48. Ryan

Chapter 48

Ryan

My flight home connects via Paris, but the pain I felt on that first short flight gave me all the clarity I needed.

Kayla is right, as usual. Telling her she means the world to me doesn’t mean shit if I’m following it up with a tearful goodbye.

She was quiet for most of the drive and dropped me off outside the airport without even saying ‘see you next winter’ . She’s protecting herself, I get it, but I never want my last memory to be of her turning away from me.

While waiting to board my connecting flight, I call the one person who can always figure things out in a crisis.

“Oh, finally he deigns to grace us with a phone call,” Dad says. “What happened to our dinner last week?”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” I wince. “I flew out early to see Kayla. Couldn’t wait.”

“That’s alright, son, Hannah told me. Kayla doing OK?”

“Yeah, she’s great. Listen, I don’t have long because I’m about to board my flight back to L.A., but I’m calling because I need a job. In London. As soon as possible.”

“Well, you’re a degree or two short for anything I could offer you, I’m afraid,” he laughs .

“Not a law job, obviously, but anything in television or film. I’ll reach out to contacts on the flight home, but can you please do me a favour and do the same? Literally anything , Dad. I’m desperate.”

“Of course, son. I’ll put some feelers out,” he says, his voice growing concerned. “What’s going on? Are you in trouble?”

“I’m coming home.”

Home means nothing, if Kayla isn’t part of it. I might not be able to move my work to the mountains, but I’ll move it as close as possible if it means more time with her.

Word spreads fast, and by the time I’m in my seat, Cameron has emailed me a link to check out.

Subject: Job idea?