Chasing the Sun: The laugh-out-loud summer romance you need on your holiday!. Katy Colins

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ done the London–Australia route before. I know you think you may be superwoman at times, but, trust me, that can really mess your head up.’

      I dismissed his scaremongering and flicked my head back to my laptop screen. ‘I’ll be fine, really.’

      ‘Well, good luck. I just hope I won’t be saying I told you so when you’re feeling like a zombie for your first few days.’

      ‘I’ll be fine,’ I repeated. ‘Anyway, even if I do, there is no way I’d tell you and give you the satisfaction of saying I told you so!’ I teased, and ducked when he flicked a paper clip at me.

      ‘We’ll see; also, unless you’ve changed your phone screen to a topless photo of Ben, you need to stop checking that phone of yours.’ He nodded, as I glanced at my mobile phone, again.

      ‘I know. I’m just … Don’t tell anyone … but I’m just a little nervous. They said they’d be calling us today and, judging by how they spoke yesterday at the pitch, I thought I would have heard first thing.’

      ‘They’re probably telling everyone else they didn’t make the grade and saving the good news for last.’ He shrugged just as a customer walked in who he then went to help.

      Suddenly, my phone chirruped to life, making me jump and Conrad spin his head over to the noise. Oh God, oh God, oh God. Here goes!

      ‘Georgia Green speaking,’ I said in my most professional phone voice.

      ‘Georgia, you’re there!’ The harassed-sounding voice of my best friend Marie rushed down the line. ‘I called your London office and Erin said you were in Manchester. I’m not interrupting some super-fancy important meeting or something, am I? Can you talk?’

      ‘Marie, slow down, is everything okay?’

      I could hear banging in the background and some irritatingly high-pitched nursery rhyme, probably coming from the TV.

      ‘No!’ she said in a gulp of what sounded like tears.

      Before I could ask another question, she’d turned her mouth from the phone and began telling off her son, Cole, for not sharing with his sister.

      ‘Marie?’

      ‘Oh, Georgia. I am so sorry to have to do this but I need your help.’

      ‘Sure what’s happened?’ I flicked my eyes off my emails and focused on her breathless, anxious voice, bracing myself for the worst.

      ‘I really, really don’t want to have to ask you as I know how busy you are. Trust me, I’ve tried every other option but I’m desperate.’ She let out a chirp of a laugh that fell flat. I tried not to take offence.

      ‘Are you okay? Are the kids okay?’

      ‘Cole. Give that to your sister!’ she barked distractedly. ‘Yeah, they’re fine. It’s just, I need you to watch them. I’ve got to be at this audition and Mike’s mum was going to have them but she’s not well and then the childminder we sometimes use is booked up and …’

      Marie was a part-time actress slash hairdresser, always waiting for the big break that never seemed to come. Before her daughter Lily was born she had been going to quite a few auditions, and had mentioned contacts who were hoping to break her into the big time, but it had all gone very quiet since then.

      ‘Is that it?’ I let out the breath I hadn’t realised I’d been holding and laughed lightly. ‘Of course I can look after them.’

      ‘Really? Are you sure?’ She sounded surprised, which hurt a little. I hadn’t been that bad in helping her out with her children, had I?

      ‘’Course! I love spending time with them.’ I heard her breathe a sigh of relief as I flicked open my diary and ran my finger down the packed pages. ‘So, when do you need me? Remember, I’m off to Australia in two days, but I can look for a day when we get back?’

      There was a brief pause. ‘No, Georgia. I need you now, like right now.’

      ‘Now? Oh,’ I stuttered. ‘It’s just I’ve got this call to tell me about this deal and …’ Everything else on my list could be rearranged with Erin’s help but this, this was a biggie.

      Marie picked up on my apprehension. ‘You know I wouldn’t normally ask at such late notice but I can’t cancel. Please, Georgia.’ The desperation in her quiet voice was painful to hear.

      I sat up in my seat. What was I doing even hesitating? I didn’t have to choose between helping out my oldest friend in her hour of need and signing off this deal, I could manage both.

      ‘’Course. I’ll grab a taxi over right now.’

      ‘Thank you!’ She sighed with relief. ‘I really owe you one.’

      I hung up and turned off my laptop, feeling Conrad’s eyes on me as he made a hot drink for the customer who was sitting at his desk, flicking through the Moroccan brochure.

      ‘I’m just heading out for a bit.’

      ‘Wait – what about the call?’

      ‘Don’t worry. Will you just drop Erin a line telling her to cancel my afternoon meetings? I won’t be long!’

      I just had to entertain two small children and do my job. It couldn’t be that hard; people on TV did it all the time. In fact, they made it look easy. I could so handle this.

CHAPTER 4

       Incongruous (adj.) – Lacking in harmony; incompatible

      I sucked in a short, sharp breath as I saw what looked like blood staining my wrist. How the? I hadn’t felt a thing, more preoccupied with covering my head as I body-rolled across the ground to safety, shielding my vulnerable frame from yet more attacks. I swear it felt like they were growing in numbers. My heartbeat thrummed in my ears, my voice sounded strangled as I pleaded for them to let me go, to show some sort of compassion, to realise that I was at their mercy – only, my cries fell on deaf ears. I sniffed and tried to keep my emotions in check. This wouldn’t go on for ever, the end had to be in sight soon. Then again, what had I expected? It wasn’t like they were going to calmly sit down and discuss our issues over a nice cup of tea.

      And then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped. Only this time the silence was deafening. I wasn’t sure what was worse – the relentless barrage of flying missiles or not knowing what was coming next. What were they planning? I’d never heard it so quiet in here. Blood rushed to my head and I dared to peek out from my hiding place. They knew I was here, so why didn’t they advance and try to capture me to put me out of this nightmare?

      Calm down, Georgia, you can’t let them win, I scolded myself, desperate to get some sort of control over this situation I’d found myself in. I needed to think straight and use my brain to try to come up with an escape plan. They would be getting tired soon, surely; that had to be to my advantage. I hadn’t exhausted myself the way they had. How had today led to this?

      I rubbed at СКАЧАТЬ