Matty grinned and winked at her.

‘Depending on how well you rest today, you can start walking about tomorrow.’

‘And getting on the slopes?’

The doctor looked scandalized by the question. ‘Not for a week to ten days at the earliest. I would be more inclined to say two weeks.’

Her mouth parted in dismay. ‘But—’

‘Clo, don’t worry about work for the moment,’ Johnny said firmly, knowing exactly what she was concerned about. ‘There’s still plenty of time.’

Ari shifted his weight and looked down at his feet. Clover felt a wave of despair. They were supposed to be travelling to Saas-Fee tomorrow for the Stomping Ground training camp. It was where most of the elite athletes on the European circuit would be gathering in advance of the first event of the season and it was a crucial opportunity for them to interview Foley’s new colleagues: to gauge reaction to his debut into their sport and see how he was perceived. He was already ostracized here, in his ‘backyard’ park. They couldn’t miss out on seeing how he was treated by the best of the best. What he saw as ‘his’ pack. There was no way she was going to miss it.

The doctor closed his bag. ‘I’ll be back this evening after six. Rest and stay hydrated.’

Clover nodded obediently, watching as he went out. Ari escorted him to the door. ‘Fluffy bedside manner,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘. . . I’m not missing Saas-Fee, Johnny.’

‘You’re not going if he says you can’t.’

‘Try and stop me,’ she said stubbornly. ‘You know as well as I do it’s where we’re going to get the meat for this film.’ The sentence exhausted her. ‘Ugh,’ she moaned, sinking deeper into the pillows.

‘We need to open that window,’ Matty said, crossing the room and opening it a little. The cold air whistled in, chilled and pure.

‘These just came for you,’ Ari said, walking back in again, almost entirely hidden by a vast bouquet of flowers, elegantly potted in a pink and white striped pail.

Matty gasped, her hands raising to her mouth. ‘Who are they from?’

Clover gave her a weary look. Even concussed, she knew they were from Julian. The extravagance was just his style. ‘Open the envelope and read it for me, will you?’ she asked quietly.

Matty happily obliged. ‘They’re from Julian!’ she exclaimed, looking up. ‘He says to get well soon.’

Clover smiled, her gaze meeting Johnny’s. ‘Well, that’s very thoughtful of him.’

She watched as Ari settled the arrangement on her bedside table, but they were so vast, there was no room for her jug and glass of water. He looked acutely uncomfortable. ‘Uh . . .’

‘Don’t worry, Mats will sort them out,’ she said quietly.

He gave her a grateful nod. He had seemed peculiarly muted throughout her appointment.

‘Are you okay?’ she asked him.