Harte Strings: The Billionaire Matchmaker, Part Two Read Free

seeing. Mt. Rainier appeared. My heart fluttered. That mountain, volcano, whatever, was awe-inspiring against the blue August sky. Maybe the skies in Seattle really were the bluest blue. I hoped so.
    We approached and landed at Boeing Field just south of the city. When the aircraft had safely landed, taxied, and stopped, the captain got out, opened the passenger door, and put out the steps. Our flight attendant escorted us and wished us a pleasant stay.
    I had a moment of indecision and insecurity. I was usually a confident traveler, but now I didn’t know what to do. Did I tip the flight attendant? I decided not. Lazer would take care of it like he’d done everything else.
    “Our bags?” I asked the flight attendant.
    She smiled. “Taken care of. We’ll make sure they get to your final destination.”
    And then we were out the door and down the steps. Manhattan in August can be unpleasantly hot and muggy. Here in Seattle, the temperature was warm and pleasant and less humid. I liked that already.
    A car, a Mercedes, in fact, waited for us. I glanced at Lottie. She and I exchanged another of our mad grins. If we’d been alone we would have raved about being met on the tarmac by a fancy car and driver. This was certainly the way to live.
    Our driver was friendly. “Welcome to Seattle.” He held the door for us as we got in the car, and then got our bags from the pilot and loaded them in. We were off in minutes.
    “How long is the trip?” I asked the driver.
    Lazer was hosting the corporate retreat at his mountain lodge. I’d never been there, but I assumed it had to be at least an hour or two away. It was a mountain lodge, after all, and the mountains were on the horizon.
    The driver looked at us in his mirror with a surprised expression. He grinned. “Not long.”
    Less than two minutes later, he pulled to a stop in front of a helicopter on the other side of the tarmac from where our plane had landed. “We’re here.”
    Lottie and I exchanged grins again.
    “We were driven the length of the airport,” she whispered in my ear. “Incredible. Now that’s service.”
    “No, that’s luxury.” I stared at the helicopter and shook my head.
    As we stepped out of the car, we were met by another pilot. A thin, tan, wiry man of about forty or forty-five with the look of former military about him.
    He smiled at us. “I’m Gary. I’ll be flying you to Lazer Lodge today.”
    “Ashley.” I shook his hand. “And this is Lottie. It’s a beautiful day for a helicopter ride.”
    “That it is.” He helped us into the copter and loaded our bags.
    When we were all safely strapped in, and had headphones on, he turned to me. “How’d you like a quick tour of the city before we head for the mountains? Mr. Grayson said to make sure you like what you see here.”
    I glanced at Lottie again. She nodded.
    “We’d love a tour,” I said.
    Gary grinned back. “That’s what I was hoping to hear. We’ll swing out over Puget Sound and around the city before we head east into the Cascades.”
    He started the helicopter up. The blades spun with their characteristic whoomp, whoomp, whoomp. I lost myself in their white noise. This was another first. I’d never ridden in a helicopter before. I grinned like a kid. This really was life’s amusement park I was in.
    Within minutes we were in the air over Seattle. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the sights. The water. The mountains. The sparkling skyscrapers. The landmarks—the Space Needle, the Wheel, the Market. They were all beautiful.
    But I saw something even better—promise, love in the air, and eligible men, men, men ! Handsome men. Men eager to stake their claim on a woman, take her off the market, and settle down. Men like that were every matchmaker’s dream.
    Beautiful Seattle men, I think I love you already! I certainly love the idea of you. Don’t disappoint me.
    Men, even in today’s enlightened age, were the relationship drivers. They were still