The Secret To Happiness. Jessica Redland

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      9

      Karen

      ‘Yes! I’ve got another punter for my mid-morning bootcamp,’ Karen cried, dashing into the kitchen-diner after Alison’s phone call. Ryan was at the table, scowling at something on his laptop, paperwork strewn round him. She flung her arms around him and kissed his neck.

      ‘How many’s that?’ he asked, not reacting to her kiss. ‘Two?’

      She gave him a playful shove. ‘Six.’

      ‘Is it really worth it for six people?’

      Bristling, Karen released her hold and stepped away. Taking an apple from the fruit bowl, she bit into it. ‘Did you really just ask me that? That’s like saying one-to-one PT isn’t worth it.’

      He didn’t even look up from his laptop. ‘Don’t be daft. Of course it is. But we get paid a decent amount for it being one-to-one. You’ve got six people on this mid-morning bootcamp paying the same amount each as the fifteen to twenty clients on the morning and evening ones. The return is significantly less.’

      ‘Yes, I know that, Mr Mathematical Genius.’ Karen sat down opposite him and took another bite from her apple. ‘But six people for an hour’s bootcamp brings in more money than an hour’s individual PT and, if you cast your mind back, we only had a handful of clients for the first few bootcamps but you didn’t seem to think they were a stupid idea. It takes a while to grow these things.’

      ‘It’s pointless. There’s no way you’ll grow to those numbers on a mid-morning session.’ Still not looking up, Ryan flicked through some paperwork, releasing an exasperated sigh.

      Karen shook her head. ‘I’m not expecting to. I want it to remain small and friendly. I’m hoping that…’ Why was she even bothering? Ryan wasn’t listening and, even if he had been, he wasn’t going to change his mind about it. She was convinced there was a gap in the market for people who worked from home, those who had kids in part-time nursery or school, and those who perhaps felt intimidated by a large group. Danniella had joined for two of those reasons. Alison had voiced concerns about her lack of fitness and her weight, but said the idea of working out in a small group wasn’t quite as terrifying as a large one. Why couldn’t Ryan understand that?

      He released another exasperated sigh and banged his fist on the table.

      ‘Anything I can help with?’ Karen asked.

      ‘A bit of peace and quiet would be nice,’ he snapped.

      Fine. You struggle on your own, stupid arse. Did he need to be so rude? Her fist tightened around the apple. How tempting it was to hurl it at him. She stood up. ‘I need to head out for PT with Becky and Jayne in five anyway, so peace and quiet will be restored.’

      ‘Good.’

      Not wanting to start another argument, her voice softened. ‘I don’t suppose you fancy Blue Savannah for drinks tonight? We haven’t been there in ages.’

      Ryan’s head snapped up. ‘Did we have plans?’

      ‘No, but I thought it might be nice to go out for a drink and spend some quality time together.’ Karen sighed. ‘But you’ve already made plans with Steff, haven’t you?’

      ‘We need to talk about the Great North Run.’

      There was always something, wasn’t there? ‘And you couldn’t have chatted about this after, say, Thursday’s bootcamp?’ Karen stamped on the bin pedal and tossed her half-eaten apple into it – better there than at Ryan’s head.

      ‘Steff has karate on a Thursday night,’ he said in an annoying sing-song voice. ‘You know that.’

      Karen’s phone sounded with a reminder alarm. Time to go, which was just as well, because there’d definitely be an argument if she stuck around. ‘I guess I’ll see you when I see you, then.’ She didn’t wait for a response.