Chapter 17

When our taxi pulled into the drive leading up to Butterworth Wines, Pippa, Clare, Roger and Godfrey were waiting for us.

‘You’ve got a welcome committee,’ Jensen murmured. ‘The returning heroine.’

I looked away, cursing the tears that threatened to fall. Again.

‘I’ve let everyone down, cast a shadow over our lovely open day, made you miss your party and driven away my only sister. Hardly heroic.’

‘Here, this is my last one,’ he said, handing me a tissue. ‘Lottie, give yourself a break. You’ve had a traumatic day and a big shock. And I know it was a big shock for your sister too, but it’s okay to put yourself ahead of others once in a while. Gran is forever singing praises about your kindness. And look at this lot.’

The welcome committee were waving wildly, except Roger who was doing his air traffic control impression for the taxi driver, pointing out a parking space.

I looked at my lap. ‘You don’t understand. My sister has got a lot of stuff going on.’

‘Try not to worry.’ Jensen squeezed my hand. ‘I’m sure she knows you need support and I bet she’ll be over here like a shot as soon as she’s free. After all, she’s going to be an auntie. If you decide to keep it, that is.’ He looked uncomfortable. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t assume.’

‘I’m having it,’ I said staunchly. ‘Decision made.’

He released my hand as the taxi came to a halt and hugged me to him. ‘I admire your certainty.’

‘Or craziness,’ I said, undoing my seat belt. ‘Depending on how you look at it.’

It had been awful leaving Evie so distraught at the hospital, but Darren had been called into one of the booths to be seen and she’d ended up arguing with a nurse because the police wouldn’t let her accompany him. I’d sent her a text and left her a message but she hadn’t returned them. Goodness only knew what opinion Jensen must have of me and my family. Whatever it was, he was very discreet about it; he’d simply held my hand all the whole way home, kept me topped up with tissues and hadn’t once bombarded me with questions even though he must have been dying to ask some.

The taxi stopped and before I’d even had a chance to open the door, Godfrey had pulled it open while Jensen got out of the other side and paid the driver.

‘Well, my dear, how are you? You’ve been gone for hours,’ said Godfrey, helping me out.

The others crowded round me.

‘We’ve been worried sick,’ said Pippa, wide-eyed and so pale it could have been her who’d had the accident.

‘I’m fine, really,’ I said flatly.

It felt like a lifetime since I’d left the vineyard and in that time my entire world had been turned inside out. I felt the lump on the back of my head, which had already started to go down a bit.