Page 49 of The Sunrise Sisterhood

She staggered up from her chair and Skye caught her as her knees buckled. Skye was mortified, as Liz would be when she sobered up. Hopefully, Ele would think it was hilarious and not mind at all, but they still had a summer of catering jobs ahead of them. The last thing they needed was word about this to get out.

‘Oh dear, poor thing,’ said Adam, kindly.

Skye looked at him, trying to work out if he was finding this funny or not. But his expression revealed nothing but concern.

‘It’s nerves,’ Skye said, her eyes pleading with him not to tell anyone. ‘This event means a lot to her. I think she may have overdone the Dutch courage.’

‘Understood. Come on, Liz.’ He tucked her arm through his. ‘Let’s have a turn around the garden and I can tell you my theory about saving versus spending in a bull market.’

Skye raised an eyebrow. She was about to make a comment along the lines of: I bet you’re fun at parties, but seeing as he was doing her a favour, she kept quiet.

He grinned. ‘I’m a financial advisor. That subject is guaranteed to sober anyone up.’

Liz blinked slowly at him. ‘Do I have to?’

‘Yes. You do.’ Skye felt a wave of gratitude towards Adam. ‘I’ll finish making your coffee.’

‘Let’s start with the difference between bull and bear, shall we?’ he said, leading a reluctant Liz out into the darkening afternoon.

As soon as they’d gone, Skye pulled out her mobile and called the only person she knew who could help. Clare answered immediately as Skye had known she would. Clare was too efficient to let a phone call go unanswered.

‘Hello?’ Clare’s voice was loud and Skye could hear the noise of the car engine in the background.

‘I need a favour. How difficult would it be for you to come to Thurlestone?’ she asked.

‘Why?’

‘Liz has had too much to drink and I need help.’

‘Shit.’ Clare went quiet for a second. ‘OK. I’m not far away, Ivy’s asleep in the back. Give me the postcode and I’ll put it in the satnav.’

Skye ended the call and took a deep breath. It was fine. It was all going to be fine. She did feel very guilty about the oyster sauce – oh God, and the fish sauce – but no one seemed any the worse for it and everyone had said it was one of the best meals they’d ever tasted. They would find a way to make it up to the vegans somehow. In the meantime, she needed to serve the birthday cake, clear up as much as she could, and when Clare arrived, she would pour Liz into the car and Clare could take her home. She could pack away everything and follow on in the van.

Skye left the front door on the latch so that Clare could let herself in, and returned to the kitchen. Ele and two of her friends had come in and taken the lid off the cake box. They were in fits of laughter, stabbing candles into the top of the beautiful rainbow cake Liz had made.

‘Cake time!’ Ele grinned squiffily at her.

‘Good idea!’ Skye gave her a bright smile. She heaped coffee into a cafetière, filled it up to the brim with water and found mugs, spoons and sugar. She glanced outside: still no rain, but in the distance towards the sea, she saw a flash of a lightning. Great; just what she needed. ‘Should we take the birthday cake through to the living room, do you think, Ele?’ Skye shouted to make herself heard over the hoots of laughter.

The birthday candles had come in a pack of one hundred. By the look of it, the girls had decided to use all of them. At this rate, Skye was going to have a fire on her hands as well as everything else.

‘Outside is where the party is at,’ Ele replied. ‘Where are the matches?’

She started pulling out drawers.

‘Wait!’ said Skye. ‘Liz has packed a little gas lighter somewhere. It’ll be easier to use than matches.’

Before she could get as far as their equipment crate, one of the girls had slid her hands under the flimsy cardboard base and lifted it up.

‘Bloody hell this is heavy!’ she squealed. ‘Ele, grab the other side!’

‘We’ve brought a nice plate to serve it on.’ Skye was feeling panicky; everything was getting out of control. Where was Clare? And what was that noise coming from the garden …?

Adam’s grave face appeared at the open kitchen door. ‘I’m sorry, Skye, I tried, but I’m no match for Liz’s party spirit.’

Skye looked past him at the scene in the garden in dismay. Someone had produced a bottle of tequila and Noah was lining up shot glasses.

‘Liz-Liz-Liz!’ Angel chanted.