United State of Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

minutes later and with a feeling of trepidation, Anna left the coffee shop. It had been a successful call. Jamie had sounded genuinely pleased to hear from her. They had agreed that she should travel up to his home in Surrey tomorrow.
    ‘Most of my work is done over the phone,’ he had explained. ‘Any meetings are usually at the client's house or hotel. I tend to go to my clients rather than them come to me, it's part of making the service professional and elite. I use my office at home to co-ordinate my staff. Yvonne helps out with the paperwork.’
    It occurred to Anna that she should have done a bit of research about Jamie's company before she had phoned. She would have a look at his website when she got home, then at least she would be better prepared when she met him tomorrow. She also had a document waiting to be translated by Friday, so she’d have to make a start on that this afternoon, because Wednesday and Thursday she was working in the tea rooms. She could see a few late nights of translating coming up. Still, she shouldn’t complain, especially not now she’d just lost one of her jobs.
    When she and Mark had separated, they had sold their bigger Southampton home and Mark had bought this one for her and Luke. She hadn't wanted to stay in Southampton, she'd only gone there with Mark because as a professional footballer, he needed to be near his club. Once his career had been deemed over, due to an accident, they no longer had any ties with the city. Anna had chosen to return to Chichester, where she had grown up, needing to feel she belonged somewhere, getting comfort from familiar places and people.
    It was only a two-minute walk from the centre of Chichester to her little, two-up two-down, mews cottage. No matter whatever the weather – be it a bright April morning like today or a cold, dark winter's afternoon – the sight of her blue wooden door at 2 Coach House Cottages always made her feel happy.
    She approached her front door, and as usual her neighbour Mrs Meekham twitched her net curtain. Anna waved and smiled, thinking if you looked up the expression Neighbourhood Watch in the dictionary, it would simply say ‘Mrs Meekham’. She put the key in the lock and turned it gently before creeping in. The front door opened straight into the living room and she didn't want to disturb Mark.
    Much to her surprise, he was actually up, showered and dressed, judging by the two wet towels tossed idly on the back of the sofa, and was now in the kitchen, talking on his mobile.
    ‘Yes that would be great. I'll give you a call when it's convenient to come round. I just need to make sure…’ He stopped in mid-flow as he turned and saw Anna. ‘Err, look, can I give you a call back?  …  No everything's fine …  not at the moment… Yep …  Yep …  that's right… Okay, cheers then. Bye.’ He slid his phone shut and thrust it into his pocket.
    ‘You didn't need to hang up on my account,’ said Anna as she picked up the towels.
    ‘I didn't.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Yes. Really.’ The slight irritation in his voice didn't go unnoticed. ‘Just business. Nothing for you to worry about.’
    Famous last words, thought Anna suspiciously. He was definitely being shifty. Perhaps he was planning to dash off back to America, something that she would be most happy about, but on the flip side, Luke would be crushed.
    ‘How long are you here for?’ she asked.
    ‘Not sure, a couple of weeks,’ responded Mark vaguely. ‘Thought I'd go and see my parents at the weekend.’
    ‘That'll be nice. You could take Luke with you.’
    Mark looked slightly startled at the suggestion. It was obvious the thought hadn't actually crossed his mind.
    ‘Yeah, I was just about to suggest that myself,’ he said rather too brightly.
    ‘Good, that's that sorted,’ smiled Anna. Then changing the subject before Mark could think of an excuse to wriggle out of it, she said, ‘I have an appointment in Surrey tomorrow, so you and