Hannah was in the middle of a pleasant dream. She was in the stands at a sporting event amidst a roaring crowd. Something significant was happening; it was a clutch game and the teams were tied with just minutes to spare on the clock. It was cold though, the whole arena was frigid and her mind wasn’t registering what game was being played until the dream came into full clarity.

An announcer on a loudspeaker was calling out Ward’s name, and then Hannah saw him sailing onto the ice after single-handedly turning the game with a bottle-knocker, his knee fully healed, his face alight with triumphant delight – his passion for the sport palpable.

He was home, a returning hero.

He took off his helmet, shaking it at the crowd, and everyone went wild. She jumped to her feet and joined in, feeling proud, knowing she had helped with this, that he was once again able to play the sport he loved and the fans were eager to celebrate him. Looking every bit the winner that she knew him to be.

Then from the ice, his green eyes searched her face out and when he finally found her, he raised his stick in salute. She waved shyly as he flashed a mischievous knowing wink and even as she slept her stomach did a pleasant little flip.

However, just as Ward started to glide off and take control of the puck, moving on the ice with renewed determination, there was another noise.

A persistent ding dong.

Confused, she searched the arena to try to figure out where it was coming from, but to no avail. Then the sound turned to a loud knock, and Hannah felt herself being pulled back to consciousness, no longer in the cold hockey arena but warm in her bed.

Feeling discombobulated – and somewhat disappointed to have been so rudely interrupted amid such a pleasant dream – she blearily sat up in bed, shaking her head free of the cobwebs of sleep.

There was the knocking again. She grabbed her phone from the bedside table to check the time.

Had she overlooked a scheduled delivery for Courtney or something? she wondered, surprised at the early-hour interruption.

The Peacock chairs and other remaining furniture had arrived last week, so no she didn’t think there was anything else. And regardless, everything would have first gone through downstairs with either Julie or one of the doormen. Nobody else had access to the penthouse floor.

Nobody except …

Hannah jumped from the bed and threw on a robe over her pyjama pants and shirt, glancing in the mirror to check her reflection. Her face was puffy from sleep and her hair was matted across her forehead.

Great, Ed decides that first thing in the morning is a good time for an introduction? Or maybe he wanted to discuss in more detail the relationship advice she’d given him.

Talk about timing …