I Ran So Far Away - Complete

Chapter 13

"You didn't say she was arriving by helicopter," Kate hissed to Ana as a white craft approached Escala, landing on the roof.

"I didn't know," she replied, turning to glare at me.

"Sorry, baby. Oprah is arriving by helicopter," I said, smirking at my wife, sister, and sister-in-law to be. "With the press downstairs it was easier for her to fly in. Eamon will get his guys on the ground spread the word Oprah's getting an exclusive..."

"So why did we have to sneak in with the flowers in the back of an organic butcher's truck?" Mia asked, her nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Just lucky, I guess," I laughed. It had worked so well for our wedding, Neil from Brilliant Bayside Blooms was happy to sneak Mia and Kate in to the Escala basement alongside the numerous floral arrangements Gail had ordered for the apartment. Once Neil had discovered Oprah was visiting, he insisted on staying to style the bouquets in each room, so they would present to perfection.

Gail had been running around all morning. Usually unflappable, she'd banned everyone from the great room, the kitchen and particularly the library. She'd even brought Ana and me breakfast in bed, something we rarely indulged in. I had planned to breakfast in the great room as usual, but Ana insisted we instead eat in our bedroom, explaining Gail wanted us all out from underfoot as she made her final preparations.

After breakfast, Mia and Kate arrived, coming upstairs and all but pushing me out of our bedroom as they centered their attention on dressing Ana and Teddy. I'd stood in the upstairs landing, waiting for Gail to show Neil with the flowers through to the library before I tip toed downstairs toward my study. Taylor busted me half-way across the great room, but I'd held my finger to my lips indicating he should be silent. We'd heard Gail's voice approaching, presumably speaking with Neil. Wordlessly Taylor had pointed to my study, and we took off across the pristine clean marble, stepping inside and closing the doors before they had the opportunity to bust us.

I didn't like to think Taylor and I had been hiding – but we found things to do to kill an hour or so while Ana and Gail prepared. Half an hour before Oprah was due to arrive, Ana called me to come upstairs so she could help me decide what to wear. I cautiously opened the doors into the great room, Taylor standing beside me, when Gail spotted us.

"Excuse me. Ana wants me upstairs," I'd muttered, pretending not to notice how Gail's eyes narrowed slightly as we came out from our hiding place. "Taylor? Can you please go upstairs to the helipad ready to greet Ms. Winfrey and her team?"

"Thanks, boss," Taylor had hissed under his breath as we took off in separate directions, sparing ourselves a dressing down from his wife.

Upstairs Ana looked a vision in a long fluttery patterned dress. Light and airy, it was feminine and pretty. Mia was holding Teddy who was wearing a blue outfit that worked in with what Ana was wearing. I'd suggested I change into a suit only to be informed it was too formal for an interview like this. Mia ordered me to change into a pair of chinos she'd selected before being forced to model no less than half a dozen blue shirts in various shades.

"You want to coordinate but not match," Mia had explained.

"Does it matter?!" I'd snapped. "No one will be looking at what we're wearing!"

Kate had rolled her eyes, fishing an iPad out of her oversized bag, loading a couple of browser tabs with websites. Sure enough, there was a site about Seattle fashion with pages for Ana and me. There was even an as yet largely unpopulated section for Theodore Grey. Crazy!

Declared 'perfect' by Mia, we were waiting in the master suite upstairs when Taylor called to say Ms. Winfrey's helicopter had been spotted, and she would be with us momentarily. Accordingly, Kate, Mia, Ana and I moved downstairs to the great room, Gail standing beside the elevator ready to greet Oprah and her team.