“Morning,” said Kyle as he pulled out his chair and sat down at his desk. “You’re in early.”
“Morning,” she replied chirpily. “Yeah, I’m in early as I need to get away early, I did ask.”
Kyle took out his water bottle and a couple of protein snacks that Thor had recommended and placed them on his desk.
“Why, what are you up to?” he asked. “Anything nice?”
Kelsey looked at him, then over her shoulder. Lowering her voice, she replied.
“Don’t tell anyone,” she whispered, “but I’ve got an interview with McGregor’s, same sort of work although I’ll be more out front, meeting and greeting, but the money’s a bit better and I’ll get an Audi as a company car.”
“That’s great,” said Kyle, trying desperately to hide his disappointment. He hadn’t been expecting that. “Well good luck. I’ve heard they’re quite good to work for.”
“Yeah, my mum’s friend told me about it, one of her daughter’s friends is leaving. I phoned them up and they just said to come for an interview.”
“Well done,” replied Kyle. He didn’t know what else to say.
“I’ll miss you though,” said Kelsey. “I’ll miss our chats.”
“You haven’t got it yet,” replied Kyle, amazed at her confidence.
“No, but I will,” said Kelsey, grinning. “You wait till I flash my legs at them, they’ll take me on.”
“That’s not very PC,” said Kyle. “I thought women wanted to get jobs because they were qualified, not because the interviewer fancies them.”
“Oh bollocks to that. If you’ve got it, use it, that’s what I say,” she replied, honestly. “Anyway, will you miss me?”
“Nah, not really,” replied Kyle. “I might be able to get some work done without you rabbiting on.”
And as Kelsey looked at him, Kyle winked at her. She had absolutely no idea how much he’d miss her.
“I’m only joking, course I’ll miss you,” he said and, as he switched on his desktop computer, Kyle realised that it really was time to let the dream go.
* * *
Taking a breather at the top of the hill, Thor handed Maggie her water bottle. The view from the top wasn’t exactly beautiful but it was interesting, in the way that people going about their daily lives are interesting. Maggie had never been to this park before. She never knew it existed. She hadn’t really needed to seek out a green space in town; she had fields of her own to play in.
“I wonder who he was?” she said suddenly, her breathing returning to normal.
“Who?” replied Thor.
“Him, Duncan John McKay,” said Maggie, pointing to the plaque on the back of the bench. “In memory of Duncan John Mackay. 1954 to 2014. Well at least he made seventy although that’s not old these days, is it? I wonder if his wife organised the plaque.”
“Maybe,” replied Thor, amused. He’d never even noticed it before. He actually felt a little guilty. “Could be his boyfriend.”
“It’s usually wives though, isn’t it?” she continued. “You don’t see many benches in memory of the wives, probably because they never got time to sit around all day on bloody benches admiring the view.”
“Or they outlived their husbands because they’d worked them to death,” joked Thor bravely. If Maggie had understood the dig, she chose to ignore it.
“I’d like to think that Duncan was a poet or an artist,” she said dreamily.
“Probably a piss artist if he hung around here,” laughed Thor. “Anyway, enough of this chat, let’s get back down the hill, you’ve still got one more sprint to do.”
“Seriously?” asked Maggie. “Rachael said this was fun. I can’t say I’m finding it very amusing, it’s bloody torture.”
“Oh stop moaning, woman. You asked me for thighs of steel and an arse of iron and that’s what you’re going to get. Now, get back down the hill and, this time, when you get going, keep your head up and don’t stop till you reach the top. If you start whinging I’ll make you work even harder.”
And as they jogged down the hill, Maggie smiled to herself as she visualised the scene from an onlooker’s perspective. It must look hilarious, a forty-something woman pulling some strapping young guy up a very steep hill with the aid of a rope. She wondered what poor old Duncan Mackay would make of it all. He’d probably have written a poem about it.
* * *
Back in her car, Maggie looked at her phone. A missed call from Myles. She called him back.
