Filling the electric jug the next morning Hugh stared out the window at the oleanders and wondered if Annie had been down to look for her keys yet. If so, had she found them? If she couldn’t find them what would she do? Should he go up and ask if she needed help? No.
He switched on the jug and put bread in the toaster. Was her little boy all right? She’d been very lucky last night. What if he’d woken and cried out for her thirty minutes earlier? Anything could have happened.
He clenched his fingers and thumped the fists gently onto the bench, forcing himself to stop the runaway thoughts. He was overreacting. The child had a sore throat. He would have woken and probably gone back to sleep if she hadn’t come. How old were the children? They weren’t babies, she would never have left a baby alone. They couldn’t be older than about ten or eleven unless Annie had been a teenage mother. As it was she must have been in her early twenties when she married. A young woman. She still was. A sexy, attractive young woman with the most beautiful, haunting eyes —
The door banged. James came in panting and hot from his morning run. He tossed the newspaper on the bench as he went by.
‘Morning.’
‘Hello. I’m making tea, want some?’
‘Okay, thanks. I’ll have a shower first.’ He bounded down the corridor.
When he reappeared Hugh was deep in the latest news from the Middle East.
‘Did Annie find her keys?’ James opened the fridge and took out eggs.
‘I’ve no idea.’ He turned the page. Did she find them? Would she pop in to tell him?
‘Want scrambled eggs?’
‘No thanks.’
‘What are you doing today?’
‘No plans so far. But I have some case notes to look at.’
‘Come out with me tonight.’
‘Where?’
‘Fortieth birthday. A guy from work.’
‘But I don’t know him.’
‘He won’t mind. You need to meet some people.’
Hugh smiled. ‘I met Annie and I also met her flatmate. Do you know Leonie?’
‘No. Why?’ James stopped whisking and poured his eggs into the pan.
‘Blonde and very sexy.’
‘Ask her out.’
‘I might.’ Annie’s anxious face flashed before his eyes. He’d rather go out with her. No! He turned another page and flattened it down with a firm hand. ‘There’s a good Brazilian band on at The Basement tonight. I might head in there.’
James spooned egg on to a plate and sat down across the table. ‘Tell me more about Leonie.’
‘Annie is sharing with her until she can find somewhere else. They work together at a shipping insurance company. Leonie’s a lawyer. Apparently she travels with work a lot so Annie and the kids are on their own a fair bit.’
‘Good thing she wasn’t away last night.’ James shovelled in scrambled egg and appropriated the sports section of the paper.
Hugh grunted. It sure was! He drained his tea. ‘I’m going for a walk.’
‘Pick up some milk while you’re out, will you? And apples.’
‘Okay.’
Hugh walked down to the water’s edge first. The harbour hadn’t lost its exotic attraction for him yet. After years in London fighting traffic, crowds and enduring leaden skies, Sydney was a delight of mostly open blue skies and sunshine. Even when it rained it rained properly, in drenching sheets and wasn’t cold; not the bone-chilling iciness and perpetual misty drizzle he’d escaped. And the harbour was the best in the world. The small suburb of Darling Point clung to the narrow spine of land between Rushcutters Bay and Double Bay. A quiet and expensive area close to the city centre, with towering apartment blocks and big old houses of brick or sandstone in streets lined with towering trees and long established gardens which spilled flowering vines and shrubs onto the footpaths.
He lingered, gazing out across the water at the far shoreline, the yachts zipping about, the ferries ploughing through the swell and one large tanker creeping slowly down the centre lane heading for open water. He walked to the Double Bay shopping centre, bought the requested items plus some bananas, then headed home, ready for coffee and a couple of hours homework.
A number of cases were particularly interesting and he looked forward to meeting the patients on Monday. The staff were dedicated and efficient as far as he could tell after only a week in the job but, as always, the hospital was underfunded. Money. Always money. But he was prepared to give the position a couple of years. It was a good job at a prestigious hospital and best of all it was in Australia. If he could maintain a position here for the requisite number of years he fully intended to apply for residency and then citizenship. And if he found an Australian girl to marry, all the better. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to become an Australian, to cast off that shroud from his childhood so inextricably linked with England. A symbolic gesture which he hoped would finally free him from the demons.
