Page 16 of Just Like You
“My lips are sealed, darling.”
He hung up on me. I just laughed.
But yes. He was right, and I pulled up Google and swiftly put his name in, even spelling it right on the first go.
Kieron Andrieu. No social media from what I could see, not in his real name anyway, but apparently he was the Senior Aggregation Manager at Delaware Financial up in the city.
Whatever that wanky title meant when he was at home. But there was a company phone number which I, after a deep breath, rang, only to be instantly dismissed by the tinny voice at the other end of the phone. Press one for reception. Leave a message after the tone. Blah blah blah.
I left a message. Hung up. Let the slinky metal slide gracefully between my fingers. A gorgeous watch, one I would never ever be able to afford to buy myself. Not important in any case. My next big purchase would no doubt have to be a newer car, with the insane insurance cost that would incur. My poor bank account.
I slipped the watch into my kitchen drawer, hidden carefully under some pots and pans. Just in case I got burgled during this trip. Ididn’t like having valuables around. Not that I owned anything expensive, but I had like…my work stuff. Passport, visas, cards…my attestation flying licence and my ID. Without all of those? I didn’t have a job. The fear was real. Also? The bloody uniform. One burglarising bastard and I could be down at the job centre begging for handouts within a week.
Anyway, I had to think positively. I’d left a message for him. My name and number and a polite request to contact me. No hard feelings.
Which was, of course, when my phone once again went off. Unknown number. Of course.
I was nervous. I had no idea why.
“Hello?” I queried in a voice that was suddenly too squeaky.
“Julian,” he said calmly. I had shivers running up and down my spine. Weird. Awkward.
“Mr Andrieu,” I replied, sounding like the absolute idiot I was.
“I think now that we’re better acquainted, we can perhaps drop the honorifics.” He was smiling; I could hear it in his voice. A voice call. No video. Thank everything for that because I was definitely not dressed to impress, and also not wanting to. Yet, my washed-out Hello Kitty T-shirt and my slacks were not the finest statement to make.
“Kieron,” I corrected myself. “Do you have a nickname? What do your friends call you? Grumpy?”
Oh hello, Jules. Bitchy twink galore.
For the record, I was no twink. I was older and wiser and a fully-fledged grown-up. Mostly.
Sometimes.
“Julian, you left a message with my PA to contact you. I very much doubt it was to simply attempt to insult me.”
“Well.” I snorted. He laughed. “I can only try. I actually only needed to contact you to return your property.”
“My property. I haven’t even proposed.”
He had a sense of humour. Who would have thought?
“Your watch, Kieron!” I half shouted through the smile on my face. The absolute idiot.
“You found it then.”
“You left it on purpose?” My voice was still far too high pitched. An involuntary smile on my face. Like we were… Like I was…enjoying this. For the record? No. Absolutely not.
“Of course I did. It wasn’t like you were going to leave me your number, was it? And your airline HR department was very stingy with providing any kind of details. I have a good PA, but not even Maura is that good with corporate bullshit. Hence the watch. A small insurance.”
I had no idea what he was on about. But yes. Ehhr. What?
“When can I see you again?”
The absolute audacity of him. Like…for once, I was speechless.
“Kieron, there is a very good courier company on the High Street here. I will get your watch returned to you promptly, fully insured. I just need an address.”