“Hello,” he answered, “glad you could join me because I’m sitting in a lovely little cafe with a pain au chocolat and an espresso, thinking of you and wishing you were here. It’s beautiful.”
Maggie smiled.
“Oh God, I wish I was there too. I’ve just been pulling Thor up a bloody mountain strapped into a harness and every time I whinged, he’d pull on it to make me work harder. I thought I was going to die. I know how donkeys feel now. I might donate to the donkey sanctuary.”
Myles laughed. “I’ve told you, take it easy, save some energy for me. Did you get my voicemail?”
“No I just called you straight back,” said Maggie. She had been desperate to speak to him.
“Well, I’ve decided to come up tomorrow, because I’m not sure we’ll get much time together on Friday because some of the lads have now organised golf and a quiet dinner. So I’ve booked a very nice hotel, with a suite, and hope that you will join me. We can eat in the room so that you can relax.”
“Oh that sounds lovely,” replied Maggie, “but I’ve got circuits at six-thirty so I could come over after that, if you don’t mind me all sweaty.”
“Have I ever minded you being sweaty? Don’t worry, we can shower together, with champagne and maybe a few oysters.”
“I’ll need to check whether Callum is going to be in for the dogs first or I’ll get someone to stay over,” replied Maggie, ever practical.
“Won’t he be suspicious if you don’t come home?” asked Myles. He was getting a little nervous himself about being at the same party as Callum. Hopefully only Steve and Simon knew about Maggie.
“He now knows it’s not Thor, but he’s no idea who else it could be. Anyway, he stayed out Saturday night with no explanation so I don’t think he’s got any right to criticise me.”
“When are we going to tell him?” asked Myles, a little more serious. “Maybe we should do it on Sunday. We can’t carry on like this for much longer, can we? I want to sort our life out, Mags, I hate all this.”
“I know. Yes, maybe Sunday but we can talk about it tomorrow, can’t we?”
“In between having sex, yes,” said Myles huskily. “Hopefully we won’t get disturbed this time.”
“It is all around the village you know,” replied Maggie. “The evil witch in the post office basically told Callum that I was at it in the hayloft.”
“Oh well, don’t worry about all that,” replied Myles. “I’m not exactly a pauper, so you don’t have to worry about being thrown into the workhouse.”
“I know, Myles. Callum and I just need to sort it out in a civil manner, although when he finds out about you I can’t see him being very civil, can you?”
“Nope,” replied Myles, “in the old days it would have been pistols at dawn. Anyway, I’ll text you the details of the hotel. Can’t wait to see you, Mags. Seriously, I do miss you.”
“I miss you too, enjoy Paris.”
“I’ll take you with me next time,” Myles replied. “Maybe we can go for our honeymoon?”
“Good God, Myles, Paris really has gone to your head,” said Maggie, dismissing his comment. Still, as she started the car and turned up the radio, she felt just a little bit happier.
CHAPTER 62
Thursday
As usual, it was quiet at breakfast time in the Dunbar household as Maggie busied herself with to-do lists for both herself and her staff while Callum read the paper over his toast and marmalade. They’d managed to be polite with each other this morning, both
of them mulling over their respective lectures from Thor, as well as trying to calculate the best time to make their move. Both of them were tired and stiff from training. Thor had suggested a day for Callum to recover and then to try and go to the gym on Friday. Friday would be difficult though, the boys had organised a round of golf on Friday afternoon and there was dinner in the evening. A boy’s weekend wasn’t really the best time to start a weight-loss regime. It wasn’t a competition though; he could go at his own pace, no one was forcing him. He would start seriously next Monday.
“Are you in this evening?” asked Maggie, breaking the silence.
“Yes, probably, why?” replied Callum in his usual monotone, turning a page of his paper. He didn’t know why he still looked at the news, it was unbelievably depressing these days.
“Because I’d like to go out after circuits. Well not out as in a drink out, but one of the girls I met at the circuits class has a book club and I’m going to go. The dogs will need letting out.”
