‘Only in the workplace,’ I said breathlessly, reaching again for his face. ‘So it’s fine, because we’re not actually in the workplace right now. That’s back there.’ I flapped a hand in the general direction of the office. ‘This corridor is not our workplace, it’s a common part of the building. It says so in the lease. I know because I checked it this afternoon.’

He hesitated, frowning for a second, and then said, ‘Fair enough, let’s go with that,’ before pulling me back towards him and kissing me again.

The lift pinged and we hurriedly stepped apart, Cameron desperately combing his fingers through his hair and me tucking in my blouse, as the lift doors slid open to reveal one of the lawyers from the top floor.

‘Hello,’ she said, looking first at me and then at Cameron, her eyes drifting upwards to his vertical hair and then lowering and coming to rest, with obvious suspicion, on his coat, which still lay in a crumpled heap next to his bag on the floor.

‘Hi,’ he said, snatching up both bag and coat and stepping inside the lift. He turned to face me, now appearing impressively calm, as he pressed the button to hold the doors. ‘Remind me again what time we’re expecting Anthony,’ he said.

‘Eight.’

‘OK. I’ll pick up dinner on the way home.’

‘We need milk and loo roll too.’

He nodded and raised a hand as the doors slid shut with a quiet hiss, and he disappeared from view.

I stood for a moment, smiling at my slightly dishevelled reflection in the grey, steel surface of the lift doors, and then, happy at the thought of going home to Cameron and of the weekend to come, I turned on my heel and headed back to work.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost my thanks go to you, the reader, for being kind enough to give Working It Out a whirl – and for then going the extra mile and reading the acknowledgements too. I’m genuinely grateful.

Of course I must also thank those people without whom Working It Out would never have made it onto your e-reader or bookshelf in the first place. Top of that list is my agent, Camilla Bolton at Darley Anderson, who believed in me from the word go and who always manages to encourage, cajole, comfort and question just enough to get this anxious author to the point of publication. My thanks also to the talented team at Canelo, in particular to Emily Bedford for her expert editing and, more importantly, for her kindness, good humour and tireless enthusiasm throughout the process.

Finally, a huge thank you to my friends and family in Bristol, Barnstaple, Nottingham, Silsoe, Edinburgh and London for their support and inspiration, and to Martin, Ollie and Betty for keeping things light, making me feel loved and bringing me tea and cake. You’re the best.

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