Read Online From Notting Hill to New York . . . Actually by Ali McNamara - Free Book Online
Authors: Ali McNamara
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holiday abroad, then really I’d be stupid to argue with you, Dr Sean, wouldn’t I?’
‘Scarlett,’ Sean says, trying to approach me again, ‘please don’t be like this.’
‘I’m not being like anything. If this is what you think is best then who am I to stand in the way of your genius idea?’ I hold out my arms in dramatic Hollywood fashion with a fake smile plastered across my lips. ‘Start spreading the news, Sean, because guess what? Scarlett is about to hit New York City!’
Seven
As the plane gathers speedalong the tarmac I sit and stare out of the tiny window next to me, wondering what kind of miracle takes place to allow this great weighty object to claw its way off the ground and soar high into the air like a grand bird of prey, carrying its cargo up into the clouds and on to another world.
I’m finally on my way to New York City.
After Sean had suggested the trip, it hadn’t taken me long to book it at all. What had taken time was organising everything else. Making sure that Tammy and Leon were actually capable of looking after the business while I was away for a whole week had been my biggest worry, but Sean had said he would pop in and check on them from time to time. I doubted how often this would actually occur,knowing Sean’s hectic work schedule. But what could I do? It was either that or not go at all, and now I’d decided I wanted to visit New York – boy, was I looking forward to it!
In the few weeks that had passed since booking the flights, I’d bought new clothes suitable for a week’s sightseeing, read as many guidebooks as I could and even re-watched as many of my favourite New York-based movies as I’d had time to, to get me in the mood for the trip. I’d even broken one of my rules of never watching a Christmas movie before December so I could sit through films like
Elf, Home Alone 2
and
Serendipity
, and now I couldn’t wait to set foot in the Big Apple.
The passenger in the seat next to me wriggles for about the tenth time that minute and in frustration I turn towards him.
‘Are you going to be like this for the next seven hours?’ I ask an agitated-looking Oscar, who’s leaning around the side of his seat peering down the aisle of the plane.
‘If we have that hot air steward looking after us for the whole flight I might become more than a little agitated, darling. Did you see him when he leaned across asking us to fasten our seat belts earlier? OMG! He’s to die for.’
‘I wondered why you were pretending to havea problem with yours. He’s OK, I guess, but I’d rather not die on this flight, thanks; I do actually want to see New York.’
Yes: my travelling companion today, and for the next week, is Oscar, who, when he’d found out that I was going to New York, had thrown his arms in the air with such vigour, and spun around on the floor with such finesse, that he could have been auditioning for a Broadway show.
‘You’re going to New York!’ he’d exclaimed. ‘On your own? How can that be?’
When I’d explained about Sean and his work, and that I was really going to visit Dad, his eyes had lit up. ‘Let’s go together, darling! And I can visit Jen while I’m there!’
As fast as Oscar’s arms had raised, my heart had sunk. Jen was not only Oscar’s sister, but Sean’s ex-girlfriend. We hadn’t ever really met properly, but I’d heard her in action in a hotel room in Paris – very long story! – and she was not the sort of person I wanted to spend any time with at all.
‘Yes, why not?’ I’d said brightly through gritted teeth. ‘It would be fantastic for you to see her again.’
And that’s how it had started.
So before I knew it I had a companion who was travelling with just as much, if not more, luggage than me. (He certainly had abigger case of toiletries.) And as I set out on my big adventure across the Atlantic, I was very glad to have him right there beside me.
Our flight is smooth and goes past in a flash, thanks to
‘Scarlett,’ Sean says, trying to approach me again, ‘please don’t be like this.’
‘I’m not being like anything. If this is what you think is best then who am I to stand in the way of your genius idea?’ I hold out my arms in dramatic Hollywood fashion with a fake smile plastered across my lips. ‘Start spreading the news, Sean, because guess what? Scarlett is about to hit New York City!’
Seven
As the plane gathers speedalong the tarmac I sit and stare out of the tiny window next to me, wondering what kind of miracle takes place to allow this great weighty object to claw its way off the ground and soar high into the air like a grand bird of prey, carrying its cargo up into the clouds and on to another world.
I’m finally on my way to New York City.
After Sean had suggested the trip, it hadn’t taken me long to book it at all. What had taken time was organising everything else. Making sure that Tammy and Leon were actually capable of looking after the business while I was away for a whole week had been my biggest worry, but Sean had said he would pop in and check on them from time to time. I doubted how often this would actually occur,knowing Sean’s hectic work schedule. But what could I do? It was either that or not go at all, and now I’d decided I wanted to visit New York – boy, was I looking forward to it!
In the few weeks that had passed since booking the flights, I’d bought new clothes suitable for a week’s sightseeing, read as many guidebooks as I could and even re-watched as many of my favourite New York-based movies as I’d had time to, to get me in the mood for the trip. I’d even broken one of my rules of never watching a Christmas movie before December so I could sit through films like
Elf, Home Alone 2
and
Serendipity
, and now I couldn’t wait to set foot in the Big Apple.
The passenger in the seat next to me wriggles for about the tenth time that minute and in frustration I turn towards him.
‘Are you going to be like this for the next seven hours?’ I ask an agitated-looking Oscar, who’s leaning around the side of his seat peering down the aisle of the plane.
‘If we have that hot air steward looking after us for the whole flight I might become more than a little agitated, darling. Did you see him when he leaned across asking us to fasten our seat belts earlier? OMG! He’s to die for.’
‘I wondered why you were pretending to havea problem with yours. He’s OK, I guess, but I’d rather not die on this flight, thanks; I do actually want to see New York.’
Yes: my travelling companion today, and for the next week, is Oscar, who, when he’d found out that I was going to New York, had thrown his arms in the air with such vigour, and spun around on the floor with such finesse, that he could have been auditioning for a Broadway show.
‘You’re going to New York!’ he’d exclaimed. ‘On your own? How can that be?’
When I’d explained about Sean and his work, and that I was really going to visit Dad, his eyes had lit up. ‘Let’s go together, darling! And I can visit Jen while I’m there!’
As fast as Oscar’s arms had raised, my heart had sunk. Jen was not only Oscar’s sister, but Sean’s ex-girlfriend. We hadn’t ever really met properly, but I’d heard her in action in a hotel room in Paris – very long story! – and she was not the sort of person I wanted to spend any time with at all.
‘Yes, why not?’ I’d said brightly through gritted teeth. ‘It would be fantastic for you to see her again.’
And that’s how it had started.
So before I knew it I had a companion who was travelling with just as much, if not more, luggage than me. (He certainly had abigger case of toiletries.) And as I set out on my big adventure across the Atlantic, I was very glad to have him right there beside me.
Our flight is smooth and goes past in a flash, thanks to
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