Guy sat in the conference room of Mad Cow as nervous as he had felt in a long time. The last two weeks had passed at lightning speed. He had managed to negotiate with his practice partners to allow filming on certain sessions and with two veterinary nurses. He had discussed the pitfalls however they all agreed that Guy could set aside four clinics a week for filming. The production team met with customers and set out guidelines and the legalities of appearing on a television programme.

Those negotiations, though difficult and at times protracted, seemed incredibly smooth compared to the negotiations at home. He was acutely aware that he had left things with Ailsa in a very bad state. It was like living with a ghost at the moment. He was sure that Ailsa was timing her visits to the flat when she was sure that he was at work. She hardly seemed to sleep overnight. He hardly saw her between then and now. When he did Jane was there. Jane was there ALL the time.

Guy thought back to that day. The amazing time in Ailsa's bed then Jane marching into the flat and into his life without as much as a bye or leave. She was the most determined person he had ever met. She either didn't understand the word no or she so seldom heard it that she ignored it as a foreign word.

After Jane arrived, he recalled, even more people came to the flat. It became full of his friends from the pub and Ailsa's friends from her hockey team. He tried his best to play host. He recalled thanking Jonathan and Jennifer for providing snacks and drinks otherwise he would have had a full scale riot on his hands. He tried to find Ailsa. She had disappeared with Jackie for hours. She returned with as much mystery as she had disappeared,  spoke to Steve about the contracts never catching his gaze once.  She spent a lot of time with Janice her boss and then left hurriedly with Paul and Andy.

Meanwhile, Ailsa was mid giving herself a talking to in Mad Cow's bathroom mirror. 

"Pull yourself together. It was just sex. Get over yourself." When she had repeated it enough to believe it herself she joined the others in the conference room. 

Ailsa felt Guy's gaze on her. She looked up, smiled and winked. If they were doing this she thought let's make it a success. She smiled warmly at the rest of the group and inwardly steeled herself for the meeting.

Sebastian the director and Sheila the producer talked through the series which had a working title of City Pets. The idea would be that Ailsa would chat to the owners about the pet and Guy would act as normal advising as he would in any consultation.

Sebastian a tall artistic forty year old regarded Guy. "I want you to be natural. I have spent time with you in clinic and you are great."  He turned to Ailsa. "I want you to be the voice of the viewer. Make sure you are working with the camera. If the view of the pet is blocked describe what's going on. Be nosey."

"That comes very naturally to me Sebastian. Can't keep my nose out of anything." She smiled warmly.

"We want to see the friendship and chemistry between both of you." Sheila spoke from the top of the table. She was engrossed in her iPad reviewing the pilot they had shot.  "It may be camera jitters but it's not as strong as it was when you were on Loose Women."

Guy made to speak and thought better of it. How do you explain to a perfect stranger that you are full of remorse for not chucking a super model out of your flat in favour of the girl who has you motor running at its highest revolution ever. He again thought best not to tell Sheila that he had the collywobbles around Ailsa. He found it difficult to look at her without picturing her resplendent in her bed. 

As Guy formed something to say Ailsa filled in the void. "We will get better." Ailsa stated factually. "Guy and I are new to this. We are flat mates as well. It's just an adjustment to our work life balance. We will go out for a drink together an hammer out the issues so that we can produce the best programme we can. We want it to work." She motioned between both of them.

Guy smiled warmly across the room at Ailsa and Sheila. "Of course we can. We just need to focus on the viewers." Guy was also focused on the huge payment that came with the series should it be successful. They had negotiated a payment by viewing share for both of them that would be a life changing amount.

Sheila wrapped up the meeting. The rest of the production team left. Guy and Ailsa were left alone for the first time since he left her bed that life changing night.

"So." Guy said hopefully smiling at Ailsa.

"I don't know about you but I could murder a pint Guy. I think you and I need to talk a few things out." Ailsa looked at the desk. She had to compose herself and not fall under the spell he was so expert at conjuring.

"In a good way?" Guy asked. He took his thick winter coat from the stand and popped his hat over his curls. He dug around in the pockets for his gloves.

