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‘I don’t think I’m invited.’ She tried not to feel left out as she said the words. It was obviously a family event, but she still felt the pang at the reminder she was only a temporary fixture in their lives.

‘Dad! Why didn’t you invite Liv to the party?’

‘You really don’t have to.’ Liv felt awkward beyond words, aware Callum had just been very effectively backed into a social corner, and that she definitely didn’t want to receive a pity invite.

‘I had planned to. But—’ he leaned down to tweak Sarah’s nose — ‘I got distracted by a mucky little munchkin digging up someone’s garden, and hadn’t had a chance yet.’

‘So ask her now!’

Callum shot her a lopsided grin that made Liv’s insides squirm in the most delicious way. ‘You heard her ladyship. Would you like to come to a party next weekend? It won’t be a big deal: BBQ, few drinks, that type of thing.’

‘And cake!’

He grinned over Summer’s head, and rolled his eyes. ‘And cake, of course.’

‘You really don’t have to. Not if it’s a family thing.’

‘Millie and the rest of the surgery staff and a few other people will be there too. And it would be good for you to meet Evelyn — you’ll be working with her soon enough. If you don’t have anything else planned?’

‘No, I don’t. And it sounds lovely.’ Liv surprised herself by meaning the words. She hadn’t especially liked parties — or the soirees that passed for them in the life she’d had with Mike — but a relaxed, sunny BBQ with the friends she’d already made at work? That sounded much more up her street.

She glanced at the old, curved stone of the well suspiciously. Surely not?

Chapter Seven

‘Liv, I need you.’ The words she’d thought she’d wanted to hear from Callum were tainted by the panic that filled his usually calm voice and chilled her to the bone. ‘With your OB kit. The cottage opposite the police station.’

‘Sergeant Brown’s place?’ She loaded up the bag with all the things she hoped she wouldn’t need, but knew could make the difference between things going badly and really going badly.

‘Yeah, his wife’s expecting their second. There’s an ambulance on route but . . .’

She didn’t need him to finish the sentence. ‘I’m closer. I’m on my way,’ she promised.

‘Thanks — just, Liv?’

‘Yes?’

‘Please hurry.’

‘I will.’

She slammed the door behind her, not bothering to check that it locked and threw herself and her bag into the car. She wasn’t even a mile away, but knew that every second could count, so slammed the car into gear and tore out of the small driveway. She drove as quickly as she dared, not wanting to risk an accident, but also not wanting to leave Callum to deal with whatever pregnancy emergency had called them both out on a Sunday morning.

The drive seemed to take an age, and by the time her tyres hit the kerb outside the address she’d been given, her pulse was racing with the familiar adrenaline blasting through her circulatory system. She forced herself to calm her breath instead of taking the gulping gasps she wanted and raced up the garden path. There was no paramedic parked in the street, but they would doubtless be on their way.

‘They’re all upstairs.’ A worried-looking woman holding a toddler met her by the open door.

She was halfway up the stairs when she heard the all too familiar keening cry of a woman in active labour, followed by muted male soothing. She took a second to take a deep breath at the door. The last thing her patient needed to see was a panicked doctor.

‘Hi, Liv.’ Callum’s relief at seeing her was painted across his face, and she hoped her newest patient couldn’t read it as easily as she could. ‘This is Marie. And you know Harry already. Marie, this is Dr Olivia — Liv — Emery. This is their second baby. Marie’s thirty-seven and a half weeks, ten centimetres dilation and baby is showing a bit of distress on the monitor . . . I could really use your expertise.’

‘Hi, Marie.’ Liv shot her what she hoped was a reassuring smile as she snapped on her gloves. ‘I’m Liv Emery. I don’t know if Callum’s told you, but I’ve got a background in obstetrics and emergency medicine. I’m going to help you. I’ll just take a quick look, all right?’

Marie nodded, her face pale against the pillows. ‘It feels different from last time. Something isn’t right.’

Liv saw the problem immediately: a partially prolapsed cord. ‘How far apart are contractions?’

Marie’s groan and arched back answered her question before Callum could, and she saw the cord bulge as the rapid bleep of the baby’s heart changed in a worrying direction. ‘All right, Marie. I need you to just breathe through this one contraction and not push. I know it’s going against what your body wants to do, but please try so, so hard not to push right now. Dad, you can help her through this. You’ve been to the classes and remember the breathing, right?’ She turned to Callum. ‘Please tell me the ambulance will be here soon.’