Raincoats and Retrievers, A Novella

by Cressida McLaughlin

  ‘The change in Will?’ Cat asked softly.

  Juliette nodded and folded her arms. ‘I was angry. Partly because Will had made this huge decision without me, and partly because it was such a courageous thing to do. I felt that, when Alex and Corinne went off to start their own lives, I was being left behind. I’m sure all parents feel that. But I thought Will and I were in it together, carrying on in this new, strange life without our kids, being there for each other. And then he quit his job, just like that. I was – it sounds silly, but I’ve been so scared he’s going to leave me too. And that’s what the surfing felt like, him leaving me.’

  ‘So why didn’t you go with him? Why didn’t you let him show you all this?’ Cat gestured towards the beach.

  ‘Because I was scared. Because I wanted to show him that he couldn’t just run off and leave me to carry on with our old life on my own, so I dug my heels in. It wasn’t that it was surfing, specifically, just that he had something else to focus on – something we didn’t do together. I thought if I refused to accept it, he’d eventually give it up and come back, find a job, go back to the way things were.’

  ‘And now?’

  Juliette laughed softly. ‘He’s never going to give it up, look at him.’ Will was animated, smiling and chatting to his new students. ‘And why would he?’

  ‘Change is hard,’ Cat said, ‘any kind of change. But…’ She thought of her parents and their plans, how nervous she felt about them being so far away. ‘Sometimes you just have to embrace it, let people do what they need to, see it from their point of view. If you can’t bring Will back, then why not follow him?’

  Juliette laughed louder. ‘What, try surfing?’

  ‘Why not? Everyone else is. Give me five minutes to hand over our petition and round up the troops, and then we’re going to give it a go.’

  On the beach, practising the moves, Cat felt elated, as though it was almost possible that, once in the water, with the undulating, breaking waves beneath her, she would be able to stand up and ride them in. Will’s group consisted of Juliette, Cat, Joe, Polly and Mark, and he soon had them laughing and attentive and, Cat could tell from the faces of Joe and Mark especially, confident about their chances.

  ‘I’ve already done this part,’ Mark said, ‘with Harvey.’

  ‘So you’re an expert now?’ Joe shot back.

  ‘I wouldn’t say that.’ Mark grinned, hopped off his board and wrapped his arm around Cat, kissing her on the cheek. ‘We’re all beginners, aren’t we?’ Joe didn’t respond.

  Cat gave Mark a quick kiss, now conscious of Joe so close, Joe who she still hadn’t spoken to, corralling them all into surfing so she could delay the talk he wanted to have with her.

  They graduated to the water which, despite the wetsuit, Cat decided must have come directly from Alaska it was so cold, and all of them were faced with reality. The reality that surfing elegance was earned by spending hours in the freezing sea, limbs and squidgy bits squeezed into skintight wetsuits, falling off at least a hundred thousand times, filling your eyes, ears and mouth with salty, seaweed-infested water.

  They could just about stay on the surfboards if they came in to the beach on their stomachs. Anything more than that was impossible. Will had, tactfully, not shown off his own skills, but was coaching them in turn.

  Cat, finding herself in the water for about the hundredth time, smiled as she watched Will helping Juliette stand up in the shallows. Juliette was able to show off her stunning figure in a red wetsuit, and Will was gripping her hands tightly, walking in with her. Juliette was laughing.

  ‘What are you grinning about?’ Polly gasped, wading through the sea towards Cat. She looked as cold as Cat felt, blinking water out of her eyes, her surfboard bobbing happily behind her. ‘Look, Cat, just like dogs. We’re tethered to our surfboards. It’s going well, isn’t it?’

  ‘I think so,’ Cat said. ‘And look.’ She nodded her head surreptitiously in the Barkers’ direction, and Polly followed her gaze.

  ‘Did you plan this?’ Polly whispered loudly.

  ‘Sort of. I mean, not really, but…’ She shrugged. ‘It’s a happy side effect of today’s event.’

  ‘Cat, you devious little—’ Polly jumped forward, grabbed Cat’s arms and pulled her under the waves.

  Cat had time to start squealing, and then her mouth filled with water and, as quickly as she could, she shot back up and wiped her eyes. ‘S-so unnecessary,’ she spluttered.

  Polly was grinning. ‘How much fun is this?’