He chuckled to himself as he remembered Annie saying he had a nice accent. And she thought he was handsome. That sent a warm tingle down his spine. A pretty woman telling a man he was good-looking was always welcome, even if they were destined to be no more than friends. Complications like Annie had weren’t something he wanted to involve himself in: two young children who missed their Dad, a husband who by all accounts was difficult and irresponsible, a divorce looming messy and probably protracted. A horrible scenario. But Annie needed a friend and there was something indefinable drawing him to her.
Maybe he would nip up there later this afternoon and see if she’d found her keys. A neighbourly visit. After James had gone off to his party around five.
Leonie opened the door. Even with minimal make-up and dressed in casual khaki cotton slacks and an oversized white t-shirt she was sexy. The blonde hair swung loose around her face and when she saw it was him she switched on a megawatt smile.
‘Hello there.’
‘Come in.’ The door swung wide and she beckoned him inside before he had a chance to make any sort of explanation for his visit. ‘Like a drink? I’m on the balcony with a gin and tonic.’
‘Thanks. I’ll have a beer if you’ve got one.’
‘Sure. Come through.’
She didn’t seem to want a reason for his appearance on the doorstep. Hugh glanced hopefully around the apartment for signs of Annie and the children. Far too quiet so not at home. Leonie sashayed towards him with a bottle in her hand. She couldn’t help it, she oozed sex appeal. Weird how he didn’t find her attractive. Nice, pretty in an unconventional way, with a wide mouth and big eyes, but not his type.
‘Thanks.’
‘Come outside.’
Hugh followed her to the balcony and sat on a plastic outdoor chair.
‘Cheers.’ She raised her glass, eyes fixed on his.
‘Cheers.’
‘It’s amazing we’ve never run into each other before.’
‘I’ve only been here a couple of weeks. You might know James, my cousin. He said he’s noticed Annie with the children.’
‘Not surprising, children are an oddity here.’
Hugh drank his beer as the thought occurred to him, belatedly, that Leonie would probably assume he’d come up to visit her.
‘Did Annie find her keys?’
‘Yes. Took about a minute in daylight, she said.’
‘Good. That’s a relief. She was very worried last night.’ Hugh licked his lips and stretched out his legs. How to bring the conversation around to Annie’s whereabouts and expected arrival time without being either obvious or rude? ‘Is her little boy all right?’
‘Yes, why?’ Leonie’s glance was casual, not really interested.
‘He had a sore throat last night.’
She shrugged, sipped at her drink. ‘Seems okay today. They’re at the library. They’re always getting sniffles and stomach-aches and whatever. Never really get sick. Thank God. I can’t stand sick people.’
Did she know he was a doctor? Maybe not. ‘Where’s the nearest library? I haven’t explored much yet.’
‘Double Bay, and there’s one in King’s Cross but it’s a bit further away.’
Hugh nodded. Which one did Annie go to? ‘Great view.’
‘Isn’t it? As soon as I walked through the door and saw that, I was sold. Well — renting, I mean. If it’s ever for sale I’d seriously consider buying. Great investment.’
‘It would be. Annie said you travel a lot with work. That must be interesting.’
‘Yes sometimes, other times it’s just a bore. I’m off to Vietnam in a few weeks.’
‘I’d like to go there and to Japan and Thailand. Now that I’m based in Australia I’ll be able to travel to Asia easily on holidays.’ So if Leonie was going to be away Annie would be here alone. She might like some company.
‘Where do you work?’
‘St John’s Hospital.’
Hugh nodded, waiting for the next question but Leonie didn’t ask it. Nor did she register or apologise for her earlier comment about sick people.
‘That must be hard work.’
‘It can be.’
‘No doubt you need some recreation time.’ She ran her tongue slowly across her lower lip and a smile as slow as a stalking tiger spread across her face.
