Cosy Nights & Snowball Fights (Little Duck Pond Cafe #36)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Sunday dawned blue-skied and frosty again with the merest hint of a breeze to rustle the autumn leaves falling in the lanes around the cottage.

Dad was up with the lark as usual, although he’d decided to forgo his early morning jog in favour of completing the run at the charity event later. The runners were to assemble at ten-thirty for an eleven o’clock start.

I’d dressed to look ultra-casual in grey sweats and a white T-shirt – too casual, it seemed, because when he saw me out of my normal jeans, Dad enquired whether I was intending to attempt the race with him.

I laughed. ‘Er, no. And what do you mean, attempt? I find that quite insulting, actually.’

‘You tell him, love,’ called Mum from the kitchen. She’d declared herself in charge of breakfast this morning and the tempting aroma of blueberry and banana pancakes was drifting in.

Dad held up his hands. ‘No offence intended. I’ve absolutely no doubt at all that you could do it, Laurel.’

I chuckled, enjoying the banter. ‘Now you’re just being patronising.’

‘Well, I was about to say you could absolutely do it – as long as walking’s allowed.’

‘The cheek of the man.’ Mum appeared, flicking at Dad’s legs with the tea towel. He skipped smartly out of the way.

Laughing, I reclaimed my bedroom to do my make-up and get changed out of my sweats and into jeans. Sitting at the mirror, I stared at my reflection. I’d sat out in the back garden with a book on warmer days during the summer and my skin had retained that lightly-tanned glow. So no blusher needed. Perhaps I’d go for the natural look. Just mascara and a hint of lip gloss?

Or maybe I should just go for the full works – my new favourite eyeshadow, brow shading and everything...

I shook my head, irritated by my own indecision. What on earth was wrong with me this morning? I didn’t normally think twice about how I looked or what I wore these days. It was annoying, this feeling of confusion about how to present myself at the radio station fun day. It really shouldn’t matter.

I sighed and slicked on lip gloss. Apparently, it did matter. And if I was completely honest with myself, I knew exactly why it mattered.

Josh.

I’d wanted to show that I’d made no effort at all and I’d only decided to go along because Mum and Dad wanted to, not because he’d specifically asked Maddy if I had plans to be there. But maybe I was overthinking everything?

I made a rueful face at myself in the mirror.

Yes, of course I was overthinking. It had probably just been a polite query; Josh probably wouldn’t even notice me, he’d be so busy. And yet here I was making a total mountain out of a molehill!

I stood up and did a twirl. Jeans and a pink sweatshirt with a cute fake fur gilet to keep out the autumnal chill. Perfectly acceptable. Now get on with it, Laurel!

‘Oh, you’ve changed,’ said Mum, when I joined them for pancakes. ‘You look lovely, my darling.’

‘Thank you. But I might pack my running gear. Just in case.’ I grinned at Dad.

‘You have running gear ?’ He pretended to be shocked.

‘Yes, I found it when I was going through some boxes the other day.’

‘Excellent. Well, you can run with me.’

‘Er, no. I don’t think so, Dad.’

*****

As it turned out, Maddy and Marcus were the first people we saw when we arrived in the car park just after ten-thirty and walked into the field where the event was taking place. Both were wearing official tabards, clearly race organisers, and I reflected that Maddy would be good at that. She was great at organising and she’d have no problem shouting at people and herding them about if they got out of line! I glanced around but thankfully there was no sign of Josh. I’d have thought he’d be a race organiser as well, but maybe not...

Breathing more easily, I introduced Mum and Dad to Marcus, and we chatted for a few minutes before Dad – already in his running gear – parted company with us and wandered off with them towards the start line.

‘Good luck!’ called Mum.

Dad turned and grinned at us, and I waved. ‘See you at the finish line!’

‘Not tempted?’ he called back to me.

‘No, thanks.’

He shrugged and disappeared into the surprisingly large crowd that was already assembled.

‘I wonder where the toilets are.’ I glanced around, hitching my bag more firmly over my shoulder.

‘Over there.’ Mum pointed. ‘Hey, what are you up to?’ She smiled curiously.

‘Well, why do people normally ask where the toilets are?’

‘Okaaay. But I recognise that mischievous look. You’re planning something.’

‘Nothing gets past you, does it?’ I pulled my running shorts out of my bag.

‘You’re going to enter the race just to show your dad you can do it?’ She chuckled. ‘I might have guessed.’

‘I want to see his face when I speed past him.’ I grinned. ‘As if that’s going to happen!’

It wasn’t only that I wanted to surprise Dad. Even after everything that had happened – perhaps because of what I’d endured as a kid – I wanted to do something to support the charity that helped people like Jackie. I never wanted to see her again but that didn’t mean I didn’t want her to get better... to get out of the terrible cycle of self-destruction she was so clearly in.

I’d have felt oddly awkward doing the run if Josh had been there watching. But since he seemed to be elsewhere, possibly manning one of the stalls or selling raffle tickets for the big draw later, the coast was clear.

‘Will you be okay on your own?’ I asked Mum.

‘Of course I will. Don’t worry about me. I’ll have a wander around the stalls and then I’ll meet you both at the finish line.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘I’m sure.’ She smiled and gave me a gentle push. ‘Go on. You’d better get changed quickly, otherwise the run will start without you.’

*****

Lining up with all the other runners, my nerves started melting away. We were all shapes and sizes and quite a few people had arrived in fancy dress. Maddy caught my eye and came over to express her surprise that I was running and saying she and Marcus would sponsor me. They’d already agreed to sponsor Dad.

She vanished into the crowd again and a little while later, I heard a long blast on a whistle signalling the start of the run and we all started shuffling forwards. I was near the back and I knew Dad would be sprinting away ahead of me, but not having trained at all, I’d decided just to run at my own pace and walk if necessary; it was completing the run that was the important thing, raising sponsorship money for the cause.

I was jogging along, quite enjoying the camaraderie – people were chatting as they went, even to strangers – when suddenly, I was overtaken by a tall man in black running shorts and a pale blue vest top. Breathing heavily by this time, I found myself watching his technique and the way his thigh muscles flexed as he moved. The guy was clearly a regular runner. He must have been late joining the race.

It was only when he turned and smiled at me that I realised the body I’d been openly admiring belonged to... Josh!

Completely flummoxed, I gasped and somehow missed my footing, going over sharply on my ankle. That was why Josh hadn’t been at the starting line with Marcus and Maddy. He was taking part in the actual race. Thankfully he’d carried on running and hadn’t witnessed my little accident.

Limping to the side of the track, feeling as sweaty as a weight-watcher in Greggs, I sank down onto the grass and gingerly felt my painful ankle.