London Red

By Chris Haigh

Twenty-seven year old Paul Williams is ambitious and talented. He has already achieved financial success by being driven and single-minded, motivated by the fear of failure, propelled by his childhood lack of security and money. But now he’s on the verge of becoming a multimillionaire and fears any committed romance, while hiding behind a macho exterior.
He meets Katie Fels, age twenty, who lives nearby in London and is in her first year at university. She is attractive and sexy and plans to become a barrister. As she falls for Paul, she needs to feel important and cherished, as in her previous relationship she’d had an abusive boyfriend. She wants love, not one-night stands, and plans to develop her career before considering marriage and children.
Paul has developed his cutting-edge technology so that he can convert any person’s image and their mannerisms into a hologram… to do whatever the viewer wants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 9, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483422954

Book preview

HAIGH

Copyright © 2014 Chris Haigh.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2296-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-2295-4 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 12/30/2014

CONTENTS

Chapter 1:   Hologram

Chapter 2:   Cafe

Chapter 3:   Lunch

Chapter 4:   The Changing Room

Chapter 5:   Escort

Chapter 6:   Rain

Chapter 7:   The Chemist

Chapter 8:   Photograph

Chapter 9:   Flight

Chapter 10:   First Night In San Francisco

Chapter 11:   Meeting

Chapter 12:   Scoma

Chapter 13:   House Rental

Chapter 14:   Breakfast

Chapter 15:   Interview

Chapter 16:   CK

Chapter 17:   Michelle

Chapter 18:   Paul’s Problem

Chapter 19:   Two Shocks

Chapter 20:   Tie Me Down

Chapter 21:   Katie Remembers

Chapter 22:   Porn

Chapter 23:   Katie

Chapter 24:   Abuser

Chapter 25:   Paul

Chapter 26:   The Party

Chapter 27:   The Studio

Chapter 28:   The Gift

Chapter 29:   January To May

Chapter 30:   June And July

Chapter 31:   Trace

Chapter 32:   LC

Chapter 33:   Life

Chapter 34:   The End

ABOUT LONDON RED

Twenty-seven year old Paul Williams is ambitious and talented. He has already achieved financial success by being driven and single-minded, motivated by the fear of failure, propelled by his childhood lack of security and money. But now he’s on the verge of becoming a multimillionaire and fears any committed romance, while hiding behind a macho exterior.

He meets Katie Fels, age twenty, who lives nearby in London and is in her first year at university. She is attractive and sexy and plans to become a barrister. As she falls for Paul, she needs to feel important and cherished, as in her previous relationship she’d had an abusive boyfriend. She wants love, not one-night stands, and plans to develop her career before considering marriage and children.

Paul has developed his cutting-edge technology so that he can convert any person’s image and their mannerisms into a hologram … to do whatever the viewer wants. As Katie takes an important role in the sale of his business, he struggles to maintain his original plan to steer away from any serious relationship.

The passion is doomed unless she can change Paul into a lover who cares and will cherish her.

Contains scenes of erotica.

‘Amazing. I literally cried when I read the last chapter.’—Mia from USA

‘Loved it. Great story.’—Susan from USA

‘Loved the book so much, thank you and I loved the ending.’—Hibzy from Australia

‘Great story.’—Ciala from USA

‘Aw so romantic. I loved it.’—Margaret from Auckland

‘Loved the storytelling very much. Thank you for sharing.’—Archana from India

‘Awesome story.’—Yasotha from Malaysia

‘Loved the ending.’—Jessie from USA

‘I’m so happy I found this.’—Gabby from USA

‘Love it.’—Talia from Jamaica

‘Best book ever. One of my favorite stories.’—Gina from USA

‘Love this book so freakin’ much.’—Diana from Ireland

‘Gracias. It was beautiful.’—Lupita from USA

‘I’m sad it’s over.’—Gabriella from USA

‘I cried a lot.’—Hari from Philippines

‘Cool story. Cool ending.’—Lily from USA

‘Love this couple and the storyline; disappointed when it ended.’—Shermaine from USA

DEDICATION

To Janie, my wife, for putting up with me during the long hours of writing this book.

CHAPTER 1

Hologram

Paul could feel it, sense it. Like a living thing. The excitement grew, tightening his stomach into a knot. It was almost painful. The computer monitor held the image, an image he had developed and worked on for a year. Now it was there. The face stared out at Paul, a hologram of a girl … the replica of her face, neck, and shoulders … but changed into a hologram.

He smiled. ‘How are you today?’

The hologram responded with half a giggle, ‘I’m fine, thanks. You look good, Paul.’

