Page 78 of The Sunrise Sisterhood

‘Is now a good time to remind you that you owe me a lot of money?’

‘He’s unbelievable,’ Clare whispered, shaking her head in despair.

Liz took a deep breath. ‘If you’re trying to bully me, I’ll say goodbye.’

‘Go, Liz!’ Skye whispered back to Clare.

‘Now don’t go all stroppy on me,’ Mike wheedled.

‘Even if we did cover the Exeter area, which we don’t,’ Liz countered, ‘I wouldn’t do a job so far from Salcombe while Clare is still so incapacitated.’

‘I’m fine,’ Clare said.

Everyone ignored her.

‘So now what do I do?’ Mike muttered. ‘I was relying on you. This is a big deal for me.’

‘Oh for heaven’s sake, you can hold your lunch here if it’s that important,’ Liz offered, irritably. ‘That way, you’ll be able to see your daughters and granddaughter at the same time. I know how you must have been dying to see them.’

Mike was silent for a long moment. ‘What about parking?’

‘You’ve got a brain in your head, man, work it out!’ Liz barked. ‘Up to you, take it or leave it.’

Skye and Clare exchanged impressed looks.

‘I’ll have what she’s having,’ Clare said with a grin.

Mike reluctantly agreed to take it, and after Liz had informed him that half of his booking was due up front, she ended the call.

‘The man’s worse than a spoiled child,’ Liz said and stomped out of the room.

No sooner had she gone than the doorbell rang.

‘I’ll get it,’ she yelled and thudded upstairs to the front door.

Skye strained to hear who was there and could just make out a low voice contrasting starkly with Liz, who’d seemed to have gone up an octave.

Footsteps pounded down again, and Liz reappeared looking flustered. ‘It’s Adam, from yesterday’s party, at the door.’

The blood drained from Clare’s face. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘He said he wanted to see if Saskia was all right after slipping over yesterday. Why does he think your name is Saskia?’

‘Don’t panic, Clare,’ Skye jumped in, concerned that the shock might be too much on top of everything else. ‘I can get rid of him.’

Clare’s jaw was set and she shook her head. ‘No. Let’s get this over with. Can you take Ivy to our bedroom and stay there until he’s gone?’

‘Sure.’ Skye scooped up her niece, along with a handful of toys. Ivy kicked her legs in protest.

‘I don’t understand?’ Liz said, bewildered.

‘Liz, as soon as the coast is clear, show him in,’ Clare added.

‘Have I missed something here?’ Liz looked from one to the other. ‘Why are we hiding Ivy?’

Skye looked at Clare, waiting for her lead.

‘Adam is the Adam.’ Clare nodded at Ivy.