Page 95 of Never Gonna Happen

‘It sounded like it. What did you do today?’

‘We went back to bed this morning; God, I can barely walk, he’s hung like a horse. Then we got a taxi to your place so he could pick up your car. Then he dropped me at my mum’s for lunch and picked me and Beth up a few hours later. Now we’re back at mine.’

‘What, Leon is there now?’

‘Yeah, I’ve come outside. He and Beth are playing Guess Who?’

‘Shit. Is he going to stay there tonight?’

‘Christ, no. He’s got to drive your car back in a bit, and anyway I don’t want Beth waking up and finding him in the kitchen in his pants.’

‘Fair enough. But you like him?’

‘Yeah, he’s great,’ said Kelly. ‘Not going to come to anything though, is it? He lives two hundred miles away.’

‘I guess. A shame.’

‘I’m fine with it,’ said Kelly matter-of-factly. ‘We had a great time, and it was nice to be hot and sexy again, rather than a knackered mum. Definitely got me back on the horse.’

Emily laughed. ‘Talking of which, Jamie’s finished in the shower. I need to go.’

‘Give him one for me.’

‘How about I give him the one I was going to give him last night, until we listened to you in stereo instead?’

‘Yeah, sorry about that. Love you, mate. Happy birthday.’

‘Thanks, Kel. Love you too.’

Chapter Forty-Five

Emily waited with her parents outside Hangar 3 at Goodwood Aerodrome, all of them hugging their coats around them in the morning cold. Emily’s stomach was fizzing with nerves and excitement, along with relief that it wasn’t windy or raining. She supposed Plan B would have been a private ambulance again, which seemed like a lot less fun.

Jamie was over by the hangar talking to the pilot and a woman from the helicopter charter firm, who was simultaneously checking paperwork on a clipboard and talking into her phone. The collar of his coat was turned up against the cold, and she could see his white knuckles against the grey of his crutches.

‘Never thought I’d see the day,’ mused Martin. ‘One of my family travelling by helicopter.’

‘It’s only because of Jamie’s leg,’ said Emily. ‘It’s not like his family travel like this all the time.’ She conveniently failed to mention the private jet to Switzerland at Christmas, or the helicopter transfer to the ski resort.

‘Still, it’s a bit of a step up for a Wilkinson,’ said Carol. ‘I don’t know anyone who’s been in a helicopter. Your cousin Judith did a skydive once, but that was out of a rickety plane. Do you remember, Martin? She puked up a blueberry muffin after the parachute opened and it all blew back in her face.’

Jamie returned to the group, an absolute pro on the crutches now. ‘We’re ahead of schedule, so the pilot has offered to take us all for a spin, before Emily and I leave.’

Martin’s mouth fell open. ‘All of us? Now?’

Jamie nodded happily. ‘Just for a ten-minute trip round town.’

‘Oh, my good lord,’ said Carol. ‘Can I text the Grove Street WhatsApp group first? Make sure they’re all out watching?’

‘Mum,’ beseeched Emily. ‘Please don’t make a big fuss.’

Carol ignored her, fishing her phone out of her bag. ‘Have I got time for a quick wee before we go?’

‘Sure,’ said Jamie. ‘They’re in the hangar. We’ll get our bags loaded and let the pilot know we’ll be good to go in five minutes.’

Carol and Martin both scurried off into the hangar as Emily grabbed her weekend bag and carried it across the grass. The helicopter was black and silver and sleek with a pointed nose, and much bigger than she expected. ‘This is really kind of you,’ she said.

Jamie smiled. ‘It’s no trouble.’