I smiled. Of course it didn’t. He wasn’t thinking about me at all; it was one of a hundred receipts he’d be adding to his bill for Brooke to pay at the end of the pitch process. Rich people didn’t think about money in the same way as us mere mortals. It was all just admin to them.
He opened the map and handed me one side so we could stare at it together.
‘Let’s do the short circuit,’ I said. ‘I don’t want to take any chances getting back for the boat.’
‘Agreed.’
‘The Igreja São João Baptista – Miradouro Santo António. This red line, here,’ I traced the route with my finger embarrassed at the state of my nails.
‘Less than two miles, which won’t even take an hour. We’re already on the trail in fact… looks like it started in the car park.’
‘Even better!’ I said, delighted. ‘Saves us rushing.’
‘It won’t be much of a race if there’s no rushing,’ Leo said, good-naturedly. ‘Unless you want to walk to the top together, then sprint back down?’
‘Erm, yeah… good idea.’Another terrible idea.Walking was one thing; sprinting was something else entirely. I hadn’t done that since my last school sports day – twenty years ago.
Thirteen
We followed the crowd along the shingle path, which was virtually flat and easily walkable – nothing like my recollections of Snowdon. The views were already fabulous and presumably would look identical from the peak – everything would just be smaller and further away. Was it really worth all the effort to get to the very top? Leo spritzed himself with sun cream and the coconut reminded me of the pool party Abi had taken me and Sara to in LA. So many fit men – and women, annoyingly – butthe men… the LA lifestyle was strict but worth it – for them, obviously, not me. Say what you like about plastic surgery, but everyone looked picture-perfect – if a little surprised.
Leo lifted his T-shirt to wipe his brow and I got another glimpse of his abs, which he must have drawn on with eyeliner. How was he working in London full-time and maintaining a six-pack? It didn’t make sense.
He offered up the sun cream and I slathered myself, gratefully. I’d been shadow-hopping behind a tall, wide man,but I didn’t like to get too close and the sun was grilling the back of my neck. I shouldn’t even be in this blazing heat – I should be drinking bellinis under a large umbrella with Bryce whispering reassuring nothings in my ear.
We walked up the mountain without even realising it, but my glutes started to twinge as we reached the highest point and I pushed to keep up with Leo.Mind over matter, Kat. That’s all this was.
‘Selfie to prove we made it?’ he said, holding up his phone. I was red as a beetroot with my cap stuck to my head, like wee Jimmy Krankie, as I smiled for the camera.
‘Easier than I thought it would be.’
‘And quick,’ Leo said, checking his watch, already keen for the next challenge. ‘I don’t see how we can run downhill through all these people, though; we need a different kind of race.’
We were in the middle of a walkathon crowd, with all the keenos pushing behind us to get to the peak, and hundreds of slow plodders in front of us on the trek back down. Neither direction could be any kind of a race – unless we were snails.
‘Let’s just say you won,’ I said. Not that there was anyone to announce it to. PR News were unlikely to run the story. ‘I’m happy for you to take the glory.’
We rounded a corner and Leo stopped with a smile. ‘Now,that’swhat I’m talking about.’ I followed his gaze up to the sky, where a packed gondola was steadily making its way over to a second volcanic crater. ‘What do you think?’
I shrugged. ‘Sure. Show me how we race each other in that.’
‘The racing part is on the other side,’ he said, his eyes full of fire. ‘Volcano boarding.’
Ah. Had I accidentally agreed to something sporty?‘And what exactly is that?’
‘Surfing down the side of the volcano on a plank of wood.’
I gulped. ‘That sounds terrifying.’
‘We can do the scree sliding instead if you’d rather? The beginner’s version. Where you go down on your feet. You can walk it, but it’s quicker to slide and the stones hold your weight as you go.’
I nodded, glad there was an easier way.
We followed the signs, then our fellow sliders, until we reached the giant cable car, and wedged ourselves in next to a family of four. There must have been a hundred of us in the lift, each person stood straight and still; like one among many in a box of matches.
‘Hold on kids,’ their dad yelled, and the two boys screamed in delight as we took off into the sky.
‘I’d love to be that excited,’ Leo whispered, standing far too close, but with no other option. His body shielded me from the rest of the group, and it felt like I had my own personal bodyguard travelling next to me. My breathing slowed to match his and I tried to look anywhere but in his eyes as we juddered along.
