Exposure to a Billionaire Read online

  How I loved lying on that blanket, hearing the engines whirl, smelling jet fuel in the air, and being the first to call out the plane overhead. It was more than a game to me. I could name just about anything in the air. Dressed in my Kids Gap play clothes, I romanticized all the destinations those planes were going to and dreamed how maybe, just maybe, I would go too.

  No airfield fails to stir this childhood memory. The smell of jet fuel is like going home for me; its nostalgic, heady perfume overwhelms my senses. Yes, this was a world I most certainly was born into.

  Elementary spring breaks and vacations were greatly anticipated adventures with my family. My favorite recollection was passing the beautiful “flight attendants” in Ronald Reagan International Airport, complete in uniform pulling their Travelpro crew bags. They looked just like the Barbie doll that I had scrimped and saved to purchase. Dressed in my very best, with French braids to neatly capture my hair, I readied myself to board what I thought was the most luxurious airplane in the world.

  At the gate, my childlike fascination continued as I ran up to the windows and plastered my face against the glass. Mouth open, I stared at the sleek, silver airplanes stamped with the red and blue American Airlines logos until an “O” print formed on the window.

  On board, sometimes Jesse and I were invited up to the cockpit for a tour. I would sit there, pretending to fly the airplane and channeling every ounce of good-girl restraint not to touch the buttons. Yes, Jesse had the desire too, but she was shy in comparison and better at concealing her emotions. Not me! I could barely contain my thirst for adventure.

  Returning to our seats in a daze, I knew that I, too, would fly around the world someday. I just knew it. There was more glamour and culture on an airplane than any place I’d ever been. This was my Hollywood, the little auburn-haired girl’s definition of adventure.

  Once we were in flight, I waited for the exact moment the fasten seatbelt sign was turned off. Grabbing Jesse’s hand, we would make a mad dash for the flight attendants with our little kids backpacks in hand. There we filled our bags with all the goodies they could possibly give us. Surely these items would get us one step closer to becoming part of the exclusive club of American Airline flight attendants! My hands were full, and my heart was nearly bursting wearing my new plastic wings proudly. If only I could have known that this was just the beginning.

  Our family moved to the Canal Zone, Panama, with Colonel St. James, continuing to fuel our experiences of travel. Arriving in the tropics at Howard Air Force Base in the dead of night, our welcome was complete with a tropical storm aboard the C-124 cargo airplane carrying us. Despite bucket seats made out of canvas, a curtain for a bathroom door, boxed lunches for food, G.I.s who needed showers, one engine out, crazy turbulence, and one horrible ear infection, I still couldn’t have been happier!

  Once I was stateside again, I had only to finish up high school before my dream of flying the world would begin. I was practically counting the days. The Colonel, however, had other ideas about my education. He thought the Air Force Academy was a perfect fit. I won this battle, being far too social for the academy, and I became a UCLA Bruin. An undergraduate education was a means to an end in my quest to travel the world. Falling in love was another thing.

  Yes, my first week at the university, I met Cade Williams. He was dressed in tennis clothes, just off the courts and carrying the most enormous bag I had ever seen. So enormous, the bag knocked me clean over!

  He put his hand out to pull me up, and I looked into the most vivid blue eyes I had ever seen. On that first encounter, he won me over. Or, as he later said, “I was checking you out, trying to turn around for a better look when I flattened you with my bag. You did fall hard for me!”

  We stayed up talking that first night until morning, not wanting our time to end. Cade was the number one player on the men’s tennis team with a coveted UCLA scholarship. When he wasn’t playing tennis, he was with me. We were inseparable, falling into a steady rhythm in our four years at UCLA. Our plan was to graduate in four years so Cade could go on the ATP tennis tour while I worked for the airlines. My job would provide us with travel passes until we got married in three years. We had it all mapped out.

