Page 27 of Last Dance, Second Chance

“That sounds great. I could murder a coffee.”

“I think I remember coming to this part to let off some steam before getting on the coach to go back to school.”

“I recall being very put out that there wasn’t a playground here,” admitted Jessica.

“I still am.” He put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the bench.

When the dogs had finished chasing one another, and Monty looked like he was considering causing some trouble, Nathan got up to throw some balls. Jessica immediately missed his presence.

“Do you think your leg’s up to walking to the café now?” Nathan asked.

“Yeah.” Jessica accepted Nathan’s steadying hand as she got up and sorted her crutches out. “It’s feeling quite a bit better now.”

Nathan put Monty on his lead, and the quartet went back through the gate and into the house grounds proper, making their way to the east wing of the stately home, where the coffee shop was sited.

“It’s just about lunchtime, and I’m starving,” said Jessica. “Can I buy you lunch? As a little thank you.”

“That would be lovely, but there’s no need to at all.”

“Are you OK ordering and I’ll stay outside with the dogs?”

“Sure. What do you want?”

Jessica deliberated; there wasn’t much dancer-friendly food on the menu, but she wasn’t going to be training for a while so she could relax with what she ate — at least a little — and she knew what she really fancied.

“Um... a black Americano and a cheese and ham toastie, please. Here, take my purse.”

Nathan returned with drinks a couple of minutes later. Dennis had curled up under the table and gone to sleep, but Monty was not being nearly as obliging. He was getting himself and his lead nicely wound around a table leg.

“Why don’t I take him for you?” offered Nathan. “He’s liable to have your chair over.”

“I need to be able to control him...” Jessica leaned down and unravelled the lead as best she could.

“Sure, but I don’t want him to pull you over and hurt you. I’ve been working on him a bit when I’ve been out with him, but I haven’t had a chance to take him to a café or restaurant before.”

“Thank you,” Jessica said, gratefully handing the lead over to him. “I noticed that he was walking better on the lead today, but I thought it must just be chance.”

“He’s coming along really well.”

“Training my dad’s dog for me really is going above and beyond the call of duty, you know.”

“I’m walking him at the moment so it’s kind of in my own interests to help him. He’s a good boy.” Nathan scratched Monty on his head. “Come here, Monty,” he said and steered Monty over to sit next to him so he was out of the way.

A waitress came over with their food. Dennis knew better than to beg, but Monty’s nose appeared on the table, his eyes beseeching Jessica for a corner of her sandwich. Spotting her wavering, Nathan said, “If you give him some, he’ll be driving you mad for the rest of your meal.”

“I know, but he looks hungry.”

“You know he’s not really that hungry.” Nathan laughed. “Why don’t you keep him a bit for when you’re finished?”

Jessica kept a corner for Monty and one for Dennis, and when she and Nathan were finished eating and ready to leave, she stood up, got the dogs to sit, and gave them each their corner.

“Do you want to walk around some more, or are you done?” Nathan asked.

“I’m afraid I think I’m done,” admitted Jessica. Her foot was definitely aching a lot more than earlier even with the two lots of sitting. She checked her watch. “Hooray, I can take my next lot of painkillers.”

Nathan looked worried. “I hope you haven’t overdone it.”

“I’m sure I haven’t. I’m sorry. It would have been nice to have stayed here for longer.”

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