‘I can bung in a hundred too,’ Lauren says gently. She puts her arm round me and gives me a comforting hug. ‘What does that give you?’

‘Three hundred and fifteen pounds.’ Not a huge tally. My heart sinks. ‘That leaves me sixteen hundred and eighty-five pounds to raise myself.’

‘Bugger.’ Lauren puts her head in her hands.

‘Bugger, indeed.’

But I will raise it. Come hell or high water. You just watch me.

Chapter 48

Chapter 48

A car-wash. A charity car-wash! This lightbulb moment comes to me while I’m puffing round Furzton Lake side-by-side with Blake Chadwick on Saturday morning. That’s what I’ll do to raise my cash.

I expressly forbade Lauren from phoning up and berating Chelsea about the meagre amount of her donation to my good cause. I think my twin thought that our elder sister would stump up whatever money I needed. In my heart, I can secretly confess that I did too. It looks like it’s now going to be all down to my own efforts. Just when I was hoping for an easy ride.

The lake is quiet today. Only the overnight fishermen are up and about, pottering outside their bivouacs making tea, fussing with their fishing gear. Greg isn’t here today – he doesn’t often fish overnight now. He prefers to look the fish in the eye or some such – but I recognise a few of his mates. There’s a wisp of mist in the air. The early chill disguises the fact that we’re in for a bright, sunny day. I wonder why I haven’t discovered the joys of early-morning running before. I’ve begun to really look forward to these sessions and am quietly proud of how much I’ve improved in such a short time. When I put on my trousers for work yesterday, I’ll swear there was a bit more room around the waistband too.

My other co-workers have dropped out of the running circle more quickly. They try to make the evening sessions, but rarely appear at the weekends. When most of them are out on the tiles on a Friday night then perhaps it’s a bit optimistic to expect them to be here first thing on a Saturday morning. Still, Blake’s here, as always. No wonder he looks so fit.

I hate to say this, but my stomach knotted with something that felt suspiciously like excitement when I saw him waiting here for me in the car park this morning. Bad, bad feeling.

Greg turned over in bed as I tried to slip out quietly and I’m sure he was awake, but pretended to be asleep. If he wants to play that game then let him.

‘You’re quiet today, Annie,’ Blake says as our steps pound the perimeter pavement together.

‘Sorry. Deep in thought.’ I must be getting fitter as I can now do running and speaking at the same time.

‘Anything I can help with?’