  Cade played tennis year round, even in Normandy where he’d spent every summer of his life. I was his biggest cheerleader at every match. Born and raised in Southern California, he looked more like a surfer than anything. He made me laugh hysterically, and his silly humor won me over. He had a big heart and loved kids, working for Athletes in Action and serving the Westwood community. The kids adored him.

  Cade’s mother was from Normandy, France, and he always talked about their beach home with a passion. On my first trip with him, we pulled up in the dark to an illuminated thirteenth-century chateau, complete with a tennis court and a chapelle. What I loved most there was the beach with a view of the Channel Islands. That first trip sealed our summers together.

  After we graduated, things went as planned. I was hired immediately as a flight attendant with American Airlines, based in San Francisco. Jesse and her husband, Turner, lived in Tiburon on a sailboat and let me crash with them in between trips. It was a fun way to be together, even in close quarters. My supervisor, Melanie, quickly became one of my best friends in my first three years on the job. I loved my job, and I loved Mel, who was not only kind but also a voice of reason.

  I was elated when news broke that Cade had earned a spot in the top tier of his sport—ranking among the one hundred best tennis players in the world! The timing was perfect for us to celebrate over his few days’ visit to San Francisco. He was finally making money on the tour, and I couldn’t have been more proud. Melanie thought he would pop the question soon. I couldn’t resist daydreaming about it on my way to the airport.

  My ringing phone interrupted my dreamlike state. “Cade, I am almost there—”

  “This is Dr. Phillips from the UCLA Medical Center. I saw your number as next of kin. Mr. Cade Williams has just been admitted into our hospital after suffering a horrific car accident. A semi-truck hit his car.”

  All my worst nightmares came alive in a moment. I felt like life was spiraling out of control. I hung up and immediately called Melanie. “Mel, this is Anna. Cade’s been in a car accident. I need to get to LA now, before he goes in for surgery. I’m requesting a leave of absence. Can you please help?”

  All she said was, “Go!”

  The doctors didn’t know if he would survive the night, and I was a mess trying to get to him. Five minutes after speaking with Mel, she called back, just as I was pulling into the airport parking lot. “Anna, my boyfriend Brian is in San Francisco right now, getting ready to leave in a few minutes for Van Nuys. Can you get over to Signature Flight Support?”

  “I think so.”

  “Hurry, Anna. He flies for a man named Stuart Manning, and he said if you hurry they can give you a lift.”

  “Mel, are you sure it’s okay? I don’t know how to thank you.”

  “Just get to Cade and be by his side. I’ll take care of things here.”

  “Seriously, Mel, thank you, thank you again and again!”

  How I ever made it to Signature that day is a mystery to me. Brian was waiting there to escort me to the airplane. I think I said “hi” and “thank you” as he introduced me to the passenger on board, but I really don’t remember. My mind was already at Cade’s bedside. I just sat there in a trance, knowing Cade needed me.

  On the ground in Van Nuys, a car was waiting to take me to the UCLA Medical Center. I breathed out an apology in disbelief, “What? Thank you Brian.”

  “Don’t thank me. Mr. Manning took care of everything.”

  Inside the car, I sat alongside Mr. Manning. He looked over at me with sadness in his eyes. “Anna, I wish we could have met under better circumstances, but please know we are all here for you if you need anything. A friend of Brian’s is a friend of mine. Let’s get you to the hospital.”

  I looked at him, with a tear t
railing down my face. “I can’t thank you enough for your thoughtfulness.”

  “Anna, we will be there in a few moments, and I have alerted the staff that you are en route.”

  Mr. Manning was true to his word. The hospital staff met me at the car. Still in shock, I gave him a hug and was off to find Cade. He was in surgery when I arrived, and the doctors gave me a better prognosis than the original update. Still, I pleaded with the Mighty Physician throughout the night, asking for God to heal Cade.

  In the waiting room that evening, Brian brought me dinner at Mel’s request. He sat with me in support for a few hours. I knew I always liked him. Just as Brian was leaving, Mr. Manning appeared, with coffee in hand, to sit with me into the early morning hours. He reached over and held my hand. “Anna, Cade is going to be all right. Please let me know if you need anything, okay? Here’s my number.”

