Daniel groaned. ‘That’s all that boy thinks about. Sport and food.’ But he said it jokingly. ‘Well, it’s getting late, so it will have to be something that’s really quick or . . .’
‘Or we could get a Chinese?’ Ben asked hopefully.
‘Chinese it is, then, if that’s all right with you, Anna?’
‘Of course it is. I’ll eat anything.’
‘That’s good.’ He paused. ‘Is everything okay? You’re frowning.’
‘I was just wondering how you organise everything. If you haven’t been here for two weeks, won’t you need to go and do a food shop?’
‘I have a lady who comes in every fortnight to keep the house tidy, and I do an online delivery and arrange for it to arrive when she’s at the house. Debbie, bless her, puts it all away for me. I don’t know what I’d do without her, but it means I don’t have to spend all weekend doing chores when I want to spend time with Ben.’
‘That’s very organised,’ Anna replied, impressed. Yes, he was still relying on a woman to do things for him, but Anna would bet she was well paid and he certainly seemed to appreciate her. The fact that he did the shopping himself, albeit online, was more than any of her family ever did. She was certainly getting a different impression of Daniel Redfern this weekend to the one she’d been expecting.
* * *
They sat around the table in the large open-plan kitchen, which gleamed with white cupboards and black granite surfaces, just like his kitchen in Knightsbridge. As she often did when she was at work, she compared it to their tiny shoe cupboard of a kitchen at home, which badly needed redecorating.
While Daniel was sorting out the food, Ben had shown her to a spare room that overlooked the garden. It was as large as their living room at home and had its own ensuite. Everywhere in this house screamed money, and she only hoped that when she got home she wasn’t spoiled by the experience. But if the house was luxurious, the conversation over dinner was very down to earth, with Daniel catching up with what had been going on in his son’s life since he’d last spoken to him, and what was going to happen over the next few weeks. Daniel certainly did his best to make up for lost time when he was with his son, and that really impressed her.
Later that evening, once Ben was asleep — contrary to Anna’s earlier predictions, he had been more than ready for his bed — Daniel poured two glasses of wine. ‘I know it’s getting late and it’s been a very long day, but do you think we could make a start on the editing?’
‘Of course, that’s what I’m here for after all.’
‘Good. We don’t have to spend too long on it, but if we make a start at least you’ll know what you need to do in the morning.’
Anna reached for her laptop. ‘Let’s get to it, then.’
While Daniel had been dishing up the Chinese, she’d started to upload the pictures they’d taken that morning. Although she’d been tired when they’d first started work, the next few hours sped by as they both concentrated on the thing they loved doing.
Chapter Eleven
When Anna woke, the sun was streaming through the large bay window. They’d worked late into the night, both losing track of time. By the time she’d finally come to bed, she’d been exhausted, falling instantly into a dreamless sleep. Stretching in the comfortable bed, she couldn’t remember a time when she’d slept so well — she had half a mind to turn over and drift back off again. Then she remembered where she was and why, and hurriedly grabbed her phone from the bedside table.Shit!It was already nine thirty. In a panic, she threw back the covers and raced into the shower, hoping she wouldn’t receive the sharp edge of Daniel’s tongue for getting up so late.
When she reached the kitchen it was to the delicious smell of coffee and bacon. It was a surprise to find Daniel standing in front of the hob, turning the rashers over in the pan.
‘I’m sorry I’m so late up.’ Anna blurted out her apology as she entered the kitchen. Daniel turned and, to her surprise, smiled at her.
‘Not to worry, we had a late night last night. You deserve a lie-in.’
‘Oh, thank you,’ she replied, slightly at a loss. Daniel smiling at her was an unfamiliar sight and she wasn’t sure how to react.
‘Help yourself to coffee. Will bacon and eggs do you?’ he asked.
‘That would be lovely, thanks.’ It was also an unusual experience to be waited on by a man, but she wasn’t going to turn her nose up at the experience.
‘Ben’s already eaten, up with the lark as usual. I’m going to take him to football shortly and then this afternoon he’s got a party in Chester, so you’ll have the house to yourself.’
‘Oh, okay, that should give me plenty of time to do the editing and then maybe we could finalise everything tonight?’
‘That would be good, give us both the day off tomorrow. If we can get them sent over early, we can have a day out? Go to a country park and maybe lunch in a pub somewhere?’
‘Sounds good.’ Anna smiled. Although she was here to work, this was turning out to be more of a holiday than her usual weekend.
‘And if you manage to get everything done this morning, maybe you’d like to come into Chester with us and you can have a look around while Ben is at his party?’
‘I’d like that,’ she replied. ‘Only if I get finished in time.’
