My Year of Saying No - Maxine Morrey Page 0,13

– he certainly still got wound up about things, but he always tried to see things from all perspectives before leaping in and making a decision or comment. I admired this trait, although I’d been less admiring of it when someone had pranged my car in a line of traffic and he’d begun to question it. I’d told him in no uncertain terms I’d been sat there in a queue minding my own business and that the only perspective he needed to see on this occasion was that I was annoyed, sore and now the owner of a car with its boot smashed in and that I’d rung for sympathy, not a balanced view of things. Seb had laughed and the next day I’d received flowers and a box of biscuits, as well as a tube of muscle rub. The card had read ‘Some people just shouldn’t have a licence!!!’ Apparently he’d been very specific about the three exclamation marks required, just to ensure I could tell exactly how outraged he was on my behalf.

I looked back down at my phone. There was really only one way to reply…

Thank you

A hugging emoji appeared, bringing a smile to my face as I put the phone down on the table and glanced at the clock on the wall across from me. Time for a little nap before going off to collect Humph from his treatment and get him settled in the room before heading back down for my own massage. Perfect.

The hotel Seb’s connections had wangled for me was close to a National Trust property, the grounds of which were open to the general public for free from dawn to dusk and this had proved to be a beautiful place to take Humphrey for a long walk each day, as I absorbed the atmosphere and listened to the birds chatter, hidden from sight in the branches of the trees above. The relaxing natural landscape built on the calm feeling the whole weekend was instilling in me.

As I returned from a walk with the dog, stepping into the elegant foyer that merged modernity with a nod to the grace of Art Deco, I heard my name called.

‘Ms Wentworth?’

I looked up to see a tall brunette striding towards me on heels so beautiful, I had trouble pulling my eyes away from them for a second or two. The beauty of the shoes matched that of their owner, and as she approached me, a wide and perfect smile broke on her face at the same time as she held out her hand.

Quickly, I jiggled Humphrey’s lead to the other hand and took the woman’s, accepting the firm but friendly shake.

‘I just wanted to check that everything was OK for you?’

I nodded. ‘It’s absolutely lovely, thank you.’

She smiled again, and gave a little laugh. ‘I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself. I’m Carla.’ At the lack of any sign of recognition on my part, she continued, ‘I’m the manager of the chain. Seb Marshall’s… friend.’ She hesitated on the last word and I wasn’t quite sure if I should make something of that.

‘Oh! Right. Thank you for arranging all this for us.’ I nodded down at Humphrey as I spoke and Carla smiled and briefly dipped to give Humph a little head rub.

‘You’re more than welcome. Seb was very insistent that you only got the best.’ She gave me a little smile and the merest hint of enquiring eyebrow.

‘Ha!’ I laughed, a little awkwardly. ‘Oh. Oh dear. I hope it wasn’t any trouble. It really was something I just mentioned in passing and then he said he knew someone and that he might be able to have a chat with you and…’ I tailed off, aware that I was beginning to ramble out of control.

Carla laid a hand on my arm briefly. ‘Don’t worry about it. It really was my pleasure. Seb’s a great guy.’

‘He is. Yes. And, um, a great client too.’

‘Client?’ she frowned a little.

‘Yes. I’m a virtual personal assistant. Seb was my first client. Well, I suppose technically the charity is, but… so yes.’ Again with the rambling.

‘Oh. I see. I thought maybe he’d finally found someone who was right for him. And the way he talked about you…’

I felt myself blush and flapped my hand. ‘You know what he’s like.’

‘I do.’ Those two words seemed loaded and I felt the blush deepen. ‘And, frankly, this was such a pleasure to arrange as he obviously cares about you and I’ll never be able