My work placement, part of my degree. Dad asked Joe if he had a place for me in his PR firm in London for six months.
I might as well live on the moon. Nobody tells me anything. June said taking a larger than advised mouthful of whiskey. Amber patted her on the back as she coughed it back up.
It's a great opportunity for you, Roger said. Joe's a really sharp businessman and if you pay attention, you will learn a lot. And it'll be a great opportunity for you to see London.
Thanks for arranging it daddy. It'll be great.
Amber's hair blew horizontally in the storm as she got into the car. Wow Uncle Joe. A stormy welcome to England, she said pulling her seat-belt across her chest.
You have to pity the English, it's either as windy as hell, or raining. Call me Joe; I think you're a bit big to be calling me Uncle Joe, don't you? Joe put Amber's case in the trunk and squeezed his long legs under the steering wheel of his beloved Bugatti.
I guess so. Where are we going now?
I'm taking you to your apartment and then for dinner with Alison and me, and tomorrow I'll come and take you to work. There's a lot to do in the next few weeks. We've got some exciting stuff coming up.
Great, Amber said as she ducked down behind the dash.
What's the matter?
Sorry. It's the traffic; it's on the wrong side, and I thought we were going to hit that car.
Joe laughed. Welcome to England, they like to do things differently here.
Amber hadn't seen Joe for a long time, not since she was about thirteen. She remembered him as a dashing young man, tall and dark skinned with whiter than white teeth and a love of cigars and fast cars. He'd gone to university with her father and moved to England to open up a Trans-Atlantic PR agency. Since then, the agency had expanded and now had clients from all over the world.
They drove to an apartment block in Knightsbridge, one of London's most affluent areas. Amber couldn't believe how luxurious her apartment was.
Are you sure Joe? This place must be worth a fortune, I'm sure you could get loads of cash by renting it out, Amber said. She was standing in the middle of a huge lounge that overlooked Kensington Park. She loved the highly polished antique parquet and the sash windows.
I'll rent it out after you've gone back to the States. For now, I hope you enjoy it. I promised your father I'd look after you.
Well thanks, it's beautiful. Amber wandered into the bedroom and noticed that the bed was already made. She looked in the en-suite bathroom and imagined herself soaking in the huge bath after a hard day's work.
Amber was more than pleased Joe had thought about her welfare. She'd been expecting to stay in some grotty student apartment, the sort of place she'd become accustomed to over the last four years while at Yale.
On the way to Joe's apartment in Belgravia, Amber closed her eyes, at least, three times and waited for the worst to happen. As her heart pounded, she told herself to darn well get used to the traffic because she was making a fool of herself.
Amber remembered Alison as being tall and slender, and the most elegant of her parents’ female friends. When Alison opened the door, Amber thought she was even more glamorous than she remembered.
Amber, hi. It's so nice to see you. Wow, you've grown into a really pretty young lady.
Thanks. Great to see you, Alison.
Drink? Joe asked when they reached the lounge. Alison sat down next to Amber and crossed her shapely legs.
Yes please darling. Amber?
I think I will, it's been a long journey.
We're very pleased your here, Joe said. Alison patted Amber's hand and clutched it to her.
Alison and Joe made Amber feel at home, and she began to really look forward to her stay in England. She'd learned so much about the tiny islands and was eager to find out more.
Amber had to scramble the next morning to be ready on time. She'd slept incredibly well and pressed snooze more times than she cared to remember. Eventually, though, there were only thirty minutes left before Joe was to pick her up.
Joe's eyes opened wider than usual when he saw Amber in her business suit. She wore a skirt just above the knee, and a matching jacket with an elegant white blouse. He looked at her never ending legs and began to think vulgar thoughts.
The office was a collection of rooms in a very smart building in Piccadilly. Joe handed Amber over to a young woman called Josephine, a leggy blonde with a thick northern accent.
Josephine graduated from Cambridge last year. She works with one of our most important clients, Rushmore United, England's premier soccer team, Joe said. Amber was pleased to see Josephine give her a welcoming smile. From that moment, she knew they would get on well. By the way, they call soccer, football here. So please refer to it as football or they'll think you're a stupid yank, Joe said. He strode to the door and left the two ladies to get on with it.