Chapter Three
After a shower, a coffee and a doze in the armchair in her mum’s conservatory, Lisa felt human again. She wasn’t sure her legs would forgive her anytime soon, but she was finally warm, and her ears had stopped burning from the chill of the wind. As she had no dogs to walk in her diary, her morning cat visits had been taken care of before her run, and feeding the Burmese kittens,Kit and Kaboodle, would fit in nicely en route to Nathan’s, she wondered what to do with herself for the rest of the day.
Lisa fetched her laptop and flicked to her Facebook business page. Keeping it updated was a New Year’s resolution she had promised herself she would stick to. Staying in her parents’ home was all very well while they were in France, but with them due home for six monthsfrom Easter, she knew she had to think about getting a place of her own. Growing her business was integral to making that happen. Building her reputation and client base through recommendations was great but slow, so she had also been thinking about other ways to increase her income. A dog-grooming course at the local college looked appealing. Lisa knew from her days of working onPaws About Townmagazine people would pay a fortune to have their pooch looking pristine. She needed a plan, she needed to focus and she needed to make it happen.
About to get a piece of paper to make a list of ideas, she noticed a text from her friend, Dom:
‘Jack and I miss you. Free for lunch? Jack fancies the pub, but you know Labradors, anywhere with food and a warm fire will do.’
Lisa laughed.Other than a quick call from Dom to let her know he’d recommended her pet-sitting services to a colleague with a feisty rabbit, it had been a couple of weeks since they had caught up properly; lunch sounded perfect. She texted a quick reply to say she would meet them at one. As she went to get ready, an idea occurred to her. She knew Felicity was right; she really did need to be open and honestwith Nathan about her past. But the thought that hearing what she had to say might hurt him, or worse make him rethink their future together, scared her. Even contemplating the conversation put her stomach in knots. Maybe Dom could offer her a man’s perspective? She could share it with him. He was her friend, just as Felicity was. If she told him, maybe he could help her gauge what Nathan’s reactionmight be. Speaking to him might give her the courage she needed to face the conversation. And she knew Dom could keep a secret. He was a paramedic after all, not only would he have seen all sorts, but he would have taken some kind of medical oath, like a doctor –wouldn’t he?
Just before one o’clock, Lisa pulled open the door of the pub to be welcomed by warmth, a hubbub of noise and the mouth-wateringsmell of Sunday roast. She smiled at the bartender’s greeting and glanced at the blackboard – roast lamb, chicken or gammon, and a host of traditional desserts her Granny Blake would have been pleased to serve. Comfort food, just what she needed after the cold start she’d had to the day. Her stomach rumbled.
Lisa glanced beyond the tied-back curtain at the end of the bar, to the dining area.Dom waved from a table adjacent to the open fire, and Jack lurched forward with a bark at the sight of Lisa. His lead unwound from the table leg, and he excitedly dragged it across the well-worn flagstone floor with a clatter as he went to meet her. Lisa crouched to greet him, welcoming his slobbery kisses.
Catching Jack’s lead, she headed over to Dom – the excited Labrador bouncing alongat her side.
Dom stood and hugged her. ‘I’m not sure I can match that welcome.’
‘I should think not, you’ll get us thrown out, and I’m starving.’
Dom reattached Jack’s lead to the table leg before offering to go to the bar for drinks, but the smell of the food was making Lisa’s stomach rumble.
‘Do you know what you want to eat? If so, I’m ready to order.’
‘You don’t waste anytime, do you?’
‘The blackboard had me at gammon.’ She laughed, deciding not to mention she had already planned her apple pie and custard dessert too.
After ordering two roasts with all the trimmings, Dom returned to the table carrying a Diet Coke for Lisa and sparkling water for himself.
With Jack’s front paws on her knees, Lisa peered round the dog’s head. ‘I don’t know what is withthis dog; he won’t leave me alone.’
‘He’s missed you. That and he can’t believe he’s been stuck with me looking after him for the past couple of months.’
‘Hmmm, well, we’ve always got on, Jack and I, but I’m not sure he’s ever loved me quite this much.’ Lisa pushed Jack’s chest, encouraging him to take his paws off her, as he once again attempted to get on her lap.
Dom called Jackto his side and gave him a stroke. ‘Am I that bad that you’re trying to get Lisa to take you home?’
Jack tilted his head.
‘Ah no, he loves you. Look at those adoring eyes. He probably misses Winnie, that’s all; when is your gran home?’
‘Next weekend and then normal service can resume. You can be Jack’s dog walker once more, and I can invite friends back to my place without the riskof Jack here drooling on them.’
‘Friends?’ Lisa raised her eyebrows and shifted forwards in her seat.
‘Yes, friends. Just friends. Not what you’re thinking.’
Lisa sat back. ‘Ah, shame. So …’
‘No. No boyfriend. Nobody for you to get excited about.’
Lisa wondered if she could push the subject. Having not long come out to her and his gran, Lisa knew it would take Dom a littletime to feel confident discussing his love life. But she hoped for his sake someone special was round the corner. She had only known him since she had started walking Jack, but it was long enough to know he was lovely and not just because he was a hot paramedic who also rode a motorcycle and looked quite something in his leathers. He was sweet, kind and funny. He deserved the type of happiness shehad found with Nathan. She wanted him to know he could speak to her about anything and anyone. Just as she hoped she could with him. Lisa swallowed, wondering if now would be a good time to broach the subject of the conversation she needed to have with Nathan. Taking a deep breath, she went to speak but stopped as Jack’s head slumped onto her feet. ‘Will you look at this silly dog?’
Big eyeslooked up at her as the grey-bearded dog did his best to look every bit the innocent puppy, having crawled commando-style across the floor to be near her.
‘Maybe it’s your perfume.’ Dom laughed as their dinners were placed on the table in front of them, and they declined the offer of sauces.