The contours of the face had finely drawn horizontal lines mapping the shape of her eyes and nose. As she turned her head, Paul could see the closely packed streaks of light that looked like continuous lines, each one separated by a gap which was so small that he had to lean nearer the monitor to see it. At first glance, an onlooker might think this wasn’t a real person, it was make believe, rather like a ghost. It reminded Paul of long-distance interviews on a news programme where the person on the other side of the world spoke something but there was always a slight delay in hearing it. It was the same with this hologram on the screen; Paul could hear the small delay in the girl’s replies, as if she were in space; and by sitting back from the screen, Paul couldn’t detect the fine lines that made up the face. Yet it wasn’t a cartoon or some computer drawing, some trick with mirrors to create an illusion. This face on the screen was the face of a living individual, a girl who had been photographed in a studio from multiple angles and transposed onto the hologram software. The girl was alive and he had met her, but here on the computer it was an exact replica of her but controlled by the viewer.

‘I like the way you look,’ he said. ‘How are you today?’ He held his breath. The words in the conversation didn’t matter; it was all about the ability to converse.

‘Yeah. I feel fine; I’m good, thank you.’ The moving, talking image of the girl lowered her voice. ‘I’m waiting for you to tell me what to do.’

He whooped for joy. The hologram worked. Really, really worked. He got serious and spoke again to the monitor. ‘We’ll go out together. Tonight. I’ll pick you up at seven.’

‘That’s cool. I’ll wear something nice.’ The hologram raised her eyebrows as if waiting for approval. The image froze at that point.

His reaction was instant. Paul jumped up from his swivel, leather office chair and yelled, ‘Yesss,’ as he punched the air. ‘You crazy bastard,’ he shouted to the empty room, ‘you’ve fuckin’ done it.’ He stood back and stared at the screen. If only he could phone San Francisco, his work team would have the same reaction, but it was too early; the eight-hour time difference meant two o’clock in the morning for them.

In his mind, he needed to calm down, so he sat and leaned back to look up at the ceiling. He said softly, ‘I’ve done it. Unbelievable. I’ve changed a photograph into an image that will have a conversation with me.’ Paul recognised he would have to expand the stored conversation patterns in the programme, but that didn’t pose a problem.

There were so many possibilities, and he knew where his research must go. There had always been a clear understanding of what Paul wanted and knew he could achieve; an interactive image of someone known to the viewer projected onto a computer monitor or a wall; talking, conversing, laughing, instructing, just like if the real person were in the room while the living individual wasn’t there and wasn’t actually aware of the conversations. If the next few months went according to plan, he would be a multimillionaire. His development into hologram technology had crossed into new territory, a new advance which corporations around the world would want to buy into. The use of hologram technology meant any person could have a two-way conversation with an image, assuming the image was programmed with enough response data.

He got up to walk over to the exercise bike in the corner of his studio. With the earphones on and the volume turned up, Paul pedalled fast to work up a sweat into his loose T-shirt and shorts. His joy increased the energy as he pounded the pedals, and afterwards he would go upstairs, take a shower, have something to eat, and plan the new phase of his business.

*

Katie strolled down Long Acre in London’s Covent Garden with two of her friends. The three of them had been in the same school and now attended different universities. She wore sunglasses perched on top of her head, the sun reflected off the pink lenses. Her friend Rachel suddenly pulled her arm to steer them into the shoe shop twenty yards away. Katie instinctively grabbed Michelle, keeping the three girls together as they entered the shop. It took them a good half-hour before they were done, having tried on shoes, discussed styles and colours, but not bought anything. Yet.

‘I need caffeine … quick … before I die,’ said Katie as the girls emerged onto the street.

‘Costas. Let’s go,’ called Michelle. ‘Let’s find some guys.’

The remark was no surprise to Katie, bearing in mind Michelle’s reputation to devour all men who looked good and had money. ‘Oh, I see university hasn’t changed you.’

‘No way,’ said Michelle.

They sat at the round table inside the cafe, next to the window. The best place to see who passed by in the street and a prime position to see who came into Costas. Katie sipped her cappuccino. Michelle and Rachel nursed Americanos. The cafe buzzed with the sound of people chatting, the coffee machine gurgling and swishing to make froth. The smell of roasted beans permeated the air.

‘Oh my god,’ exclaimed Michelle. ‘Look at that.’ Her eyes widened in dramatic style to get the others to quickly look.

Katie turned to spot him through the window. ‘Too good for you, Mich,’ she said. She wanted to say, He looks too settled, but I don’t care … I would have him.

They watched the man stroll into the cafe, before he hovered by the door to look around. She noticed his eyes, dark, intelligent; his mouth a confident twist which made a dimple in his right cheek. She missed a beat of her pulse as he looked directly at her, as if reading her thoughts. He stood still for a second before moving – in their direction.

Rachel whispered, ‘Don’t stare, for god’s sake. Might put him off.’