‘I’ve only just started so I’m not feeling the strain yet.’ What a pompous, uptight prig he sounded. He uncrossed and recrossed his legs.
‘When you do, you know where to come for…rest and recreation.’ Delicately arched eyebrows flipped up and down, the smile widened. She drained her gin. ‘I need a refill. You?’
‘No thanks. I really should be going. I only dropped in to see if Annie had found her keys.’
Leonie stood up. ‘And here I was thinking you’d come to see me.’
‘I did,’ Hugh blurted. ‘Both of you.’ Oh Christ! Annie didn’t do this to him, deliberately tie him in knots. Annie was sweet and kind and friendly, not predatory and dangerous.
Leonie headed for the kitchen, laughing. Hugh took his beer inside, intent on making his escape.
‘What are you doing this evening?’ She yanked the fridge open and retrieved the gin bottle.
‘I thought I might go to The Basement and hear that Brazilian band. They sounded good.’
‘You could, or you could come to another place with me and see a really top jazz trio.’ She finished fiddling with her drink and screwed the top back on the gin.
Hugh hesitated. He’d enjoy the music, no doubt about it but what would Leonie assume if he accepted?
‘A group of us are going,’ she said. ‘We’ve booked a table for dinner so we can easily squeeze in one more. I’ll call and fix it.’ Phone already in hand she looked at him expectantly.
A group? She was a gregarious, experienced woman with plenty of friends. He would be just one more friend, as with Annie. He wouldn’t lead her on and pretend there was anything more here than there was. Refusing would be churlish and pointless. He nodded. ‘Great. I’d love to. Thank you.’
She made the call, did a quick text and announced, ‘Done. I’m being picked up at seven so you can come with me.’
‘Will that be all right with your friends?’
‘Of course. We can meet in the foyer at about five to seven.’
‘All right.’ Hugh put his empty beer bottle on the bench. ‘I should go.’
‘Don’t rush off. Annie will be home soon.’ Leonie leaned one hip against the bench and studied him over the rim of her glass. ‘You can meet the kidlets.’
‘Oh. I’m sure they’re very nice but I’m not all that wild about children.’
She leaned forward and whispered loudly, ‘Me neither. Although Mattie and Floss are pretty cute.’
‘Floss?’
‘Florence. She’s four. I certainly don’t want any of my own.’ She pulled her face into an exaggerated expression of horror. ‘It’s nonstop.’
‘Why did you say Annie could stay?’
‘How could I not? She was desperate. An email came round at work. She literally had nowhere to go and here was I with two empty rooms.’
‘Very kind of you.’
‘I’m not a charity. I needed a housemate. Annie pays her share.’ Leonie wandered across and flopped onto the sofa. ‘We get along pretty well. She’s a great cook.’ She waved an arm at the empty chairs. ‘Sit.’
‘No, I won’t thanks, Leonie. I have a little bit more paperwork to do if I’m going out tonight.’ He’d catch Annie another time. ‘Don’t get up. I’ll see myself out. See you soon.’
‘Okay. See you tonight.’ She flapped a hand in farewell.
Hugh pulled the door closed behind him with a sigh of relief. The lift responded quickly and moments later he stepped out into the foyer face to face with Annie accompanied by her children. The boy, about six or seven, took after her with dark hair and the same oval face, the small girl had a tumble of ginger gold curls and big blue eyes. Annie, weighed down by a bulging cloth bag of books over her shoulder, looked grim.
‘Hello.’
The children barely gave him a glance, more intent on pushing past to be first in the lift.
She smiled but it was a fed up, frazzled one. ‘Hi.’
Annie hitched the bag books more securely onto her shoulder, slammed down the rush of pleasure at seeing him and grabbed Floss before she darted into the lift to be whisked away all by herself.
‘Wait, Flossie.’
Hugh visiting upstairs? Who? No prizes for getting that answer right. They’d met last night and Leonie wouldn’t need much time to make her move on E for England. And what a way for him to meet the kids, when they were grumpy, tired and had spent most of the afternoon fighting.