"In a good way." Ailsa smiled. She wrapped her woollen coat around her and scooped her bag up. She hooked her arm into Guy's as they walked to The French House in Soho.

Guy settled them at a table at the back and got them both a bottle of San Miguel and a packet of crisps each. He dropped them on the table with a flourish and folded himself under the table, perching on a wobbly stool.

"Gosh Guy I have to get this to work. I have had to go freelance at the magazine. I am a working class Derbyshire lass. I don't have a trust fund to fall back on." Ailsa blurted out grabbing her bottle of beer.

"I know." Guy took her hand and squeezed it. "I want this to work for you."

Ailsa took her hand away gently. She sat up in her chair and steeled herself for the speech she had been practising for the last fortnight.

"Guy what happened.." she began.

"Let me explain." Guy interrupted. Looking forcefully at Ailsa.

"No. Please let me say what I have to say and then you can. That afternoon was wonderful. I am mean wonderful. I really like you Guy but I have three problems with us."

"Blimey. Three?" Guy sipped his beer and nodded bemusedly for Ailsa to continue.

"One is that we now work together and business and pleasure shouldn't mix. Two again I will get lost in you and lose all sense of me and I don't want that. Then three, Guy you can't commit."

"I disagree with two out of three. I get the working thing. I don't get the non committal and the losing yourself."

Ailsa sighed. She looked around the packed pub for some source of inspiration for her to get across to Guy how she felt. "Look, you and me are fundamentally better than a booty call, friends with benefits, fuck buddies. I actually like you. However I really like me more. You hadn't got cold from my bed before you hopped into Jane's. I have no claim on you Guy."

"Ailsa, I didn't shag Jane, I promise you I didn't. She was like a bloody limpet. I tried to get her to go home, to leave the flat it took me to pretend to be on call for her to leave. By that point you had left with Paul and Andy. Then I found Jackie wasted in my bed. I had to sit with her for an hour babbling on."

"You are seeing her now. Guy its all over the office. Remember I work in fashion? Paparazzi send in pictures daily to our office. I have had to see picture after picture of you both and confirm that it was you. Guy how does that make me feel? Janice says it will be amazing publicity for the show. So you had better get used to being her other half."

"Ailsa, I don't have any say in this 'relationship'. It is worse than last time." Guy admitted.

"Guy grow a spine! You have boffed her before? This I have to hear!" Ailsa laughed properly for the first time that day, "You used to be Jane De Beavoir, International Model and Plaything's old flame?"

Guy slunk in his chair and grabbed his bottle. "Yes, well she lived a couple of farms away, we are sort of the same age. In between my second and third year at University she was finishing her A Levels and working her way through all of the local boys that summer. I just happened to be six weeks worth of three months. She then starting seeing that actor."

"You mean she dumped you for Steve Jones?" Ailsa starting fanning herself, "No offence Guy, I would dump you for Steve Jones."

"I would dump myself for Steve Jones Ailsa. I met her when I was getting fitter and losing weight. After the local girls found out that I was the person that she dumped I got really popular."

"Ahh, so that's how you became a heartbreaker then? Cool story. Anyway you and her.." Ailsa diverted the conversation so she could gather her thoughts.

"It is what it is, she will find someone else hotter, more famous in about two weeks and then.." Guy knew that Jane was fickle. She had been all those years ago. This would blow over.

"Oh you needn't think I will be waiting." Ailsa had recovered herself and was determined to put as much space between them both.

"No, no I didn't think you would be." Guy felt deflated. Why did Jane come back at exactly that point when he was so into Ailsa.

"Good! Then let's get trollied, get back to being just mates and make shit loads of money." Ailsa raised her bottle to chink against Guy's.

"Here's a thing. What if in ten years you and I are single again. I think we make a great team. Should we be each others backup?"

"As in each others fall back? Why not?" Ailsa laughed. She knew there was no way, no way jose that Guy would be single again ever.

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Author note

Ok Folks do you think it is a good pack

What are your thoughts about Jane

Why hasn't Guy just grown a spine and chucked Jane out?