Page 11 of Every Day of My Life

“Tick a few items off their list.”

She smiled. “They love you, you know.”

“A horrifying thought,” he said promptly. “I don’t suppose your husband is coming along later with the key for this?”

Sunny laughed. “Not a chance. He’s in an undisclosed location, sharpening his blades. I was sent because they were certain you wouldn’t do me in.”

“Terrified of me, are they?”

“If you want the uncomfortable truth, they were worried.”

“About me?” Oliver asked with a snort.

“Oliver, you demolished a nursery full of plants.”

“It was six inches of a decrepit fuchsia hedge,” he protested. “Besides, I was well repaid by a very tough bloke with a heavy metal pole.”

“I heard it was a granny—”

“She was spry—”

“And every day of ninety,” Sunny continued. “I also heard her weapon of choice was a rolled-up newspaper.”

“It still hurt,” Oliver muttered.

She looked at him seriously. “They said you fell asleep at the wheel.”

He let his breath out slowly. “I did, but I was parked.” He paused. “Mostly.”

“They also said the hedge was of great historical significance.”

“Only because it was in front of some granny’s house, and again, she repaid me by beating me about the head with a heavy copy of the Sun on Sunday.”

“Terrible.”

“I also only bent half a foot of the hedge, which was hardly visible unless you were to look closely.” He hesitated, then supposed there was no reason not to be completely honest. “There might have been a handful of blossoms that suffered bruising as well.”

She smiled. “They’re still worried about you.”

He sighed deeply. “I don’t make mistakes.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “They know, too.”

“I don’t want to give up what I do,” he said unwillingly.

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t want you to, and the lads don’t either. They’re teasing you a little with all this, but I really do think it’s with the best of intentions.”

“That still won’t save them.”

She smiled. “I imagine they would be disappointed if it did.” She nodded at the shopping bag next to him. “Those are things you can wear to yoga class in the village. Nothing in leopardprint, which should come as a relief, though you can thank Emily for that.”

“I am relieved.” He hesitated. “Are you certain I can’t at least fetch you a glass of water?”

She shook her head. “Now that my dastardly duty is done, I’m headed back to Maddy’s to pick up Breac. We’ll come along for your mani-pedi if you like, but I think we’ll have to go to Inverness for it.”

“I wouldn’t bolt if I went on my own.”

“It might just be that we enjoy your company,” she said. “You are, after all, a Phillips and we don’t have a little brother to watch over.”