Flossie stopped and turned to stare at Hugh. Mattie said, ‘But we’ll miss the lift.’
‘Doesn’t matter. This is our neighbour, Hugh. Mattie and Floss.’
Hugh held out his hand first to Mattie then Flossie. ‘Hello. I’m very pleased to meet you.’
Mattie managed a mumbled ‘Hello’ accompanied by a scowl guaranteed to turn the milk sour. Flossie amazed Annie by shaking Hugh’s hand and with a big beautiful smile said, ‘We’ve been to the liberry.’
‘I know. Leonie told me.’ He responded with that beautiful smile of his own. The one that made a flustered mother’s knees wobble. The lift doors closed.
Annie said, ‘Have you been up to see Leonie?’
‘Yes. But I really wanted to check you’d found your keys.’
Mattie glanced at her with a confused frown. ‘My Mum has her keys.’ Now he chose to tune into the adult conversation, having ignored most of what she’d said all afternoon! Annie gritted her teeth.
‘That’s right.’ She held them up and tried to tell Hugh with her expression, backed up by mental telepathy, not to say any more. ‘See?’
He should understand there were some things children didn’t need to know. Especially after the disruption these two had had in their lives recently. Settled and secure was what they needed to feel and what she was desperately trying to provide. Knowing their mother had been locked out while they were asleep, alone, was not conducive to achieving that state.
‘Good.’ Hugh nodded, meeting her eye. He understood. Of course he did.
Mattie didn’t. ‘Why did you think my Mum had lost her keys?’
‘I made a mistake. It was someone else.’
Annie tore her attention from Hugh’s smiling mouth. He had a full lower lip. So sexy. Especially when he smiled. Mattie said in a tone she recognised only too well as belligerent, ‘But that’s stupid.’
‘Don’t be rude,’ she snapped. ‘Don’t worry about it, Mattie. Press the button, please.’
Flossie darted forward and pressed it first.
‘That’s not fair. Mum asked me,’ Mattie yelled and swung a wildly aimed blow which fortunately missed his sister and everyone in the vicinity.
Floss squealed and hid behind Annie, dislodging the book bag which swung down, all sharp, hard corners and connected with Annie’s shin.
‘Stop it! You can press the button for the floor.’ She grabbed Mattie by the arm and held him away from Floss. Fortunately the doors opened and she could bundle them inside before blows were exchanged. The book bag crashed into the doorframe as she dragged it behind her.
Mattie pounced on the button and pressed it before Flossie who was on tiptoes trying to beat him to it, could reach high enough. He shoved her out of the way and she squealed.
‘That’s enough!’ yelled Annie. She gave up trying to control the book bag and let it drop to the floor spilling books in a colourful sprawl. She said to the combatants, ‘You stand in that corner and you stand in that one.’
‘Goodbye,’ Hugh said.
Annie sent him a distracted smile and a despairing shrug. ‘Bye. Come up later if you like. The war will have stopped by nine.’
The doors began closing but he said quickly into the gap, ‘Can’t, sorry. I’m going out.’
The expression on his face said far more than his words and it wasn’t disappointment at having to refuse her invitation; it was vast acres of relief.
Annie firmed her mouth into a line so hard her lips hurt. Tears pressed against her lids. Not tears at Hugh’s choice, nothing to do with him. Much more to do with the two terrors sharing the lift with her. They’d done nothing but grumble and argue and fight the whole afternoon. Mattie was tired from waking up in the night and made sure everyone knew about it and suffered with him. Flossie didn’t want to go to the library and wanted to stay home with Leonie but Annie didn’t like to impose. She couldn’t assume Leonie would mind the children just because she wasn’t going out herself.
Flossie bent down and began trying to stuff the books back into the bag.
‘I’ll do it,’ said Annie.
‘I can carry this one.’ Flossie tucked a book under her arm.
‘Thank you.’
