The Ticket to Happiness

by Faith Bleasdale

  ‘She’s happy,’ he said finally.

  ‘She looks happy and honestly, I’m pleased,’ Pippa said, finding it hard to tear her eyes away from the scene.

  But as Toby emitted a small cry, indicating he was about to let out a huge wail, they were forced to hurry off.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘You want us to do yoga?’ Brooke asked, her brows raised.

  Pippa tried not to feel offended by the surprise in Brooke’s voice.

  ‘Yes, well, you see, I’d love to do yoga. I tried it once a long time ago and I’ve always regretted not pursuing it.’

  It wasn’t quite the truth. What she’d discovered during her ill-fated yoga classes was that she had the balance of a drunk. A really bad drunk.

  ‘I could teach you, if you like?’ Brooke offered.

  Her voice was less horrified, although it still had a hint of uncertainty in it.

  ‘That’d be great, but I was thinking we could find a class. It’d probably have to be Bath, because they’ll have the best classes, and I thought you might like to … you know, get out of the hotel a bit and have a change of scene.’ Pippa wanted to find something they could do together, but she wasn’t sure being in a teacher–pupil relationship was what she was after.

  ‘That sounds good and I don’t mean to be rude…’ Brooke chewed her lip uncertainly. ‘But, Pippa, I’m quite advanced at yoga, so we’d need different classes. I was thinking that if I taught you, not only could we start from the beginning, but it would also be good for me – you know, for my business. To get some practice in, as I haven’t taught for a while.’

  Pippa nodded slowly. Yes, that was possibly a very good idea. She’d be doing Brooke a favour.

  ‘How’s it going with the business idea?’ she asked breezily. She didn’t want to sound as if she was interrogating her.

  ‘Yeah, good. It’s taking a bit of time, but then we want to get it right if we’re going ahead. I think Chris and I make a great team. He’s a great fitness coach and he’s found a potential studio in Keynsham. It’s on a new development. It’s not ready yet, but he said that Keynsham’s a good area for us – pretty residential, apparently – so we’re putting together a business plan. We visited the other day and it’s going to be a great space.’

  ‘Oh!’ Pippa couldn’t quite hide the surprise in her voice. ‘That’s brilliant, great news!’

  ‘Yes. Chris has been working on it a lot so he hasn’t been around much, but we’re definitely trying to get this going. I think he’d be a really great partner. He’s really committed to the industry and he’s got lots of good ideas. I have to say, I’m excited now that we’re moving forward.’

  ‘Really, just a good partner?’ Pippa couldn’t help but giggle.

  ‘Business partner!’ Brooke raised her eyebrows. ‘One thing I learnt from my dad was not to mix business with pleasure. And to be honest, I think Chris feels the same. We’re not going to ruin anything by getting involved; although he is quite hot,’ Brooke conceded.

  ‘I suppose, although he’s not my type,’ Pippa said.

  ‘So what is your type?’

  ‘I guess a bit older, mature. I like a man who’s got a strong presence. I guess more of a corporate man.’

  ‘And how has that worked out for you?’ Brooke asked.

  ‘About that yoga…’ Pippa said, avoiding the question, then she laughed. It was nice to have another singleton around to talk about men to, actually.

  ‘No time like the present. Shall we go down to the gym to do it?’ Brooke asked.

  ‘What, now?’ Pippa didn’t exactly have anything else to do but she hadn’t expected to start so soon.

  ‘Yes, go and get changed and I’ll meet you in the basement. Honest, Pippa, it’ll be fun, and I promise I’ll go gentle with you.’

  ‘Now, try to stretch this a bit more.’ Brooke manhandled Pippa, who wobbled but didn’t fall, mainly because Brooke had hold of her.

  ‘Ow!’ Pippa squealed.

  ‘Do you want to stop? I’m not sure you’re enjoying this.’

  ‘Nope,’ Pippa said stubbornly as she moved into another impossible position.

  If this was beginners’ yoga then she was in trouble. And if this was Brooke’s idea of going easy, she was as gentle as a boxer. Pippa was sweating in a way she never had. She thought the idea of yoga was that you didn’t sweat. Or hurt. Or feel as if you were on the verge of collapse. But she wouldn’t give in. This was the only way she’d bond with Brooke and she was going to do it even if it killed her. It probably would kill her, in fact.

