Chapter 18: Heading Home

You’d think that an overnight flight, where you take off late in the evening, sleep on the flight and land in the morning, would be easy to cope with. But it’s not—especially when you’re travelling east by five time zones, having only travelled west through those same five time zones less than forty-eight hours earlier.

That shit messes with your body clock.

The flight took off at nine local time, and about half an hour after we’d reached our cruising altitude, we were served a surprisingly delicious meal, which I still enjoyed even though I’d eaten earlier in the evening. Once the flight attendant had cleared away my plates and brought me a glass of champagne, I lay back in my seat and put my feet up on the ottoman at the end of my booth. It formed part of the bed once the seat was converted, but for now, it made a nice place to rest my legs, or a second seat for someone to join me in the booth. I closed my eyes and thought back on the trip, and in particular, how I’d left things with Sadie and Cody.

After inviting them to accompany Kayla on tour, I then told them about our plans for True Voice Records and the festival.

“But we literally came up with the idea less than an hour ago, so there’s a lot we need to sort out before you can actually sign with us. I do hope you’ve already written some songs ready to record, though, because in an ideal world, we’d have something ready for you to release when the tour starts,” I’d told them.

I’d then asked if either of them had a manager, which they didn’t, and suggested they speak to Glenn to see whether he’d take them on or knew someone who would. I had no intention of taking advantage of them, and told them so, but still thought they needed representation.

I opened my eyes and looked around the cabin. It was so peaceful. The low rumble of the engines provided a background noise over which the hum of whispered conversations could be heard. My mind drifted to the second of my two small suitcases allowed on the flight. It had been pretty much empty when I left London, but now it was full of gifts for my friends and family, both my chosen family and Vicky, my only close blood relative.

Thinking about those gifts brought back the couple of hours I’d been able to spend shopping with Carly and Lana. I’d asked Marie, too, but she wanted to make sure everything was ready for our check-out and departure for the airport.

It turned out to be a good thing that Lana and Carly were with me. I knew what I wanted to buy for one or two of my friends back home—Sam had recommended a hidden-away liquor store whose owner helped me choose a good-quality bourbon, for example—but I had no clue what to buy for the others, and their help proved invaluable. And while we were out in the city on our own, Carly dragged us into a fast-food joint for some fried chicken—or “a taste of the South,” as she put it.

As we were heading back to the hotel, carrying bags filled with gifts for everyone at home, we passed a jewellery store, so I strode inside, followed by two young women with slightly bemused looks on their faces.

“Paul, I thought you’d gotten something for everyone now? Even young Sophie,” Carly said.

“Yes, but I haven’t gotten you anything.”

“You don’t need to get me anything—you’re already doing so much for me.”

“I don’t need to, but I want to,” I said. Then, to the lady in the store, I said, “I’d like to see whichever necklaces you think would look best on my beautiful friend here.”

Carly sighed. “I know there’s no point arguing with you, but if you’re getting me another necklace, then you’re getting Lana one too.”

I shrugged. “No problem.” Then, to the lady in the store, I added, “It’s probably the same style I’d imagine, given how similar they are.”

“Maybe not,” she said with a gleaming, toothy smile. “Jewellery should also reflect the personality, not just the outward appearance.”

I nodded. “Okay, well, both of them are just as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.”

“I’m sure they are, sir.” She smiled and nodded, then asked, “Do we have a budget in mind, sir?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know ... What would, say, five thousand get me?” She smiled. “Each,” I added.

The store clerk’s eyes widened momentarily, but I smiled, nodded, then fished my wallet out of my pocket, took out the black credit card and placed it on the counter. She glanced down at it, then looked up at me, smiled, nodded and walked away to select some samples.

Lana was by my side in an instant. “Paul, you cannot buy me a five-thousand-dollar necklace. Or a five-thousand-dollar anything.”

I stared at her. “How do you plan to stop me?”

She did that ‘looking into each eye in turn’ thing again.

“If it makes you feel any better,” I said, “I’ll get Marie one, too.”

