“I’m scared of my brother? Yeh, right,” Gordon said. Which was, yes, the response she’d hoped for. It seemed she could be manipulative even in extremis.
“D’you know where he is?” she asked. “I’ve rung twice and got voicemail. Maybe he doesn’t want to talk to me, but?—”
“Are you joking?” Gordon said. “With how many times he’s dropped your name over the past few weeks? He said he was doing some shopping in Bond Street this afternoon. Day off, you know.”
“Oh,” she said. “Well, uh … could you point me in that direction?” Her legs wanted to give out at the thought of wandering through some enormous shopping district whilst periodically ringing a man who might well have already come back here. “Oh, wait. I could just sit here and wait for him to arrive. What time is it?”
“In London?” Gordon said. “Or Auckland?”
“In London. I have no idea what time it is in Auckland. No bloody idea at all.” She had to suppress an urge to giggle. She’d never done anything this ridiculous. It was either pathetic or funny, and it seemed she was leaning on “funny” as hard as she could.
“Four-thirty,” Gordon said. “If he stops for a bite somewhere, you could be sitting here for ages. Look. I’ll take you over there, and we’ll hunt him down.”
“Would you? Really? I’m not interfering with your own day off too much?”
“Nah. What’s a single bloke meant to do in London before the pubs start filling up? I’ve already shopped. The prices are shocking, though I did buy this jacket and jumper. What d’you reckon?”
“Chic,” she said. “The houndstooth is good with the brown. Tailored. Stylish. I think. I don’t actually know, but it looks good.”
“I’ll take that as a rave,” Gordon said. “Come on. We’ll find a taxi.”
It took Zane about an hour to realize his phone was still turned off. That was how rattled he’d been. He only discovered it then because he decided to ring Skylar. It would be six in the morning her time, but that was when she woke up, and she had all six kids to get ready for school without even Nan to lend a hand.
He got an extra helping of guilt for that. There she was, coping with all of that—forhim—and he’d been that narky? He wished he could talk to her in person, but the phone was going to have to do. You couldn’t do this via text. He might be a Neanderthal, but he at least knew that.
The moment he switched the phone on, it rang in his hand. He registered the “2 Missed Calls” on the screen, though, and also that they said “Skylar,” so when he answered Gordon, it was to say, “Can’t talk right now, bro. Something to do first.”
“Never mind that,” Gordo said. “I’m here to meet you. If I knew where you were.”
“In Bond Street.”
“You told me that, genius.Wherein Bond Street?”
“Chaumet. French place. I need some time, though. I’m?—”
“I have no idea how to spell that,” Gordo said.
Zane told him. “Seriously, though, I?—”
“Be there in … three minutes,” Gordo said. “Just around the corner. And don’t buy French clothes without me. You’ll look like a prat. That’s because you have no taste.”
“I have taste. Classic taste. Seriously? You’re coming, when I just said not to come?”
“Yeh, right. Classic as in ‘classic sheep farmer,’ maybe. Classic in no other way. Bloody hell, but there are a lot of people in London. The pavement’s as crowded as the beach on Boxing Day.”
“Yeh, bro,” Zane said. “That’s why they call it the Big Smoke. Because it’s actually populated. Could you try not sounding like some bogan from out in the backblocks?”
“Nah.” The voice wasn’t on the phone. It came from behind him. “Reckon you’ll have to take what you get, especially as you aren’t any better. I’ve done a wee favor for you anyway, though, despite what a grumpy bugger you are. Brought you a girl. I thought you might like one.”
Zane wasn’t listening anymore. That was because he had Skylar in his arms.
Once again, Skylar had no idea what she was feeling. Zane was holding her so tightly. Kissing her, then standing back to look at her, messy hair, stained shirt, and all. “How?” he asked, his grin huge. “How is this even possible? And why?”
“I just—” Skylar said. “I came. I thought you might—thatyou might need me. So I came.” She was crying, which didn’t add to her appeal much, but fortunately, Zane didn’t seem to care. “And I’m so glad to see you. I’m so …” Her hands running down his upper arms, then clutching him. “I’m soglad.”
“I’ll bugger off now,” Gordo said. “As nobody seems to want me, or seems willing to thank me for taking the time out of my day to reunite the lovers.” She didn’t exactly hear him, though.
Zane asked the shop assistant, “Do you have some chairs somewhere in here? Back showroom, maybe?”
