'But how? What makes you think that tonight is going to be different to any other?'

'Because it has to be,' Zo says simply.

She's right. This is it. This is for real. I sit up in bed and stare across the room. I said I'd do it take the chance to be alone with Elliot to tell him how deeply I feel. If not now, when? But how will I begin? And considering how much alcohol it'll take to get my nerve up, how will I be able to get the words out without slurring?

I might have to get a bit more guidance from Joel. He seems to have a bit of know-how on this subject.

In the meantime, I make my second phone call of the day, this time to Sasha. She sounds bright but I suspect she's putting on a breezy voice so as not to worry me.

'How's the ogre?' I ask.

'Just the same,' she sighs. 'Cool with everyone but me.'

'Do you still fancy him?'

'I still fancy the guy I met on the first night. I keep waiting for him to reappear.'

'Have you tried cutting off the electricity?'

'I've thought about it!' Sasha laughs.

'So what are you doing in the evening? It must be weird now it's just the two of you.'

'Well, last night I cooked then he read a book while we ate and as soon as he was done he went to bed.'

'What about you?'

'I was knackered but I couldn't sleep. Since you've gone I've spent most of my time trying to work out how I could raise some cash for Paradise Park. I'm sure if I could find a way to contribute he'd show me a bit more respect.'

'You reckon?'

'Well, maybe not but I'd at least feel I'd proved something to myself. I want to be able to leave here knowing I made a difference, however small.'

'What did you have in mind?'

'Well, that's the problem. I desperately need to talk to Zo, she's got far more experience of the organizational side of these things. The charity events I've done were no different to any other catwalk show, we just didn't get paid so I'm really none the wiser.'

'When were you thinking of doing this?'

'I thought the day after The California Club week is up.'

'That's just four days from now!'

'I know. I was hoping Zo could give me some short-cuts.'

'I guess the main thing is that you've got to think of a good enough hook to get them along in the first place.' I decide. 'Once they see the cats they'll start writing the checks.'

'Mmm, I've had a few thoughts but I don't know how practical they are. I know The California Club said all communication had to go through you but I was wondering ...'

'Oooh you little rebel!' I tease. 'Are you after Zo's phone number?'

'Would it hurt? I mean, in the grand scheme of things, which is more important helping those tigers or obeying a pointless rule?'

'We don't know that it's pointless,' I point out.

'I wouldn't abuse it,' Sasha insists. 'Maybe if you primed her and then the next day I gave her a call? Or she could even pa.s.s any information through you? There's got to be a way round it.'

'I guess one phone call won't do any harm,' I concede. It's so great to hear Sasha fired up about something, the last thing I want to do is put a dampener on proceedings. 'I'll call her now.'

Sasha whoops with grat.i.tude. 'Thanks, Lara! Ryan will thank you for this!'

Following her success with Boris's grandson Zoe is raring to take on another project and promises to devote all her time in between serving blue plate specials to the cause!

I smile to myself: happy to be in on it to some degree. But my pleasure is short-lived. I have to phone Elise.

'Oh Lara, I was hoping you'd call.' Instead of her usual impatient bl.u.s.ter, she sounds pensive and unsure. 'Would you say you're Elliot's closest friend out of the group?'

'Er ...' I falter.

'I know he's close with Helen but the way he talks about you, that's the impression I get.'

'Oh?' I can't help but smile.

'It actually used to irritate me,' Elise chuckles dismissively. 'Lara this, Lara that, she's so fun, so creative blah-blah but then I realized two things ...'

I don't like the sound of this.

'One is that he sees you as a mate rather than a woman.'

Oh cheers, thanks a lot.

'The other is that he may have a past with you but I have his future.'

Amazing. Go on, stick that knife in further, you only skewered three of my vital organs why not go for the full shish-kebab?

She does.

'I mean, it's all very well having your buddies to play with but when it comes to being a grown-up, it's all about one-to-one commitment, wouldn't you agree?'

'I wouldn't know Elise, I'm not thirty for another two days. Maybe then I'll morph into a fully fledged adult and agree with what you're saying.'

'Two days, is it?' she coos. 'You know, Elliot wanted to make a big fuss but I told him no woman wants to be reminded she's getting older!'

You utter cow! You will be punished! I wonder what he had in mind must have been good or she wouldn't have scuppered it.

'What did you do on your 30th?' I ask, still seething but not wanting to pa.s.s up the chance to gather a little more info on Madam X.

'Me?' Elise asks.

You heard. 'Or can't you remember I realize some time has pa.s.sed.'

'No, I remember,' she sounds distant. 'I was out here, as a matter of fact.'

'Doing what?' And with whom...

Silence.

'Elise?'

'Look, I've got to go,' she bl.u.s.ters. 'But I need to ask you something about Elliot you know how private he is, always playing his cards so close to his chest ...'