  ‘What, dunking me like an apple?’

  ‘No, silly. This. Surfing. It’s such a shame Owen couldn’t make it. He said he’d try and get back from the suppliers early, but I guess he’s been held up.’

  ‘He might still come,’ Cat said. ‘We can fit in hours of surfing practice before it gets dark. But I’m not sure any of us are going to be signing up for the national championships any time soon.’ The experts were further out, bobbing on the swell, waiting for the perfect wave to ride in on. Bodhi watched from his Jack Russell-sized surfboard, outclassing them all, as Cat and her fellow paddlepusses wobbled for a few seconds, before upending themselves into the water.

  Except for one.

  ‘Apart from my blasted brother,’ Polly said, sighing. ‘Do you think he was swapped at birth, and he’s a secret Australian? Or maybe our mum was half seal.’

  ‘Can seals surf?’ Cat asked.

  ‘You know what I mean. Whatever it is, it’s bloody annoying. He’s going to gloat at us for ever – or rather me, because you’re hardly at home any more.’

  They watched as Joe went from lying on the surfboard to crouching in a single, deft little jump, his arms spread wide, wobbling slightly, his lips pressed together in a determined, exhilarated smile. It was very impressive.

  ‘That’s amazing, Joe,’ Will called, still at Juliette’s side, clutching her as she fell into him and off her surfboard. Joe gave a quick salute and then, as he came in towards the shore, managed to stand up.

  ‘How does he do that?’ Polly said, her voice thick with envy.

  ‘Strong thighs,’ Cat said, clarifying when her best friend shot her a curious look. ‘He goes running a lot. That must help.’

  ‘Oh. Yeah. One more go? I’m getting hungry.’

  ‘You’re on. Mark,’ she called, ‘we’re heading in soon. Want to try once more?’

  ‘God,’ Mark said, paddling over to them astride his surfboard, ‘I thought you’d never ask. I am not, it turns out, a fish out of water.’ He shot Joe a quick look, then turned back to Cat with a grin. ‘I think there are much better ways we can entertain ourselves.’

  ‘It’s been fun trying, though.’ Cat waved as she saw Frankie walk down to the water pushing Henry in a buggy, Emma and Lizzie running down to paddle, clutching their shoes. Olaf, their cocker spaniel, yapped excitedly at the surfers just out of reach in the water. ‘Look how many people have come.’ She took in the full beach, the sun beginning shyly to show itself, making the sand gleam.

  ‘I think we all know that’s down to you,’ Mark said, coming up alongside Cat and leaning down for a watery kiss. ‘It’s been a triumph.’

  ‘Just one committee meeting,’ she said, holding up crossed fingers. ‘And over four thousand signatures.’ Cat gave them her best triumphant smile, but she knew their success wasn’t guaranteed. At least she could be confident they had done everything they could.

  Cat peeled off her wetsuit and her sodden swimming costume in the tiny changing room in Harvey and Zara’s van, grateful for the modicum of privacy. She was freezing and glad that she’d brought several layers with her. Harvey, Frankie and Elsie were back at the barbecues, and Polly and Mark were sorting out more hot dogs, burgers, sardines and vegetable kebabs.

  She could hear people chatting and laughing outside, dogs barking in different pitches, Alfie and Effie and Chips deeper and longer, Olaf and Paris and occasionally Disco, with their higher-pitched, sharper barks. Cat couldn’t imagine
this beach without dogs, couldn’t imagine not being able to bring them down to the water’s edge apart from sunrise and sunset. Dogs, like people, needed diversity, a change of scene, and if she was left with only Fairview Park to walk them in, she didn’t know what she’d do. She hoped they’d done enough.

  She heard someone clear their throat just outside the van. ‘Won’t be a sec,’ she called, wrapping a large towel around her, luxuriating in its warmth and comfort. Her limbs felt weary from the surfing, her whole head still shifting slightly, up and down in time to the waves she was no longer immersed in.

  ‘Cat?’

  Cat froze. It was Joe. ‘I won’t be long,’ she said. ‘Just getting dressed.’

  ‘Can I come in?’

  Cat felt a flash of panic. ‘I’ve got no clothes on. I’m in my towel.’

  ‘That’s fine.’

  ‘For you maybe—’ Cat started, but the side of the van slid open and Joe hopped in and closed it behind him.