Katie wrenched her eyes away to look out of the window, yet still held him in her side vision.

‘Must be in his late-twenties, bet you,’ murmured Michelle.

Katie noticed the way he walked towards them – confident, assured – never taking his eyes off their table, to stop and stand before them. ‘Sorry, girls. Do you mind doing me a favour?’

Katie swivelled her head and joined her friends to look up at this handsome man. She held her breath.

‘Could you save the table next to you, please? While I get a coffee.’

Michelle replied first. ‘Yeah, sure.’

He moved away to the other side of the cafe to join the queue at the counter.

Michelle took off her ASOS blazer before dumping it with her bag on his table. ‘Fit or what?’ She grinned. ‘I’ve seen him somewhere before.’

Katie secretly admired Michelle for her brazen I’m-interested-in-you approach to all men with any sex appeal. Michelle didn’t care if it was obvious. She liked being chased, liked being taken out, and liked sex – which always made her fun to be with, although Katie admitted to herself that trusting Michelle might not be wise.

‘Don’t make it so obvious,’ said Rachel. ‘He can’t be interested in us, even you, Mich.’

‘Why?’ Michelle asked, keeping her eyes on his back while he stood waiting to be served.

‘Because, my lovely, Mich,’ said Rachel, ‘we are aged twenty and he is—’

‘I don’t care. I wouldn’t say no.’

The conversation continued between the other two while Katie kept quiet. She guessed it would be another hello from the guy when he sat down, and that would be it. No big deal.

They hushed their laughter while they took turns to watch him. A few minutes later he came over, and they made room for him to squeeze past. She watched him put his coffee down next to Michelle’s bag. Katie examined his tight bum just as he turned round to come back over to their table.

‘I bought you this. For saving me a table. I really appreciate your help.’

Awfully polite, thought Katie, as she imagined his toned abs the other side of that tight Nike T-shirt. She felt guilty at wanting to rip it off him. Nice. Get a grip, she thought.

He put in front of them a plate with three Danish pastries plus three spoons. For a second, Katie caught the smell of his subtle aftershave; she couldn’t help thinking, Oh fuck … I like … I want.

She joined her friends to gush her thanks, together with you-shouldn’t-have-done, and grabbed her spoon. Her eyes followed the man as he sat back at his table.

He turned. ‘Ah, sorry. Forgot to give you these.’ He got up to bring over red paper napkins.

‘Why don’t you join us?’ It was Katie who had spoken, a second before Mich said the same thing.

He brought his chair round to sit opposite them. ‘I’m Paul, by the way.’

The girls gave their best smiles along with their names. She watched him. He looked so sexy in his white top and blue Levi’s.

Paul appeared confident, and Katie recognised his ability to draw her, with the others, into a relaxed, friendly, and funny conversation without being pushy.

He seemed mature for his age, and her intrigue grew to know more about him, but he kept the conversation on them, their university degree courses, and their impressions of their first year.

Time passed quickly. Even though Katie and her friends had learnt virtually nothing about him, it seemed to her he’d won universal approval. Why, she wondered, did she like him – she could tell the others felt the same – while he gave so little away about himself?

Rachel read a text from her boyfriend; it was time to go. Katie didn’t want to leave, couldn’t help her disappointment, and knew Michelle felt the same.

Before they got up to leave, Paul said, ‘If you girls are in town on Wednesday, I’ll be here. Can you make it?’ He looked straight at Katie.

She angled her head at Michelle before they both nodded. They swapped mobile numbers.

‘Next time,’ he said, ‘we could have something to eat. I’ll take you out to lunch.’ He smiled that dimpled smile of his.

Without thinking, she asked, ‘Perhaps you’d prefer to meet up with your own friends?’ A moment of panic touched Katie as she held her breath.

‘You’re kidding, right?’ He laughed. ‘I’ve had the best forty minutes for a long time. Besides …’ He shrugged. ‘Besides … I don’t know. I’ll tell you more next time.’ His eyes shined as he glanced at Rachel and Michelle before settling on Katie.

She wanted to shout, Besides what? Tell me now. I don’t want to wait for next time.

CHAPTER 2

Cafe

The hologram filled Paul’s large computer screen as he sat back to review it. The early morning sun came through the studio windows to set down patterns on the pinewood floor. A mug of tea sat untouched on the desk next to him. The image on the screen moved in exactly the same way as the model from the agency. In fact it was nearly her. Her expressions and smile still looked stilted, caused by the transition from a vast number of photographs to a film of the model’s face and head.

The guys in America were working on the image lines to make them closer. His team were as excited as he was. He turned his attention to the voice technology and switched to a different keyboard. The second computer was programmed to trawl conversations on the internet, via YouTube as well as other vocal connections like advertisements – hundreds of them, which Paul’s software swept into a file. The programme had run for several days. It wasn’t a surprise the speed at which the word count reached more than a million, now saved on his database.

