Page 57 of BillionHeir
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It is back.
My mother’s words ring through my head as I sink into my oversized, plush, first-class seat on the international flight from Boston to London. If I wasn’t so stressed about my mum, I might be able to enjoy it more. As it is, I am a nervous wreck.
I have been focused all afternoon on what I needed to do to make it here on time for my flight. Now that I am here, it is all finally sinking in. My mum is sick again and I am going back to the UK to care for her.
I hate that it is under these circumstances, but I am happy that I can really be there for her this time. It was incredibly difficult when she was going through her treatments before. She would have her treatments during the day, and we would talk on the phone briefly that evening, which was usually between classes for me here in America.
This time I will be able to talk to her doctors and really be involved in her care. I will be there to cook for her and help her recover. She was such an excellent provider when I was a child, it will be nice to give back to her in this way.
I glance at the empty seat next to me, hoping that it will stay that way. I really don’t want some old geezer chatting me up the whole flight. It has been such a long day. I am hoping that after a glass of champagne I will be able to sleep most of the flight.
A rather handsome dark haired flight attendant appears as if I conjured him with a tray of the very thing I was just wishing for. If this is what first class is like, I might never fly coach again.
“Glass of champagne, madam?” he asks, lowering the tray slightly.
“Please.” I reach up and grab a glass from him, smiling gratefully.
“Can I get you anything else?” he asks with his eyebrow quirked and an enticing smile on his face. “A hot towel? Warm cookie, perhaps? For you, I would even be willing to ditch this tray and have a riveting conversation if you so desired.”
There is something in this man’s eyes that tells me that he has done that very thing with several women, and they haven’t been disappointed. After the day I have had, I am almost tempted to take him up on his offer. He seems like a breath of fresh air after the last few weeks with Maxwell, even if I did enjoy myself there at the end.
But my broken heart is not this man’s business.
“No, thank you.”
“My name is James. If you needanything, please, do let me know.” His deep British accent comforts me, and any other time in my life I might take him up on his very obvious offer. But after my recent experience with men, it is way too soon.
I sip my champagne and stare out the window as James moves on to the next row, watching as all of the airline workers bustle to and fro, loading luggage and directing traffic. Some might call it mundane, but I find it perfectly distracting.
I finish my glass as the last few passengers board the plane. When I look up to find the hunky flight attendant for a refill, I see a familiar face and freeze.
Doesn’t this man have his own private jet?
Chapter 21
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Maxwell
I stare at Chloe as I wait a painful amount of time for an older man to put his suitcase in the overhead compartment.
I am just about to offer my assistance when a flight attendant appears from behind me. I have to step out of the way to let him pass by.
“Here you go, sir,” the brown-nosing attendant says, giving the passenger a smile that is way too large to be real. I fight the overwhelming urge to roll my eyes and wait theextra ten seconds it takes for them to finish their exchange and get out of my way.
I slide into my seat next to Chloe and mutter under my breath. “This is why I prefer to fly private.”
She stays completely silent.
I have had hours to think about what I should say right now, but the right words still haven’t come to me. We can’t just sit here in silence, so I look over at her and say the only thing that comes to mind.
“You could have at least said goodbye.”
She is looking out the window, pretending that she can’t hear me, but I know she does because of the way her ears have turned pink. Her reaction gives me hope that I haven’t damaged our relationship as irreparably as I thought.
In business, I am confident, smooth, and collected. There is no deal that I can’t negotiate, but right now, I feel out of my league searching for the right thing to say.
