Chapter 3

What seemed like hours later, we were still over the Pacific Ocean. If it wasn't for Woody's announcement of dinner, I might have gone crazy. I had never been in such a confined space for that long.

Gio and Charles followed me to the marble table that had extended between the rows of seats. "How was your nap, Eva?" Charles asked. I decided not to mention that I hadn't slept at all the entire time.

"Fine." I looked around and noticed how dark it had gotten outside.

"Tonight we have broiled salmon, prepared by our Woody." Woody brought white plates filled with delicious fish and fresh vegetables on top of what looked to be wild rice.

"So, you are a master chef as well as a plane captain?" I teased.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am." He smiled and bowed his head humbly.

"He has a degree from the Culinary institute in Chicago." Gio bragged proudly.

I gasped aloud. "You're kidding!"

I didn't know my Father as well as I would have liked but if staff selection was any indication of character, I was exceedingly proud of him for bringing such a talented and genuine crew together.

I looked up to notice Pia had joined us at the table.

"Woody, won't you be joining us?" I asked.

"I will be along in a moment. What wine will you be having tonight, Eva?" I looked at the impressive list he handed to me. How did we have this many wines on board an airplane?!

"She will try the Estate Argyros 1982. Thank you, Woody." Gio winked at me.

"Let me guess, my Father's favorite?" I asked.

"All of those wines are his 'favorite', but this is the only one I ever saw him drink. It's a Greek vintage."

Hearing him mention Greece a second time that day caused me to perk up in my seat. I wasn't a big drinker of wine—craft beer or a margarita being my drink of choice when I was out with friends—but I liked the idea of finding out more about my Father through little things like the wine he enjoyed. I smiled inwardly wondering if drinking the Greek wine somehow reminded him of where he met my Mother. What a romantic thought, meeting someone in a foreign country and falling in love. Too bad their love story had such a tragic end with my Mom's sudden passing.

"So, what's the plan when we land in Manchester?" I asked nonchalantly, hoping that in this relaxed environment that Gio would spill more information.

I Sank my fork into the juicy pink salmon and took a savory bite. It tasted every bit of the delicious goodness it looked. I was certain it was the best salmon I had ever tasted.

"Well, we'll take a car to the estate your Father tended West of Manchester close to the Peak District—simply beautiful country there—" He paused to take a bite of salmon. "Then of course we'll take a trip down to his office and go through his things, making sure everything is in order. We'll also get you settled with your new security detail, William."

"New security?!" I protested. I disliked the thought of bringing anyone else into this. "Gio, while I appreciate the thought, there won't be any need for that." I said.

"I'll need to get my arm better before I do any defending, Eva." Charles noted.

"But I only trust you. I can take care of myself if I have to." I didn't want to deny having security around when it was needed but if it wasn't I found it to be pointless and no doubt over-kill.

"It's only for a couple of weeks." Gio offered. "Don't worry, Charles will be better in no time. And he'll be traveling with us to Greece."

I sighed, feeling at a loss in this argument. "Alright. But whoever it is has some very big shoes to fill." I rested my head on Charles' shoulder. He was the only security I ever had growing up and as far as I was concerned no one could ever take his place.

"Alright enough of this mushy stuff. Now come on, finish your salmon before I eat it for you!" Charles teased. I laughed aloud. It felt amazing to release tension I didn't realize I'd been holding for so long, perhaps even before hearing about Dad.

Looking around at all of these faces I was beginning to know personally, I couldn't help feeling that even though I was hundreds of miles from home I still had a piece of my real family with me.

*********

We fueled up and rested at a bigger airport in Japan, then landed briefly in Russia. Gio had insisted we take this more "scenic" route instead of flying across the Atlantic so that I got more of a cultural experience. We arrived at our final destination in Manchester sometime in the wee hours of the morning.

My inner clock was running rogue by this point. Lack of sleep, hours ahead of L.A. time, it was all hitting me like a semi-truck going 80.

"Ah, there is something about being back in Manchester that makes me feel alive!" The curtains flew open and I jolted to a sitting position, regretting it almost instantly. I hadn't had anything to drink, yet somehow I felt like I had a mind-splitting hangover. I groaned in protest.

"Here is your breakfast, miss."

