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Handing her a cup, Morgan smiled. “I know, but I’ve had to sign an NDA. All I can say is that I’m not leaving the country, I’m getting paid, and I’ll be back in a few weeks. It’s just a work thing.”
Zoe narrowed her eyes. “Well, I’m not sure I like it, but of course I’ll look after Knight. He can move in with me till you’re back. That way he has company instead of someone just feeding him.”
“Thanks, Zo. I knew I could count on you.”
“Of course you can, which is why it’s a little frustrating that you won’t—”
“Can’t,” Morgan cut in.
This time Zoe rolled her eyes. “Whatever, I’m your friend, and you should always have someone who knows where you are in case anything happens.”
“I’m still available and have my phone. You can call anytime. I imagine most of the time I’ll be bored to death. It’s a work thing, okay? It’s a precaution and it’s sensitive.”
“Fine, but you’ll tell me when you get back, right?”
Morgan chuckled. “Probably, assuming I don’t have to sign another NDA.”
Zoe scoffed. “NDAs, only rich posh gits and celebrities use those—is that it? It’s someone famous?” Morgan remained silent. “It is. It’s a famous person, why else would the NHS allow you to take time off and go swanning around as aprecaution.”
“Look, I’m neither confirming or denying, but if you watch the news, and see something, just remember that not everything you see is true.”
Zoe’s face beamed with anticipation. “Oh my god, I mean, cryptic but, oh my god.” She bounced around enthusiastically. “When do you leave?”
“In the morning. I have to be ready by ten.”
“Dammit, I’ll be working. I wanted to see you off.”
Morgan laughed. “Snoop, more like.”
“This is the most exciting thing to happen since Harry from the fourth floor hooked up with that model from Only Fans.”
“You need to get out more.”
Morgan sat on her bed cross-legged, picking at a loose fray on her jeans while she considered the empty case beside her. She should probably have done this a couple of days ago, but she’d been full-on working every hour lately, working extra shifts so her colleagues could get a day off before she disappeared from the roster for four weeks, a long time in A&E shift patterns. Exhaustion was setting in, and she was looking forward to this being a bit of a break.
She blew out her cheeks and got to her feet.
“Might as well start with the obvious,” she said to herself, opening the top drawer and rifling through her underwear. There had to be a laundry service at one of the hotels, surely, she thought. She counted out seven sets of what she called work underwear, plain and comfortable. Tossing them into the suitcase, she followed it up with two sets of her nicer options. The lacy, black, sexy stuff that made her feel desirable when she wore it. Which hadn’t been often lately. She hadn’t even had a date for over a year. Who wanted to date a doctor who was working the hours she did?
Sighing, she turned back to her wardrobe.
The difficulty she had was trying to find things that were practical and yet still looked as though she were someone different to who she was. Jeans and t-shirts were the main items she chose, adding in some light-weight jumpers and a few pairs of cotton slacks. Flicking through the coat hangers, she stopped at some dresses zipped up into dustproof bags, because that was how often they got an airing. Minus the one she’d worn to the gala; that was still in the washing basket waiting to go to the dry cleaners. She had a couple of nice cocktail dresses and an evening gown, but would she need those?
She opened her email to read the itinerary Francine had sent and noticed a new mail from her with the word “update” in the heading. She clicked on it and the original itinerary appeared. Narrowing her eyes, she re-read it and tried to decipher what the update was. And then she noticed it.
Picking up her phone, she found Francine’s number and called the Ice Queen.
“Morgan, what’s the issue?”
“Hi, Francine, I’m just packing and going through the itinerary, and I noticed there’s quite a big difference in—”
“We scrapped the original plan and extended our stay at each hotel. Issues with the crew and set-up, is there a problem?”
“No, I guess not. I just…it would have been nice to be consulted.”
“I negotiated with your bosses to have you available for four weeks. I considered that consulted.”
“I see. I didn’t realise, last time we spoke it was—"
