Page 43 of Habibi: Always and Forever

“What are we interfering in?” Rachael questioned gleefully, placing a cup of tea next to Nanna’s elbow.

“We aren’t interfering, are we Nanna?” I persisted despite the futility of it. Not once had I been able to change her mind when it was set on doing something. “I’ll ring Mum and tell on you,” I threatened, clutching at straws.

A deep belly laugh filled the kitchen. “Laddie, your mom is coming to stay while you’re on holiday and she’ll be on my side, you’ll see when she gets here later today.”

How had I forgotten that?

“Are you packed Charlie boy?”

I blinked owlishly, my brain playing catch up at the change of subject and the fact she was a little blurry without my glasses. “Of course, I’m packed.” I’d done the packing the day before while Griffin was in London finishing off some business.

A thought suddenly registered and my eyes narrowed. Had he known the day before he was having to leave and not said anything?

The more I considered this, the more likely it became when I hadn’t heard his phone this morning. I always hear it ring!

He knew all along.

“—that will stop everything.”

It took several seconds to register Nanna wasn’t making any sense. “Stop what?” I questioned in confusion, while the fuse to my anger caught light. He’d known, I was certain, and whatever Nanna planned… I was in.

* * *

GRIFFIN

I was a damn coward for not mentioning last evening the change of plans to Charlie. I didn’t want to see his disappointment when he’d raved about the island.

How did that work out for you? Honesty is everything Griff.

The voice in my head was most definitely Nanna.

She’d become my fucking conscience. I groaned and looked out the window as we drove towards Brighton airport where the plane waited for me.

I’d slept for shit knowing what I was going to face.

It was so much worse when Charlie pouted, he seldom did it and he rarely asked anything of me.

Why was I doing this to both of us?

I cursed, then cursed some more at the unfortunate turn of events. It was as rare as hens teeth to have an agreement signed three weeks before the set deadline. I’d been in shock during the call and had agreed without considering what it meant to me—to Charlie.

May, my PA had warned me when I ended the call and found out what I’d done.

She insisted I call them back and explain I couldn’t go.

As far as I could see, there was no way out when I’d agreed, it had nothing to do with the hundreds of millions I was investing.

Charlie was worth more than that to me, but in business my word had always meant something.

Alexander had taught me this and it prevented me from calling back to say no.

My shoulders slumped at thoughts of losing the three precious days with Charlie. I hated my work ethic right then and shut my eyes, rubbing at my temples trying to eradicate the persistent throbbing at hurting my husband.

At the car slowing sometime later I opened my eyes to see flashing blue lights out the windscreen. “Looks like something is happening at the airport,” Tony, my driver murmured.

Frowning at the spectacle, the throbbing increased. “Pull up out of the way and I’ll go and see what the commotion is about.” Out of the car, I checked my wristwatch, teeth grinding together. My plane was due to take off in the next hour.

I counted ten police cars and vans blocking the gates into the airfield as I approached. Men and women in police uniform were swarming the field. I headed to a group of men, who looked to be in charge. When I came to a standstill three officers glanced in my direction.

I wasn’t sure why I got a sudden feeling of dread unfurling in my gut, but it came as I met an older, dark-haired officers gaze as he took a step towards me. “Sorry sir, but you’ll need to return to your vehicle, we aren’t allowing anyone access to the airfield.”

“Can I ask what the issue is? I’m due to fly out shortly.”

“There isn’t anything I can tell you at this moment, but there won’t be any flights in or out of this airport… for the unforeseeable future.”

My first reaction was annoyance, then it struck that my plane was grounded. I couldn’t fly out, or it couldn’t. My eyes narrowed as I scratched the itch at the back of my neck as the feeling I’d had initially grew.

She wouldn’t…

I stared at all the flashing lights, and I couldn’t let go of the feeling this had Nanna’s mucky prints all over it. Would she call in a… hoax of some description to prevent me from leaving?

No, she wouldn’t.

Fuck, who was I kidding, the woman was a menace.

“Sir, please return to your vehicle.”

I nodded at the dark-haired man absently trying to assess what level of crazy Nanna would go to for Charlie, right as more police vans arrived. “Sorry, of course.”

I threaded my way back to my car, my brain working overtime as to reasons why so many police would be required. And what level of trouble this could cause if Nanna had indeed had a hand in this.

I got into the back seat, shut the door, and reached for my mobile phone. I calculated the time difference between the UK and Dubai. Could I do a conference call and do an electronic signature on the documents instead? They’d wanted me there in person—insisted—but if I couldn’t get there…

“What is it sir?”

I looked up from my phone. “They wouldn’t say, but basically the plane is grounded for the unforeseeable future.

” Was I glad, I couldn’t say when it could mean even more days of waiting to start our holiday if I couldn’t figure this out.

Charlie would never forgive me—I knew that deep in my gut—if I had to use more of our holiday time to fix this issue.

And there was still the nagging worry Nanna was somehow involved.

I placed the call to Barry who had flown out the evening before.

“Mr. Hudson, I wasn’t expecting you to call. Is there a problem?”

