Annabel put her pen to the corner of her mouth, repeatedly tapping it against her lip. She knew this bouquet had to be special, but in assessing what she’d come up with so far, it still didn’t feel quite right. She began reading back her check list.

‘Avalanche Roses for purity and innocence,’ she said. ‘Freesias, delicate like the baby they’ve been praying for.’

‘Singapore Orchids representing love and strength in the new Mum. And finally, Gypsophila – child’s breath. All of them white.’

She stared at the piece of paper. As thoughtful as this creation might be, there was definitely something missing. Annabel recalled her conversation with the new Dad when he’d phoned to place the order. Maybe something he’d said could give her a clue? In his excitement, he rambled on, and on, about how he couldn’t believe he’d finally become a father. He and his wife had been trying for years; in fact, nine months ago they’d just about given up hope.

‘I know,’ she said, at last, deciding the ensemble needed a bit of fun. ‘A Hydrangea head, for their perseverance.’

Allowing her cheeky side to come to the fore, she giggled as she jotted this down; and while imagining the poor chap being summoned to the bedroom at all hours of the day, told herself that even florists were allowed the odd in-joke.

She knew the new Dad didn’t really care what went into his bouquet. Her customers very rarely did. For most, having something that looked the part was all that mattered, but Annabel couldn’t help herself. Every arrangement had to symbolise the event it was catering for and even though no one else knew the significance of each individual flower, at least she did. Choosing the right flowers for the right occasion was one of the things she most loved about her job. An aspect that had only come to the fore after Tom’s death.

She thought back to that awful time. Making a wreath for him had been one of the most painful things she’d ever had to do. Yes, she could have asked another florist to step in. She could have even given them a list of all the flora and fauna she wanted to be included. But someone else wouldn’t have put their heart and soul into it like Annabel had done. Not to mention their tears. Such was its impact, she still cried a little to this day when it came to making up arrangements for funerals. But from Tom’s death onwards, she made sure that no matter what the event, all her creations had significance.

Finally, satisfied with her choices, Annabel put the pen down, ready to set about getting everything together. She grabbed the scissors and her belly began to rumble. ‘It can’t be lunchtime already,’ she said. Annabel looked over at the wall clock, she noted that it was a quarter-past-twelve. ‘Please, no. Not again.’ Annabel pictured Katy sitting at their usual table, impatiently awaiting her late arrival. She sighed. ‘Someone’s not going to be a happy bunny.’

She dropped everything and quickly headed out back to collect her handbag. She silently insisted that if she was quick her friend would still be waiting. Annabel hastily flipped the closed sign as she made her exit and rushed off on her lunch date.

‘Ouch!’ she suddenly cried out.

In her haste, she hadn’t noticed the individual about to pass by and bumped straight into them; it felt like she’d walked into a wall. ‘Can’t you watch where you’re going?’

‘Well excuse me,’ said a male voice. ‘Even if you are the one who knocked into me.’

Annabel dusted herself down, she couldn’t believe the man’s cheek and was ready to give him a piece of her mind. She looked him square in the face, and froze, recognising the human obstacle before her. Trying to speak, the words wouldn’t come out.

She watched the man’s face break into a smile. ‘Hello again,’ he said. ‘Annabel, isn’t it?’

Annabel cringed; she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. ‘It’s you,’ she said. ‘From last week.’

‘Dan, yes.’ The man replied.

Embarrassment welled as she recalled her drunken slurring that night; she’d taken the phrase ‘Dutch Courage’ to its limit. Seeing him grin back at her, he obviously remembered events too. Why, oh why, hadn’t she limited herself to one or two glasses?

His amusement continued while he waited for her to say something, reminding Annabel why, out of the crowd, she’d ultimately chosen him as the one to father her child. He had one of those smiles that lit up his whole face, just like Tom had had. Of course, that still didn’t excuse him not watching where he was going, she decided, at last pulling herself together. And what was he doing here anyway?

Her stomach did a little flip. Unless he’d come to take her up on her offer?

‘I’d shake your hand,’ said Dan. ‘But I feel our relationship has already moved on.’

