Page 75 of Where She Is
“I can promise you, Jack has given me clear instructions, Miss May.” It sounds like Jack and as I contemplate if I should go with this stranger or not, my phone whistles into action. As if on cue, I receive a text from Daniel.
You’ve probably met your new driver Benjamin by now. He will be with you for a few days. Don’t worry. You’ll like him.
Remember, I love you. D. x
I inwardly smile,I love you too….
“Okay, Benjamin. I’m all yours.”
He must be older than Jack, quite handsome, and his suit is so crisp it might snap if you touch it. He has a sweet smile and an easy-going manner about him, although he is very professional.
“How long have you worked for the Grant family?” I ask. He talks with his eyes through the rear-view mirror. “For a while on and off. I’m from an agency. The Grant family use us for holiday cover or if there’s a function and they need extra drivers.”
“Should I give you directions to the office, Benjamin?”
“No, Miss May. I’ve taken Mr Grant Senior many times.”
I smile. It’s not a happy one when I think of Peter.
“Oh, I nearly forgot, there is an envelope here for you.” He passes it over as I relax into the seat and read the simple card with Daniel’s elegant handwriting across the back.
Hannah,
I hope you feel better this morning. I’m sorry about the change of driver. I’ll need Jack this week, but I wanted to make sure you were taken care of. I don’t like the thought of you on the bus. I’ll speak to you later tonight.
I miss you. I love you.
Daniel x
God, I wish all this crap would go away. I really want to be with him and half of me wonders if I should just bunk another day off work and instruct the driver to take me to the farm. My nagging doubts about Daniel and building our relationship are still there, but holy shit, I miss him.
I press on. My schedule is so busy as Richard has back-to-back meetings until the afternoon and there is so much to catch up on from yesterday. I’m so immersed in emails, I miss Lucy’s message at first glance, then it hits me like a thunderbolt. Just the title stands out. WARNING! I open it straight away, knowing full well that Lucy would only warn me about one thing. Rob.Oh shit!
Dear Hannah,
I’ve been trying frantically to get hold of you. Thank God I spoke to your mum yesterday, and she said you’d been in contact. It confirms you’re alive at least! I promise I’ve not said a word about Rob’s ridiculous scheme to win you back. She would only worry.
So why the dramatic warning sign? Well, your lovely ex-boyfriend has been up to his old tricks. When I caught up with him, he was adamantyou were coming home to be with him. Apparently if he travels all that way to get you, you will, at least, give him a chance. I have to say; he had me fooled with his mission of the heart routine. The good news is, he is NOT travelling to Australia for the sole purpose of winning you over. He has a job interview in Sydney, which is the actual reason for his visit. Remember how brilliant he was at manipulating a situation to suit him? That hasn’t changed.
I’m sure he misses you and he may tempt you to give him another try, but if you do, I’ll beat you to a pulp. After that, I’d support you because it’s what I do. I’m certain this isn’t your plan as you have Daniel in your life and from what you tell me, he is the real deal.
If Rob turns up, remember you don’t owe him a thing. If he throws the ‘I’ve travelled all this way to get you back’ card, it’s simply not true. Keep this in mind because he will turn it on big time. You know this better than anyone.
You’ve been my best friend forever and I miss you more than you can imagine. Please stay safe and away from any arseholes called Rob.
I’ll wait to hear from you. Love you, Han,
Lucy xxx.
I quickly fire a response. I’m thankful for the heads up but we both know Rob is a tosser, so she has no worries on that score. “Holy shit,” I whisper out loud. I’ve got so much on my plate without Rob complicating matters. I slump back in my seat and laugh to myself. It’s funny that my ex’s ultimate declaration of love for me is actually a job interview. It was a cheap shot, but typical of him.
I close my email and head for the coffee station. On my way, I call into Richard’s office to see if he wants one.
“Ahh, Hannah, good timing. I was about to call you in. Take a seat a minute, will you?”
He’s in business mode, which means he is about to give information or instruction.
“Hannah, I’ve just had a call from Jennifer. There’s an emergency meeting over at the farm tomorrow which should settle the Jamieson contract. All board members from both companies have to attend.”
