wry smile came across Kyle’s face, and as Xander was listening to Sam bitch through the phone, he knew exactly what his friend was thinking.
"Sam, Samantha . . . I know. I know. Hang on just a second, Sam." Xander hit the mute button on his phone and turned to the girls. "I have an idea. Do you ladies have anything going on tomorrow that you absolutely can't miss?"
"We were just going to relax by the pool at the Marriott, but nothing important. I thought you were going to Kentucky?" Natalie replied.
"We are, but didn't you just say that you always wanted to go to the Derby?"
"Well, yes, but there's no way we could catch a plane before tomorrow morning, and by then we will have missed most of the fun at the Derby with the time change and all. Plus, it has to be impossible to get a Derby ticket at this point,” Natalie said.
"But you would go if all that wasn't the case?" Xander asked.
"I mean, in theory, of course! But we don't even have anything to wear or anything, so it's silly to even think about," Natalie went on.
Xander clicked off mute and spoke back into his phone. “Sam? Tell Melanie we will have two more guests joining us on the plane. And, if you don't mind, have her call Don Farrington and let him know Miss Natalie Rockwell and Annie. . . .” Xander looked up from his phone for her last name.
"S-Sanders,” Annie replied, shrugging her shoulders in an “is this really happening?” gesture to Natalie. Natalie reciprocated. It took a lot to impress Natalie; she had heard and seen most everything. But this was impressive.
"Sanders. Natalie Rockwell and Annie Sanders will be joining us in the box. Thanks, Sam, we’ll see you within the hour,” Xander ended the call.
"What exactly just happened?" Natalie asked.
"We’re going to the Kentucky Derby,” Xander answered.
"Just like that?"
"Just like that,” he replied.
Annie chimed in, “This is great and all, but we don't have clothes, makeup, shoes, and aren't we supposed to wear some funky hat to this thing or something?"
Natalie gasped and her face got deadly serious. “Xander, I can't go to the Kentucky Derby without a hat. That's like going bowling in street shoes.”
“Don't worry about any of that. I'll give all your sizes to my assistant, Melanie, and she’ll have everything ready to go by the time breakfast is on the table in the morning,” Xander assured them.
“Sounds like tomorrow is shaping up to be a fairly decent day.” Natalie winked at Xander.
"All right then, let's get out of here!” Kyle shouted.
"We Ubered here,” Annie said. “Is there any way we have time just to go grab an overnight bag? I don't live too far from here."
"Of course, I'll have our driver swing by your place on the way to the airport,” Xander replied.
Natalie turned to Xander, gave him a hug, and then held him at arm’s length. "Now, as nice as this gesture is, don't get any ideas about getting me into bed, Mr. King."
"Speak for yourself, Natty,” Annie said. Then she grabbed Kyle and planted a long and passionate kiss on his lips. Before it got any more awkward, Annie pulled herself away, grabbed Natalie's hand, and they laughed their way toward the elevator. Just before turning the corner Natalie turned around, continued walking backward, and gave Xander a steel-melting smile.
Kyle turned to Xander with the look of a kid on Christmas morning. “Holy shit, is this really happening? Is Natalie Rockwell really about to get on your G6, fly to Kentucky, and be your date to the Kentucky Derby? X, you are gonna be all over the news now for sure, as if you won’t be already when King's Ransom wins tomorrow! You and Natalie Rockwell in the winner’s circle at the Kentucky Derby. I swear to God, if I were gay, and if I wasn't about to join the mile-high club with Annie, I would totally let you have your way with me. I would even wear makeup for you,” Kyle joked.
"You're sick, you realize that, right?"
Kyle just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. “Oh, wait . . . what does this mean for the other bit of business we have during the race tomorrow?"
"It doesn't mean anything. Nothing changes. Sam is polishing up the details on our target as we speak. I’ll look over them on the plane. You’ll just need to keep the girls occupied during race eleven,” Xander said.
“Not a problem,” Kyle said, then paused. “What a crazy weekend.” He followed that up with an overzealous hug, driving Xander backward and knocking him into a woman, spilling her drink.
Xander turned and found a beautiful blonde-haired woman dabbing at her sparkling black dress with a napkin. “Ma’am, I am so sorry. My friend here is just a little excitable.” He then leaned in and hid his mouth, whispering like h
e was sharing a secret. “And drunk.”
She sat down her drink; a smile grew across her face. “Alexander King.”