Annabel’s heart sank. The man was clearly laughing at her and she felt her glimmer of hope fast disappear, along with the last of her dignity.

Not that she could blame him. Again, thinking back to her rather inebriated, yet very serious conversation about him being the one to help her procreate, he had every right to tease her. Talk about easy pickings. To him, she was probably just some drunken woman desperate for a shag.

However, if that really was his view, she supposed, under the circumstances, she should be glad he hadn’t taken her speech all that seriously. On the down side though, this did mean she was going to have to go through the whole rigmarole again with someone else; except this time it would be minus the alcohol. But why the unexpected visit if it wasn’t to talk about babies, she wondered and suddenly suspicious, she took a step back.

‘So what can I do for you?’ she asked. ‘What are you doing here?’

It began to dawn on her just how stupid she’d been. Everyone knew there were lots of weirdoes out there, yet for some reason, stranger danger had been the one thing she hadn’t banked on. In her search for a prospective father, the last thing she’d considered was the possibility of having a deranged stalker on her hands and she just hoped she wasn’t about to pay the price.

She tried to remember if, apart from her mobile number, she’d given him any personal information that night. Her overriding feeling was that she was quite sure that she hadn’t.

‘I could say the same about you,’ he replied, which, as far as Annabel was concerned, explained absolutely nothing.

Determined not to show any fear, she pointed to the sign emblazoned above the window. ‘It’s my shop,’ she said.

Her heart sank even further as she suddenly realised what she’d just done. If the would-be maniac standing here didn’t know exactly where to find her before, thanks to her and her big mouth, he certainly did now.

‘Small world,’ he said.

Annoyed with herself as much as she was him, Annabel gave him a stern look. ‘If you could answer the question, please,’ she said.

Finally, he relented. ‘I’m doing some work around the corner, if you must know.’

‘What kind of work?’

Dan laughed. ‘What’s with the twenty questions? Besides, shouldn’t you have asked me these things before you gave me your number?’

She knew he had a point, but to be fair to herself, it wasn’t his earning potential she’d been interested in. ‘And what a fruitless exercise that turned out to be,’ she said.

‘Let’s just say I’m still thinking about it,’ he replied.

Great, more teasing, just what Annabel didn’t need.

Annabel decided that she’d wasted enough time on this man already. ‘Consider your decision made,’ she said. ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.’

She stuck her nose in the air and bustled off down the street. Without bothering to look back, she knew that he was staring after her.

‘Make the most of it while you can, Danny boy,’ she said, insisting that if he really was going to murder her he’d have done it by now. ‘Because this is the last you’ll be seeing of me.’

* * *

By the time she got to the coffee shop, Annabel was practically out of breath. Understandably so, she realised, checking her watch. In speed walking terms, she had just beaten her personal best. Upon entering, she spotted Katy at their usual table, and relieved to find she hadn’t missed her, waved to catch her attention before racing over. ‘Sorry I’m late,’ she said, almost panting as she took a seat.

Her friend indicated to the latte on the table. ‘It should still be warm. I guessed you’d be running behind, so it’s not long been ordered.’

Grateful for the gesture, Annabel duly picked up the glass and took a sip. ‘I had this arrangement to sort out,’ she said. ‘Some bloke wanting something special for his wife. They’ve just had a baby, the lucky so and soes. Anyway, I got waylaid deciding which flowers to include.’ She took another drink of her coffee. At last able to relax, it was just what she needed. ‘So,’ she said, ready to give her friend her undivided attention. ‘What’s new?’

Katy didn’t answer, but as far as Annabel was concerned she didn’t have to. Her face said it all. She wore one of those expressions that didn’t just say I thought you’d never ask, it said I have some really exciting news, but for some reason, I’m choosing to pretend it isn’t. Annabel had seen that look on her friend’s face enough times to know what it meant. ‘Go on then,’ she asked. ‘Who is he?’

Katy grinned. ‘Just some hunk of a man I met at the gym,’ she coolly explained.

Annabel knew her friend’s calm and collected exterior wouldn’t last; that within seconds she’d be morphing into a rambling, excitable schoolgirl in front of her very eyes. She silently began counting down. Three, Two, One.

