Zoe nodded. ‘You know where I am if you’re unsure of anything. My door is always open.’
‘I know. You’ve all been so lovely to me, I’ll be sad to go when Ottilie comes back. I wish it hadn’t been a locum job.’
‘You never know, there might be a job-share to be had if Ottilie doesn’t fancy coming back full-time. Have you spoken to her?’
Shabana looked doubtful. ‘I haven’t thought about it, but do you really think so? Should I go and see her? I’m not sure…well, I don’t really know her, do I?’
‘Would you want it if there was a chance?’
‘Absolutely! I love working here!’
‘I’ll tell you what…I’ll mention it to Ottilie next time I see her, sound her out. I’m sure she must have been thinking about it.’
‘She hasn’t said anything to you so far?’
‘No, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t considered it. I imagine she was worried to say anything because she wouldn’t want to feel she’s leaving the surgery in the lurch by asking for part-time hours, but if she knew there was someone willing to job-share with her, that would change things.’
‘You’re so kind! Thank you so much, Zoe. It really was a lucky day when I got sent here to cover.’
‘Lucky for us too.’ Zoe glanced at the clock.
‘I’m sorry…you need to get on. I just wanted to let you know what all the fuss was about, and sorry, again, for being so loud. I was excited; I hadn’t meant to tell everyone today – I meant to wait a few more weeks – but in the end I couldn’t keep it in!’
‘Congratulations again,’ Zoe said. ‘I’m thrilled for you.’
Shabana skipped out, looking a lot lighter, Zoe thought, for getting her news off her chest. Zoe, on the other hand, had never felt so weighed down by such conflicting emotions. There was so much going on in her head, she wondered if it might split apart. She certainly felt a headache coming.
Blowing out a huge breath, she turned back to her laptop, but even as she did, she realised trying to focus on anything right now was going to be impossible.
11
‘Where are you off to?’ Zoe glanced down at the pack of beers in Alex’s arms as they bumped into one another – her coming home to Hilltop and him leaving.
‘I’m going to take the new guests a bit of something,’ he replied, in a breathless way that suggested he hadn’t been still for much of the day. ‘I thought I might just say hello and get to know them.’
‘I mean, I suppose there’s no harm in it, but they’ll have already had the welcome packs you left in the pods.’
Alex kissed her lightly. ‘True, but it can’t hurt to do a little extra, can it? And I was talking to the guys about the local ales, and they said they fancied trying them, and I had these bottles left over from Christmas so…I thought I might do a barbecue at some point during their week. I’m going to ask them about it.’
‘Here?’ This time, Zoe couldn’t keep the doubt from her face.
‘On the field. You know, you get it at resorts, don’t you, when they have a barbecue night and everyone is invited?’
‘In Barbados or somewhere, yes, but I’m not sure you get it at British campsites. Especially during the early spring when the temperatures can drop more than you’d like to be sitting out in. Iknow I wouldn’t want to sit outdoors right now after the sun had gone down, no matter how pleasant the day has been.’
‘The fire will keep everyone warm.’
‘What fire?’
‘I’ve ordered a firepit. It should be here in the next couple of days, and I thought I’d install it for them to use.’
‘I hate to be the Debbie Downer here, but shouldn’t you have done that before they arrived if you wanted to do it?’
‘Probably, but I didn’t think of it. I’m sure it will be like that – thinking of stuff, making little tweaks as we go along. It’s all a learning curve, right?’
Zoe nodded and tried to smile. ‘I suppose it is. OK, so I’ll wait until you come back before I start cooking us something?’
‘Actually, Billie made a pie so there’s no need to worry.’