I stared out at the blue lights. “You could say that. My plane is stranded at Brighton airport because of some kind of incident.”

“Oh!”

“Yes, oh indeed. I need you to speak with Hamza and Idris, we are going to have to do a video conference and an electronic signature for the documents,” I stated firmly, containing my relief.

Some of the strain of the last twenty-four hours dissipated with the knowledge I could avoid leaving Charlie.

“Yes, I can. Give me half an hour Mr. Hudson to arrange it?” Barry was nothing if not efficient, it was why I’d promoted him.

“Of course.”

Swiping to end the call, I stared at my phone. If Nanna had done something, that had to mean Charlie had spoken to her straight after I’d left. It was a thirty-minute drive to the airport and traffic was light. I hadn’t seen or heard any police sirens… was I giving Nanna too much credit?

Possibly.

Just something said this wasn’t a co-incidence.

Another thought registered; my staff were inside the airfield. Would they know what was going on?

“Do you want to return home, sir?”

I held up my fingers. “Not yet.” I dialed the air steward who was on shift for this morning’s flight.

“Hello Mr. Hudson,” Amy answered, sounding a little giddy. “I’m not sure if you’ve heard Brighton airport have stopped all incoming and outgoing flights due to an issue with the electronic aviation system going offline. They have re-routed the inbound aircrafts to prevent any plane crashes. ”

I breathed out a sigh of relief at the reason. It could have nothing to do with Nanna. “No, I’m in the car outside the entrance. They wouldn’t give me any details.”

“The control tower went offline around twenty minutes ago, then things got a little crazy here. I…”

Twenty minutes.

Only twenty minutes ago.

She couldn’t be involved… could she?

Doubt crept back in. Nanna made friends very easily and could manage to talk anybody into anything in my experience… but this. It was too farfetched.

I couldn’t make my mind up having spent nearly five years with the crazy old coot.

“—shall we?”

Amy’s voice penetrated and I attempted to figure out what she was asking. “Sorry, what was that?” I asked, coming up empty.

“I was asking if a plan for the plane to be grounded overnight should be considered and the pilot file a new flight plan to Dubai for tomorrow?”

“No, go back to the original plan for the Bahamas. See if they’ll let you file a departure for first thing tomorrow… or tonight.”

“Of course. I’ll get back to you.” Amy ended the call.

A second later Barry rang. “Have they agreed?” I asked immediately, reaching down for my spare laptop stored in the car for convenience.

“They have. They will be free to conference call in fifteen minutes. I have sent you the link to join the call and the document link via Scrive to sign and date.”

My phone pinged with the text message as he finished, a quick check and I could see I had the document I needed. “I’ll sign it while on the call.”

Thirty minutes later everything done from outside the airport in the car. I had turned the laptop around to verify to both men the extent of the issue, which eased the situation somewhat.

A lightness came at what that meant, despite the nagging worry Nanna was somehow involved in the continued problem unfolding outside the car.

Directing Tony to take me home, it gave me more time to consider Nanna’s crazy shenanigans.

Still pondering when the car pulled into the drive, I stared at the man and woman who appeared before the car was stationary. They both grinned like Cheshire cats.

I groaned philosophically as I got out of the car. “What did you two do?” The amusement took away the sternness I’d aimed for.

Both shrugged, neither looking innocent before I grabbed my bag, thanked Tony, and shut the door, walking up to the front of the house.

Charlie’s radiant smile left me breathless when followed quickly by arousal. The years we’d spent together only enhanced the feeling that at times still shocked me when I’d considered myself straighter than straight.

With a shake of my head, I slung my arm around Charlie’s middle and tugged him close enough to nuzzle into the side of his warm scented neck. “So, who do I need to pay off for whatever scheme Nanna concocted to get me out of my trip?”

“You don’t have to go?” Charlie asked giddily, side eyeing Nanna giving himself away.

How could I be cross? “No. I managed to do everything from the back of the car. It seems the airport stopped all incoming and outgoing flights.” I glanced at Nanna. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Fucking feed me,” she screeched channelling the cat, Sissy, her tabby, who appeared quite conveniently at her feet.

Charlie sniggered and I rolled my eyes. “You’re as bad as her,” I accused.

Nanna tutted and shuffled around to follow the cat, giggling, her stick not touching the ground.

“Of course he is, he’s learning from a pro on how to keep things interesting”—she glanced back and gave a saucy wink—“just not in the bedroom, hey Charlie boy. You can do that all on your own from the noises you both make.”

“Nanna,” I moaned, blushing.

At the same time Charlie called after her, “You promised me to never talk about that stuff again!”

Her laughter floated down the passageway.

My lips twitched before a smile appeared. “No one will ever change her. No one, Charlie boy, not even you.” And right then, I didn’t want her too when I got to be here with Charlie. “Care to tell me how she pulled this off?”

Charlie snorted. “You don’t want to know.”

* * *

I f you want to discover just how mischievous Nanna is, you can either check out my website jpsayle.com or head to amazon to find the series Billionaire’s Playground.