‘I wish I could be so sure.’ All of my sister’s sparkle has evaporated overnight. I could kill Richard for putting her through this – whatever it is. All I can do is pray that they sort it out soon. ‘I’m here for you, Chelsea,’ I promise. ‘And Lauren is too. We should all get together next week.’

My sister smiles gratefully. ‘We will,’ she says. ‘Definitely.’

We hug each other tightly.

Then, as I watch her go back to her car – still the top-of-the-range wotsit – Blake Chadwick comes out of the office.

‘Hi,’ he says. Then he frowns. ‘Everything okay?’

I’d never make a poker player. Concern must be written all over my face. ‘Not really,’ I answer honestly. ‘That was my elder sister.’ I nod towards Chelsea’s disappearing flash mobile. ‘She’s got a few problems.’

And they’ve become my problems.

‘You’re a fine-looking family,’ BC tells me with an appreciative whistle through his perfect teeth.

But I’m not in the mood for his flirting today. After spending a night on the sofa everything hurts. Not least of all my heart.

‘Not long to go to Peru,’ he says. ‘How’s the foot coming along?’

‘Okay. I’m going to see the consultant after work.’ Then I decide that he might as well be the first to know. ‘But I won’t be going to Peru, whether it’s better or not.’

That stops him in his tracks. BC does comedy blinking. ‘You’re not going?’

‘Chelsea just walked off with all the money I’ve raised so far,’ I continue. ‘Her need is greater than mine.’

‘I don’t believe it.’

I shrug. ‘Believe it.’

‘It won’t be the same without you, Annie.’

And to think that a few weeks ago, I fell for all this charm.

‘You have to go.’

‘I don’t have enough time left to raise the money again.’

Blake is now pacing the floor. ‘It’s unthinkable that you’ll miss it.’

I would have said that too yesterday. Now I’m resigned to my fate.

‘There must be some way . . .’

‘I currently can’t think of any,’ I supply.

‘If I had the cash to spare, I’d pay for you myself.’

‘I wouldn’t accept, anyway.’

‘You cannot let this opportunity pass you by,’ he insists. ‘It would be a tragedy.’

But would it? One bored, frustrated housewife doesn’t get her adventure. Does anyone care? Do I care? Do I really care any more?

I hold up my hands. ‘That’s the end of it. I’m not going.’

And the sooner I get used to that fact, the better.

Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Greg takes me to the hospital and we wait and wait and wait. We don’t speak while we’re doing it.