Mosaic (29 page)

I blinked up at his brown eyes. He was dressed in navy slacks and a white tee with a dark brown cardigan over it. His wavy brown hair was parted on the side, and curled down around his ears.

“I, uh—no. I haven’t.” I looked back at the screen where a photograph of the stern-faced, white-haired female looked back at me. “I need to watch these. Lagarde is being suggested for a role in the EU, and I know nothing about her.”

“She’s from Normandy,” he said, leaning over and flicking off the video.

“Hey!” I tried to reach for it, but he caught my hand.

“Christine Lagarde takes Sundays off, and you must, too.” My eyes narrowed, but he smiled and continued. “You can’t spend a year in this country and not at least see Westminster.”

I slouched back in my chair. “You want to give me a tour of London?”

A dimpled smile broke across his face, and for the first time I recognized Brandon was very cute. Not that my missing heart even cared.

“Yes,” he laughed, pulling me up. “Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, and if you’re very good, I’ll show you Geoffrey Chaucer’s gravesite.”

“Isn’t it in Westminster?”

“So you do know something about the city.” He winked at me then. I allowed him to pull me up and lead the way. “As much as you love British Lit, it would be a shame for you to end the year in a newsroom. Especially an old dodgy one like this.”

“I like our newsroom!” I cried as he pulled my hand into the crook of his arm.

“Good, because I’ve heard our newsroom fancies you, as well.”

I stopped walking, frozen on the spot. “What?”

He leaned toward my ear. “You didn’t hear it from me, but there’s talk of offering you a permanent position.”

Words escaped me, and when he turned back, he laughed again. “Your eyes are quite round, Miss Sanders. Yes, that’s the rumor. But you Americans work yourselves to death. Today, we’re going to have some fun.”

“Brandon, are you joking? Are they seriously going to make me an offer?” I was clutching his arm now, trying to slow my swirling thoughts.

“I think so. Liam has been very impressed with your work ethic, and Arati did nothing but sing your praises to him.”

“But I haven’t graduated. I don’t have a degree…”

“Minor points in this business.” He patted my hand. “Remember, it wasn’t so long ago that experience was the biggest qualifier. Most of these old codgers worked their way up from the mailroom.”

I stopped walking and pulled my hand out of his arm. “Then I really should stay and finish my research. I’m so behind on who everyone is and how they got started.”

Brandon exhaled and paced to where I stood. With exaggerated affect, he took my hand and pulled it back into the crook of his arm. “Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. All of this will be waiting for you when we return.”

I considered for a moment fighting him, but the expression on his face changed my mind. “You’re really into this?”

“Yes. It will be fun. Have you ever heard of that word? It’s important for team-building if we’re to be potential coworkers.”

Shaking my head, I relaxed and followed him. “I never said I’d take the job.”

“That’s just what I expected you to say. Come on.”

Brandon and I spent the day running all over London. We started in Hyde Park because it was springtime, and he insisted the flowers there were better than anywhere else in the world. I had to laugh, but when we stepped off the double-decker bus at Speaker’s Corner, my breath literally caught. A sea of tulips spread out in front of us, in all shades of red, purple, yellow, white, and pink. We wandered to the Diana Memorial Fountain, and I noticed Albert Hall so we ran over to check it out. From there I saw Kensington Palace, but Brandon pulled me aside and said we could see these things from the Eye—the giant Ferris Wheel towering over the city. He wanted to go to the Abbey.

Westminster was even more gorgeous in real life than on television. The size of it was enough to steal your breath, and looking up at the gothic arches and enormous chapels made me feel very small in the face of history. We paid our admission, and for the first part, I was simply wandering around looking at it all with my mouth open, until Brandon leaned over and whispered in my ear.

“Hogwarts.”

My brow lined and I looked up at him. “They modeled Hogwarts after this part. That’s why it looks familiar.”

“All of it looks familiar,” I whispered back. “It’s on television every time something major happens.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“Because it feels very grand and sacred.” Then I pinched his arm. “Shut up.”

He showed me the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Chaucer’s grave, Poet’s Corner, and the bright green lawn outside the cloisters. We viewed ancient tombs of kings and queens that had statues with crowns and scepters on top of them. There were colorful tombs for some, and all were ornately decorated with plaques and long descriptions.

We spent almost an hour before we left, headed to Trafalgar Square, where the four enormous, bronze lions surrounded the statue of Lord Nelson. From there we went through the magnificent Admiralty Arch, a series of three arches opening onto The Mall, a wide, red-bricked lane that went all the way to Buckingham Palace. It was breathtaking with the golden statue and the royal guard. We were too late for the changing of the guard, which Brandon played off as basically a marching band performance, but even I knew better.

There was plenty more to see by the time we called it a day, but he promised to take me up in The Eye and let me get a good view of the rest. We finished at The Mayflower, a pub overlooking the Thames River, where he insisted I have the Scurvy, a bitter home brew. He also ordered a ploughman’s special, which was basically a meat and cheese plate with boiled eggs and a pickle, and the requisite fish and chips.

“Now you’ve seen our fair city. Or at least the high points.” He winked taking a sip of the amber drink. “What do you think?”

“I love it—of course, I love it. It’s an English major’s dream come true.” I tasted my own ale, and my nose wrinkled. “Except for the warm beer.”

“Don’t be so clichéd, Sanders. It grows on you.”

I looked down at the plate, and picked up a piece of the hard cheese. It was tangy with a hint of saltiness. “Thanks for doing this. I really did need to get out today.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome, although no thanks is necessary. I’m as much a fan of this city as the next tourist. Next time, we’ll catch a play in Covent Garden.”

