Page 121 of The Sunrise Sisterhood

‘You don’t want your guests to get sunstroke, do you,’ Liz replied sweetly.

‘I think it’s fun.’ One of the women laughed beneath a wide-brimmed hat Liz had bought for Mike’s wedding to Frankie. ‘Does anyone have any sunscreen?’

The question wasn’t directed at Liz, so she didn’t answer.

Mike’s nostrils flared and she could tell he was getting impatient for the meeting to start.

‘Harriet?’ he asked. ‘Let’s get everyone looked after and then we can get down to business. Finally.’

Harriet pursed her lips and produced a small tube of what looked like very expensive sunscreen from her bag and handed it reluctantly to the other woman, who smeared it down both of her bare arms, then passed it around to the others.

Skye returned with plates of appetisers and set them in the centre of the table. ‘Shall I throw this away?’ she asked, holding up the empty tube.

‘Yes please,’ said Harriet through gritted teeth, adding to Mike in a low voice, ‘I’m putting that on my expenses.’

‘Let’s start with the introductions.’ Mike cleared his throat. ‘Tessa, would you like to kick off.’

‘Sure.’ A woman wearing a green wedding hat sat forward. The peacock feather in her hat began bobbing and brushing the tip of her nose. ‘Tessa Field, head of investments for …’

She looked so ridiculous that Liz had to dash back inside before she gave herself away.

‘Look at them all in those hats,’ Clare sniggered. She was tucked away inside keeping an eye on them all. ‘How can they take each other seriously dressed like that?’

‘Serves them right. Getting us to sign non-disclosure agreements, for heaven’s sake. I’ve never done that in my life,’ said Liz with a chuckle, joining her. She didn’t know whether to be insulted or impressed that Mike had chosen her house to host such a sensitive meeting. ‘As if we’re going to tell anyone.’

‘Perhaps it’s a top-secret project,’ Skye suggested. She was on her way out, carrying two heavy water jugs.

‘Or illegal,’ Clare waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

‘It better not be,’ Liz huffed. ‘If he’s chosen to hold a clandestine meeting in my house for anything dodgy, he won’t be getting any of his twenty grand back and that’s a fact.’

Skye delivered the water and came back inside. She looked tired, Liz thought.

‘I’m sorry I can’t manage without you, love.’ Liz rubbed Skye’s arm. ‘It’s not easy on you or Jesse, this.’

‘I don’t mind,’ Skye smiled faintly. ‘It’s better to have a distraction.’

‘What’s Jesse doing now?’ Clare asked. ‘I haven’t seen him for a while.’

‘He’s upstairs packing. I don’t think he wants to come down. Especially with Dad being here. I should have said he was my boss, not my boyfriend, but I panicked. Once the guests have gone, we’re going to go out for one last drink for old times’ sake, then he’s leaving.’

Harriet looked round and caught all three of them staring. She leapt to her feet and stomped inside.

‘Can I just remind, everyone,’ she said, haughtily, ‘that this is a very important meeting. We’re talking high stakes and an extremely prestigious scheme. We need to know that we can count on your professionalism, and we do not need an audience.’

‘What is the meeting about?’ Clare asked. ‘I’m his daughter, I’m sure he won’t mind me knowing.’

‘Or me, his oldest friend,’ Liz added, enjoying the look of discomfort on Harriet’s face.

Harriet gave them a Cheshire Cat smile. ‘I’m sure if Mike wants you to know, he’ll tell you himself. And so lovely that he keeps in touch with his old friends,’ she said to Liz. ‘It’s important to our company that we support small businesses like yours and make sure we put back into the community.’

Our company, Liz noted. Since when? She wasn’t too keen on being thought of as some sort of charity case either. ‘That’s very kind of you,’ she replied, biting back her true thoughts on the matter.

‘I know.’ Harriet nodded. ‘We’ll have the starters now, please.’

‘Of course, madam,’ said Liz, bobbing down to curtsey.

Harriet didn’t seem to pick up on the sarcasm; she inclined her head and went back to join the meeting.