  They kept Cade at the hospital for over three weeks. Meanwhile, Mr. Manning sent a basket filled with magazines and books to keep Cade occupied. One day, he stopped by Cade’s room with an iPad full of downloaded movies, books and music to keep him entertained. Who was this man? I could observe him clearly this time. He was certainly handsome. His boyish, chestnut curls were a bit unruly, only adding to his charm. He was a visually striking man. I walked him into the hallway and stood on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

  “I don’t know how to thank you for your kindness to both Cade and me. I will be forever grateful for all you have done. Thank you, Mr. Manning.”

  “Anna, I’m just sorry you are going through this tough time. Please update me on Cade’s progress, and remember to call if you need anything.”

  The day was fast approaching to leave the hospital, but Cade seemed distant. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Instead, I chalked it up to knowing he had a long recovery ahead. I moved into Cade’s parents’ home in Pasadena to help in any way I could. He always thanked me for being there, but he was different, almost agitated, with me.

  One afternoon, I got a call that changed my life forever. Brian asked if we could meet soon to talk about my job with American Airlines. Brian had to cancel our first and second meetings due to conflicts with his flight schedule, but by the third date chosen, we actually met. About an hour into the meeting, Brian stopped mid-sentence and said, “Mr. Manning’s new G550 is arriving this Thursday. Anna, what I really want to know is, will you join us as his personal flight attendant? Before you say anything, the position is based in Van Nuys where we have our hangar. Mr. Manning has specifically requested you for our team.”

  Without much thought, I said yes.

  Chapter Two

  UNEXPECTED BEGINNINGS

  One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.

  —Henry Miller

  In two days, my career would begin in the billion-dollar club of corporate aviation. No one could prepare me for the diversity of skills I would acquire as a corporate flight attendant, including, but not limited to, the role of bartender extraordinaire, relationship and life coach, gourmet chef, security expert, cleaning woman (yes, scrubbing toilets), interior designer, movie and music critic, geography expert, travel agent, dog handler, immigration specialist, mechanic, audio visual expert, broker, doctor, stepmother, fashion consultant, stylist, firefighter, and translator of many languages of the globe. Certainly, Brian never breathed a word of these prerequisites to me!

  The signing bonus alone was more money than I made in a year at American Airlines, and the salary far exceeded the earnings of any commercial flight attendant. I worked to hide my astonishment behind a layer of calm, with a deep breath in and out and a prayer that this new job would work. Everything was happening quickly.

  That evening, I googled my employer. Mr. Stuart Manning was a self-made multibillionaire by the age of twenty-three. While at Stanford, founding a successful dot-com business made him his first billions. He loved fast cars, rock and roll, yachts, motorcycles, airplanes, sports, women, and anything surrounding the world of Hollywood—not necessarily in that order. He acquired another company when he turned thirty-three, which grew into the biggest movie production company of all time. He was briefly married to the actress Morgan Sloan and the rumors had swirled of her infidelity. He owned a mega yacht and had estates all over the world, but his favorite was the estate in Cap Ferrat, France. At age thirty-seven, it seemed that anything Stuart touched turned to gold. His magnetic personality and unimaginable wealth flowed from a brilliant mind. Without question, he was among the world’s most sought-after bachelors.

  Mr. Manning’s previous mode of travel was by Learjet, but this new aircraft promised to be on the leading edge in corporate aviation. He was excited for our maiden voyage. His Gulfstream G550 had a tail number: N23SM. The N represented a United States registry. Twenty-three was Stuart’s age when he first became a multibillionaire. SM were his initials. In all, it was a personalized earmark, indicating the aircraft spared no comfort or ease the young billionaire could dream up.

  Cade sat down with me while I researched. I felt a still distance settle between us that was foreign and uncomfortable. I reached over and took his hand in mine, “Cade, are you all right with my new job? I have been researching like crazy, and these jobs are quite rare, almost like a mysterious secret society.”

