Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Ralph, the doorman, walked over to him. “Mr. Sullivan, I’m afraid I have bad news. I tried to call you several times, but there was no response.”
Malcolm had been ignoring his buzzing phone in his pocket, figuring it was probably Katrina calling to curse him out again. “What happened?”
“The building flooded. In fact, it’s bad enough that I won’t be able to let you into your flat tonight.”
Malcolm’s eyebrows finally went up. “I can’t get inside?”
Ralph shook his head. “Not until the water company has determined exactly what it is that’s flooded and if it is clean water or—” The man cleared his throat, not needing to finish the sentence for his intent to be perfectly clear.
Malcolm laughed again. What else could he do, given how this night was shaping up? Even though he could smell the cosmopolitan on his skin and hair, and he’d just found out his flat was flooded, he felt wonderful. Katrina was out of his life. The fact that she’d been cheating on him took away any guilt he’d harbored about calling things off with her. “Thanks for letting me know. I’d appreciate it if you could give me a ring once you know more.”
“Thank you for being so understanding about it all, Mr. Sullivan.”
Malcolm glanced over at a younger couple who looked to be raising quite a fuss with the building’s manager. “Having trouble with the others?”
“I’m afraid I can’t say,” Ralph said. But he did raise his eyebrows as if to confirm that yes, they were having quite a bit of trouble with some of the other tenants in the building.
“Don’t let it get to you, Ralph. It’s not your fault. And good luck.”
“You too, sir.”
Malcolm headed back toward the river. The simplest thing to do would be to call his global concierge again and arrange for a hotel room and some new clothes to be delivered to it, along with a laptop so that he could log in for work.
But he wasn’t in the mood for a fancy hotel. Not tonight. No, tonight the only place he wanted to be was his houseboat, even if he knew there was no way he could spend the night with Josie there.
He did, however, have some extra clothes and shoes on the boat. He could crash in his grandmother’s back cottage, where Owen lived. Especially since he knew Owen rarely slept there anymore now that he and Mari were together.
Just the thought of going to Elderflower Island tonight put a spring in his step. He arranged for a driver and two minutes later was in the backseat, heading out of central London toward the island.
“My wife, she loves Elderflower Island,” the driver said. “She’s always getting on me about buying a cottage there. Not that I could afford it.”
“Things on the island are pretty pricey,” Malcolm said. “I’m lucky that I’ve been able to spend time there since I was a child. My grandmother has a cottage near the boathouse.”
“You lucky sod,” the driver said, grinning at him in the rearview mirror.
“I am lucky,” Malcolm agreed.
It was good to be reminded of that. Everything he had, everything he did, was because he had chosen it. Tonight, he’d made one big choice already—to change his relationship status from half a power couple to single. And then he’d made another choice—to leave central London for Elderflower Island. Both excellent choices, if he did say so himself.
Malcolm settled back into the seat and enjoyed the knowledge that he’d be in his favorite place within the hour.
CHAPTER FIVE
There was a knock on the door. Who could it possibly be?
Jose had come back to the houseboat after dinner and promptly fallen asleep. And then three hours later, she woke up. Wide awake. It was morning in Idaho. Her body was awake and raring to go. Even though she could tell that she was still exhausted, sleep was evading her. So she got out of the comfortable bed and went into the galley to brew herself a cup of tea. Thankfully, Malcolm, or maybe Mari, had stocked the fridge, so she was just looking into what she could make for a midnight snack.
She’d unpacked and opened her suitcase of books, looking for the perfect comfort read to go with her snack. While she was reviewing her books, she pulled one out, feeling instinctively it was right for Malcolm. She wasn’t certain he’d thank her for the broad hint that he worked too much, but she set the book aside anyway. Maybe she’d give it to him if the moment felt right.
And then she heard the knock.
Part of her was a little nervous, wondering who it could be. She was in a foreign country, and it was well after dark. But at the same time, Elderflower Island seemed so safe to her. And she got the sense that this houseboat community was also extremely close. Perhaps it was a neighbor looking to borrow a cup of sugar for some late-night baking…