Page 36 of The Artist

“Come with me.”Peter pulled her into the room and walked over to the doors.He opened one and then stood back for her to enter.

It was a bathroom but the most lavish one she’d ever seen.The double sink countertop was black granite with gold veins running through it.A shower with four shower heads and glass doors, a separate Jacuzzi bathtub, and the toilet with a bidet alongside completed the bathroom.“This is amazing.Why would you want to live anywhere else when you have all of this?”

Peter laughed.“This is just for travel.I could never live like this all of the time.My ranch, where I’m comfortable, is much more to my style.You’ll see when we get there.”

The captain’s voice came over the speakers.“We’re getting ready for takeoff.Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts.”

“Follow me.We need to get back to the front of the plane.”

Alexis followed Peter to the sitting area where they first entered.

He walked to one of the loveseats and sat.“Come sit next to me.Two seatbelts are here.Unless, of course, you would rather sit by yourself.”He grinned and waggled his eyebrows.

She laughed.“I don’t think you’ll bite me if I sit next to you.”

“Nope.”He grinned.“Not yet, anyway.”

“You’re feeling full of yourself this afternoon.”

“That I am.That I am.Now, buckle up so we can get in the air.”

Once she had fastened her seatbelt, Peter picked up a remote and pressed a button.“We’re all ready back here, George.You can take off when ready.”

“Yes, sir.Taxiing now.”

Not even ten minutes later, they were in the air and headed toward Denver.

“You may move about the cabin.”The pilot’s voice came over the loudspeaker.

“Come on.I’ll prepare us a snack.Not too much.I’m taking you to dinner tonight.”

How can I ever fit into his world especially after seeing all this, seeing everything he’s used to?“Where are we going?I didn’t bring anything very fancy.Heck, I don’t own anything I’d call fancy.”

“I thought we’d do Ruth’s Chris Steak House.It’s one of my favorite places and the steaks are top notch.”

“That sounds great.I’ve always wanted to eat there but never could afford it.”

“We don’t have that problem tonight.They know me very well there.I guarantee whatever they recommend is fantastic.I’ve never been disappointed.”He stood and walked down to the kitchen.

Alexis followed him.

Peter pulled crackers from the cupboard and a tray with individual puff pastries, filled with Lobster Thermidor.He’d also included caviar, and pre-cracked lobster claws, along with cubes of papaya and mango.No regular meat and cheese tray here.

“Did you know you were flying out today?”

“Not until this morning.I had the chef at Bosq put together a snack tray.”

“Must be nice to have the best chef in Aspen be at your beck and call.”

Peter set plates, cocktail forks and knives on the counter, next to the food.“It is.He’s an old friend from college.He and Megan, that’s my sister, went to culinary school together and dated for a bit.I still call him when I’m in town and he comes to see us when he’s in Denver.”

“Uh, that’s nice.”

Then he pulled a couple of San Pelligrino from the fridge.“Come fill your plate and then we’ll sit at the table.”

Alexis picked up a plate and filled it with some of everything.“This all looks wonderful, though I’m not certain about the caviar.”

“Try it.Put a small amount on a cracker and pop it in your mouth.Like this.”He took his appetizer knife and scooped a bit of caviar on a small cracker and then popped the entire thing in his mouth.