Not the Elliot I knew. My Elliot was always an open book, an open heart. What has she done to him?

'The thing is ...' she sounds shifty.

'Yes?'

'Honey, I'm home!' Joel bursts in, looking gleeful. 'Ready for breakfast?'

'Who's that?' Elise snaps.

'Joel, say h.e.l.lo to Elise ...' I don't know what I'm thinking but I hand over the phone.

'Hey! How's it going? You discovered the meaning of life yet?'

A pause while Elise talks.

'So no hot tutors to give you a bit of hands-on healing?'

I hear a faint squeak of outrage down the phone.

'Oh yeah, that's right. I met him last night, he seems a cool guy.'

Back to m.u.f.fled vocals. I lean closer something about not realizing that Lara had any long-lost friends in California.

'She doesn't. We just met yesterday. It was the red sequins that did it for me!'

Again a pause.

'What can I say? She's a true one-off. A very attractive one-off ...' He eyes me lasciviously.

'Is it okay if we talk tomorrow?' I ask Elise, grabbing the phone back.

'Just tell Elliot he's the most wonderful, kind...'

I hold the receiver away from my ear. Tell me something I don't know. For a moment there thought she was having doubts. She probably just wants advice on what to get him for a wedding present. I sigh heavily and replace the receiver. Why can't she just vanish? Forget all these gurus and psychics, what I need is a good old-fashioned magician.

Chapter 24.

'Where'd the snow go?' I gasp as Joel swoops back the curtains to reveal a happy sunshiny day nothing but perky green scenery for miles.

'You like?' Joel grins, sensing my surge of joy at being granted the perfect spring day.

'Oh yes!' I say, skipping out on to the balcony. 'You know, if I didn't have such a disgusting hangover, I'd be feeling all revitalized and zingy about now.'

'Fresh air! It'll get you every time!' Joel notes, reaching for my hand. 'Come on, let's get stage two of the Woo Elliot campaign under way.'

'Oh you can forget that!' I grumble, following him across the room. 'Last night he gave me his blessing to get it on with you!'

'That's just his defense mechanism kicking in,' Joel shrugs, ushering me out the door. 'But still, it's good to know.'

I turn back to see if he means what I think he means and he greets me with a wink.

Hmm. Maybe tonight is the night after all...

The Ahwahnee hotel breakfast easily makes it into my Top 10 Alternatives to Cheerios: poached eggs with spicy vegetable hash and a sneaky side of raisin brioche washed down with a keg of cranberry juice, all served in a trestle-beamed banquet hall creaking with wrought iron chandeliers. Most dramatic. Yet even this can't pip my all-time number one breakfast the five of us Beau-Belles hung-way-over at The Grand Hotel in Brighton gorging on bacon and eggs and a fifteen-story stack of toast. The night before we'd been to a summer ball that coincided with Zo's birthday so we'd decided to go all-out with full Buccaneers-style ballgowns and treat ourselves to a suite three in the bed (me, Sasha, Helen), Elliot on the sofa and Zo in the bath. Her idea.

The next morning over two hours and at least ten cups of tea we dissected who kissed who, who vomited, who flashed, who cried, who hid the band's cymbals, etc. (And wondered what on earth people who behave themselves of an evening have to talk about the next day.) Not that any of the middle-aged Americans at the tables around us seem to be having a problem with producing lively banter. Maybe it's because the breakfast hours at the Ahwahnee are so civilized no 9am cut-off here. I'd definitely have extended the breakfast hours at the B&B if I was in charge. Who wants to get up early on holiday, especially in a clubber's paradise like Brighton? I'd serve the full monty till noon. And happily deliver fry-ups to the bedroom instead of a paltry croissant in a basket.

'Where's your mind at?' Joel tickles my chin.

'Breakfast in bed,' I tell him.

'You only had to ask!'

I smile and roll my eyes. 'Are you done?'

Joel takes a last slurp of his cafe latte then helps me and my b.u.mper belly to my feet.

'That was so good,' I sigh, then lean close. 'Did you get the stash, man?'

Joel gives his rucksack a pat.

Despite warnings about keeping all food in sealed canisters, we set off from the dining room wafting chocolate chip m.u.f.fins from beneath the leather-trimmed canvas. (As much as I initially admonished him, I too am secretly hoping to attract a bear.) 'Now. Elliot's imagination will have been running riot overnight,' Joel begins as we head towards the lobby. 'You'll want to play on that when you see him.'

'Do you think he'll presume that we, you know?' I furrow my brow.

'Well, it would have been slightly more convincing if you hadn't pa.s.sed out before he left but nevertheless, alone with a man of my dastardly charms ...'

'I didn't stand a chance!'