“Fine,” mumbled Callum, relishing the opportunity to have an evening of peace without Maggie hovering in the background. “I’ll be here.”
“Thank you and how did your training session go?” she asked cautiously. “Rachael told me that Rex was going by himself too, he seems to be enjoying it.”
Callum hesitated. There was no point lying about training anymore; Maggie and Rachael both knew.
“It won’t last,” replied Callum, getting up from the table and putting his plate above the dishwasher. “He’ll never keep it up. You know what he’s like.”
“Did you enjoy it?” asked Maggie, picking up the plate and wondering how Callum thought it would miraculously find its way into the dishwasher. She opened the dishwasher door and placed it inside.
“Not really,” replied Callum, picking up his briefcase.
“It can be quite tough, can’t it?” continued Maggie, desperately trying to string out the conversation. “He attached me to a rope yesterday and made me pull him up a hill; you’ve got all that to look forward to.”
“I doubt I’ll carry on,” muttered Callum. “I found it a bit dull, actually.”
Maggie added strawberries and a banana to the rest of the ingredients in her blender. Thor had given her a few recipes and she felt obliged to try them.
“Thor’s nice though, don’t you think?” she added nervously. She wondered whether Callum had actually believed him about her not having an affair with him.
“Yes, he seems to know what he’s talking about,” replied Callum. The question of whether he thought she was having an affair with him remained pointedly unanswered.
“I’m not having an affair with him, Callum,” said Maggie suddenly. “Did he tell you that?”
“Yes,” said Callum, picking up his coat and throwing it over his arm. He didn’t look at her though. He had no intention of getting involved in a discussion this morning. “Sorry, I’ve got to go, I’m late. I’ll see you later. I’ll probably eat before I get home so you don’t have to leave food.”
And as he left the kitchen, Maggie sighed. It really was proving impossible to get through to him. She would try again on Sunday.
* * *
Kelsey was late. Kyle wondered whether she was coming in today. Usually she fired him a message if she was running really late but he’d checked his phone and she hadn’t made contact. Kyle looked at the empty desk. Her Little Miss Perfect Mug sat proudly beside a photo of her and her pals in Magaluf in June, a miniature bulldog on a coil which wobbled and rolled his eyes if you flicked it, a family-sized box of Maltesers and a bottle of perfume. The arrangement looked like a still-life representation which summed her up perfectly. Kyle felt a pang of sadness. She hadn’t died, but it almost felt like it. If she had got the job he really would miss her. It seemed very quiet without her.
* * *
Needing a coffee after a nightmare of a drive into work, Callum headed to the staff kitchen and, as he opened the cupboard, Jess walked in.
“Morning, Callum,” she said. “If you’re looking for coffee, we’ve run out. We’ve just sent Hamish to get some more.”
“Whose Hamish?” asked Callum, closing the cupboard door. She looked lovely this morning and her perfume was gorgeous.
“Work experience boy,” replied Jess. “He’s in the office with Martha and I.”
“How old is he?”
“Fifteen,” replied Jess. “He’s very sweet, he blushes a lot.”
I bet he does, thought Callum to himself; if he’d have been thrown into an office with the beautiful Jess and Martha at fifteen, he’d have thought he’d died and gone to heaven.
“And are you allowed to send him out unsupervised?” asked Callum. “You know what schools are like these days, we’ve probably signed something to say we’ll watch him like a hawk.”
“Oh don’t worry,” replied Jess. “He’s only gone to the Spar on the corner.”
“A lot could happen between here and the Spar,” replied Callum.
“Biscuit?” asked Jess, holding open a packet of chocolate chip cookies. Callum looked longingly at the packet.
“No thanks, I’m on a diet.”
“Oh not you as well,” sighed Jess. “It’s getting so boring round here, everyone’s on a diet or training for something.”
“I went to see your boyfriend yesterday,” continued Callum.
“Who do you mean?” replied Jess, taking a mouthful of biscuit. “Do you mean Thor? When did you start training?”
