Chapter 1

To get me ready to take over the family airline, my grandfather put me through a week of rotations as a flight attendant.

On my first day, I ran into a man waving a platinum card around, throwing his weight at the crew like he owned the aircraft.

"Do you have any idea what this card means? I could buy every one of you with it!

"That bow was pathetic. Is your back hurting, or do you just not respect me? Ninety degrees, and hold it for a hundred minutes!

"And what is this garbage you're serving in economy? Let me show you what real food tastes like."

I started to step in, and the flight attendant next to me stopped me.

"He's the brother of the general manager's assistant. Around here..."

She pointed toward the front of the plane without saying the rest.

"Cross Michael Reed and you might still have a way out. Cross his assistant and you're finished."

I was shocked enough that I almost laughed.

I picked up the satellite phone and called my grandfather.

"Grandpa, tell the captain to divert to the nearest airport. When we land, I want to see the divorce decree for Michael and me."

*****

It was the first day of my rotation, and nobody on that crew knew who I was.

I stood at the cabin door with the standard smile on, greeting passengers as they boarded.

Most of them nodded at us pleasantly enough.

Then a man in a pink tweed Chanel suit appeared at the end of the jet bridge.

He held a shining platinum card between two fingers, and his eyes went over me from head to foot.

"New? That explains why you have no manners.

"Do you have any idea what this card means? I could buy every one of you with it.

"And that bow was pathetic. Is your back hurting, or do you just not respect me? Ninety degrees, and hold it for a hundred minutes!"

I followed the standard procedure, bent slightly, and kept my professional smile in place. "Good morning, sir. Welcome aboard."

That one word, sir, set him off all over again.

He stopped walking, and his voice went up into something theatrical.

"Let me explain something. This job takes more than a pretty smile. It takes eyes in your head."

He gestured down the length of his outfit. "Look at me. From my hair to my heels, does any part of this look like a sir to you? It's Ms. Chase. Say it."

Lily Grant, the senior attendant beside me, changed color and tugged at my sleeve before stepping in front of me and bending at a full ninety degrees.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Chase. She's new and she doesn't know how things work yet. Please don't hold it against her."

The man made a sound through his nose, gave the two of us a cold look, and walked into the cabin.

Lily got close to my ear and kept her voice down. "That's Ryan Chase, one of our platinum card members. We take care of him or the whole crew goes down with the complaint."

I was stunned. We only ever handed out three platinum cards in the entire airline.

Two of them had gone to my grandfather's old friends.

Abd the third one, I had given to my husband, Michael Reed, the general manager, for our most important business guests.

So there was no reason on earth for that card to be in the hand of a man like Ryan Chase.

I pushed the shock and the questions down.

My job at the time was to keep the flight running and look after every passenger.

It was also a chance to see exactly how a VIP with Michael's card behaved under his leadership.

What the crew had been swallowing as a result.

The plane had barely leveled off before Ryan hit the call button.

I went over, and he had his legs crossed and did not look up. "Warm water. One hundred thirteen degrees. Not one degree over, not one under. I take my medication now."

I went to prepare it, and mixing it in cold water to bring it to temperature put me about a minute behind.

That one minute was all it took.

When I came back with the glass, he slammed his hand down on the tray table.

"What kind of service is this? Look at the time! I'm a full minute past my dose. These are birth control pills. Do you have any idea what happens if I'm late?

"Are you prepared to take responsibility if I get pregnant?"

Everyone in first class turned to stare at him.

The makeup was heavy, and the dress was real, and the Adam's apple and the hard line of his jaw still gave him away to anybody looking.

I kept my face where it needed to be. "Ms. Chase, I'm sorry, but getting the temperature right does take a moment."

He took the glass out of my hand and threw the water straight at my chest.

"Look at that stupid face. I can't imagine how you serviced your way into this job. What, did the captain get a little something extra?

"You're bad luck, and I'm reporting you."

I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug into my palms, and my anger was about to explode.

Just as I was about to snap, Lily jumped in front of me, blocking me in a flash.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Chase. She really is new, and I'll apologize for her. Please don't upset yourself over this. Somebody like you shouldn't have to."

While she said it, she got hold of my wrist and pushed the words out low enough for only me to hear.

"Don't. If he files that complaint, every one of us loses our bonus or gets grounded. He isn't worth it. Let me handle him."

Ryan watched Lily bend herself in half, and he looked like a man finally getting the taste of standing over somebody. He pulled out a tissue and took his time wiping his hands.

"At least the veteran here knows her place," he said.

Then he said it like he was handing out a favor. "Come on. I'll come back to the galley and supervise while you set up the meals."