We walk along the empty beach. I ask Grandad what he’s doing for the rest of the weekend, and he tells me Bella is joining him for supper tonight, she’s buying some fish from the fish man as a treat. When he asks me the same question, I mention that Ward had suggested we go out on our first official date. ‘He’s taking me out for dinner.’
‘How romantic.’ Grandad sighs, as if remembering the times when he and Granny dated. ‘I know your grandmother would have liked Ward. She’d have given him a grilling, mind.’
‘And threatened to cut his balls off if he hurt me.’
‘Most likely.’
‘She’d probably be sayingabout time too.’
He clutches my hand. ‘No, she wouldn’t be saying that. Life hasn’t been straightforward for you, January. She’d say that there is a time to be happy and to be sad, a time to be alone and to grieve, but also a time to find love again.’
29
These past few weeks have beenincredible. I don’t know how to describe how happy I am. It’s as if my life over the past five years has been coasting along just fine, but now I’m sailing in this glorious sunshine and swimming in clear turquoise sea, washing the loneliness away. Ward and I have decided to keep our relationship private; we don’t want the office to know yet, not until his divorce is finalised. But everyone at Sherwoods is aware that Ward has been separated for the past six months and is now in the process of a divorce. ‘There will be regular calls and meetings with the lawyer so it’s best to be open about it all,’ he’d said, and I’d agreed.
‘Jan!’ Nadine calls as I rush past her desk and towards the stairs. I turn to her. ‘Yep?’
‘You’re in a hurry again.’
I wave a file in her direction. ‘For Ward.’
‘Really?’ I ignore that playful look in her eye.
‘So scatty,’ I say, before trying to go upstairs slowly and professionally, before almost tripping over the last step and hearing Nadine chuckle.
I shut Ward’s door firmly behind me, wishing it had a lock and key. ‘Jan,’ he says, getting up, ‘you only came up five minutes ago.’ We’re walking towards one another, big grins across our faces. ‘I’ll never get any work…’ Before he can say ‘done’ we’re kissing, my file falling on to the floor, paper scattering everywhere.
As I’m unbuttoning Ward’s shirt we hear a knock on the door. Ward presses a finger across my lips. I want to bite it.
‘Ward?’ Graham says, and I know crafty old Nadine hassent him up to investigate.
‘Hang on,’ Ward calls back, tucking his shirt back into his trousers. ‘I’m kind of in the middle of something.’
We both laugh quietly. ‘Can you come back in five?’
‘Five?’ I mouth, unimpressed. ‘Make it at least ten.’
‘Afraid not. It’s rather urgent,’ Graham says, before we hear the door opening. I rush over to Ward’s desk and crouch underneath it, trying hard not to laugh.
‘What is it, Graham?’ asks Ward. My heart is pounding.
‘Have you seen Jan?’
‘How would I know where she is?’ Ward asks.‘That’swhat’s urgent?’
I’m about to sneeze. Oh no. Please don’t. Please don’t.
‘Anything else, Graham?’
It’s coming. ‘Atishoo!’
I crawl out from my hiding place. ‘It’s magic!’ exclaimsGraham before raising an eyebrow at me. ‘What have you been doing underneath Ward’s desk, or don’t I want to know?’
‘All right, all right, but let’s keep it between us,’ Ward suggests.
Nadine enters the office now. ‘Oh Ward, everyone knows, we weren’t born yesterday.’ She looks at me. ‘Urgent file, my foot.’
‘I think it’s great,’ Graham states. ‘But just so you know, I worked you two out a long time ago.’
