Page 37 of Unapologetic Love Story

‘Might be hard to spot her.’

‘Her hair is purple and she’s running in a dinosaur onesie.’

There was a breath of silence before both of them laughed. Tom because he was anticipating the image and Raina joyfully knowing exactly how her friend was going to look.

‘She’s a good time, can’t wait to see her.’

‘They shouldn’t be too long.’

He was right. Soon enough, a colourful tsunami of charity runners appeared over the small hill, heading down towards Tom and Raina. More neighbours had appeared by this point. Some of them brought chairs and a couple of police officers and medics were dotted about both sides of the road.

Water stations materialized out of the side streets and the smell of barbecuing began to fill the air.

‘DEEDEE!’

Raina shrieked her friend’s name in delight, gently bumping Tom Branimir out of her path. She waved frantically at the blur of purple barrelling towards her.

‘Oh, my God!’ barked Deedee, her West Country accent made stronger by her emotional state. ‘You came!’

‘I can’t believe you’re actually wearing it!’

‘Lovey, I’ve almost passed out twice. I can’t believe they let me wear it.’

Raina thrust a bottle of water into her friend’s slightly shaking hands. ‘You okay to go on?’

‘I don’t know, I just really want to walk.’

‘It’s this mile,’ Raina said, lovingly brushing back the wet strands of hair stuck to Deedee’s forehead. ‘It’s the wall. You’ve done so well, Deedee. So well. I’m so proud of you. Just a bit further, if you’re up for it.’

Deedee made a wounded noise but took a long swig of cold water. ‘All right.’

‘Yes, lady!’ Raina cried, clapping loudly as Deedee set off again. Her pace was steady but definitely not walking speed.

Tom watched Raina’s face. It was full of devotion and pride. He had to shake himself out of that same charismatic spell he kept falling under. One that thought she was perhaps the most endearing person he’d met in a long time.

‘Mate, get your girlfriend onto the pavement.’

Tom cast a glance at the red-faced man who had spoken. He wasn’t a runner but was drinking one of the provided water bottles.

‘Those are for athletes,’ Tom said disdainfully.

The man scoffed and nodded towards Raina. ‘Move her or I will.’

Tom raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to the man, so they were only separated by a few inches. ‘You absolutely will not. Mate.’

He put years of being a working-class Scot living in England into his address. He felt Raina step neatly onto the pavement and place a hand on his elbow.

‘Let’s move down a bit,’ she said genially.

‘No, this is our spot,’ Tom retorted, never breaking eye contact with the red-faced, water-hogging intruder. ‘He can leave.’

‘You what?’ snorted the man, his voice loud enough to alert one of the female police officers, causing her to glance over at them in concern.

‘He’s not worth the time, Tom. Let’s just go into the shade a bit.’

The man twisted to leer at Raina, his face full of aggression. Something lascivious entered his features and it ignited a flicker of rage in Tom. He suddenly didn’t care what he had to do to make the man look back at him and away from Raina.

So, he slapped the plastic water bottle out of the man’s hands.