‘The complete opposite. It’s great. Apart from his ridiculously early starts. He’s good fun and I even like mucking out when I’m with him. And the sex. If it was an Olympic sport he would be getting gold medals all the way.’

‘So what’s the problem?’

It was unlike Darla but Ros could see that she was less bubbly than usual. ‘Like you and Cameron, at some point it has to end and I’m already feeling a bit sad about that.’

‘I understand about my situation because mine is entirely fabricated but you and Elliott, why do you need to split up?’

‘In a few months I will be kicked out of The Brambles. By then I will be debt-free and hopefully in a position to set up my own company, but in order to do that I’ll have to move back in with my parents in Oxford and, as Elliott lives here and is working virtually 24/7 on the farm, that makes it a bit too difficult to see each other.’ She looked glum but only for a moment. ‘But that’s assuming we last that long. Who knows? I’m going to stop grumbling and focus on enjoying myself. I need to live in the moment.’

‘Good idea.’ Ros finished her sandwich. ‘Have you got any further with ideas for your own company?’

‘Nope. I can’t think of anything unique and original. I guess I’m not cut out to be an entrepreneur. But I’ve not given up – I’m still hoping something completely genius will pop into my head.’

‘Does it have to be unique and original?’ asked Ros, thinking that perfectly ordinary businesses were set up all the time.

‘If it’s not then I’d be in competition with long-established businesses and it’s hard enough getting a new company off the ground anyway. Loads fail every year. I thought about setting up my own little cleaning business, but there are literally hundreds in the Oxford area. Why would mine stand out? It’s a shame because I think Dusting Darla has a ring to it.’

Ros held her hand up. ‘I might have an idea.’

Darla shuffled her bum forward. ‘Go on.’

‘How about if you specialised? You could stay in Southampton and set up a cleaning company specifically for boats. Mr Rogers was pleased with what you were doing and thrilled at how well you removed the bloodstains from his floor, so that could be something unique and original.’ Ros was pleased with her suggestion.

‘Boats with bloodstains might be a little too niche and slightly worrying if I ended up with a large regular customer base. But I do like your thinking.’

‘You have lots of good concepts for cleaning. Like your suggestion for getting rid of the Gazza urine smell on my curtains. It really did work.’

‘I’ve got loads of tried and tested hacks for cleaning. Especially where animals are concerned.’ That was the moment when they both had the same idea at the exact same time, pointed at each other and gasped.

***

Darla was buzzing since her lunch with Ros. Not only did she think they had come up with a pretty original idea, she already had a ready-made client base locally from all her pet-sitting clients. Her plan was to set up Dusting Darla and focus on two sets of clients: boat owners and pet owners, and when they overlapped like Mr and Mrs Rogers she’d offer them a discount.

Her excitement was unfortunately matched by her fear that setting up and running a business was beyond her. After the mess she’d got into thanks to Patrick she was particularly afraid of making a total hash of it and either ending up in even more debt or, worse still, going bankrupt. Thankfully Ros had allayed her fears on that front by promising to be there for her every step of the way.

She relayed her ideas to Cameron as it was a very quiet night at the bar. A nearby pub was having a tequila night.

‘It sounds amazing,’ he said when she’d finished explaining her idea. ‘And Ros will make the best business adviser.’

‘I know. I’m lucky to have her. I’ll need to find some new lodgings when my gig at The Brambles ends. I don’t think I’ll be able to do the house-sitting and run a business as moving every few days won’t really work.’

‘I’m sure you could move in with Ros when I move out,’ he said.

‘Have you two got a splitting-up date yet?’

‘Nope. I think we’re both avoiding it.’

For a moment Darla was hopeful he was having second thoughts. ‘Why’s that?’

‘It’s quite a big thing to unpick, and it needs to be believable because it would be awful if Barry found out that we’ve been acting all this time.’

‘You’ve grown quite fond of Barry and Ros, haven’t you?’

‘Yeah. Barry’s a mate, and Ros . . . well, she’s Ros.’ What did that mean?

‘I might be shooting my mouth off but I think you and Ros would make a great real-life couple.’

‘Ahh well you see the thing is—’

‘I know what the thing is. The thing is Gina, right?’

Cameron stared at his toes and let out a long slow breath. ‘Yep. That’s the th . . . I mean she’s the thing.’

‘Are you and Gina a big thing then?’ asked Darla, watching him closely for his reaction. His contorted facial expression was something to behold.

‘Me and Gina . . . it’s a very long story,’ said Cameron.

Darla glanced around the quiet bar. ‘I have time.’

Cameron leaned back against the bar top. ‘We’ve been going out off and on since we were kids and then we had a break when she went to uni.’

‘And now?’ Darla was keen to get things crystal clear.

Cameron scratched his head. ‘We’re not actually seeing each other but we’re not seeing other people either.’

‘Does that mean you’re single?’ Darla felt a spark of hope for Ros.

He looked sheepish. ‘At Christmas a couple of years ago I had a bit too much to drink and I went around to Gina’s parents’ place and did this whole big speech thing about me wanting to better myself and that I was going to ask her to marry me when I had got my degree.’

Darla spluttered out a laugh. ‘You’re not really going to do that are you?’

He ran his hands down his face, momentarily warping his features and reminding her of the Edvard Munch painting entitled The Scream. ‘I meant it when I said it. I really did . . .’

‘And now?’ she asked, feeling apprehensive.

A tiny frown darted across his forehead. ‘I can’t go back on my word.’

‘You can. She’ll think you’re a bit of a shit but you can change your mind. That’s assuming you don’t love her anymore.’

‘That’s the thing. I do love Gina. I’ve always loved Gina. It’s just . . .’

Darla wasn’t the most patient person. ‘It’s just what?’ She waved a hand for him to finish the sentence.

‘No, it’s definitely Gina. It’s like it was mapped out for us long ago.’

‘Sure?’

Cameron scratched his head and sighed. ‘Yeah.’