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Maddy was taking Ellie, Fen and Katja in her car, and we were all meeting in reception at Lutterworth Grange, which – according to the photos I’d pored over on-line the day before – was a beautifully restored Georgian country house, set in acres of lush, manicured grounds. Maddy’s sisters couldn’t join us because of work. They both had modelling assignments in London that day.
I would miss the watercolour class later today, but I’d called Janey last night and explained about Lutterworth Grange, and I’d emailed Cal to let him know I’d have to miss the session.
On the twenty-minute drive to the hotel, I chatted to Jaz about Milo’s new Roastery café in Manchester. She’d gone with him to the official opening ceremony with her daughter, Emma, and Milo’s daughter, Mabel, in tow, and apparently the two girls had been the stars of the show and in all the photographs.
As we drew into the car park of Lutterworth Grange, Jaz passed me her phone which showed a picture of the four of them outside the new café. Milo, Jaz and Mabel had been snapped chuckling at Emma who was trying her hardest to grab one of the pink and white balloons that were festooning the café’s entrance. A happy little family.
Jaz had been through a really bad time over the past few years, separating from Harry, although thankfully, they were managing to remain friends for Emma’s sake. But I’d seen thetransformation in Jaz since she and Milo got together, and I was so happy for them.
I blinked rapidly, feeling suddenly emotional. ‘What a gorgeous photo.’
‘It was a lovely day,’ said Jaz dreamily. ‘One of those days you think you’ll probably always remember, you know? Mabel had the time of her life eating cake and being fussed over by everyone there, and even Emma was well-behaved – not a single tired tantrum in sight. And I was so proud of Milo when he made his speech.’ She grinned. ‘Mind you, the stars don’t align like that very often, do they? Yesterday, we went to see a film and in one of the tear-jerking emotional bits, Emma threw up all over Mabel. Sothatwas fun.’
‘Ooh, I guess you didn’t find out what happened at the end of the film, then?’
She laughed. ‘No, we were out of there before you could saysomeone ate too much junk food!’
I smiled. It all sounded lovely to me. Even the sick bit. Would I ever find this kind of happiness? Or was I destined to always choose the wrong guys?
Kurt was lovely, but was I mad to trust him with my heart?
*****
We were booked for a light lunch in the restaurant at one. After a tour of the hotel and spa, the weddings co-ordinator delivered us to a rather elegant changing room so that we could make use of the spa facilities.
‘Wow, this is gorgeous,’ murmured Fen. ‘Complimentary robes and slippers, and evenbody moisturiser... is this floor actually heated or am I imagining it?’
Everyone chuckled.
‘I think it’s all fairly standard these days in posh hotels, Fen,’ said Maddy. ‘Well, maybe not the heated floor.’
Fen grinned. ‘Just shows how oftenIget to stay in posh hotels these days. Not that I’m complaining. It’s just that your idea of luxury gets a downgrade when you have a couple of noisy, energetic twins to look after. Perfect bliss for me these days isfive hours of uninterrupted sleep.’ She smiled dreamily. ‘Last night, Rob insisted I sleep in the spare room with ear plugs in, while he did all the night feeds. Oh, it wasamazing!’
‘I remember it well,’ grinned Jaz. ‘Luckily, Emma’s out like a light most nights now and she sometimes doesn’t wake up till six so I get a bit of a lie-in.’
‘Six o’clock in the morning is alie-into you?’ Maddy stared at her, aghast. ‘Crikey, Jack’s already talking about starting a family. I think I need to have a word.’
Laughing, we all got changed into our swimwear and following a bit of hilarious confusion finding the right door, we finally emerged pool-side, bagged a row of loungers with our towels and robes, and decided to swim first.
I enjoyed the water and it was a long time since I’d been in a pool like this. Until recently, I would have been worried about my hair but Kurt’s lovely comments about me being beautiful with and without the wig had done wonders for my confidence. I felt I had a choice now. I could choose to wear the wig. Or not. And today, with swimming and sauna on the cards, it had made sense to leave the hairpiece at home.
Jaz could clearly swim like a fish. She was powering up and down, doing the front crawl and making it look so easy. I managed six lengths of breaststroke without stopping, then I gravitated to the side of the pool to join Fen and Katja, who were bobbing up and down, chatting.
I’d noticed a group of guys larking around in the sauna. They were being quite loud and going in and out, and Fen remarkedthat they seemed to have commandeered it for themselves. It was true that they’d been in there the whole time we’d been swimming – over half an hour – and it didn’t look as if they were planning on letting anyone else have a go. A few older women, who looked like regular swimmers here, had wandered past the sauna, clearly wanting to go in, but seeing it was already occupied, they’d walked on past.
‘Anyone fancy the sauna?’ asked Maddy, arriving back wrapped in a towel and glowing from a session in the steam room.
‘I’m not going in whilethey’rein there,’ pointed out Fen.
‘Oh, you mean those very mature –ahem– guys, who look thirty but act like adolescents, leering at everything in a bikini?’
‘Yeah, best to wait a bit,’ said Jaz, who’d just finished her lengthy swim and was now bouncing up and down in the water with the rest of us.
‘But how long willthatbe?’
At a loud whoop from the sauna, followed by raucous laughter, Maddy swung round and glared in their direction. ‘Well, I require a saunaright now, and I’m not going to let that bunch of selfishkidsspoil my day. Come on. Who’s with me?’
Grinning, Jaz started wading to the steps. ‘I’m in.’