Xander returned her smile. “Do we know each other?”
“No, you don’t know me, but the gentleman on the microphone earlier wasn’t shy about telling us all who you are.”
“Oh, of course. I’m really sorry about your dress. Can I have it cleaned for you? Miss . . .”
She extended her hand. “Sarah. Sarah Gilbright. And don’t worry about the dress, it will be fine. It has seen its share of whiskey spills.”
She wasn’t happy that she had shared her real name, but she did her best not to let on.
“I know what you mean. Again, I’m sorry. It was very nice meeting you.”
“Nice meeting you as well. Good luck with King’s Ransom. The bourbon and the horse.”
“A horse racing fan?” Xander asked.
“I am,” Sarah replied.
“Well, thank you. I hope you have a nice evening.”
She smiled. Xander turned away and walked over to Kyle at the elevator.
“Who was that?” Kyle said.
“I don’t know. I think she said her name was Sarah.”
“She was gorgeous. Did you get her number?”
“No, I didn’t get her number, Kyle. Natalie Rockwell, you know, the beautiful, famous movie star awaits me downstairs, and you think I am thinking about getting that woman’s number?”
“Um, yeah. Natalie won’t be here next time you are in San Diego, but she might be. And did you see the way she was goo-gooing over you?”
“You are out of control.”
“Yes. Yes, I am. I’ll meet you downstairs.” Kyle stepped back and let the door start to close with Xander alone in the elevator.
Xander held his arms out and asked, “Where are you going?”
Kyle smiled. “To get her number for you.”
6
Xander’s Head Is in the Clouds
A black Cadillac Escalade pulled up to Landmark Aviation, the private portion of the San Diego International Airport. Champagne in hand, Xander, Kyle, and the two ladies hopped out of the rear passenger door laughing uncontrollably at Natalie's spot-on impersonation of Christopher Walken. Xander grabbed Annie’s and Natalie’s overnight bags from the back, tipped the driver, and they made their way into the empty airport terminal. Sam, from the plane, had noticed them pulling in and came in from the doors that led out to the tarmac. She walked over to the four of them with a sort of quiet fury in her steps. Xander always found her to be really tightly wound, to the point of annoyance, but it was easily overlooked because she was the very best in the world at what she did and he just couldn’t help but love her.
"Well, well, so good of you to make it,” Sam started in on Xander. As if she wasn't already hard enough, her deep British accent made her seem all the more angry.
"I know, Sam, I'm really sorry to keep you waiting for over an hour. We honestly just lost track of time."
"Not the first, nor the last time, I'm sure,” she snarled, peering straight at Natalie.
"All right, well, we’re here now.” Xander turned to Annie and Natalie. “Ladies, I think you will find everything you need on the plane, but is there anything I can get for you?"
"I don't really have to go, but maybe I'd better run to the restroom. It’s a long flight to Kentucky,” Natalie replied.
"That won't be necessary," Sam said as she motioned everyone toward the door. “There is a full restroom on the plane and even room to wash up before you get some sleep. Oh, and of course as always there is pizza if you are hungry. Xander never travels without it."
Annie looked at Natalie with an “impressive” look. Natalie shrugged her shoulders and nodded. “Sounds perfect! Who doesn’t love pizza?”
Sam said what Xander was thinking. “Well, darling, Xander loves his pizza, so if you’re trying to win his heart, that was the first good step. Maybe the last step in that direction, but it was a good one.”
Xander stepped in between Sam and Natalie. “All right. Okay. What do you say, ladies, shall we?” He held out his arm and Natalie hooked hers around it.
“We shall.”
The five of them walked through the airport’s sliding doors and out into the cool ocean breeze. With the airport being just off the San Diego Bay, the smell of salt in the air was heavy. As they walked out onto the tarmac, in front of them sat a Gulfstream 650, one of the most luxurious private jets on the planet. It was painted jet black with a thick chrome streak running through the center that stretched the entire length of the nearly hundred-foot-long aircraft. Also in chrome, the tail number—N800XK—reflected the lights of the airport that were reaching out to it in the night. And so did the chrome crown just below it. It was a magnificent aircraft. As they approached, two pilots in full uniform stood at the bottom and on both sides of the already lowered stairway into the plane.
"Mr. King.” The first pilot stepped forward to greet them.
"Charlie, you know you can call me Xander. Sorry to keep you gentlemen waiting."
