‘You never know.’ She nods at the holistic personal training session already underway on the other side of the garden. ‘Whatever’s going on over there looks heavy-duty.’
It’s Sophie’spièce de resistance. ‘Sorrel and Saffron, the instructors, are rocking their orange lycra, and I’m guessing the guests are happy to sweat for a tasterthatexclusive. So many balls too!’
Plum shrugs. ‘It’s meant to give resultswithouteffort. That’s why it’s popular.’
She moves back to the cluster of easels on the patio and I look down at Diesel, yawning as he leans against my leg. When we asked George to take him out and exhaust him beyond disasters, we didn’t think as far as him being too tired to interact with the guests. We may both have relaxed too soon because I’ve just slightly embarrassed myself inside. When Ross asked me about pet sitting, I started talking about dog walks and ended up over-sharing how much they’ve toned my bum and how happy they make me.
My butt actually matters to me much less than it used to. And my state of contentment snuck up on me too. When my career plan failed so spectacularly I felt as if I was left with nothing. But for the first time I’ve had the space to fit things in that made me feel happy. My feeling of wellbeing might have happened by accident – but now it’s here I don’t want to let it go.
Our group is wandering out onto the grass now. We’re going to watch a little Cavachon called Cora show off some agility, and then Diesel will take centre stage for a stroll along the beach.
As we sidle in next to Nell I can’t help smiling. ‘Look at Cora zipping off, she’s really showing the contrast between giant dogs and pocket-size ones.’
When Nell claps her hands at Cora and Millie holds a hoop for her to jump through, I can’t help noticing that the women wobbling on top of giant exercise balls are looking enviously in our direction.
Millie calls out: ‘Come on, Cora! Big jump for a biscuit.’
As Cora speeds past so fast her little furry legs are a blur, I’m patting us all on the back, because of how well it’s all going.
Nell scoops Cora up into her arms. ‘Okay, we’re moving onto Cora’s newest skill next – running through a tunnel! We’ve practised this earlier. Millie’s going at the far end to call her through.’
Millie’s kneeling at one end of the long blue nylon tube that’s stretched out on the lawn, and Nell drops Cora onto the ground at the other. As Millie calls her name, Cora shoots into the tunnel.
We’re clustered in a crowd, holding our breath as we wait for Cora to come into view at Millie’s end. But as an orange ball of fluff shoots out past Millie’s head instead of Cora, Millie gives a cry. ‘Marmalade! You aren’t meant to hide there!’
Ross laughs. ‘So like a cat to steal a dog’s thunder.’
As Diesel gives my leg an unexpected bump and almost pushes me into Ross, I’m hoping Ross hasn’t noticed. Then Cora flies out of the tunnel, tracking Marmalade like a guided missile, and Diesel makes a sudden lunge to follow both of them. I tighten my grip on his lead, but he’s gone.
Marmalade bolts towards the cover of the exercise class and Cora follows and shoots between the balls in the centre. Then as Diesel bounds over and tries to follow, the first guest tips sideways and slides off their ball, then it’s like a domino effect. There’s a series of shrieks, and a flurry of arms and legs. As I race across to help, I’m jumping over falling bodies and dodging bouncing balls. I make a dash to catch hold of Diesel, but as my hands close on his collar someone’s legs tangle with mine. My feet stop dead, but the rest of me carries on and the grass is rushing towards me. There’s a horrible jolt as I hit the floor, but at least I’ve still got hold of Diesel. As I roll over and stare up at the sky, I can see the bright purple balls rolling down the gentle sloping lawn towards the garden end, and disappearing, one by one, over the cliff edge. And then a shape appears against the blue, and Ross is smiling down at me.
‘Don’t worry, Bertie, I’ve got this.’ He takes Diesel first, then his other hand comes down to catch mine. A moment later he sweeps me to my feet so fast I lurch forward and bump against his chest. I’m staring up into his face, and as our eyes lock, the world beyond slides out of focus. I have no idea how long we stand there for, but I’m filled with an overwhelming feeling that he’s going to kiss me.
And then I come to my senses. Shake my head, force myself to blink. As I look beyond his arm the mayhem stretching across Sophie’s garden yanks me back to reality and I let out a moan. It’s hard to know where to begin with the apologies. Cora might have made one guest wobble; Diesel careering through was what totalled the area.
I step towards the guests, who are brushing themselves down. ‘I’m so sorry for ruining your class. I’m the one in charge of Diesel, this is all down to me!’ As I see Sophie hurrying over, my voice rises to a wail. ‘And I’msosorry for ruining your day, Sophie!’ If I’m mortified on behalf of the other people, what I’ve done to Sophie’s showpiece is off the scale.
Sophie clamps her mouth to my ear and hisses, ‘That wasn’t a work-out, it was a bloody boot camp. It’s a miracle you ended it before anyone expired.’
The teaching assistant from Rose Hill pats my arm. ‘Truly, Diesel coming along when he did saved our bacon.’
Her friend groans. ‘If the dog group are going for a walk,please, please, pleasecan we join you instead.’
I call across to Sorrel and Saffron. ‘We’re about to head to the beach, we could all go and round up your balls?’
Ross strides off across the lawn. ‘What are we waiting for? Throwing sticks for the dogs is great for your biceps.’
Plum’s looking at me sideways. ‘I saw you two just before. Do you and Ross have history?Were you and Ross an item?’
Sophie’s staring from Plum to me and back again, her eyes like gimlets. ‘The thing we talked about, it wasn’t—’
‘Now’sreally notthe time, Soph,’ Nell interrupts. As she turns to me she’s shaking her head.
Plum sighs. ‘Nell’s right, let’s revisit this later.’
Sophie turns to them. ‘You’d better hurry! Let everyone know there’s a change of itinerary – we’re going to the beach.’
A second later Plum and Nell are heading off across the grass, and I’m left looking at Sophie. Her pale-blue, perfectly outlined eyes are holding my gaze. ‘No need to say another word, Cressy. But I’mtotallyin awe of what a professional you are, keeping that to yourself and not breaking. In the same flat too.’
