Chapter 1
Things all started to go wrong when Josie forgot to set the alarm the night before. The day usually began at seven when the shrill noise of the alarm interrupted the cosiness of her dreams, reminding her that the day was going to begin whether she liked it or not. On a good day, she got up straight away, but on a bad day, the ten-minute snooze button would go on until there weren’t any extensions left. The thought of missing a shower was the worst feeling ever and Josie always made sure that she was up and in the shower before eight.
This morning, however, Josie woke to the sound of her neighbour’s front door slamming, as it did like clockwork at eight thirty every weekday.
“Oh crap!” she exclaimed as she ignored the cold and sprinted across the bare wooden floor.
The tiles in the bathroom were cold too but Josie paid little attention as she pressed the ‘on’ button for the electric shower’s jet of water to warm up before she got in.
Glancing in the mirror, she furrowed her brow. The makeup she had left on from the night before had smudged under her eyes leaving dark rings. She looked like she had been in a scuffle.
Her green eyes were ringed pink and puffy, while her tousled strawberry blonde hair sprung up around her shoulders. She hoped that the weather would be forgiving later as she had no time to tame her curls.
Jumping into the shower, she quickly washed as best she could in the time she had available. She had to make do with the hand towel on the back of the door having forgotten to bring a fresh bath towel in.
“Typical!” she huffed.
Ignoring the drops of water she trailed behind, she dashed to the wardrobe to find her favourite work dress – the charcoal one that she could accessorise with any belt or jacket.
In no time at all, she slipped into underwear and pale tights, then wriggled the dress down over her slim frame. With a quick tug around her hips, she checked in the mirror.
Good enough, she thought as she swept her hair into a tight bun and combed her unruly fringe into a wedge above her eyebrows.
With no time left, she would have to manage without makeup until she reached the office. Luckily, her versatile dress afforded her the luxury of slipping on her everyday black heels. She picked up her matching handbag, which was already by the front door.
She closed the door to her flat and heard the latch click behind her as she walked down the carpeted hall towards the waiting lift.
Just as she approached the lift, the doors shut.
Why today? she thought in frustration.
Looks like that’s the way it’s going to be then. I may as well get used it. I’ll probably get a ladder in my tights next!
Finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, the lift came back up. She noticed the man next to her arrive, and he too walked into the lift when the doors opened. Keeping her head down, Josie avoided eye contact. She wasn’t in the mood to smile at a stranger.
She couldn’t help noticing his shoes. They were dark brown and shiny, and the tips had a pattern made with small holes in the leather. They looked expensive and well looked after. Whether they were Oxfords or Brogues she had no idea, and to her they were just shoes she recalled someone wearing in a film.
Curious, Josie looked higher to see what else he was wearing, while still being careful not to look up at him.
She had forgotten her watch in the rush, so she couldn’t use looking at her wrist as a cover.
From looking at his trousers, she could see his legs looked toned.
Perhaps he was a gym type or a keen cyclist?
She glanced up to see how close to the ground floor they were. One floor to go.
As soon as the doors opened, she nipped out as quickly as she could. Waving to Derek the door attendant on the way out, she swung through the revolving doors into the sunshine, where the pavement had already started to warm.
It was now ten to nine, and, with luck, she might make it to work on time. The office was only a ten-minute walk from where she lived. She would have to miss her usual coffee stop at Simply Sweet, her favourite café, but she’d manage with an instant coffee later. Josie glanced back as she crossed the road, and caught a glimpse of the man with the shoes.
Josie arrived at work on time. The burgundy and silver sign looked like one you might see hanging in front of an antique shop. However, the building was modern and sat in the middle of a plaza style courtyard in the centre of the city.
She had worked for Bosworth’s Estate Agents for nearly two years now. Her initial apprehension about being able to make it in sales was short lived when she realised how much she loved being an estate agent and when her clients told her she was good at what she did. Her boss, James Bosworth, also agreed when he balanced the books at the end of each quarter. Still, this didn’t give Josie a free pass to do whatever she wanted but arriving at work with a minute to spare and a much-needed makeup session wasn’t going to get her into trouble with the boss.
It was so rare, in fact, that James looked up with amusement when she arrived.
