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“Wonderful. Send me your address and finish your packing.”
I send the address as soon as he hangs up. Before going to bed, I again check my luggage. I have three suitcases waiting by the door.
In the morning, I can barely keep from skipping as I wait for Lucan to arrive. My luggage is on the terrace waiting as I wander around the garden. I am picking a few random dry leaves off some plants when a limousine pulls up to the curb. My mouth drops open when I see a uniformed chauffeur get out and open the back door. Lucan steps out and my breath catches in my throat.
He is wearing a gray suit, tie and all, and dark glasses. He looks like a model who has stepped out of the pages of GQ. Then he smiles at me. I feel as though I am rooted to the ground as he walks over.
“Good morning, Summer. Ready to go?”
I nod, my mouth suddenly dry.
“Great. Ian will get your bags.”
I direct the chauffeur to the terrace while Lucan stands looking at me.
“You have a beautiful garden.”
“Thank you. I planted it this spring.”
“You certainly seem to have a magical touch with delicate things.”
I find myself blushing at his words.
“I don’t think I’ve said this to you before, but I am amazed at how well you work with Ryan.”
“Thank you. He’s really a sweet child and I love working with him.”
“Would you be open to working with him permanently? Don’t answer that just now. Let’s get going. But it’s something I want you to give some serious thought, okay?”
I nod. “Okay.”Working with Ryan permanently!?
He hands me into the limousine and I find Ryan and Sylvia there. The drive to the airport is short, and before we know it, the luggage is loaded.
“Be good for daddy and Summer, okay, sweetie? And I want to hear all about your trip when you come back.”
Ryan smiles up at Sylvia as she assists with settling him into his seat on the jet.
While Lucan settles into a seat near the back of the plane and gets on his phone and laptop, I keep Ryan occupied for the first few minutes of the flight, pointing out things below. He is fascinated by the view of the clouds from above versus what they look like from below. I use the opportunity to teach him about perspective and sizes. But a five plus hour flight is a bit of a stretch to remain fixed on one thing for too long. As soon as we are able to move around freely, I get Ryan a snack and settle him down with a coloring book. I keep an eye on him as I pull a book out of my purse. It is a worn copy ofJane Eyre.Before I know it, I am transported back in time to the Elizabethan era. I am knee deep in Jane’s jealousy of Blanche Ingram when my skin starts to tingle. I look up to find Lucan staring at me. I blink a few times.
“Jane Eyre. Beautiful novel.”
I nod in agreement. “It’s one of my favorites actually. I love the whole era.Wuthering Heights, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park—”
“—Emma, Silas Marner, Tess of the D’Urbevilles.All brilliantly written.”
“Have you readWide Sargasso Seaby Jean Rhys? I like how she gives Bertha a voice.”
He nods and smiles. “I agree. The villainess becomes the misunderstood and abused heroine in a sense.”
“Summer, I’m tired.”
I look over and see Ryan looking a bit worse for wear. It is close to his nap time. I look at Lucan and he is on his feet.
“One of the perks of having a private jet is having a space to sleep when necessary. There are two sleep cabins near the front. I think Sylvia packed his pajamas in his backpack.”
Together, we get him settled down for a nap. When I get back to my seat, Lucan joins me.
“Would you like a drink?”