"No problem, Xander.” The second pilot reached out and shook his hand.
"Hey, Bob. How's Mary?” Xander asked.
"She's great. Thanks for asking. And, I'm sorry if it seems like I’m staring, but, Miss, you look an awful lot like my wife’s favorite actress, Natalie Rockwell."
"Good eye, Bob, this is Natalie Rockwell and her friend Annie Sanders,” Xander told him.
"Pleasure to meet you, Bob, Charlie." Natalie bypassed their hands and gave them both hugs. "You guys gonna keep us safe tonight?"
"Of course, Miss Rockwell," Charlie replied, pointing to the top of the stairs and to the entrance of the plane. “And this is Amy. She'll make sure it's a comfortable trip as well."
"Hi, Amy!" Natalie said, outstretching her arms for a hug as she ran up the stairs. Xander shrugged his shoulders to the pilots and followed everyone onto the plane. Natalie took a selfie with Amy, and Annie took a few pictures of the pilots with the movie star as well.
The sprawling interior of the jet was a masterpiece in and of itself. Xander himself had painstakingly picked out every detail. After walking through a serving area and mini kitchen, the party found that the inside opened up first to four oversize plush white leather chairs, two to the right and two to the left. They all either reclined or swiveled 360 degrees, depending on your mood, and all of them had the same crown that was on the plane’s tail stitched in white at the headrest. A specially made, lightweight, dark hardwood floor gave the cabin a more homelike feel. The white walls of the plane were accented by a medium-dark and glossy mahogany. Beyond the chairs on the left side and toward the back of the plane was a two-person couch, and on the right were two chairs separated by a table that would retract into the wall if needed. Beyond that, two more plush white leather couches lined both sides of the plane and butted up against the back wall, all made of the same mahogany that accented the rest of the aircraft. On the left and right side of that wall were two oversize flat screen televisions that showed a colorful map of the current weather in San Diego. A door in the middle of that wall, matching the elegant mahogany that surrounded it, opened up into the full-size bathroom that Sam had alluded to a few moments ago.
The captain asked them to take their seats. Xander turned a chair for Natalie, and then he took the one across from her.
"This okay?" he asked.
"Perfect."
"When you get tired, you can head back to one of the couches and get some sleep."
"Is there anything you can't do, Mr. King?" she asked.
“Not a thing,” he joked.
Natalie laughed as Amy asked them all to buckle up, and they settled in for departure. The engines fired up as Kyle stole one last kiss from Annie before they sat down. Natalie just looked at them and then back at Xander with a smile.
As the plane settled at one end of the runway and the captain announced they were ready for takeoff, Xander noticed Natali
e looking a little nervous as she clutched at the armrests.
“You okay?”
“What?” Natalie started, and then looked down at her hands squeezing tightly at the arms of the chair. “Oh . . . yeah, you would think I’d never been on a plane before. Just something about it all makes me a little nervous.”
“It’s because it’s so unnatural,” he reassured her.
“Yeah! I know, right?”
“It really is. I’m pretty sure the thought of sitting in a large metal tube moving at warp speed through the air at thirty-five thousand feet is enough to make anyone nervous. My mom used to get nervous every time, and we were flying somewhere every month.”
“At least I’m not the only one.”
“You certainly aren’t. Here, try this.” Xander folded his hands in his lap and interlocked his fingers. “My mom used to close her eyes, take a deep breath, and envision the perfect takeoff.”
Natalie mimicked Xander’s movement.
“As soon as the engines would fire up, she would visualize the plane soaring off into a bright blue sky. She would feel the warmth of a nearing sun melting its way through the windows, and she would let the feeling of that wash over her. She said, before she knew it, she would be safe and sound gliding through the air and she would be as relaxed as she could be.”
The engines fired up on Xander’s G6, and he opened his eyes to find Natalie going through his mother’s ritual. She was no longer fidgeting, she was no longer clutching at the armrests, and her body seemed far more relaxed than it had just moments ago. The jet furied down the runway, lifted its nose, and as if guided by perfectly steady hands, it ascended flawlessly into the deep black night sky.
Natalie opened her eyes, a smile on her face.
“Did it work?”
“Like a dream.”
“Good. Smooth sailing from here. My mom said it works the same for the landing. She always knew how to make everything better. She loved movies, too, you know.”
Xander King BoxSet Page 5