"Eva." I corrected in a groggy tone. I could tell by the irritating liveliness that it was Gio's shadowy figure against the brightly lit windows. Woody had likely made the breakfast, which helped me wake up a little faster. I smiled at the eggs benedict and piece of artisan toast on the plate. If this was his way of securing his job on the Westfield team, he was going to have no problem with that.

"Where are we?" At first I thought the plane, but I remember us being in a car at some point during the night.

"We stopped off at Woody's place, just to make sure everything was clear at your Father's first." I nodded and began to take in my surroundings. It was a large room with antique art pieces all over the place. The walls, a stenciled old white, even had an old quality about them. There was a Bogert painting that hung with a gold filigree frame in the center over an antique dresser. Woody had a very sophisticated palate from what I could tell. It showed in the way he spoke and cooked, and judging by the piano-forte in the corner of the room, the way he played music.

"Well, we have a lot of work to do, so wake your little sleepy head up and let's get this bloody day moving!" He downed the last of his black coffee.

Point clearly taken, I ate Woody's delicious eggs and buttered toast quicker than I would normally. Gio was right, the sooner we got all of this done, the sooner I could get settled. I had a feeling this new lifestyle was going to take some getting used to, but if I didn't like it, I suppose I could always sell the business and move back to LA, or maybe even put Gio in charge of running things. As quickly as the idea came, I stuffed it away. Saying it out loud would probably disappoint the whole crew since I would be running away from my troubles rather than facing them. I decided to keep my thoughts quiet until I really figured out what was going on.

Downstairs, Woody, Charles and Pia cheerfully greeted me. They were fully dressed in their professional uniforms. I looked down at my own white tank top and plaid pajama bottoms, making me wish I had at least put something decent on.

Woody and Charles left with Gio to pack luggage into the Black Cadillac we had driven over here. The large white doors leading to the gravel pavement outside let some of the fresh morning air and sunlight in.

"Would you like some coffee, Eva?" Pia had a cup in my hands before I even had a chance to answer.

"Thank you, Pia." I replied gratefully. All of this excitement was a bit over-the-top for me. Maybe it was because they were all home again. I took a sip. The warmth definitely soothed me.

"What part of Greece are you from?" I asked her as she began to gather her own things. Before she had a chance to answer I heard another vehicle pulling up outside. Gio re-emerged inside to carry Pia's things.

"Ah, there he is. We were wondering when you were going to make it by, Willy boy." It took me a moment to realize he wasn't looking at me. Willy? I whirled around and saw who Gio was speaking to. The man entering those same open white doors was almost Woody's height. He was definitely younger than I expected and extremely good-looking. His dark brown eyes traveled from Gio down to me. I was suddenly extremely aware of my messy and tired appearance.

"Eva, meet our Will!" Gio said. "He will be joining us until Charles is well enough to resume his normal position." I shook his extended hand abruptly.

"Nice to meet you, Will. I have to apologize for the way I look. Gio never told me you were stopping by this morning- " I sent a glare to Gio, who seemed to take the hint.

Will responded by half-smiling, his eyes traveled from my face downward, which sent a flaming rush of heat up my neck. Damn that Gio. Couldn't he have picked someone older so I wasn't going to have to worry about the way I looked for the next few weeks?

"Oh, I've seen much worse. Believe me, Ms. Westfield." Our hands remained clasped together. I quickly released his.

"Please, call me Eva."

"I'm sorry- " He replied dryly. "But I've never called a client by their first name."

Oh, so that's how this was going to go down? I set the coffee mug I had been holding on the kitchen counter and crossed my arms. The rest of the room silenced. Ms. Westfield my foot.

"Then I must be allowed to call you Prince William. How does that make you feel?" His lips turned slowly upward. It was torturous.

"Well, it makes me feel like a prince." He replied sarcastically.

That does it. I picked up my coffee and marched back upstairs. I wasn't one to put up with a haughty, egotistical attitude.

"Eva, what the hell are you doing?" Gio was right behind me.

"That man is just rude! He needs to leave immediately." I hissed, retreating down the hall where I was sure his highness couldn't hear our conversation.

"Yes, well-" Gio's frustration was evident "That manis the best security detail in the business." He lowered his voice. "It's only until Charles gets well again. Eva, can't you do this for Charles?"

