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“What are you planning on doing next?” the journalist asked as another came up and also started making notes.
“Going home,” I replied without hesitation. All of them chuckled.
“You don’t plan to work on any more projects here? Everyone seems very happy with your work, and from what we’ve seen so far, we understand why.”
“For me, it’s more important to work with the right people, and I want to go back to my friends and the city I’m used to for a while. I can’t promise to stay there or anywhere else for a longtime, but as much as I’ve loved working with Sarai and Richard on this, Chicago isn’t my home.”
There were sad noises, but someone interjected that they understood why. Once more I was posed for photographs, all the press beginning to take the opportunity to talk to me. I answered some questions again as they began to take turns and ask what they needed, and then Sarai was at my shoulder.
“Can I borrow this lovely lady for a moment?” she said, smiling at all the people around me.
They backed off and I turned to my friend, wondering where everyone else had gone.
“Is everything okay?” I asked her as she linked her arm with mine again.
“Yes. I just thought you might want pulling away after a while and I wanted the chance to change your answer to one of those questions. There are several people here who want to hire you.”
I exhaled, unable to hide my frustration.
“I know you said you wanted to go back to England. Is there really nothing that can entice you to stay here? These are wonderful people.” Sarai stopped again, knowing not to push me to talk to anyone else if I didn’t want to.
For a few seconds I wanted to cry. If it hadn’t been for Lukas, I might have wanted to stay. If he hadn’t broken my heart, and it meant I would still be near Sarai, I might feel like taking the risk. But I shook my head. “No. I need to go home. At least for a while.”
“Some of these people won’t offer again. They won’t like you snubbing them. Seeing you poached by a friend or someone with bigger pockets they can understand. But just flat-out refusing…”
The answer was still no, and Sarai knew it from one look at my face. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, don’t apologize. We both know who is to blame. At least let me tell them you have a project somewhere else?” Sarai winked, but I shook my head at that, too.
“It’s a lie, and they would find out soon enough. I can’t do that either.”
Sarai took both my hands. “You’re too good for your own good… Well, you know what I mean.”
I smiled as she let me go and hurried away. Although I hadn’t minded the press attention as much as I’d thought I would, I was grateful she’d got me away from it. Now, I could go find my friends and slip into the background. I was about as ready to leave as I could get.
CHAPTER EIGHTY-FOUR
Lukas
I surveyed the site full of people as Henry drove us up into the parking lot. There was no one large group and we weren’t the only ones arriving, but it was still early in the plan for the showcase. Although I hadn’t wanted to be here at the beginning when Kit would begin showing the first group around, I was happy to be here a short while later.
I knew a few people, but most of them were the contacts Sarai had invited, press and possible customers. As soon as I got out of the car, heads turned my way and I tried not to show my displeasure at being noticed. I didn’t want to be mobbed, but I didn’t doubt people here would know who I was.
Henry led the way up the newly made path toward the information center where newcomers had gathered to get their free drinks and begin their tour or ask their questions.
Although Richard already stood there and was greeting as many as possible, he seemed pleased to see us.
“Can you wait here and gather more people for the next tour?” he asked me. “I told Sarai I’d get this one started as soon as we had a decent number of people, and if I don’t start soon,we’ll exceed that. None of the rest of my tour guides are here yet, and Kit went with Sarai on the first one.”
I frowned. All of me wanted to say no. This was also my project, however, and I knew I was required to be a good host. “Certainly. How many are we gathering for each group?”
“Ten to fifteen. Definitely no more than twenty.” Richard patted my shoulder before turning back to the seventeen waiting for him. He smiled at them and ushered them on the prearranged tour. Not all of the huts were being shown off, but enough of them were, as were the gardens and other facilities.
Thankfully, Henry had been my PA long enough to know I didn’t particularly like being the one to gather up people and guide them, and he stepped up beside me to call for the attention of any newcomers, suggesting they get drinks and check out the few buildings here like the restaurant on their own.
It helped to spread the arrivals out a little more, and it meant there would be more time until one of the other guides could get back. I wasn’t sure who Sarai had enlisted to take people on tours beside herself and Richard, but I knew I didn’t want to be one of the guides.
Even just being here and being polite would be draining, without also having to answer the same questions over and over again from different sets of people. It would kill me—and she knew it. I hired people to do this sort of thing for me.