She gently shook her head.

“There’s no point in arguing with him,” Carly said from my other side. “You know he’s going to get it anyway.”

“I know,” Lana replied. “That’s what makes him so damn frustrating.” She looked at me again. “One of these days, someone’s going to seriously take advantage of your generosity.”

I shrugged. “I’m only generous to the people I know won’t take advantage.”

The store lady returned to our spot by the counter. “So, ladies, what do you think of these?”

About half an hour later, I was reading a novel on my tablet when Maddie appeared at the entrance to my booth.

“Mind if I join you for a few minutes before I turn in? There’s something I’d like to say.”

I nodded, moved my feet off the ottoman and gestured towards the seat. I locked my tablet and stowed it in the pocket at the side of my seat.

“What’s up?” I said.

She smiled and sat down opposite me. Then she looked at me for a second before saying, “You’ve impressed me, Paul. On this trip. You’ve impressed me.”

“Thank you.”

“Please don’t misunderstand, I don’t say that lightly. I’m a difficult woman to impress.”

“Really,” I said, smirking. “I find that hard to believe.”

“Liar,” she said, smirking back. She shook her head. “Every bit as charming as his father.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You knew my father?”

She nodded. “Your parents were one of my first clients after joining the bank. Quite a modest account by Radcliffe Grant’s standards, which only warranted a junior member of staff. I only met them a few times. The accident was about a year after our first meeting.” She smiled. “Lovely people, your parents. Your mother was so beautiful—inside and out. And your father was so charming. So ridiculously charming,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Especially to an impressionable young woman like I was at the time.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not telling you how old I was. A lady never tells. Let’s say ... Under thirty and leave it at that.”

I nodded.

“I’m sure people say this to you all the time, but you look so much like him, it’s uncanny. Apart from the hair. He had neat and tidy hair, whereas yours is...”

“Stylish and modern,” I said, quickly.

She grinned. “Yes, that.” She sighed. “But the resemblance isn’t just physical, Paul. I heard him speak in front of people a couple of times, and after hearing you do the same twice now ... When you speak, you have the same ‘easy manner’ that he had.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” I said. “I was terrified in the board meeting and on the terrace yesterday. I didn’t know what to say, so I just kind of ... winged it.”

She smiled. “That’s my point. It doesn’t feel prepared or rehearsed; it feels as if what you say comes from the heart. And that means you naturally command the room. Of course, you do know that’s one of the hallmarks of a good leader, don’t you? And you are a good leader, Paul.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. The team you’ve built around you—that you continue to build—they’d run through walls for you. You inspire them.”

I took a deep breath.

“I don’t want people running through walls for me.”

“And that’s why they would. They see your integrity. I see it, too. And your kindness.” She arched one of those perfect eyebrows. “And your generosity. And that’s why they would do anything for you—because they know you would do anything for them. And you’d do it without even thinking about it. You’d just do what needed to be done.”

I shrugged. “I...”

She shook her head. “It’s okay. You don’t need to respond. I know it’s difficult to know what to say when someone praises you like this. But I just felt I needed to say it. You impress me, Paul. Not many do, but you do. So, please ... keep doing that.”

I nodded. “I’ll try.”

“I’m sure you will.”

She patted my knee, then got up and went back to her seat. I picked up my tablet again, unlocked it and tried to pick up the book where I’d left it.

But it was surprisingly difficult to do.

“Hey,” Lana said from the end of my booth. “Can’t sleep either?”

I shook my head. “Just ... thinking.” I held up my tablet. “Trying to read, actually, but...” I shook my head again. “I just can’t get back into it.”

“Back?”

“I was doing okay, but then Maddie came and had a chat and...” I shrugged and looked down.

Lana smirked. “She told you that you impressed her, didn’t she?”

I frowned. “How did you know?”

“Because she’s been saying that to everyone.” Lana pushed my feet off the ottoman and sat herself down. “He’s a very impressive young man, isn’t he? Not what I expected at all, ” she said, mimicking Maddie’s ‘non-accent.’