The doors opened. Mattie pushed his way out followed by Flossie with her book, leaving Annie with the bag and simmering annoyance. This was where she really missed Kevin. At least he shared the bad times and gave her time out occasionally. He’d step in and take over as referee and disciplinarian whereas now she was on her own. Completely. No way was she involving Leonie in her domestic problems.
Inside, she went straight to the bedrooms and off-loaded. A pile of picture books for the children, two fat romances for her. If she wasn’t getting any for real at least she could indulge vicariously in someone else’s love-life. Mattie picked up one of his choices and went to the living room.
‘I’m hungry. Can we have crumpets and honey?’ asked Flossie.
‘It’s a bit late now, dinner will be soon.’
‘But I’m hungry now,’ came the predictable whine.
‘You can have some banana or apple.’
‘Okay.’ Accompanied by a disgusted huff and puff.
Annie went to the kitchen.
Leonie was on the balcony reading a magazine in the last of the afternoon sun.
‘Hi,’ she called.
‘Hello.’
An empty beer bottle sat on the bench. Hugh? Had to be. Annie dumped it in the recycling and began cutting and coring an apple. She sat Flossie at the table with her bowl, took another to Mattie then joined Leonie.
‘Ugh.’ She sank onto a chair and closed her eyes, breathing in the peace, the quiet warmth. A little flock of multicoloured parrots chattered in the treetops below them.
‘What’s up?’
‘Kids. They did nothing but fight the whole afternoon. Anyone would think I was raising a couple of gladiators.’
‘Have some gin.’ Leonie appeared to have had her share already. ‘You look like you need it.’
‘Believe me I do but I won’t, thanks. I have to feed the monsters soon. Are you home for dinner?’
‘No, Hugh and I are going to the Vanguard. We’re meeting Carla and Jade and that crowd.’ Leonie’s friends from a previous workplace. Annie knew them but wasn’t part of the group. She wasn’t part of any group since the divorce, and moving halfway across Sydney made keeping up local friendships difficult. She’d lost track of her single friends when she married and now the couples had mysteriously disappeared too. The harbour was like a barrier keeping north from south.
‘Hugh from downstairs?’ No wonder he wasn’t interested in a dull evening with the single mother of junior tyrants. She stared across the water to the distant shore. A passenger liner was making stately progress towards the sea. How good would that be? Sailing away to a new life. Living on board with meals prepared, laundry taken care of, children entertained. No work.
‘Yes. He’s cute. I don’t think he knows many people in Sydney yet.’
‘No.’ No doubt Leonie would fix that for him. Annie exhaled a deep slow breath.
‘You should come too. Ask Brenda next door to babysit. She never goes out.’
‘I can’t ask her an hour before I want to go out.’ Leonie had no idea. Spontaneity was a concept buried deep under layers of accumulated silt. It would take years to extract and by the time she did regain a semblance of carefree she’d be too old and tired to do anything about it. ‘And the kids don’t know Brenda at all. I barely do.’ A stern-faced woman with an equally dour looking male flatmate with a German accent. They had yet to decide what the relationship next door actually was.
‘Does that matter? All she has to do is put them to bed and watch TV which I bet she does at home anyway.’
Annie shook her head. ‘No, it’s fine. Thanks all the same. There’s sure to be a movie on TV I can watch.’
Leonie shrugged and drained her glass. She looked at her watch. ‘Nearly six. Time for a nice long soak and a beautification.’ She stood up and stretched. Tall, slim and taut in places Annie had long given up on. Annie closed her eyes again but the sun had gone behind the buildings on the point and a wind had sprung up, coming in off the sea, bringing with it a salty flavour on the cooler air.
‘What’s for dinner, Mummy?’ Flossie at the doorway to the balcony.
‘Chicken and chips and salad,’ Annie said with eyes closed.
‘Goody. When?’
‘Soon.’
‘How soon?’
‘Very soon.’
‘Now soon?’
‘Soon soon.’
Warm arms slid around her neck and soft lips pressed on her cheek. Flossie’s curls tickled her nose. She slid an arm around her daughter and pulled the little body onto her lap for a cuddle.