‘Okay,’ murmured Paul, ‘what happens when I do this?’ He switched the word base into the saved conversation patterns. Thirty seconds later the hologram could say anything from the million words stored, as if it were talking, in her own way. ‘Wow,’ he said to the screen. ‘Now I need to solve how to get the hologram to respond to my random questions.’ He sighed with satisfaction.

He thought about the chance meeting at the cafe. Katie was the one who had intrigued him. She had something about her, something that her friends didn’t quite have. Although Michelle had an overt sexual attraction, he would feel trapped if he let anything develop with her. Rachel seemed the most sensible of the three, but she had a boyfriend. Yet it was Katie whom he’d spotted when he came into Costas, even from a distance of ten yards. Little things like her innocence, the way her face went a little pink whenever he looked directly into her eyes, the way her infectious laugh made him automatically smile … he couldn’t help it.

And he couldn’t help looking at her stored mobile number as he switched her into ‘favourite contacts’. Nor could he stop himself thumbing a text. ‘Hi, Katie. So good to meet you. Hope you haven’t changed your mind to meet again. Paul.’ By the time he put the kettle on to boil, his iPhone vibrated.

‘Hi. Looking forward to it. Let me buy you coffee this time. Katie.’

‘I’m buying and lunch afterwards. Okay for that, you and the others? P.’ He secretly hoped Michelle and Rachel would not be joining them. Even though he had no intention of forming a close relationship, he knew himself better than anybody. He liked women, he liked their company; he liked the way they reacted to him, and he preferred them to men friends. But to get too close to any female was dangerous as far as he was concerned.

‘Mich is up for it. Where are we going for lunch? K.’

‘Anywhere you like. You choose. You’re in charge! P.’ The fact remained, Paul knew his weakness, he liked girls, he liked sex, but he didn’t like commitment.

‘I’m in charge? Hmm. You decide. Just tell me what to wear. K.’

Texting could cross the invisible line between normal conversation and sexy comments, but although he felt in the mood, he didn’t want to risk ruining a friendship with Katie. He could so easily make some remark to suggest she wear something sexy. Paul held back and played safe. ‘Whatever you wear will be perfect.’

An uncomfortable guilt settled on him. He knew he fancied Katie and would love to play mind games with her. But he was afraid to give a hint of how he felt. He wanted to see her again, by herself, to touch her, to— He stopped himself from letting his thoughts go any further.

*

Katie and Michelle strode across the street to Costas.

‘You think he’ll be there again?’ joked Michelle, as she linked her arm through Katie’s.

‘Could be the difference between a Danish or not.’ She laughed. ‘He sent me a text to confirm.’ The anticipation of seeing him again excited her.

They entered the cafe. Two boys sitting on the left looked at them arrogantly, scanning their eyes over them as they made hushed remarks between themselves. The girls surveyed past the counter to the subdued light at the back.

‘I don’t believe it,’ said Michelle, as she detached herself from Katie to lead the way over to Paul.

He stood and drew back chairs on either side of him. ‘What would you girls like to drink? No Rachel today?’

‘She couldn’t make it. Actually, she preferred her boyfriend.’ Mich made a face as if to say stupid girl.

‘And you two don’t have boyfriends?’ His laugh had a shyness to it, a message like it wasn’t really any of his business to ask about relationships and he certainly wasn’t expecting a reply. He took their coffee order and went over to the counter.

Mich leaned over and kept her voice down. ‘Why did he text you? And not me?’

‘I dunno. Perhaps he finds me so incredibly attractive.’

‘Yeah, right. We’ve only met him once.’

A tray of three coffees and three croissants were delivered by Paul. He had wide hands, Katie noticed, strong looking fingers and an expensive watch on his left wrist. As he put the tray away, Mich asked if he always came here. He remained standing for a few seconds as he replied. A few seconds for Katie to cast her eyes over him, starting at the leather belt around his slim waist. The jacket, loose fit linen, black, and creased in that informal style; over a black T-shirt made of fine wool. Nice, she thought.

‘Just occasionally I come here. I like the buzz of Covent Garden.’ He sat down. ‘And you both. Do you hang out together?’

His gaze had swept across from Mich to Katie, who said, ‘We have no favourite place.’ Mich took up the conversation, causing Paul to glance in her direction. Katie watched his eyes … they darted from Mich to her frequently. Even though Katie was the less talkative one, he kept her in the loop, made her feel part of the table talk. She knew Mich became more chatty if she really liked somebody, and it was a good bet that Mich would soon exploit her sex appeal towards Paul.

Katie needed to find out more about this man. The coffee tasted good