  “Anna, of course I’m happy for you. Who wouldn’t jump at this amazing opportunity?”

  He tried to reassure me with his words, but those vivid blue eyes told me otherwise.

  I woke up early the next morning to leave a note on Cade’s door. It read, “I will see you later this afternoon. How about I take you to dinner? I love you.”

  I had been up the night before, trying on different outfits to avoid a stereotypical flight attendant look. Yes, I was nervous. I finally settled on some black pants (my signature color) and a black, cashmere V-neck sweater that my mom had given me. Thank you, Mom! I wore my promise necklace from Cade, a gold bangle bracelet, and my diamond earrings that my grandparents had presented me upon graduation from UCLA. After a few tries, I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail for a polished, understated, and professional look. I hoped I had pulled it off.

  At the hangar gate, I tried my best to look calm—just another everyday occurrence for me. Inside, I was a churning ball of nerves. I felt as if my knees would buckle at any given moment. I will never forget that morning.

  My mind was a complete blur. Brian informed me that the airplane was making its inaugural arrival straight from the Gulfstream Service Center in Savannah later that afternoon. Our job was to get the airplane ‘up and ready’ for our trip on Tuesday to Phuket, Thailand.

  My phone buzzed with an email from Linda, Mr. Manning’s administrative assistant, before I could stop the car. It read like a laundry list of everything needed on board the airplane. Then my phone rang seconds later, “Oh, Anna, there you are.” Linda continued, almost out of breath, “Welcome to the team. I am sending Mr. Manning’s food preferences over in just a bit. You do have a passport, right? Did you get a company credit card? Can you line up hotels for the crew? You might have some extra passengers. Call if you need me and thank you.”

  What had I said yes to? A lovely water fountain display trickled just beyond the gate as I pressed my ‘top secret code’ into the box and entered this new world of privilege. I hoped I looked the part. At least I had myself convinced as I entered the main doors into the sanctity of the aviation department.

  I couldn’t untie the stomach knots. My head was doing a complete 360-degree spin. Surrounded by a bay of windows, I noticed a slight shake on the glass from the constant hum of aircrafts taking off and landing. This was a dream. The artwork was spectacular, the sofas looked inviting, and did I mention the airplanes? The sight of them calmed me immediately. Talk about heaven. “Hello, you must be Anna St. James. Hello?”

  The pretty receptionist was trying to get my attention. “Oh, yes, hello. Yes, let me sign in.”

  I kept telling myself to stay calm, b
ut it wasn’t working. She greeted me with a gentle smile: “Hi, I’m Monique. It’s nice to meet you. Brian is expecting you.”

  Monique leaned in and whispered, “Oh, by the way, in the future when you come through the gate, please make sure you pull in all the way; then stop while you wait for the gate to close. We have security cameras all over the parking areas, but for extra security measures, we always make sure to watch the gate close behind us.”

  Great. Cameras had already caught my nervous, first-day slip-ups! Had I stared at myself in the car mirror? Had I adjusted my clothes when I stepped out of my car? Did everyone see me do this? My adrenaline started to kick in again. Why was I so nervous?

  Within moments, Brian came out to greet me, accompanied by a beautiful young woman. He gave me a warm hug and delivered the introduction. “Anna, this is Elle Patton. She’s here today to help you get acquainted with the world of corporate aviation.

  “Elle flies for Paramount Studios and knows this business. How about I catch up with you after Elle gives you the lay of the land?”

  “Thanks, Brian, and it’s really nice to meet you, Elle.”

  Brian added, “My office is just down the hallway. Feel free to poke your head in with any questions. Welcome onboard and, Anna, thank you. We are excited to have you on our team.”

  I was a fish out of water. As soon as Brian was out of earshot, Elle grabbed my elbow and said, “Is it true?”

  I had no idea what she was talking about. My blank stare gave that much away.