AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I gotta go. I gotta get to Walpole.”
Chapter Eighteen
Eric
“Jamie,”Isaid,standingup from the bed. I slipped on my underwear to preserve some dignity, while Jamie hurriedly threw on her clothes.
“I’ll call a cab,” she said, hurriedly reaching for her phone.
“Jamie,” I said again. But this time I didn’t bark. I felt gentle towards her after our wonderful spot of afternoon delight, and she looked up at me.
“I have a helicopter,” I said, grinning.
“Don’t be silly,” she said.
“I mean it,” I said. “Come on. I can have you across town in six, maybe seven minutes. Paul’s up there now—I’m supposed to be going to New York this evening.”
“Eric, that’s crazy,” said Jamie. “That’s too much.”
“Trust me,” I said.
I never said that before. Not to anyone. But now I just decided to try to, well, say it. And Jamie’s shoulders dropped, and she looked at me.
“All right,” she said.
“Cool,” I said. “Now, get your clothes on and come with me.”
I texted Paul to prepare for an immediate take-off, and by the time we got up there, he was already firing the engine of the helicopter. I held out my hand, and Jamie stepped into the cabin and slipped on her headphones as the helicopter’s rotors began to whine.
“I promise you,” I said. “I’m not going to let you be late for her.”
I wanted to say more—and I could tell Jamie did too. But there was no time. We were taking off, and slowly we rose above the city.
“I’m never gonna get used to this,” Jamie said, and I smiled at her. It felt good to be able to help her. She was right—I was protective of her. And there was no way I was going to let her be late on my account. Not for her daughter. For our daughter.
Easy there,I thought. Jamie had to know that I knew, I told myself. Maybe she was just waiting for the right time to talk to me about it. I wasn’t sure. But secretly, as the world turned green beneath us and we began to descend on the suburbs of Boston, I knew that I was going to have to face up to the truth.
Not now though, I decided. For now, I’d just enjoy the moment of helping her. Of the relentlessly addictive thrill of being the person she needed me to be.
I was incorrect about how much time it took. Within five minutes we landed on the other side of Boston. We touched down on top of a helipad in Walpole. We got out and went down through the building. I had Paul pre-arrange for an emergency landing in Walpole with local air traffic control—it would cost quite a bit of money, but at least there would be no legal problems.
From there, I called us an Uber, and we went the final few blocks. As it turned out we’d managed to be there early. As we pulled up at the school gates and got out, Jamie turned to me.
“That can’t happen again,” she said. “I don’t think I could deal with the stress!”
“What can’t happen?” I said softly, and she turned and looked up at me. Her hair was a little ruffled from the helicopter ride, and I reached up and brushed a strand of it aside.
“I guess it can happen again,” she said coyly. “As long as I’m not late for the school run. Speaking of which, how are we gonna get back?”
“You guys take the cab,” I said. “I’ll fly home.”
“You sure?” said Jamie.
“I’m sure,” I said, conscious that the school bell was about to ring. My eyes were already scanning the yard, waiting for the bell to ring and the kids to go. Suddenly, I wanted to be away. I wasn’t ready for this—this new intimacy of being with her while she looked after Cassie.
“Wait,” said Jamie, as I turned to go. “Hey. It’s fine. You can stay. I’ll tell Cassie you’re a friend.”
“If it’s all the same to you,” I said, “I’d rather be—”