‘His name’s Oliver, but I call him sex on legs. Honestly, he’s gorgeous. I can’t wait for you to meet him. Well maybe not just yet, it’s probably a bit early. Especially when it’s nothing serious. You know me, I don’t do serious.’

Annabel had never heard a truer statement. The men in her friend’s life never lasted more than a few weeks. She was one of those women who liked variety. At least that’s what she claimed. Annabel suspected it had more to do with issues around commitment, a suggestion that had always been met with denial.

‘Anyway, enough about that,’ said Katy. ‘Just thinking about the man makes me come over all fuzzy. Tell me about your love life. How are things progressing with what’s his name? Dan, isn’t it?’

Annabel almost choked. ‘You’ve changed your tune,’ she said.

After spending weeks of showing nothing but concern over her plans, she found it amusing her friend now wanted a blow-by-blow account of what she’d been up to recently. In a way, she thought it was a shame that there was nothing to tell.

‘Yes, well, if you’re not going to take to my advice on the subject, I may as well keep up with events.’

Annabel shook her head. Katy always did like a good gossip.

‘Has he called at all?’

‘Firstly,’ said Annabel. ‘You know full well I don’t have, and nor do I want, a love life. And secondly, no he hasn’t.’

Her friend gave a look that fell somewhere between pity and ‘I told you so’, an expression Annabel couldn’t quite bring herself to appreciate.

‘If you ask me,’ said Katy. ‘The man’s a player anyway. Out and about town with one woman and then a few months later it’s some other poor girl. He’s clearly a commitment-phobe.’

Annabel couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘Sounds like someone else I know,’ she said, wondering if commitment-phobe was even a word.

‘But that’s my point,’ she carried on. ‘That’s why he would’ve been so perfect. The second I fell pregnant, I’d be more than happy for him to go on his merry way, never to be seen again.’ She picked up the menu and began scanning its contents. ‘Besides, it’s not his degree of loyalty that’s worrying me.’

‘What do you mean?’ asked Katy. ‘I thought you just said he hasn’t been in touch?’

Annabel wondered if she’d said too much already. She didn’t want to cause any unnecessary concern and for all she knew Dan could have been telling the truth when he’d said he was working nearby. Still, seeing him on her doorstep like that had freaked her out a bit, however, plausible his words might seem. ‘I’ve just bumped into him,’ she said. ‘Literally, outside the shop.’

Katy straightened herself up. ‘Again, what are you talking about?’ she asked.

‘Well I was just locking up to come here and there he was. To be honest, when I realised it was him I didn’t know what to think. I mean he wouldn’t be the first madman to get the wrong idea, would he? To take advantage of a woman’s plight. You read about these cases all the time in the papers.’

‘Shit, Annabel, that does sound dodgy. Maybe you should go to the police? Just in case.’

Annabel put the menu back down and scoffed. ‘And say what? That first I ask a man to impregnate me and then I happen to see him in the street. I mean who’s the real balm pot here?’ She paused to drink another mouthful of coffee. ‘I hate to say it, Katy, but I think you were right. Getting a complete stranger to father my child like this was a ridiculous idea.’

‘Hallelujah!’ said Katy, throwing herself back in her seat. ‘And about time too.’

Annabel suddenly felt hurt. She knew how idiotic she’d been, that she should’ve thought to consider her own personal safety; especially when she’d managed to analyse every other aspect of her plan. But while she understood her friend’s relief, after all, the consequences of having a madman for a sperm donor didn’t bear thinking about, did Katy really have to be this blunt?

Thankfully for Annabel, Katy seemed to realise how harsh she sounded.

‘Look, I’m sorry. That was unnecessary,’ she said. ‘This plan of yours just seems so out there, I can’t help but worry about it.’

‘I know. I just wanted a baby so much,’ Annabel replied. ‘I still do.’

‘But don’t you think if it’s meant to happen, it’ll happen? With or without someone like Dan?’

After walking into him like that, Annabel didn’t know what to think anymore.

She tried to hide her disappointment on the baby front. ‘Short of having an immaculate conception,’ she said. ‘I can’t see how.’