Page 51 of The Happiness Project

‘David does it now, but if he can show that he’s networking for the club, it improves his chances of becoming chairman,’ I tell her. ‘And before you say anything, that would be a good thing and I’m happy to support him.’

‘If you say so. But it does seem like you’ve become very keen on golf all of a sudden — why the transformation?’

I repeat that I’m just being supportive and that is most of the reason, but having accepted that Michael is no longer an option, I do know that I’m putting all my eggs in the David basket. Of course, I can’t tell Patty any of that.

‘Besides which,’ I say, ‘you’re focussed on getting ready for the cruise and you need me out of the way.’

‘I am ready,’ she replies. ‘I’ve decided you can’t really improve on perfection.’

I give a snort of laughter as I wave goodbye and tell her that’s very true. She’s perfect as she is.

When I walk into the golf course boardroom David gets up to greet me, giving me a peck on the cheek then directing me to sit beside him. Alongside the chairman is a woman I haven’t met before and she’s introduced as Kathryn, the events assistant. She shakes my hand firmly and without her even speaking a word, I can tell that the assistant title probably belittles her role in the club.

‘The lady of the hour,’ says David, looking at me with a big smile on his face. He pours me a glass of water then checks whether the chairman needs any, which he doesn’t.

Zoe has given me the profit and loss results for the evening she hosted and I present these, noting that Kathryn is the one to ask questions and make suggestions.

‘My daughter held this to raise funds for a charity, but I’m guessing that you could also raise funds for any repairs or refurbishment that’s needed,’ I tell her.

‘That’s what I was thinking,’ she says. ‘We’re going to need work on the greens in the coming year, so I thought about hosting this and maybe getting a sponsor to cover the costs.’

I agree that would work as I take her though the list of contacts we’ve built up. The chairman stands and says he’ll leave us to it, so I continue to work with Kathryn while David sees the chairman out.

‘I think it’s always useful to set a target for the fundraising,’ I tell Kathryn, ‘that way you can keep a tally and encourage more donations as you get close.’

She nods as she takes notes, then David re-enters the room and asks Kathryn if she can handle things from here. She says that she can and I give her my numbers, saying she can call any time.

David has a huge smile on his face, so I presume this is all building brownie points for him; he tells me that the ladies’ team president is delighted with the event, and as she’s the chairman’s sister-in-law that makes everyone happy.

‘I think we should celebrate,’ David suggests. ‘Shall we have a drink?’

‘Or,’ I counter, ‘as you’re going to be constantly disturbed by members if we stay here, why don’t we grab a taxi and head into town?’

When I see a wave of reluctance furrow his brows, I tease him about being joined at the hip to the golf club.

‘If it turns out to be necessary,’ I say with a smile, ‘my friend Patty knows a very good doctor and we might be able to persuade him to come ashore and surgically separate you from this place.’

David laughs and admits the golf club is his second home then gets out his phone and orders the cab.

When the car arrives, David opens the door for me and I slide into the seat while he goes around to the other side. The radio is playing a Cyndi Lauper classic that Patty always does in her sets and it makes me smile. I’m about to tell the driver that I love this song and the Absolute 80s station he’s tuned into when David gets in, closes his door and tuts.

‘How about something more relaxing?’ he says to the driver. ‘A bit of Classic FM, perhaps?’

He’s managed to say the word ‘perhaps’ in such a way that it sounds like ‘immediately’. I catch the driver giving me a glance but he does as he’s been asked and violins replace Ms Lauper.

‘“Time after Time” was far more relaxing than this,’ I say to David as the horn section starts up.

‘How on earth could anyone prefer that over Beethoven’s Sixth?’ he says with a smile before humming along and doing orchestra conductor moves with his hands. He takes hold of my hand and waves it in time with his so we’re both conducting it now and I laugh along with him.

‘You might like “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses,’ I tell him. ‘That has a full orchestra backing.’

I am saying this with my tongue firmly in my cheek, but both the taxi driver and David look at me as if I’m insane and I have to confess to them that I was joking.

We arrive before the end of the symphony and as we’re climbing out of the car, the driver is already switching the radio back to the previous station. I quietly tell him that I don’t blame him and he gives me a wink.

‘I’ll have you enjoying eighties music one day,’ I tell David as we walk into the tapas restaurant that Patty and I love. I tell him that this place is a favourite of ours as the waiter directs us to our table.

‘It’s a bit dark, isn’t it?’ he says as we’re seated and left with the menus.

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