  ‘Drink plenty of water,’ Brooke said afterwards as they both sat on the yoga mat having finished with a bit of meditation, which is the only part that Pippa enjoyed. Although she wasn’t meditating, exactly – she was trying not to think about the million things she had to do.

  ‘That was great,’ Pippa lied. Although going forwards, she’d have to try to convince herself she enjoyed it, because she was going to do it again. She enjoyed spending time with Brooke, even if it was going to kill her.

  ‘Did you think so?’ Brooke looked delighted. ‘I tried to do beginners, but I might have pushed you a bit. In LA I always did yoga from a more dynamic perspective and Chris said that in the UK there were lots of different types of yoga, some more gentle, so I need to get my head around that.’

  ‘The class I went to years ago was very different but yes, I did enjoy it, thank you.’

  ‘I need to do a bit more research, actually, but this is the kind of yoga I want to teach. I also do other classes, if you’re interested in trying something different?’

  ‘No, I think I’ll stick to yoga for now. But I’d like to do it again, if you don’t mind? Maybe give me a day to recover, though!’

  ‘I’d love to, Pippa, and yes, let’s do it the day after tomorrow; we don’t want to push it. It’s great practice for me, so you’ll be doing me a favour, actually.’

  ‘Anytime,’ Pippa said, but she didn’t mean it. ‘So, we have a date. I was going to ask, if you don’t think I’m prying, if you’d made any progress in tracing your dad’s family.’ Pippa wasn’t sure if she overstepped the mark, but she decided to bite the bullet.

  ‘No, sure, I don’t mind. I found out that they’re from Weston-super-Mare, which gives me a place to start. Chris says it’s by the sea but not like LA.’

  ‘It’s nothing like LA. But I thought Harriet mentioned that your family was from Bristol?’ Pippa asked.

  Brooke flushed. ‘Oh, yes, I traced them to Bristol but then I found out they were from Weston originally. Chris said he’d take me there,’ Brooke said, sounding enthusiastic. ‘I’m really nervous so he said that if we visited the place first, before doing more research, it might be a good idea.’

  ‘Right, I see. Well, Bristol’s a big place, so starting in Weston might be easier.’

  Pippa was about to ask more questions, when Hector appeared, wearing his swimming trunks with a towel slung over one shoulder. He looked tanned and although Pippa tried not to stare, she couldn’t help but notice his six-pack as he put the towel down and dived, seamlessly, into the pool.

  ‘Wow! he’s so cute,’ Brooke whispered.

  ‘Fancy him?’ Pippa asked, thinking back to the earlier fear she had that Brooke was after Freddie. Something she’d since dismissed.

  As much as Brooke seemed to enjoy spending time with Freddie, Pippa could see it was purely platonic, especially as she and Gemma were friendly now.

  ‘Not really my type, if I’m honest. I like more of a rock star type,’ Brooke said. ‘You know, tattoos and rougher-looking.’

  ‘Really?’ Pippa was surprised.

  ‘Anyone can see how much he adores you, anyway,’ she added.

  ‘Oh, Hector only wants me because I’m the only girl who hasn’t fallen at his feet,’ Pippa argued. An argument she seemed to be bringing out a lot lately.

  ‘No, I haven’t fallen at his feet, either,’ Brooke pointed out. ‘And he shows only a fr
iendly interest in me.’ She raised her eyebrows and laughed.

  Pippa couldn’t help but laugh along with her. They stood up and Pippa found her limbs were already aching.

  ‘What have you two been up to?’ Hector asked, swimming closer to where they were by the side of the pool.

  ‘Yoga,’ Brooke explained.

  ‘My God, Pippa, you look as if you might keel over,’ he said.

  ‘Thanks, Hector. Brooke is a great yoga teacher – she certainly put me through my paces,’ Pippa said as she smiled and tried her best not to feel affronted. Did she really look that bad?

  ‘I like yoga, can I join you two next time?’ Hector asked.

  ‘No,’ Pippa shot.

  ‘Yes,’ Brooke said at the same time.

  ‘Great, when are we doing it next?’ Hector said, ignoring Pippa.

  ‘The day after tomorrow; I’ll let you know the time. This is brilliant! I’m almost teaching a class! Oh! Pippa, I have you to thank for this.’ She hugged Pippa.

  Pippa’s plan had worked but at what price? She now had to endure more yoga and have the added humiliation of Hector witnessing.

