When I checked my phone, I saw that I’d missed two calls from my brother, Adrian, a few hours ago. I’d put it on silent because I’d thought I’d be busy writing.Chance would be a fine thing.
He started work early, so I’d call him back in the morning. If it was anything urgent, he would’ve texted.
Adrian was probably just calling to see how my first week had gone. Unlike my sister, my brother actually cared about me.
He was the eldest, I was the middle child and she-who-won’t-be-named was the youngest. And the most entitled, spoilt and…
Anyway. I’d already had a rubbish day. I didn’t want to make it worse by thinking abouther.
Once I’d showered and got ready for bed, I pulled out my Kindle. I might not be able to write a book, but I was damn good at reading other people’s words.
I arrived at the library nice and early. I’d had an amazing sleep. I didn’t know if it was the fresh sea air that had wafted into my room when I’d opened the windows before bed or the calming sound of the waves lapping against the shore that had helped me drift off so quickly, but I was grateful.
Yep. I felt like a new woman. It was going to be an amazing day. I could just feel it.
‘Morning, Jane!’ I chirped as I stepped into the library hall.
‘Morning!’ She looked up from her paperback. ‘How was your weekend? Well, obviously we saw each other on Saturday night, so let me rephrase. How was your Sunday?’
‘A bit of a dumpster fire, but apart from that it was fine.’
I thanked her for the book Jackson had given me and explained my unproductive writing session. She was about to fill me in on the planning that she’d done for the romantic holiday in Paris that she had booked with Jackson next month when her mobile buzzed. That reminded me that I needed to call Adrian back, so I said we’d chat later and headed to the office. I wanted to catch him before I officially started work at nine and Ben turned up.
Ben.
The memory of him running on the beach, looking all hot and sweaty, had played on repeat in my head without mypermission; now it flashed up again, and I quickly pushed it out of my mind.
I shook my head with disgust, sat at my desk, and picked up my phone.
‘Hi, sis,’ Adrian answered flatly. He didn’t seem his normal chirpy self. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m a lot better than you sound. What’s up?’
‘N-nothing. I have news.’
‘You’re not sick, are you?’ I jumped out of my seat.
‘No, no. I’m getting married.’
‘Oh, wow! Congratulations!’ I said.
His girlfriend, oops, fiancée, Debbie, was nice. We got on and most importantly, she treated my brother well and seemed like a good person, so I was happy for him.
‘Thanks.’
‘This is a good thing, though, right?’
‘Of course!’
‘So why do you sound like you’ve just been sentenced to the electric chair?’
‘There’s just… a lot to organise. Quickly.’
‘Why? When are you getting married?’
‘Next month.’
‘Next month!’ I shouted, grateful that there was still fifteen minutes before the library opened—otherwise our members would’ve heard me from the library. ‘What’s the rush? Has Debbie got a bun in the oven?’
