Chapter 1

            “I know it’s short notice, darling, but I didn’t make this decision on a whim,” Ava said over her cell. She was riding in the back of one of her father’s many limousines. “And I won’t be gone forever.”

            “I know but I will miss you,” Catherine said with a sad tone. Catherine was Ava’s best friend – from Ava’s side of things.

            Ava laughed a little. “Are you sure you won’t miss having me under foot? You are a married woman now.”

            “Of course, I’ll miss you. Cameron will, too. You know he’s grown fond of you.” Cameron Townsend was Catherine’s husband.

            “That’s good to know,” Ava said with a smile. She glanced out the window. “Oh, I have to go. The driver is pulling into JFK now.”

            “All right. Call me when you can.”

            “I will. Kiss, kiss, hug, hug.” Ava clicked off.

            Ava Bartholomew was twenty-seven-years-old and had no vision, purpose, prospects, or even a man in her life. Everyone she knew was either married or soon-to-be married or had a career. Ava had studied French at Vassar. There wasn’t much she could do with that degree. At the time, she didn’t think she needed to have a real career. Her – and her mother’s plan had been for Ava to get married to a man as wealthy as her father, have a child or two, be a socialite, and a supportive wife. Ava had the socialite thing down pat. It was the other things she struggled with. Under circumstances like this, she would have gone to her mother for advice. But Ava hadn’t spoken to her mother in a couple of years – not since Ava had caught her in bed with her now ex-boyfriend. And even he was married with a child now.

            Ava was going to board one of her father’s two jets to go to Seattle to see one of her many siblings. Her father had been married five times, which resulted in him having twelve children – one was out of wedlock. Ava was the youngest daughter, but her little brother was the youngest of the whole pack at five-years-old.

            Ava waited in the back of the limo as the driver and the flight attendant loaded her luggage on the plane. Once they were done, the driver opened the door for Ava. She smoothly got out, holding her Chanel purse and Louis Vuitton cosmetic case. She slowly walked up the stairs in her Louis Vuitton red bottom heels.

            It didn’t take long for them to take off. She couldn’t wait to start her adventure. One of Catherine’s sisters, Caitlin, had gone on a sabbatical to find herself. Not only was Caitlin’s trip a success in discovering a new side of herself, she had also discovered a man – and married him. Granted, he was the son of the man she was dating at the time, but there was no doubt that Alexander Beaumont was the love of Caitlin’s life. Ava hoped for the same success on her trip.

            Of course, Ava was going to explore Seattle with her sister by her side and find her true self, but it would be nice to meet a man who was interested in her - not wanting to use her for their own means. There had been two men who had hurt her more than anything.

The first was Trevor Hudson, vice president billionaire of The Hudson Group. Yes, he had been a playboy with a sleuth of women at his disposal, but Ava had been his favorite. Ava had thought Trevor was going to settle down one day and marry her. He had settled down all right but he did it with one of his maids. Joanna Yoder, now Hudson, had been one of the maids at the Hudson estate. Trevor had seen her at a ball she had crashed and practically fell in love with her at first sight. He didn’t even know who she was until she showed up at the charity ball. The star crossed lovers had eloped to Maine of all places. When they had returned, they found it fit to through themselves a surprise reception – the guests being the ones surprised, including Ava and her mother. Ava had been so humiliated she had rushed out of their all the while shoving her mother to the door.

            The second man was Derek Dawson. A few months after she was made to feel like a fool at Trevor’s wedding reception, Derek had called her up. He had invited her to his club, The Oasis, for some fun. He had even offered to pay her tab while there. So, Ava had accepted his invitation. Derek had doted on her there, making sure she was having a good time and that she was comfortable. The next day he had called her and asked her out on a real date. They had gotten along so well it made Ava think they could have something serious down the road. Then the roof had caved in when Ava had shown up at The Oasis one afternoon. Since it was daytime, the club was closed, but Derek had a loft on the third floor of the building. He had invited Ava over for lunch that he was going to cook himself.

The front door was open so Ava walked in. She had called out but no answer. That’s when she had taken into consideration that she was almost an hour early. So, Ava had ventured upstairs, thinking he was up there. And he was – naked and in bed with her very own mother. Between Ava’s hysterically screaming and crying, she had learned her mother had arranged for Derek to ask Ava out. In return, Derek had received impromptu favors from her mother. That had been the second most humiliating thing that had ever happened to Ava. She hadn’t spoken to her mother since.

            It took five and a half hours to get to Seattle from New York. The flight attendant had just informed Ava that they just entered Montana air space. It shouldn’t be much longer.

            All of a sudden there was a loud clanking noise.

            Ava stilled. “Oh, god. Is that coming from the plane?”

            Ava got her answer when a loud boom echoed around the jet and the flight attendant screamed from the next room.

            “Ms. Bartholomew, put on your seatbelt now,” the pilot ordered urgently over. “There has been a malfunction in the engine. We have to land immediately.”

            Ava did what the pilot said. Next thing she knew, there was a long and loud noise that sounded like the mother of all horseflies had taken over the plane as it tilted forward by the nose.

            My god! Are we going to crash?