Page 31 of Be More Capybara

‘You’re just a sore loser.’

Nigel checked his watch. ‘We’ve got five minutes left.’

‘Do you want me to take another game off you? Or shall we go upstairs to the cafe?’

He’d rather spend the rest of the morning chatting than have Helen wipe the floor with him on the tennis court. ‘Cafe.’

Nigel picked up his teaspoon and started playing with the froth on top of his cappuccino. He’d really enjoyed this morning, even though Helen had resoundingly won. This was what he’d hoped a morning at the tennis club with Madison would be like, but she preferred to spend all her spare time chatting with her friends.

Helen came back from the toilet, clutching a leaflet.

‘What’s that?’ Nigel asked.

‘It explains what those courts are for.’ She nodded at the smaller courts surrounded by glass and wire nets on the other side of the venue. ‘Padel tennis. I thought it might suit you. Smaller court to cover and you serve underarm. Less strenuous.’

‘Are you saying I’m a poor old sod?’

‘You’re still sweating, and you’ve been sat down for at least ten minutes.’

‘I think I might be coming down with something.’

She gave him her “pull the other one” look.

‘Thank you for your sympathy. I’ll be fine on a normal tennis court. I need more practice, that’s all. You always were a natural player.’

‘Shame about the court at the Grange.’

‘Yes.’ He decided not to tell her that he’d got someone coming to look at it next week to give him a quote for refurbishing it. It might be a nice surprise for her birthday in the summer. ‘We could come back here though. The weather’s not good enough to play outdoors yet.’

‘I’d like that.’ From the way she smiled at him, he thought she genuinely meant it. She was right. Things could get better again.

22

HELEN

Helen relaxed on her Dad’s sofa. It was too dark to see much outside, but she wasn’t in the mood for that now. Rocky decided to clamber onto her stomach.

‘You daft animal. What’s wrong with sleeping by the fire like a normal dog?’ But she didn’t push him off.

Her shoulders ached as she adjusted her position to make him comfortable. That’ll teach you to go all out to beat Nige. They’d agreed to play again next Friday, so hopefully her muscles would have recovered by then.

She might make the effort to go upstairs and run a bath in a minute. Soaking in a tub of Epsom Salts was bound to help.

Her phone buzzed. A text. The stupid teenage girl side of her hoped it was Nigel. But it wasn’t.

Hi Helen. Mark Farnham here (Nigel’s brother). Bit late in the day for texting but loved your website. Can we meet on Mon am? Have invite to look at another treehouse site for inspo on Wed nxt wk. If we can come to an agreement would like u to join me.

Helen smiled to herself. Life was becoming much better. Bumping into Nigel had been a good omen.

23

HELEN

Helen was perched on the sofa in the drawing room at the Grange, her laptop open on the coffee table in front of her. It felt odd being somewhere so familiar but waiting for someone who’d still been at school last time she saw him.

The door opened. She stood up to greet Mark but the head that popped around the door was Nigel’s. She sighed with relief.

‘He won’t bite,’ Nigel said.