“Next time?” I took a crisp bite of one of the pickles, the tangy sweet flavor filling my mouth.

“Sure, we can make it a regular date if you’d like.” He leaned back, evaluating the effect of that suggestion.

My bottom lip pulled between my teeth, and I looked down at the plates. “I’m sorry, Brandon. I didn’t mean to mislead you…”

“You have a fellow back home.” He leaned forward on the table and lifted his ale, taking another sip. “I should’ve figured as much the way you work.”

My hands were clasped in my lap, and I hated that this might be the end of the fun times we’d shared. “Putting my head down and working has been the best way to drown out the missing.”

“Well, he’s a lucky fellow. I’m not ashamed to say it.” He smiled and broke off a piece of bread. “I suppose that’s also why you’re not taking the job?”

“Don’t… put that out there.” Contradictory emotions warred in my chest. I wasn’t completely onboard with accepting a position here, at the same time, I didn’t want to lose my offer.

He leaned back then and arched an eyebrow. “Really. So you might be interested? Doesn’t bode well for boyfriend.”

“Julian,” I interrupted. “His name’s Julian, and I’d want to talk to him about it. If it happened.”

“Oh, it’s going to happen.” He gave me a little nod. “Count on it. And I’ll be watching to see how it plays out with this Julian chap.”

So will I
, I thought, but I didn’t say that out loud. Instead I sipped my warm beer and finished my dinner.

JYA had turned out exactly as I’d hoped and feared it would, with the possible exception of the friendly guy sharing dinner with me.

Now I had to see how the story actually ended.

Hey all, Jules here breaking in again.

I’m basically saying this because I know Brandon so well… I’m a little in love with him right now. Dad’s being a git not telling Mum why he’s angry, and she’s being a flipping featherhead not remembering to tell him about the Labyrinth and Audubon Park and all these accidental run-ins with sodding Jack.

Still, it doesn’t make sense. None of this is adding up for me. How does Da know about it all? I can only guess that he does—why else would he be so mad?

So I’m suuuper frustrated right now. I don’t know if you are. I guess the only solution is to keep reading.

Cheerio, chaps, I guess we’re heading back in now.

Anna’s Private Blog: Rewriting History

Being home in Fairview felt both familiar and like culture shock after nine months in London. For starters, it took me a week to recover from the time difference, but most significantly, London was a big city—New York City big. Fairview was a small town—miniscule by comparison. I had to make the mental adjustment back to the slower pace, the change in amenities, driving instead of walking everywhere.

When I’d left for London, I’d been accustomed to New Orleans, which wasn’t quite as big but still a city. Back at home, everything felt strange to me.

As Brandon forewarned, Liam had called me into his office before I left and asked if I’d consider coming back to work full time with them. I didn’t say no, and he agreed to give me a few weeks to consider their offer. It was a great starting gig that even included me being in short videos for the website. I’d earn a good wage that would allow me to live in town… but I’d be worlds away from my family and from Julian. So in addition to all the other adjustments, that was hanging over my head.

“You’ve picked up a little accent.” Mom watched me with a grin as I made my breakfast. “I like how you say your –
er
words now.”

“Oh no.” I put my hand on my forehead. “Do I sound like a royal jerk?”

She laughed and hugged my shoulders. “I think it’s cute! Don’t worry, I’m sure it’ll fade after a few weeks.”

I hopped up on the bar, sipping a mug of coffee. “Just so long as I don’t sound like one of those sodding gits with their dodgy fake accents.”

“What?!” She laughed, leaning on the bar beside me.

“I’m just teasing. I just don’t want to sound like a showoff.”

“You don’t, but that was a pretty good imitation!” I smiled, and she hesitated a moment. “I confess I’m a little surprised. I thought you’d be headed over to Phoenician I as soon as you got in town.”

My brow pulled together. “Whatever for?” I couldn’t imagine my mom thinking I’d visit Bill Kyser, no matter what had gone on before I left.

That’s when she stood up straight, arms crossed. “Because that’s where Julian is now. Only you didn’t know he was working there, did you?”

“Oh.” I relaxed my forehead and tried to play it off. “Right. I just wanted to freshen up a bit first.”

“When did it happen?”

“When did what happen?”

“Did you two break up or what?” Her eyes went to my hand where the little dragonfly ring still sat.

I lowered my mug and jumped down off the bar. “No! We just sort of put this year on hold or something. Because of how much work I had to do. And there was the time difference, and you know. International rates are so high and all.”

“No way.” Mom shook her head. “You honestly think I’m buying that after how you two were?”

My stomach tightened. I wasn’t ready to explore whatever was going on between Julian and me with my mom at this very moment, but at least I knew where he was. “It was something we decided last summer. You had to notice we weren’t together as much.”

“I noticed you leaving the house all the time. I assumed you were meeting up with him or surfing or whatever you two do.”

“Surfing.” That was as far as we needed to go on that topic.

Her voice grew quiet. “How does your job offer change things?”

The tone in her voice was like a stick poking all of the feelings I’d been pushing down for the past year. All of that pain, my shredded insides, came rushing to the front of my mind. A year of ignoring them and burying myself in work had done nothing to dampen the intensity of how badly his words had hurt me.

It didn’t matter. I wasn’t giving up on us, and whatever he was thinking, I wasn’t letting him give up either.

“I don’t know how it changes things. I guess I’ll have to see him and talk to him about it.”

She pulled me into a hug, smoothing her hand down the back of my hair. “I love you sweetie. Just remember, no matter what happens, the right thing will happen. Does that make sense?”

New Age philosophy wasn’t exactly my favorite thing at the moment. I knew what should happen. Julian and I had to figure out what went wrong and fix it.