Page 60 of The Lucky Escape

‘It isn’t that I’m not grateful for all we’ve done as we’ve been here,’ I said. ‘But wow. A whole afternoon at a spa resort? That definitely hits the spot for me.’

‘I’m with you on that,’ Patrick replied. ‘My calves – I’m not used to so much walking. They should put “walk fifty thousand steps” on the Barry’s Bootcamp workouts. Not even D’Shawn’s class makes my legs feel this heavy.’

He pulled out the leaflet of where we were headed from his backpack and opened it up.

‘You’re the information king,’ I said. ‘I’ve literally never met anyone as obsessed with reading up before, during and after an event as you. Where do you even put all that information?’

Our waiter delivered two toasties to our table, where we’d found our daily café – a place we ended up coming to at least once a day, to the point where the barista knew our order before we even had to say it.

Patrick took a big bite and, with his mouth full, said, ‘To be fair it pretty much goes in one eye and out the other. That’s why I have to reread everything.’

I was glad I hadn’t already taken a bite, because a shooting ‘Ha!’ left my throat in amusement before I could stop it.

‘It’s true!’ he said. ‘I think I might be dyslexic actually, but it hasn’t ever been diagnosed. I don’t know. Not that it matters but yeah, sometimes I do feel like my brain doesn’t work like everyone else’s.’

‘Oh,’ I said, taken aback by his vulnerability. ‘That’s the first time you’ve said anything.’

He kept chewing. ‘You’re so smart, and I’m …’

I held up a hand. ‘Don’t even say it. Don’t you dare.’

‘What! It’s true! You’re a scientist. And use words so long that half the time I think I only just catch the drift of what you mean. All I can say is, it’s a good job your face is so expressive. That helps.’

‘I won’t stand for this,’ I said. ‘If you are dyslexic, it obviously hasn’t held you back. You’ve developed other skills to compensate. You challenge me to think differently. It’s one of the things I …’

Crap. I almost saidlove.Not that I wasin lovewith Patrick. I was only using it as a turn of phrase.

‘…Enjoyabout you most. You’re not like a lot of other people I know. I don’t know if that’s why, or what. But, you’re amazing. Obviously you could stand to better your sense of direction a little more …’

It was his turn to issue a ‘Ha!’

‘Don’t even start, Annie. It was you who got us lost on the way to afternoon tea that day, not me. Don’t even try it. That really will be a Mona Lisa moment.’

‘Hey,’ I said. ‘When you had your Mona Lisa morning, in Margaret River – when you left but then came back?’

‘Yeah,’ he said.

‘What was that?’

He pulled a face. ‘Me being ridiculous.’

‘I was worried I’d annoyed you.’

‘You could never annoy me,’ he replied. He carried on: ‘I was just freaked out, that’s all. After I told you about Mala, I was glad I had and it was the right thing to do, but I think I knew I was starting to catch feelings for you. That’s why I told you. I didn’t want anything to happen without you knowing about her. I don’t tell a lot of women, but … you’re not just any woman, are you?’

‘Aren’t I?’ I teased, and he rolled his eyes.

‘Finish your food and let’s get to this spa,’ he said. ‘I want to be kneaded like a sourdough starter.’

‘Holy hell,’ Patrick said as we walked through the doors. ‘Is this Narnia?’

We stood side by side and took in the majestic sight of the marbled entryway of the spa, with a huge glass panelled back that looked out onto acres of opulent green gardens, the occasional robed human meandering peacefully by.

‘Welcome to Serenity Gardens. You must be Annie Wiig? We’ve been expecting you.’

I opened my mouth to speak but the person behind the desk continued talking.

‘My name is Storm, and my pronouns are they and them. If you need anything today, please ask any member of staff, and do request me personally if you feel called to. You’re booked in for the couples retreat, so here are your robes and you’re in bathhouse ten today. Follow this corridor outside and then you’ll see the signs there.’

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