LITMIR.BIZ

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sound of ‘Goldfinger’, heart lifting to be striding out, first across the playing fields and then over Port Road and onto the first bridleway. He let Doggo’s lead reel out and picked up his pace, the chill air nipping at his ears.

      As he strode, he mentally planned fitness building. His first course would be Outdoor Instructor’s Training in Wales, including navigation, climbing, first aid, water sports, orienteering, cycle training and group communication skills. Next would come Survival Training in the New Forest and then he’d move on to France to develop his climbing skills. After that he’d start looking around for work because he’d need an injection of cash, though he hadn’t lost quite all his money over the Juno closing.

      Just all of his pride.

      He marched faster as if to outdistance the sense of failure, then decided to jog for thirty seconds out of every sixty for the next ten minutes. Interval training would toughen him up and the faster beating of his heart might help him go forward rather than look back. As he increased his pace Doggo looked around, eyes bright and tail whipping as he joined in too. Once he got running Doggo flowed like a black-and-white cheetah but he began with a plunge like a rocking horse. It made Isaac grin.

      It was dark and a few minutes after six o’clock opening time when Isaac arrived back at the pub, returning the way he’d come over the playing fields and car park. Pleasantly tired, he’d dropped his pace to a stroll, giving his muscles a chance to cool down. Doggo wasn’t even panting as he flattened his ears neatly against the wind.

      Isaac’s footsteps were muffled by the grass as he approached the tarmac car park. Two women were standing next to one of the cars. The taller one had planted her hands on her hips and the smaller was glaring up at her. Her voice was low as she snapped, ‘I thought we were going to have a nice dinner together. I didn’t realise it was another opportunity for you to try and run my life.’ Isaac’s step faltered as he recognised Lily’s voice.

      ‘You need to be aware of how Mum and Roma feel about this brother thing—’

      He was pretty sure that was the sister again, the one with the odd name. Zinnia? Her hair was being dragged around as the wind rose and she yanked up her hood.

      ‘Back off!’ Lily exploded, voice tight and high. ‘Shut the front door, Zinnia! If you can’t keep your opinions to yourself then I’m going.’

      Zinnia sighed and her voice softened. ‘It’s just that I care about you, Lily.’

      ‘I’m sure you do.’ Lily sounded choked now. ‘But you might as well go home and have dinner with George. I work at this pub and I’m not up for you embarrassing me in front of my workmates or my new boss by giving me a hard time.’

      Her words prompted Isaac to go gently into reverse to spare her exactly that embarrassment, though Doggo, who was no doubt anticipating dinnertime, gave him an aghast stare. They could circumnavigate the pub car park on the playing fields, circle onto Main Road and then come at the side door from there.

      But Zinnia’s next remark halted Isaac as he took the first stride. Her laugh was low. ‘Oh, yes, the hot boss you’re going to ask out. How’s that going?’

      Isaac turned back to stare at the two figures illuminated by the lights from the pub.

      ‘I was joking with the mums about asking him out,’ Lily responded despondently. ‘Though I did say he was hot. You said so yourself. It’s about the only thing we’ve agreed on lately.’ She hugged herself against the bitter wind.

      That was the moment Doggo chose to indicate that he’d had enough of lurking in the damp darkness instead of being taken indoors for dinner and a nap. He gave a couple of loud woofs.

      Isaac cringed. Both women swung around. Doggo wagged his tail as if pleased to have caught their attention.

      Lily, in the car park light, looked horrified. She turned away in slow motion, head tilted and eyes closed in an obvious ‘Ooooh noooo’.

      Isaac stood rooted to the spot. Realising that Zinnia was still gazing at him with an expression torn between ‘Oh, shit!’ and laughter he decided to take control of the situation. And by that he meant … totally pretend he hadn’t heard.

      ‘Evening, ladies,’ he said genially, strolling onto the car park on a trajectory aimed at the side door.

      ‘Evening,’ Zinnia echoed in a strangled voice. And then as she caught sight of Lily turning and trudging away her voice rose uncertainly. ‘Hey, are we really not having dinner, Lily? I honestly didn’t mean to …’ Her voice tailed off as Lily shook her head and kept moving, heading towards the side of the building, probably to walk past it to Main Road.

      It would have been less awkward if Isaac could have used the back door but with Doggo in tow that really wasn’t possible because it would have taken them across the route where food was carried to the dining area and bar. He could have stopped to check his phone to give her a chance to make her escape, but Doggo was straining on his leash. Isaac tried to keep his steps slow so he wouldn’t overtake her as, behind him, he heard Zinnia sigh, ‘Oh, Lileeee,’ before there came the sound of a car door opening and then slamming shut.

      Lily’s steps faltered, her head drooping. Isaac thought he heard her sniff. Then she swung around, taking a hasty step as if she meant to stop Zinnia driving off. Shock flashed across her face as she found Isaac immediately behind her.

      In the light from the headlights that came on as Zinnia’s car started up he could see tears glittering on her cheeks like ice crystals. Isaac stared down at her. The car headlights swept across them and then Zinnia’s car drove on.

      For several moments the wind buffeted, threading icy air into collars and up sleeves. Isaac’s hair blew into his face and he felt the first sting of rain. Then it came faster, heavier, hitting his scalp like pellets. Lily groaned, ‘Oh, great!’

      Isaac reached into his pocket for his key and heard himself say calmly, ‘It’s going to pour down. I’m going in for a hot drink. Fancy one?’

      He threw open the door on a gust of wind as the sky broke and all the rain it held fell out.

      As Isaac moved forward an eager Doggo did the same. Unfortunately, as he was on the other side of Lily, the taut lead caught painfully across the backs of her legs. Wrong-footed – literally – she stumbled over the threshold behind Isaac. Part of her wanted to turn tail for home but the rain and gusting wind tried to get in behind her and, reflexively, she closed the door. ‘Um, thanks,’ she muttered.

      ‘No prob.’ Isaac strode upstairs behind Doggo as if assuming she’d accepted his invitation to join him in a hot drink and would follow. As her other options were to stand alone at the foot of the stairs or brave the monsoon hammering down outside, reluctantly she did so. When she gained the landing Doggo was rolling and wriggling on the carpet to dry himself. ‘No, Doggo!’ Isaac’s voice floated from an open doorway and Lily and Doggo both followed it.

      She’d been up to Tubb and Janice’s flat and knew the kitchen. A pine table stood in the centre and she hung her coat on the back of one of the chairs, trying not to meet Isaac’s gaze as she sat down.

      He fed Doggo, then filled the kettle as rain hit the window like handfuls of gravel. ‘Sounds like quite a squall,’ Isaac commented, glancing at the dark glass and taking down two mugs. One bore the picture of a Dalmatian and the words Kind, intelligent and batshit crazy.

      Lily cleared her throat. ‘The radio said it might turn to hail or sleet. We’re heading into a cold snap.’

      ‘Oh?’ He fished a carton of milk from the fridge. He seemed no keener to meet her gaze than she was his.

      Crap. That almost guaranteed he’d overheard. She sighed and decided to get the embarrassment over with just in case he’d invited her up here on the assumption she’d be an easy conquest – though he hadn’t struck her as the sort. ‘Sorry you were treated to a sisterly spat. Contrary to what you might have observed so far, Zin and I do love each other. Luckily, she’s funny and warm as well as opinionated.

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