Page 2 of Stuck with the Hot Boss
‘If it was obvious, would my padlock now be in your bin?’
Evie sounded grumpy, she knew, but in the circumstances felt a small rant was justified.
‘I can’tbelieveI genuinely thought I’d found The One,’ she went on. ‘How could I have been so blind, and stupid, anddeluded?’
‘What were you looking for with Shaun?’
Evie was wide-eyed. ‘How did–?’
‘Your names are on the padlock,’ said the council worker with a smile.
‘Oh. Of course. Um – what was I looking for? He was kind, and super positive. Like, nothing would faze him. He never, ever got upset.’
‘Did he encounter anythingtoupset or faze him?’
Evie thought. And frowned. ‘Now that you mention it, no. Shaun knew how to avoid life’s rough spots. I envied him that.’
The council worker’s eyes seemed to flash bright green. ‘Kindness and a positive temperament are important, but those who are rarely troubled are often those who skate only on life’s surface. And when life demands more of them, they skate away. Part of you knew this from the start, but you ignored it. Why?’
In order to reply, Evie had to shut her mouth, which had fallen open.
‘Are you saying this is allmyfault?’ she protested. ‘Iwasn’t the one who bailed on a year-long relationship with three minutes’ notice!’
‘Shaun knew what he wanted, and when he didn’t want it anymore, he left. With little regret, I imagine. Question is: what doyouwant, and why? When you know the answer to that, your life will regain its direction.’
I didn’t come here to be lectured by a council worker, was Evie’s first response. Quickly followed by:And what kind of council worker psychoanalyses you while bolt-cutting padlocks off a bridge?
‘Is this your only job?’ she asked. ‘You seem – overqualified.’
The council worker smiled again. ‘It gets me out and about.’
He offered her the hand not holding the bolt cutter. ‘A pleasure to meet you, Evie. I’ve no doubt you will soon find what you’re looking for.’
Evie shook the hand. It was rough with callouses. She guessed that long hours of bolt cutting would do that to you.
As the council worker moved away, Evie was tempted to follow and take note of which padlocks were singled out for the chop. But she had a tiny shred of dignity left. And besides, she’d promised to meet up with Nicky for lunch. Nicky was the kind of tough-love friend who allowed a set time for venting about exes and then made you shut up. She’d be intrigued by the bolt-cutting council worker, who seemed uncannily well informed about her relationship with Sh–
Wait. The padlockwasn’tengraved with their names. Only their initials. E.M. for Evie Martin. S.W. for Shaun Walsh …
Evie scanned the bridge both ways for the council worker, but no sign. It wasn’t a super-long bridge; he might be at the Tate Modern end having a sandwich. He might be up the other end having a moment of peace at St Paul’s.
Or I might have imagined him completely.
Evie remembered the rough feel of the handshake and decided she wasn’t hallucinating. Life was full of unexplained incidents and coincidences. She was sure there’d be a very sane and boringly normal reason why a complete stranger knew her name and her ex’s.
She texted Nicky: on my way
And added: order me a glass of wine – big one – HUGE!
Well done. Our broken-hearted girl is indeed on her way – towards a love that’s right and true, though it’s possible she may not recognise it at first. When you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places, it’s often hard to see it, even when it’s literally staring you in the face.
Team, we still have work to do …
Chapter Two
‘So, to get this straight,’ said Nicky. ‘A council worker with a voice like a Sacher Torte, who you’d never seen before in your life, knew your first names. Both yoursandShaun’s, so it couldn’t have been a lucky guess.’
‘Yes!’ said Evie. ‘It was very weird.’
