Chapter 1
When you live in this part of London, you start to realise that you don't need an alarm clock in order to get up by six am; in fact having one was positively superfluous. This was because I lived somewhat overlooking Paddington Station. Not ideal, jut affordable. The six am train was the loudest or so it seemed and nearly always arrived on time therefore, I pretty much relied on this to wake me for work every morning. And even if it wasn't on time, I knew I wouldn't be late. I'd a depressed friend and, God love him, he'd ring me in the wee hours disturbing my sleep with his latest crisis resulting in me usually being awake by three am and being exhausted all day. I'd turn my phone off but I was the kind type and would rather have him wake me with a problem than have him land himself in back in the hospital.
But today was different. It was somewhere around two and I was so wide awake you'd think I'd ingested some hundred double espressos. This was because I had a mammoth undertaking ahead that day. I worked as a journalist, the kind who covers the "grand openings" of things and, to date, the biggest one I'd covered was the opening of a new Topshop in Covent Garden. Now though, I guess the big cheese thought me worthy of something more. Much more. There was a new office opening for Stark Industries in London later today and I had to cover it. I'd been checking out the building for weeks as it went up; a big glass affair with a lot of storeys and an obnoxiously large sign with those tanning bed blue lights behind it adorning the side. However, watching someone cut the ribbon on the door and writing about it was one thing, what I had to attempt to do was very much another.
For those not in the know, Stark Industries was a weapons development firm headed by one of the most rambunctious, notorious, cantankerous playboys going. It's CEO, Tony Stark.
My mission which, at the time, I naively chose to accept was to try to get a few words with "The DaVinci of our time." Perhaps the scariest thing I'd ever agreed to. I was terrified what with me being plain, mousy and very English and him being flamboyant, charismatic and American, that I'd get overlooked or worse; told where to go. That just made the nerves worse. There was no way I'd get any more sleep that night despite my most profound efforts.
It was for this reason that it actually came as a relief when Jake, the depressed friend, rang. Although, with a rare twist on tradition, the conversation provided some respite instead of a depressing insight into his life.
"Hello AJ." Jake's voice was thick with sleep, I envied him. "How're you holding up?" He asked referring, of course, to my big day ahead.
"I've been better." Clapping a cool hand to my face, I sighed. "Honestly? I'm terrified." I admitted after some time.
"You'll be fine. If he loves you as much as I do, it'll be great." I neglected to mention he was not only my friend; he was also the ex who couldn't let go.
"Long shot, but cheers all the same." I replied. "Anyway, are you ok?" Thought it should be said.
"I'm fine, just checking on you. For once." He laughed. It made me a little bitter I had to admit. I was suddenly desperate to get rid of him. After formulating the best excuse I could muster, I spoke.
"Anyway, I ought to try to sleep. See you later for a drink or something?" I tried to sound upbeat and jovial through the bile.
"Yup. Until then." And the phone clicked off. That was disappointingly easy.
Thumping the phone onto the nightstand as angrily as my exhaustion would permit; I rolled onto my front and buried my face into the accepting softness of the pillow below. After lying there for quite some time, hoping the lack of oxygen I was getting would eventually cause me to pass out, I heard my pet pug, Beans, totter into the room. Turning my heavy head to look at him, he yapped shortly and stared cutely with his shiny black eyes. I heaved his plump form up onto the bed.
"What do you think stinker? Think he'll humour me? Or just ignore me?" I conversed with Beans in a more relaxed manner than I could muster with most humans. Weird? Maybe.
"You don't fancy going for a walk by any chance do you?" I stared into his squishy face but he just turned away, made a sound resembling that a grumpy old man might make when he can't find his slippers and snuggled down onto the bed. "I'll take that as a no then." I replied and sunk back down onto the mattress. Even Beans seemed to sigh with me.
Stupidly, I checked the clock; only three more hours to spend obsessing before I could get up.