Page 27 of Dial L for Lawyer
"That's why you pay me," Caleb says.
"Speaking of which," Leonard checks his watch, "we should get you two back to reality."
My stomach drops. "Back?"
"Helicopter," Caleb says, catching my expression.
"There's a helicopter on this boat?"
"Completely standard," Leonard says, as if personal aircraft are boring.
April slips her arm through mine as we head to the helipad. "You'll love it," she assures me. "Only way to travel."
A crew member leads us up to where a helicopter waits, rotors already spinning. April squeezes me tight. "Don't be a stranger. And call if you want the inside scoop on being a billionaire's wife."
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I say, but I hug her back, meaning it when I add, "I hope to see you again too."
Caleb helps me into the helicopter, then climbs in beside me. His fingers are steady as he helps with my harness, adjusting straps across my chest. Every touch feels deliberate.
"These are noise-canceling," he says, fitting the headphones over my ears. Suddenly his voice is in my head, intimate and clear. "You'll hear me through the mic."
"This is insane," I say, my voice strange in my ears.
"You trust me?"
"With my legal defense."
"But not with this?"
I meet his eyes. "I'm working on it."
The pilot runs through safety information I immediately forget. Then everything vibrates and my stomach drops.
"Oh God." I grab Caleb's hand without thinking.
"Look at me," he says through the headphones. "Not down. Just at me."
I do. His eyes are steady, anchoring. His thumb strokes over my knuckles as we lift off, and suddenly we're flying. The yacht shrinks below us.
"OK?" he asks.
"This is..." I look out at the lights scattered like diamonds. "Holy shit, this is incredible."
"Sure is," he says, and I hear his smile.
Chicago grows larger as we fly south. I'm still holding his hand, our fingers interlaced now, and neither of us mentions it. The city spreads below—my whole world in miniature.
"Thank you," I say suddenly.
"For what?"
"For making me come tonight. I actually forgot my life is imploding for a while there."
He squeezes my hand. "That was the idea."
"Was it? Or did you just want to show off?"
"Maybe both." His voice is warm through the headphones. "You impressed them. Leonard's already planning to invite you to their summer party."
