Page 93 of For Love or Money
‘It was a last-minute decision,’ Cassie said. ‘It’s been so long since I’ve seen you all. I miss you.’ Her eyes flicked to Al and she gave a playful pout. Al didn’t respond, but Jean-Claude looked sulky anyway.
‘Right!’ Cassie slapped the table and stood. ‘Are we ready for this hike, then?’
‘Oh.’ Lesley looked to Al uncertainly. ‘Didn’t we just do it?’
‘The walk up from the car park?’ He laughed. ‘Hardly. This is just the starting point.’
‘Oh. Right.’ She tried not to look as dismayed as she felt as they all set off again up a winding path away from the village.
‘Last one up’s a rotten wanker!’ Cassie turned to shout at the rest of the group, before she and Jean-Claude took the lead, racing ahead like a pair of mountain goats.
‘First to the top gets to give me a blow job!’ Jean-Claude yelled, charging after her.
‘I think we already have a winner in the rotten wanker category,’ Scott said, rolling his eyes.
‘God, it’s not a competition, is it?’ Lesley huffed. Then she remembered what Al had told her about the man Cassie had cheated on him with – always first to the top. Poor Al – it must be hard on him seeing Jean-Claude and Cassie together like this.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked him, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.
‘Yes, fine!’ He looked surprised by her show of solidarity.
She really didn’t want to give Jean-Claude a blow job, but she felt the least she could do was make sure Al got to the top first.
‘Come on, let’s beat them to it,’ she said, tugging on his hand.
‘Don’t pay any attention to them. It’s not a race.’
‘I’d still like to win. Come on – I’ve got a second wind. Quick before we lose them.’
Half an hour later,Lesley was red in the face, panting and dripping with sweat. She’d have killed for a sit down and a cold drink, but instead she staggered on after Al until her chest was bursting and her throat aching with the effort. The sun was beating down and her clothes were stuck to her. They’d raced ahead and passed out all the others, even leaving Cassie and Jean-Claude behind in their wake, but the initial sprint had taken too much out of her. She hated giving up, but she had to stop or pass out.
‘I just ... have to ... stop ... for ... a minute,’ she panted to Al’s back, barely managing to get the words out. He’d strode ahead and hadn’t noticed her slowing.
‘Oh.’ He turned and walked back to her. ‘Are you okay?’
Lesley nodded as she didn’t have any more breath to speak. She took a long slug from her bottle of water. ‘Just need a little breather.’
‘Are you sure?’ Al frowned at her in concern. She dreaded to think how she must look. ‘We don’t have to do this, you know. It’s not a race, despite what Jean-Claude might think.’
‘No. I want to,’ Lesley said, dragging air into her lungs. She didn’t want to let Al down in front of his ex. He might not be real, but he was the nicest boyfriend she’d ever had, and she felt she owed it to him. She’d make it to the top before that pair of cheating sleazebags if it was the last thing she did – and it could well be. ‘Come on,’ she said determinedly, glancing down the hill. Cassie and Jean-Claude were catching up, Stella and Rafe close behind them.
Determined to stay ahead of them, she pressed on, but after another ten minutes, she had to admit defeat. She’d done her best, but it was no use. She couldn’t go another step without collapsing – and that wouldn’t impress anyone. She stopped, sinking down onto a large rock, her legs buckling beneath her.
‘Are you okay?’ Al looked down at her, frowning in concern.
‘I can’t go any further, Al. Sorry.’
‘It’s fine.’ He sat down beside her and smiled.
‘You go ahead,’ she said, waving at the path. ‘I’m just slowing you down.’
‘No way. If you’re staying here, so am I. No one gets left behind.’
‘You and your bloody boy scout code of honour.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Stop being noble, and save yourself! You can still be first to the top.’
He shook his head. ‘No. I’m not leaving you here.’
‘Sorry,’ she said, feeling pathetic. ‘But thanks for being so nice about it.’