“Had a good night, did you? It’s about time, Josie.” He smiled, looked back at his newspaper and let her duck away.
Having hoped she hadn’t been seen sneaking in late, she replied, “Yes thanks, not sure I’ll be out again for a while though, feeling sleep deprived like this.”
In the bathroom, she quickly applied her makeup. It was nowhere near makeup artist standard but good enough to look like she hadn’t just rolled out of bed half an hour ago. With a deep breath she stood tall, put her shoulders back and declared,
“In it to win it. Today is going to be a great day!”
Switching off the light she returned to the sunny room where her desk was tucked away in the corner nearest the window. James’ desk was in a semi-open office at the back, which could be seen when entering the estate agency through the front door.
Her desk was situated next to the customer seating area and coffee table, which had the latest property news and holiday in the sun magazines. Kim, who sat at the desk near the front door to meet and greet clients wasn’t there as she usually was.
“Where’s Kim today?” Josie asked.
“She’s on her way in for ten. Her boiler is on the blink, so she asked Gareth to take a look at it.”
“If anyone can sort it, he can,” Josie replied.
Gareth was the head contractor for Bosworth’s and the kind of Mr Fix-it that everyone wished they had at the end of a phone when something went wrong. He had been brought up outside the city in a small house with a huge garden, a garage and shed full of tools.
His younger brother got into all sorts of difficulty with authority figures, while Gareth concentrated on learning practical skills and trying to scrape by in school without getting into trouble.
With a calm demeanour, he would look at the problem, then work through each idea methodically until he had one that worked. Often it worked first time, making it look easy. At twenty-four, he had been working at Bosworth’s for six years after deciding not to go to university. His youthful looks were complimented by his physique, which was lean from the hard labour required for the world of painting, decorating and maintenance, and being active all day.
Kim, on the other hand, wasn’t so interested in trying to work out problems and was more than happy to have someone sort it all out for her.
Taking the cover off her boiler to look inside involved a screwdriver, which she didn’t even own. Besides, anything involving gas and electricity she stayed well away from, and rightly so.
Josie imagined Kim sitting at her kitchen table with her fingers laced around a mug, watching Gareth work. Kim had tried for ages to spend more time with him, not that the boiler breaking was intentional, but Josie knew she would be relishing the opportunity to talk to him outside of work.
Kim was twenty-one and fresh out of university. She had her heart set on marrying a millionaire and living in a big house. She decided to get a job at an estate agency so she could have a better chance of meeting ‘the one’ – someone who wanted to buy a big house. She’d not had much luck so far, partly because Bosworth’s specialised in typical four-bedroom houses, and partly as she had met Gareth a month ago and forgotten about her millionaire dreams.
Josie didn’t think that Kim would have much luck with Gareth but didn’t say anything as it wasn’t her place.
Gareth hadn’t gone out with anyone as long as Josie had known him and he didn’t seem as though he was intent on doing so, with Kim or anyone else.
Josie left her thoughts behind as the front door opened and cool air blew in. She saw a man who looked like he was in his mid-fifties, with slightly greying, short dark brown hair. He was tall, smartly dressed and had broad shoulders, making his presence felt in the room. His eyes were most noticeable. They were steel blue and piercing as he looked between Josie and James.
Josie stood up and moved towards him.
“Good morning and welcome to Bosworth’s. How may I help today?”
“Hello, I’m looking for a place to rent.”
“Of course, please take a seat,” Josie indicated to the chair next to her desk.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Coffee, milk, one sugar,” he put in his order.
Slightly put out by the absence of his manners, Josie continued with her friendly chitchat.
“How long have you been in the city?”
He replied curtly, “Just arrived.”
Josie picked up some property brochures from the coffee table and asked, “Okay, and are you here with family or business? I can find some properties for you to browse while I make your drink?”
He looked irritated by her questions. “I’ll take a look,” he replied, as he grabbed the brochures from her. Josie moved towards the coffee machine.
Strange, most people like to talk about why they are moving somewhere new.
Josie put his drink in front of him. She paused for a reply, which was not forthcoming, and sat down next to him.
She extended her hand towards the mystery man, “My name is Josie Jackson.”
“Michael,” he replied.
