Now he’s just trying to wind me up.

I glance at my watch. I’m due to meet Blake Chadwick for our regular Saturday-morning run, and then Lauren is coming here with the aim of washing the dirty cars of Milton Keynes and relieving our customers of vast sums of money for the privilege.

Perhaps I should just come clean and tell Greg of our super wizard scheme to raise the money for my trip to Peru, but then I remember that he doesn’t want me to go to Peru at any cost and he certainly wouldn’t want me dressed as a Bunny Girl in pursuit of my dream.

‘If you don’t want anything to eat, then I’ll be off,’ I say.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Running.’

‘Again.’

‘Yes.’ And my training is coming on marvellously, thank you for asking.

Though I have to admit that the added incentive of seeing Blake Chadwick in a muscle top always helps me with my motivation. My mouth is starting to go way too dry when I think of Mr Chadwick and his taut, toned muscles. I’ve started to put on mascara and lipstick to go running. That’s bad, isn’t it?

Now, I don’t want to be late. ‘I’ll see you when I come back.’

‘I might go fishing after all,’ Greg grizzles.

I don’t say the, ‘Whatever,’ that’s on my lips. Instead, I pick up my water bottle and head for the car.

Ten minutes later and I swing into the car park. My eyes nearly pop out of my head. I wind down my window. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Morning,’ Lauren says. ‘Thought I’d give you a surprise and come running with you this morning.’

That certainly is a surprise.

‘Great.’

‘You don’t sound very enthusiastic,’ my sister snaps. ‘I hauled myself out of my pit at the crack of dawn to get here to support you in your quest. The least you could do is look bloody grateful.’

I laugh. ‘I am grateful. Of course I am.’ Jumping out of the car, I say, ‘We might be thwarted in our fundraising attempts today. Greg’s got a cold.’

‘Heaven help us,’ she says.

‘I know.’ I shrug. ‘We’ll have to play it by ear.’

‘If he’s still hanging around we’ll have to go shopping and do lunch. Hmm,’ she adds, ‘that doesn’t sound too bad.’

‘But it won’t get me to Peru,’ I mutter.

Then Blake Chadwick’s car growls into the car park and slots into a space right next to me.

‘Oh,’ my sister says, ‘isn’t that your boss? I remember his car from last week.’

Now I know that I’m looking sheepish. ‘Oh, yes,’ I say too brightly. ‘So it is.’

Lauren frowns. ‘Did you expect him to be here?’