Page 71 of Just Like You
Iwalked into the galley in the middle of the night to find him perched on a jump seat with a cup of tea on the floor and his iPad on his lap, swiftly stabbing words into the screen.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“You’re busy,” I commented, as he tipped another jump seat down with his foot, motioning forme to take a seat.
“Want another glass of wine?” he asked, now nodding to the girl who was loading food into the oven in the galley. “Janey will get you one.”
“Better not.” I smiled. “I need to go into the office and work today. I promised Juliet to be there, so I will.”
“Babe,” he said softly, and the way he looked at me? I melted. Boneless and weary.
“I need to have a nap, just wanted to see you.”
“I’m right here.”
“That guy, Chris, he hasn’t stopped all night. I keep seeing him run around with paperwork.”
“He’s collating all the bars. Customs papers and all that.”
“And Elina, who served me? Never stopped. Kept going and kept smiling. How do you do it? I just know that I couldn’t do what you do. I would be punching the living daylights out of the guy in 9E by now.”
“I almost punched you once, remember? You were being a dick.”
Agreed, and I might have blushed.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Don’t. You’re just you. And sometimes? We’re allowed to be dicks. As long as we know we are.”
“Eloquently said.” I smiled. “You going to take a break?”
“Not yet. Have things to do still.”
“When we land.” I cleared my throat because I… We hadn’t discussed this.
“Will you wait for me? So I can say goodbye to you properly?” He interrupted.
“I was hoping you could come home with me. Sleep in my bed so that I have something to look forward to when I get off work.”
“You’ll be exhausted.”
“And you will be hungry.”
“You know me well.”
“I could bring you…you know. Food. Look after you.”
“I need to do laundry and repack my bag. Sort my life out.”
“You can do that from mine. And if you need to go back? As I said. I have a snazzy car.”
“You manipulative little shit.” He laughed. “What have you hidden in my bag this time? I don’t dare to look.”
“You still have the Patek on your arm. We need to get that adjusted for you.”
“Ki.” He sighed.
“And I will show you the rest of my watches. You’ll like them. My favourite is a white gold Rolex with an olive-green face. It’s stunning.”
