The next day, she’d find him and see why, after all these years, he’d decided to reappear. With no sign of the sleep she needed, Jodie reached under the sofa for her laptop and stretched to switch on a table lamp. In the circle of light, she started to prepare for the following day.

Despite what Flynn had said, the idea of looking for a position as a sales rep hadn’t gone away. She did an internet search for some nursing recruitment agencies, fascinated by the array of jobs that were available. And the amount of positions in sales.

There were a number that appealed. They gave little details, merely asking for a CV to be sent for their consideration. Within thirty minutes, Jodie had sent hers to three different recruitment agencies. Surely, one of them might come through for her.

She shut the laptop, slipped it underneath the sofa then tucked her legs under her robe and curled up. If she couldn’t sleep, she could at least rest. But it seemed as if making plans of any sort eased her spinning mind and she drifted into a light sleep filled with strange dreams, none of which she could remember when her eyes opened sometime later.

It was the squeak of floorboards that had disturbed her. It must be seven, the same time Flynn had rolled from bed the previous Thursday and Friday. Jodie missed the absolute quiet of living on her own, she wasn’t ready yet to cohabit, certainly not with a boyfriend of less than two weeks – perfect though he might be. Maybe over breakfast, she might suggest it was time he went home. The catastrophic shock of being fired had eased. It was time to grab onto some semblance of normality.

But the opportunity for discussion didn’t come. Twenty minutes later she heard hurried steps on the stairs and the door jerked open to show Flynn still in the act of tying his tie, harried lines creasing his brow. ‘I’m late,’ he said, ‘have to dash. See you later.’ He crossed to her side, bent, and brushed his lips against her cheeks. With a final wave, he rushed out the door.

Jodie hadn’t had a chance to say a word and was still struggling to get to her feet when she heard the front door slam shut. Puzzled, she picked up her phone, her eyes widening when she saw the time. Not seven thirty as she’d thought, but eight thirty. He was leaving much later than usual. She hoped he didn’t have an important meeting lined up. Her fingers flew over the phone keys.

I hope you catch up with your day, xx

The text sent, she lay back and shut her eyes. She’d have a talk with him that night. He’d probably be relieved to get back to his swish city apartment.