E for England by Elisabeth Rose

Author:Elisabeth Rose
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Australia Pty Ltd
Published: 2013-09-05T04:00:00+00:00

Hugh spent most of the afternoon wondering what had happened at Annie’s lunch. Half a dozen times he pulled out his phone to call her then changed his mind and shoved it back in his pocket. What had the man said? Why didn’t she call? He’d go up tonight and see her. She’d asked for his advice, he deserved to hear the results of the meeting.

At eight he tapped on her door, bottle of wine in hand, heart thumping like a man with a medical problem.

‘Oh hello.’ Her smile was distracted. Children yelled in the background. Fighting. Scream like a steam whistle from Floss.

‘Sorry. Bad time? I’ll come back.’

‘No, no, it’s fine. They’ll shut up if you’re here.’

‘How did…’ But she was gone, striding towards the bedroom. He followed, leaving the wine on the table on the way.

‘Hugh’s here,’ she said loudly. ‘And if you want him to read a story, you’d better be in bed in two seconds, and be quiet. Now!’

The sudden silence was dramatic. Bedclothes rustled. Hugh, outside the door, grinned. No-one had reacted to his presence like that before. As Bedtime Story Reader he had serious street cred, an unusually nice feeling.

Annie withdrew from the room and faced him. ‘Will you read them a story? Please?’ He thought she was about to cry. She certainly teetered on the edge of some vast emotional chasm. The husband! Bastard! ‘I’ve had the day from hell.’

‘Of course.’ He placed his palm against her soft, pale cheek. ‘I brought a bottle of red. Help yourself.’

She pressed her hand against his and summoned a wispy smile. ‘Lifesaver.’

Without another thought he leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers. For a moment he lingered savouring the pleasure, this first touch of her mouth under his. For a moment she responded but then she moved away. Not quickly, not a shocked retreat but reluctant, promising more perhaps, but not now. His eyes locked on hers, so close he could see darker blue flecks in the grey. He smiled. ‘Story time.’

She nodded.

When he closed the fourth storybook, Floss was asleep. Mattie, almost. Two stories each, they’d agreed without so much as a raised voice. On best behaviour. Fairness was all when you were almost five and six-nearly-seven. He smiled and switched off the light.

Annie sat slumped on the couch staring at nothing, her glass of red half empty on the table. His full glass waited next to a bowl of almonds and cashews. He scooped up a handful and sat down next to her.

‘All asleep.’

‘Thanks. I’m so glad you appeared, Hugh. I was getting dangerously close to jumping off the balcony.’

He paused mid-chew. ‘Never do that! Never even think that.’

‘I was joking.’

‘I should hope so. But don’t, not about that.’ He picked up his wine. ‘Tell me.’

‘The car wouldn’t start. I had to leave it at work and call a taxi to collect the kids then go back and wait for the NRMA guy to come. We all waited for an hour and a half at the front of the parking station in that horrible cold wind and then it started raining.

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