Resisting Mr. Kane (London Mister #2)(73)

She hesitates. “Barry and his wife hadn’t split up too long—”

“Mum, please tell me you weren’t having an affair.”

“No!” she says indignantly. “But the wife isn’t happy about the separation. There’s been a bit of talk in the village. You know what they’re like.”

I do. That’s why I left.

“I’m coming home.” I check my watch, my head full of fog. I usually know the train times but I can’t think straight at the moment.

“No, love, don’t be silly. It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“I’m coming,” I say firmly. “It'll be close to midnight though. I gotta go. I’ll text you.”

We say goodbye and I hang up. Tristan watches me intently.

“Did you hear all of that?”

He nods. “Just about.”

“I have to go to Wales tonight,” I say, overwhelmed. One minute I’m going to spend the evening in Tristan’s jacuzzi bath after a long work week, the next minute I’m heading to Wales to deal with a brick-firing lunatic. “If I hurry I can get an eight o’clock train.”

“No need. I’ll take you,” he says.

I pull back to stare at him. “Tristan, that’s so kind but you don’t need to do that. Anyway, it’s quicker to get the train than drive. I’ll be fine,” I reassure him.

“And it’s much quicker to take a helicopter than the train,” he counters, getting out his phone.

I stare blankly at him. “What?”

He doesn’t look like he’s joking.

“The helipad is thirty minutes from here. Then I can have you in Wales in under an hour,” he states, tapping at his phone.

“Don’t be silly. I can’t get a helicopter to Wales. I’ll get the train.”

As I lift my phone to check train times, he grips my arm.

“I don’t want you getting off a train at midnight alone,” he replies, almost grumpy. “Look up somewhere for us to stay tonight while I notify air traffic control. I’ll ask Danny and Charlie if they fancy a trip too.”

I shake my head incredulously. So, he wasn’t being facetious when he said he would get me a helicopter to Wales the night he stayed at my place. “Are you telling me you have a helicopter on standby for whenever you need it?”

“Yes,” he says impatiently. “Now find us somewhere nice online nearby your mum’s. We need to get going.”

“But…” My protests trail off, he’s already on the phone citing helicopter jargon.

An hour later, we arrive at the heliport in Chelsea Harbour. Danny and Charlie decided that an impromptu road trip, or specifically, air trip, to Wales was a fantastic idea. I’m a bit nervous to be meeting them, I’ve met Danny twice now and only saw Charlie from afar at the Rosemont. All in ludicrous situations and this one isn’t any better.

A few helicopters circle and land as we arrive, and butterflies start swirling like rotor blades in my stomach. Damn, there’s no toilets on a helicopter. What’s a person with IBD supposed to do?

It’s dark now, like, really dark. Do helicopter pilots have owl vision? I reassure myself that Tristan only hires the best in the business.

I’m not a nervous flyer per se, but that’s on a commercial flight.

We walk across the helicopter parking lot and I try to calm myself down. I haven’t been in a helicopter before.

“Hi, Elly,” Charlie greets me with a big smile as Tristan and Danny head towards the reception. She looks like a sexy female version of Tristan, which is a little freaky.

“Nice to meet you, Charlie,” I say shyly. “I can’t believe you guys agreed to come last minute. I wish I could show you around but I’m going to have to go over to my mum’s and sort out a few things.”

“Don’t worry! We can entertain ourselves. I’m ashamed to say I’ve never been to Wales! Danny and I go to Scotland a lot.” She leans in, excitedly. “And of course I wanted to meet you.”

“Oh. So, you heard about me?”

“Only from Danny,” she admits. “I haven’t seen Tristan without Mum recently and he couldn’t mention a girlfriend in front of Mum without being marched up the aisle.” She glances over her shoulder to where Tristan and Danny are walking towards us. “He’ll kill me for saying this but he seems quite taken with you from what Danny has told me. And Tristan has been in an unnaturally good mood these past few weeks. Do not tell him I said that.”

“Bay four, ladies,” Tristan calls out before I have time to bask in the news. We pick up our overnight bags and follow the guys.

“Will there be room for five of us?” I ask Charlie. Most of the helicopters seem to be four-seaters.

“No, just us four,” she says. “Were you expecting someone else?”

“Uh, the pilot?”

Her eyes widen then she slaps a hand over her mouth. “Oh my God, he didn’t tell you. Tristan’s taking us. He’s got his licence.”

“What?” I squawk. “Are you taking the piss out of me?” No, he didn’t bloody tell me that vital piece of information.

She shakes her head, laughing. “I wonder if this is all part of this plan to impress you. Although the two of them are so flippant about flying. Danny’s got his licence for small aircraft. Tristan’s training to get a small aircraft licence as well now.”