Flossie turned so her nose touched Annie’s and both of them were cross-eyed. ‘I love you, Mummy.’
‘I love you, too.’ And that made every temper tantrum, every sibling battle and every hair pulling, frustrating, exhausting maternal moment worthwhile.
Hugh sat jammed at a long wooden table next to Leonie with a bouncing, hyper brunette with facial piercings on his other side called Jade. He wasn’t entirely clear of the connection all these people had to Leonie. Some of them had worked with her in a previous job, others seemed to be related to people in the band. He gave up trying to figure it out. They all welcomed him with friendly smiles, shoved chairs along to make room and talked nonstop.
The venue, a large converted shop space in an older inner Western Sydney suburb, was packed. Waitstaff struggled to take and deliver orders, fighting their way around crowded tables in non-existent passageways between chairs. A tiny stage was set with drums, amps, keyboard and a double bass lying on its side.
‘They only serve pasta.’ Jade slid a menu in front of him.
‘Fine.’ Hugh looked at the short list of dishes and decided. He passed the menu to Leonie.
‘The food’s really good,’ she said. ‘Let’s order a bottle of red between us.’
‘Whereabouts in England are you from, Hugh?’ Carla, pretty, dark-haired with big brown eyes, leaned across the table.
‘London. But I spent my teenage years in Adelaide.’
She nodded. ‘I’ve never been to England but I’d like to go.’
‘It’s worth a visit,’ he said. ‘If you don’t mind the cold.’
‘Are you here long?’
‘I hope so. I’ve just taken a job at St John’s Hospital.’
‘Are you a doctor?’ asked Jade. ‘What sort of doctor?’
‘A respiratory specialist.’
‘Really?’ Leonie stared, wide-eyed. ‘I had no idea. Annie never said a word.’
‘Why should she?’
‘Doctor’s make good money. You’re a real catch.’ Jade leaned against him and batted her eyelids, purred, ‘Like to check out my chest, Doctor?’
Carla and Leonie grinned. Fortunately the waitress appeared with a notepad and started taking orders.
‘Does Annie know what you do?’ Leonie asked.
‘Yes. Why?’
‘No reason.’ She gave the waitress her order and said to Hugh, ‘Her husband was a complete loser.’
‘Did you know him?’
‘Not really. I met him once when he came in to the office just after she started working there. They married young. Too young. She was only twenty one when Mattie was born. She finished her Economics degree with a baby and another on the way. Pretty amazing.’
Hugh nodded. He’d thought Annie was young. That would make her well under thirty if the boy was about six or seven.
Leonie went on, ‘She doesn’t talk about the break-up. I was thinking it might do her good if she did.’
‘Leonie, if Annie wants to talk, she’ll probably talk to you. You can’t imagine she’ll confide in me, we’ve only just met.’
‘She might. Who knows? We’re not best friends, not that sort, and anyway I’m going away soon.’
‘I certainly won’t be asking any questions.’
‘Even if you can see she needs help?’
‘Does Annie need help? She seems to me to be managing extremely well and you’re helping her in the best way possible by giving her and the children the security of a home.’
‘Oh! Do you really think so?’ To his surprise Leonie seemed quite taken aback.
‘Of course. It must have been terrifying for Annie to have nowhere to go.’
‘I suppose. It’s not ideal for children, though.’
‘It’s much, much better than living in a car or on the street.’
That shocked her. ‘They wouldn’t have ended up like that.’
‘Why not? It happens all the time.’
‘Oh my goodness. That’s awful.’
The waitress opened the wine and poured a taster. Leonie sipped and nodded her approval. Someone asked her something. The conversation moved farther down the table.
What sort of loser husband did Annie have? One who didn’t give a fig about his children. Unbelievable.
‘This band is really good,’ said Jade. ‘My boyfriend’s the keyboard player.’
After dinner was cleared away Hugh discovered they were good. Very good. When the gig ended at midnight someone suggested everyone continue on at another venue close by in Darlinghurst where a guitarist most of them knew was playing.
