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Chapter 17: A Tacky Souvenir From Florida
The next morning, Radleigh had to leave for the airport at eight-thirty to catch his plane home. Because he had stayed an extra night, he’d had to book an early flight to get back to L.A for training. Lucky for him, the time difference worked in his favour. We’d debated whether or not he should have taken an overnight flight but he insisted on staying which meant Monday morning was one gigantic rush. My plane wasn’t due for a couple of hours after Radleigh’s. Richard had, generously considering recent events, allowed me to arrive at training a little later than normal so I could enjoy a long breakfast with my family before heading home.
Naturally, Jamie wanted to say goodbye to Radleigh so everyone got up super early to make it happen.
In the lobby, Christina was combing Grace’s hair. Josh had been reading a newspaper but he set it down when Radleigh and I arrived. Jamie was sulking.
“Do you have to go already?” Jamie asked Radleigh, sticking out his lower lip into a pout.
Radleigh crouched down to be at eye level with Jamie. “Yeah, I need to catch my flight home so I’m not late for work. But you still get to spend a couple more hours with Auntie Leah.”
The look on Jamie's face said he would happily have swapped me for Radleigh and I had to suppress a laugh. I should have been offended, but I could see his point. Compared to his hero, I was a nobody. At his age, if someone had dangled He-Man in front of me and said it was him or my aunt, I know which one I would have chosen.
“I don't want you to go!” Jamie wailed.
Radleigh looked up at me, not knowing what to do so I knelt down beside him and drew Jamie closer to me, giving him a hug.
“I know you don't,” I said gently. “But Radleigh has work to do.”
“It’s not fair!” he sobbed, clinging to me with one arm and wrapping the other around Radleigh. “I want to come with you.”
“You can’t, J,” I told him. “You’re going to have lots of fun with mummy and daddy and Grace though, and you can tell us all about it.”
“And,” Radleigh added, “we’ll be coming to England in a few months. Your daddy said he might bring you to a match if you’re good. So I'll see you then.”
There was a scheduled trip to the UK at the end of the season which I’d completely blocked out because I didn’t want to go. At least, not until I’d been reminded of just how much I missed my family. The Warriors had a five match tour which would see them playing friendlies against some of Britain’s top teams, as well as doing several television appearances.
“Really?” Jamie asked.
“Really.”
Jamie's tears began to fall more slowly, and I felt a surge of warmth rush through me at Radleigh's promise. Anyone who could make my nephew smile like that deserved a little credit.
We stood up, and Radleigh said goodbye to Josh, Christina and Grace, then ruffling Jamie's hair, he picked up his bag and the two of us headed outside to find him a cab. As we stood at the top of the steps to the hotel, I said, “That was really nice of you.”
Radleigh nodded, his face breaking into a smile. “You owe me now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Okay, you can go now, I've had enough of you anyway.”
“Sure you have.”
“Seriously,” I said. “Thank you. You didn't have to be so nice to Jamie. He'll never forget this.”
“It was no trouble, I told you. I had fun.”
“I did too.”
An awkwardness hung between us, one that had never, ever been there before and for once, I had no witty insults to toss at him.
“Well,” Radleigh said, breaking the silence, “I should go. I'll see you in a few hours.”
“Yeah.”
We stood for a moment or two longer, and I wished I was eight years old so I could legitimately break down and ask him to stay.
Jesus, Leah! What's wrong wi
th you? He was nice for one day, that does not make him a reformed character. Stop acting like such a girl!