I frowned. It was my fault that Charles was stuck in a cast. After all, he was only trying to defend me. If this helped him, I supposed I could deal with this William fellow's sarcastic antics for a few weeks.

"And what's up with allowing him to see me like this?" I asked, waving a hand over my appearance. I probably looked like I had partied all night, complete with bruises from the LA debacle and smudged mascara. What he must think of me.

If there was one thing my Father had taught me, and there weren't many of them, it was that first impressions are the most important. I covered my face with my hands in dismay.

"Eva..." Gio eyed me suspiciously. "You don't likehim, do you?"

"What? No!" I spat, cringing from the thought. "He's despicable."

Gio rubbed the bottom of his reddish chin hair with his hand. One look told me he wasn't trusting anything I was saying. He had known me long enough for me to realize I couldn't get away with anything. He was too clever.

"Well, that's good, then. We can't have anything interfering with all the work we have to do." He winked playfully. "Just don't let it get serious."

I wasn't going to let it getanything! I huffed all the way to my room and slammed the door. Mumbling about how unfair everything was, I rummaged through my suitcase and found decently-lengthened khaki shorts and a white T-shirt. Hopefully this would be appropriate enough for the day. I definitely wanted to be wearing a suit when it was time to meet with the board of directors at my Father's company.

I quickly applied some fresh mascara and combed my mane of dark blond hair into a decent ponytail. I paused to observe what five minutes can do in going from barely alive-looking to human. The coffee certainly helped.

Gio was right. Charles' getting well again was top-priority. Will was obnoxious and good-looking, probably one of those has-a-girl-in-every-city types, but none of that was going to get in the way of the business I had to take care of here. He was just here to protect me from murderers. That is all.

"That is all, Eva Westfield." I repeated, pointing an accusing finger to my reflection in the mirror.

Two black Cadillacs were now sitting in the gravel driveway, including the one Will had driven here. Woody and Pia took the second. They had to return to the plane to make sure it was prepared for future flights. I was sorry to see both of them leave, but they would be joining us later that evening before returning to see their own families.

Not surprisingly, I had to sit next to William in the first car. At least Gio and Charles were there, otherwise someone could have dropped a pin and we would have heard it. Leather seats or not.

We settled in for the ride and I decided to give Holly a call. Anything to break this horrible silence.

"How is it? Is it as beautiful as those pictures we looked at when we were kids?" Holly's voice sounded blissful. I looked out at the vast landscape to capture the image properly. There were breathtaking rock structures, bridges hidden in the rolling hills and patches of morning fog. I sort of felt like I was in a Harry Potter movie. It was haunting, but in a beautiful way.

"I can't wait for you to see it."

"Are the men hot?" Typical Holly—straight to the point. I glanced warily at William, who was looking straight ahead. A stoic expression rested on his face.

"Not particularly." I said dryly, hoping secretly that he overheard.

She groaned. "Is that really all you can tell me?"

"I'll be able to talk more later tonight. How's Jay?"

"Missing you of course." Her voice perked up "Oh, he has a girlfriend now!"

"What? Who?"

"You'll see whenever we see each other again. It's no one we know, but I really like her."

I looked out the window again, this time feeling homesick. I missed my life, my job, everything in LA. I missed it so much, it ached.

"Anyways, I have to get back to one of my clients." She said. "Talk later?"

"Yeah, talk later! Bye, Holly." I responded.

"Missing Holly, I see?" Gio looked back from the passenger seat and gave me a comforting smile.

I nodded and pursed my lips, sneaking another side glance at William.

He looked down, his hands fidgeting with a string on his European-style suit jacket.

We drove down across another tall bridge and onto a single-lane gravel road in a wooded area. About two minutes later we arrived at a huge iron gate. I could see a sneaking glimpse of the estate in the background.

"Is this it?" My voice filled with excitement. I had always dreamed of what it looked like. It was just as incredible as I imagined.

"This is it." Gio replied from the driver's seat, sensing my excitement. After he entered a code into a black iron box, the gates moved with hardly a sound.

Author's Note

Character Insight: Ever since I started the novel, I imagined that Gio looked a lot like Simon Peg (the British Actor who played Benji in the Mission Impossible series and other roles). He's definitely one of my favorite characters in this book! :)

More next week!