Mr Right for the Night Read Online Free PDF Page A

right. Suzie and Martin have called it a night. Eddie is snogging Grainne. Sandra is just about to pass out and Greg has gone home.’
    ‘OK. Have you got a corkscrew?’
    He produced one from behind his back. She removed her jacket. He hung it up. They both removed their shoes. He poured the wine. She drank it. He lit her cigarette. She smoked it. He turned out the lights. She . . .
     

CHAPTER FOUR
    They stood on top of the Eiffel Tower. She wore a long, flowing, white viscose dress. He wore black tie. She was thin. Very thin. And tanned. He held her tight in case somehow she might escape from him and shatter the lovely illusion. Somewhere in the distance a phone rang . . . and rang and . . . JESUS CHRIST!
    Anna jumped out of bed like a shot. What time was it? Oh no, oh God, no this wasn’t funny. Where was her bloody watch? Her heart was racing as she tore the sheets off the empty bed, desperately searching for her watch. Steve was gone but that didn’t matter right now. The sun was streaming through the crack in the curtain letting her know that it was very, very late. The phone rang. Jesus, her ass was really on the line now. Eventually she caught sight of the watchstrap sticking out from under the bed. She picked it up. Oh Jesus, no! Ten past ten. An hour and forty minutes late. The phone kept ringing. She threw on her old dressing gown and slippers and headed downstairs, trying to think of a good excuse.
    ‘Hello?’ she croaked into the phone. Her voice sounded dreadful.
    ‘Anna?’ It was Mr Evans’s voice. Evans was the store manager and reasonable enough most of the time. But this morning he sounded none too impressed.
    ‘Oh Mr Evans, is that you?’
    ‘Anna, are you sick?’
    ‘Mr Evans, I hardly got a wink of sleep,’ she said truthfully, ‘I feel wretched.’
    ‘Is it something you consumed?’
    ‘Very possibly.’ Anna couldn’t believe how well she was doing and she didn’t even have to lie.
    ‘Do you feel well enough to come in?’
    ‘If I really had to I would, but to be honest . . .’
    ‘Listen, Anna, if it’s a bug I don’t want it going around the store. Take today off and we’ll see you tomorrow if you’re feeling better then.’
    ‘Yes, Mr Evans, I’m so sorry about all of this. I promise to rest myself, don’t worry.’
    The door of the downstairs flat opened and Steve appeared in a black T-shirt and boxers. His hair was all messy and cute. He winked at her. ‘That’s right, Mr Evans, I think I’ll head back to bed right this minute. Goodbye, Mr Evans.’ She hung up.
    ‘Nice one,’ Steve grinned.
    ‘Did I sound convincing enough?’
    ‘I almost believed you myself. Anyway why would he doubt you? It’s Wednesday. People don’t usually ring in with hangovers on a Wednesday.’
    ‘That’s true.’
    ‘And you promised your boss you’d do something straightaway. Now I’m going to see to it that promises don’t get broken.’
     
    Herbert Park was quiet apart from the ducks and a couple of joggers. Anna and Steve strolled hand in hand across the grass. Anna was wearing his red woolly hat in case anybody from work recognized her. They sat on the deserted kiddies’ swings and talked about life. He’d travelled a lot. As had she. He loved animals. Anna also loved animals. He loved art. So did she now . Neither of them mentioned the French girl and Anna had no intention of bringing her up.
    It was late when they got back. The house was quiet. He made her tea. They listened to music. He was still too young to go to the party, Anna decided, but not too young to fall in love with. For a while.
     
    ‘Anna, what a surprise!’ Claire held the door open with one hand, Andrew was supported by the other. ‘Why aren’t you at work?’
    Anna leaned forward and planted a kiss on Andrew’s soft baby cheek. She stepped into the hallway. ‘Sorry to butt in like this but it’s an emergency.’
    ‘What’s new?’
    ‘I would have phoned but I couldn’t. Long