Hot Surrender

Sancha's face glowed with mother love. 'Doesn't she look adorable?'

'That's not a word I'd ever apply to Flora, but that's how I like her best, fast asleep and not doing anything,' Zoe admitted. 'It's when she wakes up and starts getting about that I get nervous.'

The boys grinned. 'Me, too,' Charlie agreed.

'She always wants to play with us,' Felix complained. 'And she's too little and keeps falling over, and screaming, then we get blamed.'

'You're the oldest; you should take care of your baby sister,' their mother scolded, and the boys grimaced at their aunt.

From the barbecue site Mark waved, calling, 'Come and help, boys!'

'We have to be waiters,' Felix gloomily said. 'And give out the food to people. It's boring.'

'Off you go,' their mother insisted, however, so they trudged off reluctantly, as if there was lead in their shoes.

'So what's the great news you mentioned?' Zoe asked her sister, and Sancha beamed.

'I'm going to start my own firm!'

Amazed, Zoe asked, 'Doing what?'

'Photography, stupid! I've taken a lease on a shop in Abbot Street, just behind the High Street. It will take a couple of months to make some essential changes to the shop fittings, so I'll open up around Christmas, specialising in children and make-overs.'

'Make-overs?'

'Oh, you know—a woman comes in wanting a photo that makes her look better than she usually does! Martha is going to do the hair and make-up; we're going into partnership. When she's transformed the client I take a series of soft-focus shots.'

'You should make millions,' Zoe said, laughing.

'You may laugh. You don't need a helping hand— some women do! I did myself a year ago, remember.'

'Well, you don't need one now; you look terrific!' Zoe said, smiling at her. 'And I'll keep my fingers crossed your new venture is a huge success. Is Mark okay about it?'

'Very supportive—in fact, he put up half the money. He insisted. He thinks I've had a brilliant idea and he wanted to back me. Mark's very shrewd, too, so it was very encouraging to know he approved of my concept.'

'Amazing,' Zoe murmured. 'The man surprises me sometimes. But then all men give you surprises, not all of them pleasant.'

'Talking about men, where's yours?' asked Sancha.

'Who?' Zoe stared at her in bafflement.

'Whoever you're seeing at the moment—I told you to bring a guy.'

Zoe shrugged. 'I'm not seeing anyone. I'm too busy for a social life.'

'What happened to…was it…Harry? No, Larry? He was the last one I met.'

'He turned out to be a bit weird, so I broke it off.'

Sighing heavily, Sancha told her, 'Zoe, if you keep dumping men like this you'll end up a lonely spinster!'

'I've heard that a hundred times! And I'm not lonely, nor do I spin. Or sew, come to that. Women don't have to marry these days to enjoy life. I've got a career that's more important to me than any man I ever meet. I earn a lot of money and have a lot of fun, and above all I love my work. I enjoy men's company when I'm in the mood but I don't need a man to make my life complete.'

'One day you'll want children, Zoe! Don't leave it too late.'

'You mean a brat like Flora?' Zoe said scathingly. 'Do me a favour! I'd rather have a cat!'