  Harriet was in the office after Pippa had showered and changed.

  ‘I hear you did yoga?’ Harriet’s eyebrows arched.

  ‘I did. Is nothing secret around here?’

  ‘No, Hector told me. Is this part of a crazy plan to get to unravel Brooke’s evil plan?’

  Harriet raised an eyebrow once more, which Pippa noticed had been tidied for the first time since Toby’s birth, almost. Harriet was obviously more her old self now if she was visiting the beautician again.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ Pippa tutted. ‘I think we just had this misunderstanding. You know, I felt as if I didn’t spend any time with her but you guys all did … So instead of being suspicious of her – which, by the way I’m not – I thought I’d see if we could spend a bit of time together and bond.’ It seemed logical in Pippa’s head, anyway.

  ‘I’m glad you’re finally seeing sense where she’s concerned. Although you must be a bit desperate if you were willing to exercise,’ Harriet laughed. ‘How was it?’

  ‘Excruciating, but I do think that we bonded a bit,’ Pippa said. ‘And next time Hector’s going to join us.’

  ‘So, is Brooke good, then?’ Harriet asked.

  ‘I guess so. I don’t know anything about yoga but it bloody hurt,’ Pippa said. ‘She said it was dynamic. I don’t know about that, but it was definitely hard.’

  ‘You know, if you do this morning class with her, when we have guests we could offer it to them. Say it’s quite a workout but they might like it. Brooke gets to practise and if people take her up on it, we could pay her,’ Harriet suggested.

  ‘I like that idea. We’ve got this group of women coming in tomorrow for five days. They’ve got a book club and they’re celebrating ten years together.’

  ‘Do they know Hector’s here?’

  ‘No, and I haven’t told him about them yet, either. My plan is to surprise them both!’ Pippa laughed.

  The book club would love Hector and hearing all about his new book, and he’d probably be delighted to chat with them. As long as Pippa asked him nicely, that is.

  ‘Oh, you’ll get him to charm them, I’m sure, and it’ll be great for the hotel. But try them. When they check in, offer them yoga. Clear it with Brooke first, though,’ Harriet cautioned.

  ‘She’d be delighted to have people to practise on, I’m sure. But can you check our insurance; otherwise they’ll have to sign disclaimers.’

  ‘Wow, Pip, good thinking. You’re getting the hang of this businesswoman stuff. Right, I’m going to make a move and check that Connor hasn’t lost Toby at the sanctuary. I always worry he might bring home Kizzy, the piglet, by mistake.’

  ‘Harry, you are shocking. See you later.’

  As she stepped outside, Pippa was amused to see Hector was helping Edie with the roses. Or, at the very least, he was carrying her tools. Pippa was surprised when she spotted Brooke, wearing an oversized coat she’d never seen before, out there digging up weeds with Margaret. Gwen was in the kitchen baking Brooke’s favourite lemon cake. Brooke really was becoming part of the Meadowbrook furniture. It was easy to forget she was a paying guest. It’d be strange when she left, Pippa thought. And although she showed no signs of doing so, she knew she would at some point. She couldn’t keep paying their prices forever, surely?

  ‘Pippa,’ Edie yelled, causing Hector to drop a trowel on his foot.

  Pippa walked over to them, shivering. It was still cold and although spring was supposed to be here, it didn’t feel like it.

  ‘Hey, Edie.’ Pippa gave her a hug as Hector hopped around from foot to foot.

  Like a swarm of bees, the other women suddenly surrounded them. Pippa kissed cold cheeks and enjoyed hugs from them all.

  ‘Young Hector was telling us about you doing yoga with Brooke,’ Edie said.

  ‘Yes, I did it today; she’s a very good teacher,’ Pippa said as Brooke blushed. ‘And Hector’s going to join us next time.’ She wasn’t relishing the ‘next time’.

  ‘We want to do it,’ Edie announced.

  ‘Oh, we so do! I heard that it really helps with flexibility and we all need that, don’t we?’ Margaret said.

  ‘I do. I can’t remember the last time I touched my toes,’ Rose added. ‘Or seen them, for that matter,’ she shrieked with laughter.

  ‘And it’s not all about sex, is it?’ Mary added.

  Pippa choked.

  ‘Why would it be about sex?’ Brooke replied, sounding confused.

