Page 46 of The Sunrise Sisterhood

Adam pretended to growl at his sister. ‘Stop stirring. I’d rather be single than in a mediocre relationship.’

‘Couldn’t agree more,’ said Skye. ‘It’s got to be right, for both parties, or else what’s the point?’

‘Hear, hear!’ said a voice from further away.

Angel laughed. ‘That’s my best friend. I might have known she’d be listening in.’

A woman with long dark curly hair sitting further down the line of people leaned forward. She dazzled in a white sundress and a tiny diamond stud sparkled in her nose. Skye recognised her instantly. It was the woman she’d seen diving off the jetty on her first weekend in Salcombe. Marta.

‘Oh hey, we meet again,’ Marta said, smiling at Skye. She was sitting cross-legged; she was so flexible that her knees were flat to the rug.

‘You two know each other?’ Angel looked surprised.

‘Not really. It was a brief encounter,’ said Skye. Although she recalled every second of it.

‘It was too early on a Sunday morning for you, Angel,’ Marta added.

‘Marta is the Sunrise Queen,’ Ele explained. ‘Swimming, yoga, general cheerfulness …’

‘Whereas my sister rarely sees morning,’ Adam teased. ‘And is generally grumpy before noon.’

‘Oh, shush. I work for a company in California, I’m allowed to start work late,’ Angel retorted. ‘Back to you, Skye, I’m guessing you’re single too?’

Skye felt several pairs of eyes on her; heat rose to her face. ‘Um, I … well, I suppose … Yes, yes I am.’

‘Your food is incredible,’ Marta interrupted her. ‘I haven’t tasted anything so fresh and authentic since I was in Bali doing my training.’

‘Thank you,’ Skye replied, her blush deepening. ‘All Liz’s work, I’m just the humble assistant.’

‘Be sure to tell her from me,’ said Marta.

‘I will,’ Skye promised. ‘She’ll be delighted – please spread the word if you know of anyone else who needs catering.’

She could see Liz now, through the doors into the kitchen, singing to herself, adding a swirl of fresh passionfruit purée to the top of each dessert, stopping every so often to sip from her water glass.

‘Wow,’ Angel teased. ‘Praise indeed coming from this one.’

Marta shrugged. ‘Honesty is always good.’

There was a crash from the kitchen, reminding Skye that she hadn’t done any work for ages.

‘Whoops, there’s my cue to help,’ she said, scooping up a pile of plates. ‘Excuse me.’

Skye found Liz kneeling in a frothy puddle of passionfruit mousse, picking up shards of broken glass from the tiled floor.

‘Liz! Be careful!’ Skye gasped. She shut the doors from the garden for a second to make sure no one with bare feet came through and cut themselves while she found a dustpan and mop.

‘It’s fine, fine, fine,’ Liz sang. ‘I’d made some extras anyway.’

‘I’ll clear this up,’ Skye offered. ‘Why don’t you wash your hands?’

Liz nodded, smearing her moussey hands over every conceivable surface as she staggered to a standing position. ‘Good idea. Might just pay a visit while you do that.’

Skye had cleaned up, stacked the empty bottles in a crate and added the final garnish of baby mint leaves to the mousse by the time Liz returned.

‘Are you OK?’ Skye scanned Liz’s face. Her pupils were dilated and her cheeks were pink. But then again, hers probably were too after that conversation in the garden about being single.

Liz beamed. ‘Tip-top. I got a bit hot, that was all. Shall we carry these outside?’ She gestured towards the rows of martini glasses filled with mousse.