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‘I thought so.’ He turned the corners of his mouth down.
‘Someone else disagreed?’
The alarm went off suddenly, and they both jumped. Jamie reached across, banging his hand rather harder than he needed to on the button at the top.
‘Yeah, Gill did. But there’s no need to talk about the past. Unless, of course, you want to talk about yours?’
‘Mine’s simple.’ Anna climbed over him, getting out of the bed. ‘I was married and it didn’t work out. I don’t want to repeat past mistakes.’
That was all she wanted to say. If she told Jamie the truth, maybe he’d swear it didn’t matter to him that she couldn’t have children. Maybe she’d believe him. And it would all too painful when he realised that he really did want to be a father, the way Daniel had.
Jamie flung himself back on the pillows in an expression of frustration. ‘Nothing’s that simple,’ he called out after her as she made for the shower room and turned on the water.
‘Can’t hear you. And anyway we have to get going, or we’ll be late.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
FOR ONCE, TIME was on Jamie’s side, pushing him towards the weekend, when he’d see Anna again. Three incredibly busy days working in A and E had flown by. Thursday and Friday were spent at the clinic, and in between seeing Jon and sorting out various issues to do with the charity, Jamie was fully occupied. Anna was working on Saturday morning, then they drove down to Hastings together.
The call came just as they’d arrived in the car park of the local pub for a late lunch. Jamie looked at the caller display and frowned, then accepted the call.
‘Hi, Philip. What’s up?’
He listened carefully to whoever was at the other end of the line. Clearly something was up because his brow darkened.
‘Okay, let me make a couple of calls. I’ll let you know.’ He ended the call, puffing out a breath as he turned to Anna.
‘I’m sorry. I have to go.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘It’s Spark. She’s gone missing. Her parents called Jen, apparently, and she says she doesn’t know where she is.’
‘You think she does?’
He quirked his lips down. ‘Maybe. Let me try her.’
He flipped through the contacts list on his phone, leaning back against the car and putting the phone to his ear. He shook his head, ending the call and redialling.
‘You can’t get hold of her?’
‘She’s not answering.’ Jamie frowned. ‘Now I know something’s up. Her best friend’s missing and she’s not answering her phone?’
He had a point. Jamie waited, ended the call and dialled a third time, staring up at the sky in a silent signal that he could do this for as long as it took until Jen answered her phone. Then he gave a brisk nod...
‘Hey, Jen. It’s Jamie. Where are you? Yeah, I can hear you’re on the bus. Where’s the bus?’
He listened to Jen’s reply, rolling his eyes. ‘Pull the other one, Jen. Spark’s missing, today of all days, and you’re going to the cinema?’
It was an approach. Maybe not the most tactful one, but Anna imagined that tact had already been tried. And Jamie’s relationship with all the kids was honest. He told them what he thought, and they repaid the compliment.
‘
No, Jen. I’ll take you wherever you want to go in the car, no questions asked. If Spark’s not where you think she is, then we’ll keep looking. Please don’t do this on your own.’
He listened again, his face grave.
‘No, it’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s because this is too much responsibility for one person. In your place, I’d need someone with me...’ Jen seemed to have capitulated because Jamie nodded. ‘Okay. I’ll meet you at the bus stop in Hedge Lane. Wait for me there, I’ll be fifteen minutes.’
