ELEVEN

GROWING UP AS A CHILD PRODIGY IN A WEALTHY FAMILY, ERIC HAD ALWAYS BEEN SHOWERED WITH ATTENTION FROM HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS. Whatever he did, he did it better than most. After law school, he excelled with his practice, but he quickly became bored with practicing law and needed another outlet for his energy. As a surprise gift, Emily purchased flying lessons for Eric at Krannert Airport. Eric’s flying instructor was a guy named Brad who was also an MD. Eric and Brad discovered they had a lot more in common than the love of flying and quickly became good friends. Through them, Rachel and Emily became friends. In the beginning, the couples did almost everything together, from dinners and movies to vacationing. Eric continued taking flying lessons until he earned his pilot’s license.

Eric was always high-energy. Flying provided a great outlet for his drive, plus it allowed him the freedom to come and go as he needed without being accountable to Emily. He guarded his private life with a vengeance, and being in a relationship meant that most of his life was open to Emily. Flying gave him the privacy and freedom he craved. Krannert’s International Charter Service was born of both Eric’s and Brad’s love of flying and their mutual need to escape the daily grind of a regular nine-to-five job. It also provided an escape from the women in their lives, not to mention a damn good income. Brad and Eric made sure one of them was always either at the airport or accessible by phone for their clients. They each had their own small private jet that could carry six people comfortably, and their charter service had one luxury jet, owned by Krannert, that had a nice cargo hold and could carry several people.

Brad and Eric both craved adventure and excitement, and Krannert’s International Charter Service, with exclusive private clients, gave them a reason to leave and an excuse to play. Their initial clients were wealthy men who enjoyed private flights out of the country for vacations, quick flights for business, or an occasional private flight with a mistress. The charter service soon became very profitable, and both men were looking forward to the day they could leave their day-to-day jobs behind and only fly for select clients.