Page 12 of Unworthy
Penny smiled at him. “Basically, this study showed that over ninety percent of the risk of having heart disease comes from stuff we can change about our lifestyles.”
“Woah! That’s nuts,” Teddy said, his beer lowering slowly and his eyes wide.
“Yes, it isnuts,” said Penny.“What’s more nuts is that all doctors aren’t pushing for change. We need people like Yaz to help us potentially create a massive public health revolution on a country-wide scale. To put the money into what isactuallygoing to help patients.”
“I’m not denying that lifestyle factors are important, but– ”
“We need topreventdisease rather than wait for it to manifest so that doctors have to treat the symptoms.”
“I’m not disputing any of that,” I said in frustration. “Yaz isn’t just banging on about diet and lifestyle. She’s on about crystals and reiki and all this other bullshit as well.”
“Yaz is aqualifiedacupuncturist, reiki therapist, yoga instructor and windsurfing instructor. I’m sure an hour with her, even if itdoesinvolve the odd crystal, would do most people the power of good.”
I sat back in my chair, feeling deflated. “When did she qualify in all of that?” Penny had spent barely an hour with Yaz. How was it she knew more about her than I did, and I’d known her for over twenty years?
“She did all the courses over the last few years,” Max said with a shrug. “I didn’t even know myself, mate. She kept it on the quiet in case I took the piss. I only found out through Mia.”
“They were really intense courses as well,” Mia said, her voice still stiff with anger. “She worked her socks off and all in her spare time.”
“Oh… that’s surprising.”
“Not really,” Mia said. “Not if you know her.” Her voice dropped to smaller than before as she went on. “She’s helpedme, you know. More than any pills have in the past.”
I gave Mia a soft look and Max put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. There was no denying how much Yaz had helped her. Yaz’s positive energy was impossible to be around without it rubbing off. She was a feel-good person. Someone who just seemed to make people happy. When I thought about it, shedidlighten the office atmosphere at Max’s business. The bastard probably owed his sister big time in terms of staff retention, and not just because the blokes wanted to stare at her arse in lycra (although that, I was sure, was a huge bonus).
“I’ll apologise to her,” I said to my now hostile audience.
“Yes, you will,” Mia said, glaring at me again, her voice laced with steel. “Then you’llleave her alone. This crap you pull with her ends today.”
I nodded, although my chest lurched at the idea of leaving her alone. But that was, of course, the most sensible course of action. I needed to leave Yaz alone now. To stop thinking about her, stop obsessing over her. I knew what had driven me to be so vicious tonight. It was the irritation of having her constantly on my mind, the worry I’d felt watching her on that bloody windsurfer, and the totally unreasonable homicidal thoughts I’d had when Bodhi looked like he was trying to stake his claim.
Yes, my head knew it was high time I left Yaz alone. I just hoped my heart was paying attention.
Chapter 6
Ineverthought you’d be cruel
Heath
“Yaz!” I jogged across the road from my car as I saw Yaz arrive on her bike at the side of the building. Her head whipped around as she was bringing her bike to a stop. She frowned across at me briefly before turning back to her bike, propping it up against the bike rack and heading for the front door of the beachside unit. I stopped a few feet away from her and shoved my hands into my pockets. She kept her back to me as she unlocked the door.
“Er… you should really use a bike lock.” As soon as the words were out, I kicked myself. What was wrong with me? I was here to apologise, for God’s sake. Couldn’t I stop being an arsehole for five minutes?
Yaz stopped and turned to give me a withering look that, quite frankly, I didn’t know she had in her.
“If anyone is desperate enough to steal my bike, then good luck to them and may they go in peace with my blessing.”
Right. She may have had a point there. Her bike looked about fifty years old and was sporting a substantial amount of rust. As I looked closer at it, I realised I remembered this bike from Yaz’s childhood. It still had the large basket on the front and the streamers on the handlebars.
“Fair point,” I conceded. She frowned as if I’d confused her and then shook her head.
“What do you want, Heath?”
“Woah! This is an amazing space,” I said, ignoring her question as I followed her, uninvited, into a studio. We were on the seafront and the large windows had incredible views across the bay. Yaz started moving through the room, setting out diffusers with essential oils on the ledges at the side. All of a sudden the air was filled with everything Yaz, and it was such I hit that I felt a little lightheaded. I could make out lavender, tea tree oil, and something with just a hint of spice to it.
“I’ll ask you again, Heath. What do you want?”
I gave a small start, realising that I had been staring into the middle distance for several seconds. Clearing my throat, I tried to focus on my reason for being here.
