and who doesn’t like bunking up?’
Anna’s eyebrows did a little jump. ‘Some people object to … bunks.’
‘Not me.’
No, she thought studying his perfect bone structure, your partner is a very lucky man. ‘There’s not much choice as it has to happen next week apparently. Roberta’s usual forward-planning skills.’
Hudson’s expression had changed. ‘Or it’s just been dumped on her.’ He narrowed his eyes. ‘Did she give any clue as to what had triggered it?’
Anna thought for a second. ‘Came from above she said.’
Hudson pouted. ‘I’m sure you’ve thought the same but I’ll voice it anyway. Sounds like something might be going on. Why would you suddenly send the whole team out of the office when they’ve just started a critical project? Makes no sense.’
Anna was nodding. She hadn’t queried it at all, but now she was. He was right, it was very odd. She tried to put it to the back of her mind and fired off an email to Roberta with the details of what she’d discovered.
Anna was mentally planning what she was going to have for dinner when Roberta appeared at her desk. ‘Bunk beds in Derbyshire – is that the best you could do?’ Anna felt something deflate inside and took a deep breath to try to pump it back up.
‘On this small a budget and at such short notice, yes, it is. But it will provide us with a series of team challenges, which I believe will help us to bond as a team and it’s not too far away, which is a bonus.’ Anna’s voice went up at the end. She waited for Roberta’s reaction.
Roberta snorted her derision. ‘I’m not sleeping in bunk beds.’
‘Ah, no, but …’ She hated herself for stumbling over her words. ‘You didn’t say you were coming.’
‘Aren’t I part of the team? Aren’t I, in fact, an integral member of the team?’
It was hard to disagree without it being a career-limiting conversation. ‘Of course you are, but I assumed you’d be too busy.’
Roberta’s perfectly pencilled eyebrows moved up a degree. ‘A fair assumption but no, on this occasion, I will be there. I’m keen to see how everyone performs.’ Things were getting more bizarre.
‘Great, there’s a pub in the village. I’ll book you a room there.’
‘En suite,’ said Roberta, and she strode back to her office.
Anna’s instinct was to run to Hudson and share what she’d learned as it added more fuel to his theory that something didn’t add up about the team event but that would make her look desperate to please him and she wasn’t.
It was warming up outside and Anna and Sophie decided to take their lunch in the square. A simple sandwich seemed better when eaten in the fresh air as long as you could keep the pigeons away long enough to enjoy it.
‘Here,’ said Anna, handing Sophie her phone. ‘This guy sent me a text by mistake.’ Anna wasn’t sure what the sensation was in her gut as she watched Sophie’s expression change as she read the series of messages from the mystery person known only as C. There was definitely a hint of excitement and more than a smattering of intrigue about him and the fact he had bothered to message her again.
‘Bloody hell, Anna. Who is it?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘But who do you think it is?’
‘It’s a random stranger.’ Anna ate the last of her sandwich.
Sophie tilted her head. ‘Or it could be a celebrity who wants to remain anonymous.’
‘Not likely,’ said Anna. ‘And if it is, knowing my luck it’s one of the Jedwood twins.’
‘No, think about it. It could be a famous actor or reality star.’
‘Who happened to stumble across my number because it’s like their friend’s? I think it’s just some guy. But he seems kind of sweet.’ Anna felt a flutter of something and almost rolled her eyes at herself. What was she doing? She was sworn off men. Especially ones she’d never met and who were incapable of sending a text to the right person. The last thing she needed was to get caught up in another fruitless relationship. She needed to focus on being an individual, not part of a couple, and on furthering her career because she knew that wouldn’t let her down. She had a plan and she was going to stick to it, but there was no denying that with a mystery texter and some innocent flirtation, she could do both. She was keeping her promise to herself and she also had the opportunity for safe flirting by text. Did it even have a name? Flexting perhaps? And if at any point she wanted to stop she could block his number. Yes, it was the best of both worlds.
‘What if it’s someone you know?’ said Sophie.
Anna considered this. ‘I don’t think Liam’s that creative.’
‘Mystery admirer?’
‘Possibly.’
‘Are you going to meet him?’ Sophie looked keen.
‘No. It’s just a wrong number.’ But there was something fun about having a little fantasy about who C was and what he might be like, though that was as far as she was prepared to go because this was all from the safety of her own home and she could block him at any point it felt like he was getting serious or turned out to be a crazed lunatic.
‘What if it’s fate?’ Sophie went all gushy.
‘You think C is short for Charming, as in Prince Charming?’
‘You never know. Stranger things have happened. You read about things like this all the time in magazines. People who meet the love of their life in the frozen fish section of the supermarket or get run over by them.’
‘Really?’ Anna was pulling a disbelieving face. She wouldn’t be keen to marry someone who had attempted to run her over, even if it was accidental.
‘Oh, yeah. It’s quite common,’ said Sophie, taking a chunk out of her sandwich. Anna doubted that was true. ‘What if he’s this gorgeous millionaire who wants to whisk you away on his private jet to his castle?’
‘Then I’m wondering what he’s doing cleaning his mate’s patio.’
Sophie openly huffed and handed Anna her phone back. ‘True. Shame. It would be nice to have someone take you away from all this.’ She gestured randomly.
‘How’re things with Dave?’
‘He’s still Dave.’ She said it like she was apologising. ‘He thinks he’s dying because he’s got a cold at the moment. Last night it was like trying to sleep next to someone experimenting with a chemistry set. And he managed to sleep through Petal having two night terrors and Arlo coming into our bedroom at four to ask how many sleeps until Santa comes. Then he woke me switching on the bathroom light too loud this morning.’
‘How do you switch a light on too loud?’
‘I