  ‘Joe!’ Cat squealed, clamping her arms round her. ‘I’m half-naked.’

  ‘Then we’re on an even footing.’ He had his wetsuit pulled down to his waist, his honed torso, wet from the sea, on full display.

  ‘I still think that puts me at a disadvantage,’ she murmured, trying and failing to avert her gaze.

  His blue eyes were bright from the exertion, and it was clear that he’d loved it. Were Polly and Cat about to lose Joe to the call of the waves? Except that Cat couldn’t lose him, because she was never at home. She was always with Mark. Mark…

  ‘Seriously Joe, what is it that—’

  ‘I have to tell you something.’

  ‘Something that couldn’t have waited until I was dressed and out of this cramped van?’

  ‘I tried to tell you earlier. I wanted to speak to you in private.’

  ‘This evening, then?’

  Joe shook his head. ‘There’s too much momentum. This will be going on all day and night, whether here or back at ours, and I’ll just – you’re never around any more, and I’ll never get you on your own.’

  ‘Why do you want me on my own?’ He was very close to her now, within touching distance. His stare really was the most direct, gripping…

  ‘I wanted to ask you something.’

  ‘Oh, yes?’ Cat held her towel tighter. It was far too small a space to be having a sensible conversation.

  ‘And it’s quite a…a personal thing. It’s something I should have asked earlier.’

  ‘OK,’ Cat managed, the word coming out as a croak. ‘W-what is it?’

  Joe looked down at his feet, looked up again and, without warning, took Cat’s hand. She gripped desperately onto her towel with the other one.

  ‘I’ve been speaking to Phil, at the Fairhaven Press, and he’s asked me to do a cartoon strip. For three months initially, and then, if it goes well, on a permanent basis.’

  Cat should have felt relief that he was finally going to talk to her about the cartoon, but there didn’t seem room for relief amongst all the other thoughts tumbling through her head. ‘That’s amazing,’ she said. ‘Great news, Joe. I’m so happy for you.’

  ‘It really is a dream, something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. It’s just that, this idea I’ve had…’ He ran his free hand through his damp hair, looked away for a moment. ‘It’s…well, it’s not you – but it’s about you. Sort of.’

  ‘Curiosity Kitten,’ Cat said.

  Joe went still. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘I’ve seen some of your sketches.’

  ‘I know, but…how—’

  ‘There was a rather telling one of a cat about to open an attic door and have a load of crap fall on her.’

  ‘Shit,’ Joe murmured. ‘You weren’t meant to see that. You weren’t meant to know until—’

  ‘Until what?’

  ‘Until it was confirmed. I’m not mocking you, Cat, I want you to know that. It’s just that some of your…some of what you…’ He trailed off, shook his head.

  ‘I’m a great subject for a calamitous cartoon? I’m so ridiculous that I’m worth documenting?’ Cat felt anger rise up, hot and sharp, inside her.

  ‘No!’ Joe urged. ‘Not at all. I really don’t think that.’

  ‘What do you think, then? Because generally, curiosity kills the cat, and that doesn’t strike me as a very positive way of thinking about someone.’

  ‘You don’t want to know how I see you,’ he said, his voice dropping.

  ‘Yes, I do. Of course I do. I felt pretty hurt by what I saw, and I’ve been waiting…well, a while for you to come and talk to me about it.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I never meant for that to happen. It’s just, you inspire me, Cat. More than anyone I’ve ever met.’

  ‘Inspire you?’

  ‘Yeah.’ He gave a quick, lopsided smile. ‘Like a muse, or something. You’ve got so much energy, and passion. And you may not always get things right, but you’ve got the biggest heart of anyone I know. And you make me laugh. Curiosity Kitten is all those things. She’s pretty much you.’

  ‘Oh,’ Cat said, her anger dissolving, being replaced by understanding, by the feelings that had been hovering at the back of her mind and coming to the fore when they’d watched Grey’s Anatomy together, when he’d reassured her, wrapped his arms around her. ‘Oh. Right. Well.’ She wanted to look away, wanted to lose eye contact with him and have a moment to compose herself, which wasn’t going to be easy in the current situation.

  ‘Cat.’ Joe reached his hand up to her face and rubbed his thumb against her cheek. ‘There’s something else.’

  Cat tried to think over the thudding of her heart. ‘What?’ she whispered.