  ‘The thing is that Brooke’s class is very fast-paced,’ Pippa explained. If it nearly killed her, it might actually kill off the gardening club.

  ‘I could do a gentle version for you guys,’ Brooke offered. ‘I think as you’re so active in the gardens that maybe some stretching exercises might help. I think I could put something together to suit you all, actually.’

  ‘There you go,’ Edie said. ‘Right, when shall we start?’

  ‘The thing is, where are you going to do it?’ Hector asked, seeing the horror on Pippa’s face.

  ‘There’s not enough room for you all in the basement gym,’ Pippa pointed out, realising it sounded worse than it should have done.

  She didn’t like to add that they couldn’t possibly do it there up at the hotel because it was for guests only. The women didn’t like to be reminded that the house was no longer always open to everyone.

  ‘What about the village hall?’ Rose suggested. ‘Hilary might want to join us and there’s plenty of room.’

  ‘Great, then that’s all organised, then,’ Hector said.

  ‘What do you think?’ Brooke asked Pippa uncertainly as they stepped to one side.

  ‘I think I might have to go on the Internet and order you some yoga mats,’ Pippa replied. ‘Because now they want to do yoga they’ll do yoga,’ she whispered. ‘It has to happen.’

  ‘OK, so I’ll book the hall then, shall I?’ Rose asked, coming up to them.

  ‘Sure, it’ll be great,’ Brooke said with a smile.

  ‘And after yoga maybe we can go to the library,’ she added.

  ‘Whatever for?’ Pippa asked.

  ‘Oh, Brooke found out her family are from Burton-on-Sea, so I said I’d help her trace them,’ Rose announced proudly.

  Pippa glanced over at Brooke, who was intent on looking at her shoes.

  ‘Sorry, Rose, I get so confused with all these English towns and villages. I meant Weston-super-Mare,’ Brooke corrected.

  ‘Oh, I love it there. Maybe we can arrange a coach trip,’ Edie suggested.

  Pippa just shook her head as a look of horror crossed Brooke’s face.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was almost a shock to the system to be preparing for the busy season. It was the end of March and from Easter onwards, the hotel would be pretty non-stop. The first summer of the hotel had been manic. They’d been fully booked, ma
inly owing to discounts and special offers, but it had given Pippa a taste of how frantic running a hotel could be. And now she was being reminded of that again as she prepared for their first big booking of the year.

  Poor Hector had to go and stay with Freddie and Gemma for a few days as they needed his room, although he said he didn’t mind. Brooke was remaining where she was, she wasn’t quite part of the furniture enough to move and she’d paid up front for her room. Thankfully, they’d managed to sort the booking without having to cause her any disruption. But Pippa had warned her that it might be a bit louder than usual, as they had a team of ten investment bankers checking in for a team-building exercise. Pippa prepared to greet four women and six men, and Harriet had told her it was important to get this right and that if this went well, then more bookings from the banking world could follow. But while they came with high demands, they also paid for those demands.

  Owing to the fact there were only nine rooms available, two of the women were sharing and they’d managed to make one of the rooms a twin rather than a double, just for the duration. It was a lot of work but they were paying a lot of money. Their boss’s instructions to Pippa had been very specific. All done via his very efficient PA, she hadn’t actually spoken to him. But his PA was ensuring that every little detail was covered.

  The group, who worked closely together, had gone off track and needed to spend time bonding. Pippa and Harriet had put a five-day itinerary together for them. Day one, they’d spend settling in and a big dinner would be prepared for them in the evening. Day two, they were having a Great British Bake Off style challenge with Gwen. Day three, they’d roped Chris PT and Brooke in to put them through their paces with a boot camp, a long hike and then a fitness challenge in the afternoon. Brooke was thrilled; she said it made it feel as if she and Chris might have a proper business, after all. Day four, Gus was holding a painting workshop for them and they were going to paint Meadowbrook Manor, or a part of it.

  Harriet had suggested bringing in the animals, but Harvey, the boss, via his PA, had said he wouldn’t subject the animals to his animals. Pippa was trepidatious about what was in store. But then this was her job, so she’d be a total professional; although this felt slightly more serious than many of the bookings they’d had so far. She wasn’t sure why, though. All their guests paid a lot of money to stay, but this was the most corporate they’d had. Also, Harriet had kept drumming into her how much money this could make in the future if they made a success of it, so no pressure…