Page 65 of Mistletoe and Mulled Wine at the Christmas Campervan

Lucy vacantly started topping some pizzas, ready to bake, but her heart really wasn’t in it. She couldn’t abandon the party ship too, though, not yet. Not until she knew anything more concrete, anyhow. But Jack … Please let everything be okay, she sent up a silent prayer. Her heart was well and truly being put through the wringer tonight.

Several guests spilled out of cars, making their way into the house, getting ready for the big surprise. Lucy tried her best to look charming and smiley, with her heart somewhere near her boots.

A black Land Rover then arrived … oh heck … with, she guessed, Birthday Boy Craig getting out, just as a call came in from Matt.

It should be balloons and party poppers and excitement, with pizzas served with panache and cocktails all round. But all Lucy could feel was her soul sinking. Craig grinned, curiosity etched over his brow as he spotted the All Fired Up horsebox in his driveway.

Lucy clutched the phone to her ear, whilst trying to keep up some modicum of professionalism, making eye contact with Birthday Boy and mouthing, Happy Birthday.

‘Matt?’

‘Lucy, yeah, he’s already left, in the campervan, just after five. Jess saw him go. Said he seemed fine, if a little stressed. He’d had a bit of bother with a flat battery before that, but had got it all sorted with some help from the neighbour.’

Shit, that was over an hour-and-a-half ago. The journey should take thirty minutes tops. Lucy felt a whirr of tension tighten, and then unravel within. Maybe it was just Ruby’s battery gone again, stalled en route or something. That was it, she told herself.

‘Surprise! Happy Birthday, babe!’ Claire came leaping out of the house, making a good pretence of all being well, followed by several friends and family joining in with cries of ‘Happy Birthday!’

‘Hey, what’s all this then?’ Craig looked about, nodding towards Lucy’s pizza horsebox parked on the driveway.

Lucy forced a smile, but was all too aware of the gaping space where Jack’s Cocktail Campervan should have been, all shiny vintage red with its stage lights aglow, and Jack the barman popping corks, party ready and poised to go.

It was then that Olly’s call came in.

She fumbled for her phone. Pressing buttons in a panic.

Time seemed to stand still as she heard the words, ‘I’ve found him … Sorry, but it’s not good news, Luce …’

Olly had seen the blue flashing lights before anything else, and knew with a strange chill that he’d found the scene of the accident. An ambulance was already there.

He had pulled up carefully to the side of the road, and got out. A ragged intake of breath hit hard, as he spotted the familiar red campervan slanted in the verge, its front end smashed against a tree. Holy shit! Jack!

He liked Jack. Had warmed to the guy. He’d made Lucy happy these past few months, that much was obvious.

Olly headed for the blue lights, the green and yellow reflective colours on the ambulance drawing him. He had to find out for Lucy. The back doors were wide open. One of the paramedics was talking loudly to the other, running through some kind of checks on their patient. Olly stood back slightly, letting them get on with their job, overhearing snippets: ‘BP is low at 80 over 40’, ‘likely shock’, ‘possible internal bleeding’, ‘broken bones’, ‘We need to get this guy to hospital, and fast.’

One of the paramedics then turned, heading for the ramp, ready to leap down and slam the back doors. Olly moved in, causing him jump in surprise, explaining that he was a friend, that he’d come looking for Jack. How was he? Could they tell him anything? He explained that Jack was his sister’s partner.

‘Is he going to be alright?’ Olly repeated.

‘Ah sorry, mate, we really can’t discuss any medical details. And we need to get going here.’

‘Can you at least tell me where you’re going … which hospital?’

Seeing the crushed look on Olly’s face, he patted his arm in solidarity.

‘Cramlington A&E, that’s where we’re headed.’ He jumped up into the cab, calling out to Olly, ‘He’s in good hands.’

Olly stood for a few dazed seconds, as the blue lights flickered and sirens droned into the distance, leaving him to make that awful call to his sister.

Chapter Thirty-One

Her world seemed to freeze.

Lucy had to go. Had to abandon the horsebox, the party, pizzas and all. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she called, running across to Claire. ‘H-he’s had an accident … he’s in an ambulance. I’ve got to go … I’m so sorry to let you all down.’

Lucy was already yanking off her apron, her oven gloves, dashing to unhitch the Jeep, ready to leave the trailer behind. Jack was more important than any party.

‘Look, please don’t let anyone go near the oven at all. You have to be trained to use it,’ she warned. ‘Just let it go out by itself … I’ll be back later … I’m sorry.’