Love in Lockdown: An Anthology by Cora Reilly Page 0,3

only reason I'd gone for the job in the first place was because a) I needed a job quickly after my divorce, and b) I'd been in the pub with my mum and spotted the hot landlord. My secret crush and my job had worked out well for me. I didn't have to deal with people much, which I preferred, and Dan hadn't noticed I existed beyond nodding hello in a morning and goodbye when I was leaving. Seeing as I'd preferred to keep him as a fantasy figure, in case he revealed himself to be as much of an arsehole as my ex, 'Fantasy Dan', was perfect.

My heart thudded in my chest as I anticipated the fact that I was going to be living in Dan's spare room and we were going to be having to share his living space for weeks, twelve weeks at least. I wasn't sure at this point which I was most nervous about, catching coronavirus or being in such close proximity to Dan.

You couldn't blame me. Dan looked like a more macho version of Joe Wicks and we all knew how many mummies and other women got up at nine am to do 'PE with Joe'. There was no doubt in my mind that across the nation some kids were getting off their arses at home for the very first time, forced to put down their X-boxes and iPads to perform the plank while mummy checked out Joe's guns.

I'd also developed a very weird crush on Boris Johnson, which I put down to that strange phenomenon people get when they start to fall in love with their doctors or therapists. He was saving the nation and so all of a sudden he'd become more appealing, that had to be the reason. Actually, the less I dwelt on this the better as I was worried for my own mental health, but the fact was every time he failed to be the one speaking at five pm I was disappointed and for someone who'd never even voted for the Tories, it was concerning how bereft I felt.

Maybe this was a coping mechanism? I couldn't help but worry about my mum. She was a fiercely independent woman and having to stay inside would drive her insane, whereas for me, I liked nothing better than peace and quiet and my own company.

And now I was going to have to live with someone else. Talk to them when I was socially anxious. Yes, I had my own room, but we had to work out the meal situation. Would we cook our own food, or was it better to team up, take turns? I was dreading it and I hadn't even moved in yet. I'd found having to talk to staff at the hotel bad enough, and now I was going to be looking and chatting to Dan, my super-secret crush.

My mum spotted me walking up our drive and opened the window. I'd phoned and warned her I needed my things. "I'll go and stand in the garden, darling, while you pack up your stuff."

I nodded. "Okay, Mum."

"Are you sure we can't do this the other way around, and I'll go live in the pub?"

I laughed. "Dan wouldn't be able to handle you, Mum. It's better this way."

"Well, if you get chance to climb on that dick of his, get to it. I would." She yelled. Of course given we were speaking from the required distance and I was outside and she was shouting through the window, the dog walker and the jogger both heard this too.

I made my way into the house. The quicker this was done the better.

After more shouts of what I should do with Dan if I got the opportunity, shouted this time through the back door and witnessed by our neighbour putting her washing out, who shouted over that she'd happily 'give him one too', I took my two packed suitcases containing what I thought I might need and dragged them one by one to my car. It seemed strange to drive to the pub, given its short distance away, but I wasn't dragging two cases down the street. My car was probably better in the pub car park anyway as it was round the back and had security cameras on it.

Mum came back to the front window as I walked up the path.

"I'll phone daily. Ring me whenever you like, and I'll do a shop on Wednesday so let me know what you need.