  ‘I know it’s really bad timing, but I have to go—’

  ‘Cat?’ The second voice was outside the door, but it was loud and, unmistakably, Mark. ‘Are you still in here?’ Cat and Joe looked at each other, eyes wide, and Joe let go of her hand and began pulling up his wetsuit, just as Mark slid the van door open.

  Cat and Joe both froze, Joe with his wetsuit pulled up over one arm, Cat with her towel wrapped round her. Mark’s expression changed from relaxed to shocked in a single, sickening moment. At the same time, Paddlepuss, small and excited and soaked from the sea, raced up, grabbed hold of Cat’s towel and pulled. She was quick, but not quick enough, and the towel fell to her ankles before she’d realized what was happening. She screamed and reclaimed it.

  Wrapping her towel even more tightly around her, and trying to avoid the shocked gazes of her friends on the beach, Cat gave Joe a quick, apologetic look and, nudging him gently out onto the sand, pulled the van door closed.

  Cat sat close to the water, letting the sea spray cool her face. She stroked Chalky, who was lying at her side like a small, furry bodyguard. She had ignored the entreaties of Elsie, Polly and Juliette, and, after jumping down from the van fully dressed, had hurried to the end of the cove, pleased that, in the end, it was only Chalky who had followed her. Chalky, who was always a comfort, who she’d be lost without.

  ‘What shall I do now, then?’ she asked, rubbing the fur between his ears. ‘What on earth am I meant to do now?’

  Chalky sniffed loudly and let out a short bark.

  ‘I know,’ Cat whispered. ‘It’s crap, isn’t it?’

  She hadn’t seen Mark or Joe when she’d left the van, but she’d been keeping her head down, wanting to clear her mind rather than face either of them. It should be straightforward. She was with Mark now, and what had happened in the van had been a misunderstanding – surely Mark would believe her when she explained it to him?

  Except that Joe had made it clear that he wanted something to happen. He had called her his muse, he had touched her face, softly, tenderly.

  She leaned her head on her folded arms and listened to the rhythmic sound of the waves. The protest, the surfing, and the worries of her neighbours had become distant, fleeting thoughts at the back of her mind.

  She close
d her eyes, trying to empty her head of everything, but she couldn’t stop replaying Joe’s touch, or the look in his blue eyes, the way her whole body had frozen, alive with anticipation, waiting for his next words. No, it wasn’t straightforward at all, and for once Cat had no idea how to fix it.

  If you loved Raincoats & Retrievers, make sure you catch up with the first two doggy tails in the Primrose Terrace series!

  Catherine ‘Cat’ Palmer realises, too late, that bringing an adorable puppy into work at the local nursery was a bad idea, especially after the ensuing chaos gets her the sack.

  Determined to turn a negative into a positive, Cat decides this is the perfect opportunity to get her dog-walking business off the ground with the help of her flatmates, Polly and Joe. After all, Primrose Terrace where she lives, is full of home-alone hounds…

  Wellies and Westies is the first part of a serialized novel told in four parts – all set in Primrose Terrace.

  Click here to buy now 978-0-00-813520-1

  Cat Palmer’s dog-walking business, Pooch Promenade is taking off. It hasn’t been plain sailing but with the help of her flatmate Joe, she’s taken on some more new clients from Primrose Terrace. But when she meets boisterous puppy Olaf, who is owned by harassed single mum Frankie, she wonders if she has bitten off more than she can chew! Cat’s also getting to know her sexy neighbour Mark and his Collie, Chips, a little better, but is there more to him than meets the eye? Perhaps sorting out her best friend Polly’s love life will be easier than her own…

  Sunshine and Spaniels is the second part of a serialized novel told in four parts – all set in Primrose Terrace.

  Click here to buy now 978-0-00-813521-8

  And look out for the latest canine adventure in Part Four of Primrose Terrace

  Christmas is coming to Primrose Terrace, Pooch Promenade is doing brilliantly and Cat has made lots of new friends in the street, both dogs and their owners. Life seems good. Things start to go badly when Cat learns something about Mark that she wishes she hadn’t. Then, when one of Ellen’s lovable schnauzers, Chalky, gets ill, it looks like this Christmas could be turning into a dog’s dinner. But Cat has never given up on anything in her life – and this is one Christmas that’s definitely worth saving…