“Let’s go, Cookie. The driver said he’s pulling the limo around to the sidewalk so we don’t have to walk down to the garage.”
“Oh, good! But it’s not a limo, is it? The Food Channel told me they were sending a van.”
“They were, but now that I’m going along, I upgraded to a limo.”
“KCOW sprang for a limo?” Hannah asked him, amazed that the radio and television station that had a reputation for being on a tight budget would go to those lengths to make them comfortable.
“KCOW allowed a certain amount for P.K. and me, and I picked up the rest.” Ross walked to the couch and took her arm to help her up. “I wanted my bride-to-be and her sister to ride to the airport in comfort.”
Hannah waited until they were in the limo and the driver had pulled out of her condo complex. Hannah leaned close to Ross. “Can you afford something like this on KCOW’s salary?” she asked in a low voice.
“Don’t worry about it, Hannah. It’s tax deductible because I still have my status as an independent producer. Didn’t I tell you that I transferred my bank account here to Lake Eden First Mercantile Bank? Doug Greerson handled it for me.”
“But . . . isn’t a limo a lot more expensive than a van?”
Ross laughed. “No, not if you compare the price to L.A. I can afford it. I didn’t spend much money when I was living in California and I’ve made a lot of money since I moved here. We can afford a limo for such an important trip.”
Hannah felt a warm glow. Ross had said we, instead of I. That meant he was already thinking of them as a couple. She still didn’t understand how someone could save money when they were wining and dining the Hollywood luminaries Ross had told her about, and he certainly couldn’t be making a fortune working at KCOW-TV, but she wasn’t about to question him further.
It took a moment, but then Hannah remembered the independent film Ross had made right here in Lake Eden and the Minneapolis television station that had offered to pay a fee if they could air it on their Minnesota Movies show. Ross had told her they wanted to feature it in the premiere of their new programming, and the deal with them must have gone through.
Hannah gave Ross a big smile. “This is wonderful, Ross. I feel like a rich woman, riding in such luxury. Thank you so much for thinking of it!”
“Only the best for the woman I love.” Ross pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly. “We’re going to have a really good life, Hannah. I know we will.”
“Yes,” Hannah said, but something was niggling at the back of her mind. How much money was there? And would it run out if Ross continued to spend it on limos like this? But he had said it wasn’t expensive compared to Los Angeles prices. And this was a once in a lifetime experience. She highly doubted that she’d ever be invited to be part of a national competition again. She really should relax, enjoy herself, and trust the man who would soon be her new husband.
The time passed quickly when you were riding in a limo and didn’t have to worry about driving, or directions, or traffic. Cyril’s driver was a thorough professional and he got them to the airport early. He idled at the curbside check-in, got a skycap to check them in, get their boarding passes, and load their luggage. After a brief moment with Ross, the driver drove away. Then they all walked into the airport.
“Let’s get through security and then we’ll go up to the Sky Lounge,” Ross said, picking up Hannah’s carry-on and his. P.K. did the same for Michelle and they headed off to security.
The lines were short and they were through in less than ten minutes. Ross led them down the hallway, through a door marked MEMBERS ONLY that required a key card, and checked them in with a man at a huge desk in front of an elevator. Then he took them around a corner to another, smaller elevator.
“We go up in this one,” he told them, slipping his key card into the slot again. Before Hannah could even think to ask where this elevator went, the doors opened and Ross motioned them inside. He inserted his card in a slot near the front, the doors closed, and the elevator began to rise.
“There aren’t any buttons on this elevator,” Michelle said, staring at the blank panel where the buttons for the floors would have been in most elevators.
“That’s because this is an express elevator that only goes to one place,” Ross told her.
Almost before the words were out of his mouth, the elevator slowed to a stop and the door opened to reveal another desk with a man in a suit sitting behind it.
“Good morning, sir,” the man greeted Ross, taking the card Ross handed to him. He scanned it in some sort of card reader and gave Ross a welcoming smile.
“Everything is ready for you, Mr. Barton. Please follow me.”