‘You up for more, Hugh?’ Leonie tucked her arm through his as they assembled on the footpath outside to discuss options.
‘If you like.’
‘We could go home for a nightcap instead.’ The pressure of her fingers and proximity of her body and smiling face left him in no doubt what type of nightcap she had in mind. The invitation shouldn’t have been a surprise and wasn’t, really.
He hesitated. Spending the night in Leonie’s bed, while undoubtedly a pleasurable experience as such, was not the way he intended to finish the evening. They barely knew each other for a start. And Annie and the children were in the same apartment. If he invited a woman to his bed he preferred to make the first move. How would she take a turn down?
‘It’s all right, Hugh. No strings attached.’
He shook his head. ‘We don’t know each other.’
She tilted her head. ‘That doesn’t matter. In fact it adds a certain element of excitement, I find.’
‘It’s not that I don’t find you attractive and the invitation flattering, but it’s not a good idea. We’re neighbours.’
‘Okay.’ She kissed his cheek. ‘Raincheck.’
Hugh laughed, relieved by her matter of factness. ‘Are you always this forward?’
‘Are you shocked?’
‘Not shocked, surprised. Most women like to be romanced into bed.’
‘Hugh! Who mentioned bed?’
Christ! Had he completely misinterpreted? But her eyes sparkled with glee despite the horrified expression. She squeezed his arm and relented.
‘Why not get on with it if two people are so inclined? Saves a lot of messing around and wasting time. I’m not interested in anything permanent and I don’t want kids, but I enjoy sex.’
He looked into her face, smiling at him now with a complete lack of guile. They could almost have been his words, but coming from an attractive woman that statement was rather confronting. And cynical. Had she really given up on romance and falling in love? Had he?
‘Are you two coming with us?’ Carla called.
‘Are we?’
Her voice held no resentment, her arm was still tucked into his. He liked her, he liked her friends.
He nodded. ‘Sure.’
The front door opened and closed. Annie turned her head, ears straining for the sound of voices. Nothing. Glowing green numerals said nearly three. Not unusual for Leonie to come in this late but was she alone? Or had she been downstairs in another apartment?
Leonie’s bedroom door opened and closed. A few minutes later the toilet flushed in her ensuite then silence. She was alone. Annie exhaled and pulled the doona up around her ears.
Leonie had been very discreet since Annie moved in. She’d only once brought someone home late one night and he’d left a couple of hours later. In the morning she’d commented casually on the way to work that he’d be the last. ‘I don’t want strangers in my home anymore,’ she said to which Annie replied, ‘I hope we’re not getting in your way,’ while wondering what kind of random weirdo the late night man had been to provoke that statement. Didn’t bear thinking about.
‘No, not at all. I just decided I’d rather not.’
‘Probably a good idea.’ Which was the understatement of the year.
But Hugh didn’t come under the heading of stranger. He was a friend and neighbour. Leonie was smart, fun, attractive and available and didn’t play hard to get. Men liked her and as a rule men liked sex, especially when it was offered with no agenda beyond a mutually agreeable experience.
Annie turned over and thumped her pillow into shape. Where could they have been for hours? Was Hugh E for England?
It was none of her business.
Leonie would tell her in the morning if she asked, she wasn’t coy. She may even volunteer the information. But the kids would be up hours before Leonie surfaced and there was no chance of private conversation with those ears in the vicinity.
She stretched her legs out and lay on her back. Leonie and Hugh were made for each other. There was no earthly reason why they shouldn’t have spent the night together unless he wasn’t into one-night stands. But it may not be a one-night stand. They may have been smitten, love at first sight.
He’d smitten her. Annie chewed at her lower lip. He truly had. He was her ideal man. In an ideal world. Which this wasn’t.
She drew in a deep, deep breath and exhaled slowly. Hugh would have to be her own personal, private, secret fantasy. Every girl needed one of those in the darkest hours of the night, especially single mothers. Fantasy men were so much more satisfying and reliable than the real thing.
Could she sneak a look at Leonie’s wall chart to see if E for England was filled in?