Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
T he airport is bustling at this time of day but thankfully we’re already seated in Seats 10A and 10C in business class, ready to head home.
Flashbacks of last night run through my mind. I don’t realise I’m smiling until Ben looks at me seductively, as if reading my thoughts. He leans over and kisses me softly, and I melt under his touch.
‘How different is this, compared to when we arrived?’
‘Very,’ I say, proudly lifting my feet. ‘I’m wearing real shoes.’
Ben reaches out, grabs my hand and squeezes it. ‘That’s my girlfriend – real classy, this one.’
‘Her boyfriend is a wedding escort. Watch out.’
We grin at each other. This , I think, is what it means to be happy. Bantering with my boyfriend in business class.
The flight attendant arrives and welcomes us with a tray of champagne, and a cute little bowl of nuts.
I sigh happily. ‘You know, I could get used to this.’
‘What, bowls of nuts being delivered to you?’
‘Yes, and maybe you. Here. And business class. I’ve decided I belong here.’ I grin at him.
‘Shall I order you four chocolate puddings?’
‘Very funny.’
‘Just remember that I’m not made of money, not until I sign another bestseller or the next Man Booker prize winner, so enjoy business for now because next time we’ll probably be back in cattle class.’
‘Sad. Speaking of literary prizes, who was that author you were going to sign? Did you do it? Was it the mayor?’
‘Oh, Gemma.’
‘Oh right, that was another lie. So much for your radical honesty.’
‘It wasn’t a lie.’
‘Then who was it? Don’t tell me Lulu has convinced you that she needs a book about her and Chip. Or Mia? Watch out, she’ll try and con you into writing it for her.’
‘No, I haven’t actually pitched to this author yet, but I have a good fourteen hours or so until I get to Dubai.’
‘Your writer’s in Dubai?’
‘Well, technically not at the moment, but they will be.’
I look excitedly around the plane. ‘Are they famous? Are they sitting near us?’
He smiles at me. ‘What do you say? Shall we get some champagne and talk about it?’
Shivers run up and down my body as my mouth drops open in realisation. My body feels like it’s exploding into a million pieces of confetti.
‘I… Oh my goodness. Me? ’ My head is spinning.
He has the audacity to laugh. ‘Are you only figuring this out now?’
‘Wait, what? I’m totally confused.’ I immediately want to cry, and before I can think to stop them, there they are, fat blobs running down my cheeks, and I’m not even embarrassed, not a single bit.
‘I can see that.’ He lovingly wipes them away. ‘I assume these are happy tears?’
I nod emphatically. ‘So, you want to be my editor?’
‘Yep. On my first day Tony gave me your manuscript and said, “Make this work.”’
It’s starting to make sense. All of it.
‘So the people-pleaser comments and the “it’s over” conversation I overheard…’
‘Tony said if I couldn’t get your real author voice to come out, the book was going nowhere.’
‘So you…’
‘Pushed you. Prodded you. Tried to get to who you really were, so you could write something more real, rather than what you thought everyone wanted to hear.’
‘Wow.’
‘Sometimes it was fun.’ He winks. ‘But at times I could see it was hard for you, but I kept going because of your book, so it could be everything it can and should be.’
I feel a total body shiver, and my eyes fill again with tears. ‘My book. I’m going to have a real book.’
‘I don’t think it’s going to be just one book, Gemma. I wholeheartedly believe you’re going to be the next big thing.’
‘You can tell me that as much as you want.’ I grin.
‘I will, with pleasure.’
The plane starts pummelling down the runway. ‘You know, I’m kind of sad this isn’t a small plane because I wouldn’t mind having an excuse to kiss you the entire way back.’
‘Sounds to me like the perfect way to pass the time.’ And with that, he puts down his champagne, takes both my cheeks in his hands, and leans in to give me the most perfect kiss of all time.