“Last week,” replied Callum. “I’ll give it a few more sessions and see how I go.”
“I still hate him,” said Jess. “I bet you could see what I mean about him being a womaniser.”
“Well not really,” said Callum. “To be honest, I thought he might be having a fling with my friend’s wife but I got it seriously wrong. I think he’s alright actually, Jess. You might have got him wrong. He’s just trying to get a business going, it takes a lot of time when you first start out. He’s tired because he’s working hard, I know how that feels.”
“So you think I should trust him?” replied Jess, astonished by Callum’s input. Callum didn’t usually say much other than the basics.
“Well, put it this way, I’ve got daughters and if one of them came to me and said she was going out with Thor, apart from laughing at his name, I wouldn’t be too bothered. I think he’s basically a good bloke. I’d say, give it another go.” Callum looked at the clock, he had work to do, coffee would have to wait and, still fighting with himself to resist the biscuits, he headed for the door. “Give me a call when Hamish gets back, please. Hope he hasn’t done a runner. Did you give him cash?”
And as he left Jess to juggle the complications of an errant work experience boy and a possible reunion with the man she loved, Callum, for the first time in a long time, allowed himself a smile.
* * *
Taking a break for lunch, Thor sat down. He still had four clients and a circuits class to get through and he could do with a breather. Thor thought about Maggie and Callum. It was a tricky one and he could see why Maggie was struggling with it. If what she’d told him was correct, Callum quite understandably would go mental when he found out about her affair. He wouldn’t want to be a fly on that wall. He just hoped she picked her moment wisely. Rex was doing alright though, and so was Rachael, he had a feeling that they had a chance to make things work. Rachael hadn’t let him back into her bed yet but she hadn’t thrown him out again either. There were a lot more positives between those two now, hopefully they could keep it going. As his head slumped forward, both the jolt and a beep from his phone brought him back to the room; sleepily, he picked it up. It was Jess. God, he thought to himself, what now? Thor opened the message.
I’m sorry. I hope you’ll give me another chance. I miss you and I trust you. Xxx
Thor wondered if it was a joke. This wasn’t her usual style. She’d never said sorry. It had always been his fault; she’d never taken the blame for any of their arguments
. Maybe his silence had paid off. Thor sighed. Was it worth it? Could she really have changed her mind and want him to give her another chance? He’d given her so many chances. Thor stared at the message. She’d said she missed him before but she’d never said she’d trusted him. Maybe she really did mean it. Thor closed his eyes and, as he thought about her, he realised that he did have to give it one more go.
I miss you too. I’ll call you tonight xx
And if she could indeed wait until he had time to call, then maybe they really did have a chance.
CHAPTER 63
Maggie’s car pulled up outside Rachael’s house. Rachael, as usual, was running late and Maggie took the opportunity to check her phone messages. As she looked at her phone, she was startled by a knock on the passenger-side window. It was Rex. Maggie lowered the window.
“Hiya, Mags,” said Rex, grinning at her in his usual cheeky fashion. “Off to circuits with the thoroughbred stallion again? I can see why you go now, I’ve almost got a crush on him myself.”
Maggie laughed. “Yes he is rather gorgeous, Rex, but unfortunately he’s not interested in me. I hear you’ve started going to him too, how’s that going?”
Rex leaned on the window.
“Yeah, not bad, I still ache but I’m quite enjoying it. I’m hoping that if Thor can turn me into a lean machine, Rachael might let me stay. What do you think, Mags, she must have told you, is there hope for me?”
Maggie looked at him. She felt like his mother.
“In all honesty, Rex, I don’t think it’s your waistline you need to improve, it’s your attitude. You’ve got a hell of a lot of making up to do and maybe your new-found enthusiasm for the gym is a good thing but, in all honesty, you need to replace your affection for Dawson’s with Rachael; that would at least be a start.”
“What would?” asked Rachael as Rex opened the door for her. Maggie looked at Rex.
Trust Me, I’m a Personal Trainer Page 32
