Page 70 of Falling for You

But this is why Pam and I have stuck together all these years. Pam sorts the logistics, she schmoozes the clients and negotiates the rates, and then she passes it over to me. She knows that I’ll source whatever weird and wonderful request the client has, and that I won’t rest until everything is perfect. Which is why so many clients come back to us. We’re the best. We are the dream team.

Pam lets out a groan, arching her back and resting her hand below her shoulder blades.

I frown. ‘Are you all right?’

Her face contorts but she shakes her free hand at me, the unlit cigarette still clasped between two fingers.

‘How long have you been sat in that chair for?’ I ask. ‘Have you even moved today?’

Pam is always here before I get into the office, and I’ve never really had a firm grasp of what time she leaves the office every day. When I first started working with her, we were based in her house, so obviously she stayed there longerthan I did and worked insane hours. But since we moved to an office, I was hoping I might get in before her and have time to make her a coffee and toddle around by myself for a bit. Two years on and it feels like nothing more than a pipe dream. I get in for 8 a.m. every day, and each time I walk in to see Pam craned over her laptop, her nose almost touching the screen and her eyes squinted behind her thick glasses. Cigarette in hand, coffee half drunk.

‘What?’ she barks, letting go of her back and hunching over her keyboard again.

‘Come on!’ I say, getting to my feet and marching over to her desk. ‘Get up. You need to move your body. You’re getting stiff.’

She rolls her eyes at me. ‘I’m fine.’

‘Pam,’ I place my hands on my hips, ‘you already refused to use an ergonomic chair. If you don’t let me help you, I’ll report you to HR.’

She snorts. ‘IamHR.’

‘Exactly.’

She catches my eye, a naughty smile on her face like she’s a child who’s been caught snaffling ice cream. After a moment, she thrusts a tanned hand in my direction and I pull her to standing. She groans again, grabbing her back.

‘You need to stop working so much,’ I say, leaning forward to grab her as she rests on her desk for support. ‘When was the last time you had a massage?’

She shakes her head. ‘I don’t have time for that. I’m fine, Annie. Just a crick in my back.’

I press my lips together, ignoring her knowing smile.‘Well, just stay standing for a minute and do some stretches. Like yoga,’ I say, aware that I know absolutely nothing about yoga. ‘It’s important that you move your body.’

Pam nods at me, batting me away and closing her eyes. At least I got her to stand up and spend a few minutes away from her laptop. That’s more than I’m usually capable of doing.

‘If you do go travelling to India then you’ll need to know how to do yoga,’ I say, giving her a knowing look. ‘Penny always talks about going there for a month to become a qualified yoga teacher.’

I mean, a typical Penny thing to do. Not only is she a scientist with a PhD, but she also runs marathons and casually wants to become a qualified yoga teacher, as if she isn’t impressive enough already.

Pam twists her back and winces as it cracks. ‘If I do go to India, I won’t be doing any of this shit.’

‘It’s not shit!’

Her back cracks again and she lets out a groan before dropping back into her seat. ‘Are you happy now? I’ve had a stretch. I’m fine.’

‘Oh,’ I say, catching sight of my swollen rucksack. ‘Before I forget … I’ve got a surprise for you. Close your eyes and put your hands out.’

‘Why?’ She eyes me suspiciously.

‘Just do it,’ I say. ‘Please.’

Pam rolls her eyes but she does comply, holding one limp hand in my direction. I unzip my rucksack and pull out a scarf. It’s one I’ve been working on for a few weeks.It’s knitted with four different shades of green wool that I found at a charity shop, along with an amber thread from the bottom of my sewing kit. I place the scarf in her hands and Pam smiles as soon as she feels it.

‘Can I open my eyes now?’

‘You can.’

Pam opens her eyes and her face lights up. She sits back in her chair so she can hold the scarf with both hands, running it through her fingers before winding it round her neck. ‘Oh, it’s lovely. So soft. You’re very talented, Annie.’

I feel a warm glow. ‘It was nothing.’