A guy in a red vest appears from inside. “Sup, Jasp.”
“Hey Antonio,” Jasper says. Does he know everyone who works at the airport? As casually as anything, Jasper tosses his car keys at Antonio, who catches them like this is some well-rehearsed routine.
“How was traffic today?” Antonio asks, pulling open the driver’s side door of Jasper’s car.
“Not so bad,” Jasper says.
“Ay, you royal wolves have all the luck. Catch you round.”
With that Antonio ducks into the car and zooms away. I guess Jasper has been traveling a lot. I just assumed he was flying private this whole time. Maybe not.
“Would you like to follow me?” Madeline asks, gesturing to the doors.
“Uh, sure,” I say.
We’re whisked through the airport, slipping through a door into a private section and avoiding the usual queues at security, barely pausing as they pass our bags through an X-ray machine, and then we’re led to a private lounge. Gentle music plays from unseen speakers, elegant yet comfortable-looking sofas warm the space, crystal light fixtures glint overhead. So this is how the other half lives.
“Whoa,” I say as my gaze lands on the free buffet.
Before us is an open-salad-bar-style spread. Piles of cantaloupe and watermelon catch my eye first, but also pastries, bagels, lox, bacon, eggs. I already ate breakfast but that doesn’t matter because right next door is another spread, this time sandwich meats, crusty-looking bread, salads, cheeses, and next to that a full-on dinner selection with pastas, roast meats and potatoes, grilled veggies, and then…then I spot the dessert cart. My mouth is salivating so bad.
“Can we just stay here for two weeks?”
Jasper laughs. “You hungry?”
I grin and shrug. “I could eat.”
Once we’ve piled a couple of plates high with free food we find a spot to sit and dig in. Not only is the spread extensive, it’s also freaking delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted lamb so moist and tender, a Caesar salad popping with salty anchovy goodness, peaches and apricots so ripe and juicy, soft serve as smooth as silk.
“This is so good,” I say, mouth full, head down. When Jasper doesn’t reply I look up and he’s barely touched his plate. “You don’t like it?”
“Huh?” He glances up, looking distracted, which, considering my extreme level of gluttony right now, is maybe not the worst thing. But I can tell something is up.
“Everything all right?”
He actively twists his lips into a smile. “Yes, everything’s fine,” he says, a wistful lilt to his voice. “I just—haven’t been back to the house for a while.”
“When was the last time?”
He pauses for a long time, his eyes not moving from a Tater Tot that’s fallen off my plate and onto the table. “Since my mother…”
Jasper trails off but he doesn’t need to say anything else.
“Oh.” He hasn’t been back to the house in Joshua Tree since before his mom died. It must have taken a lot for him to decide he wanted to go there, to take me there. “You’re sure you want to—?”
“Yes.” His eyes shoot up to meet mine and he nods. “I’m sure. I want to see it.”
“I’ll be there…”Obviously.I shake my head.“I mean if you want to talk about it or her at any point…”
He smiles, genuinely this time. “Thank you.”
When it’s time to board, Madeline appears again to escort us to our seats. I could get used to this level of service, for sure. We’re sitting in first class and Jasper has booked a pair of seats in the middle of the plane. I sayseats, but actually they’re more like pods—whole rooms even, complete with a chair that converts into a bed, a TV screen bigger than the one back at my parents’ house, a table, and a minibar. The whole thing is sleek and clean, with marble-effect surfaces, polished wood detailing, and gold trim. They’ve converted our two separate pods into one large suite. Already laid out on my chair are pajamas, slippers, and a toiletry bag full of products I couldn’t afford samples of.
“Mamma mia,” I say, motionless in the aisle staring at this ridiculous setup.
“What did you say?” Jasper asks, storing his small suitcase in the overhead compartment and tossing his black backpack into his side of the joint pod.
“I said…holy freaking smokes.”
