Page 16

Holly pouted as she took a sip of her drink. ‘Of course it was emotional. I was surprised. I didn’t get the early warning that you did.’

With a resigned sigh, Jamie shook her head. ‘You’re not really going on about that, are you? I didn’t get an early warning, and it wouldn’t have changed things even if I did. And you’re still avoiding answering the question.’

‘That’s because there’s no question to answer.’

‘Yes, there is. How do you feel?’

‘How do I feel?’ Holly shrugged. She really didn’t have any idea what Jamie was expecting her to say on the matter, but the line of questioning felt unusually intrusive, and considering they had both seen one another in labour, that was saying something. ‘How do you think I’m feeling? Giles is getting married. I’m happy for him.’

‘Really?’

‘Of course, really. Just like I’ll be happy when Ben finally gets round to proposing to Georgia.’

Ben and Georgia had been together for six years now and had two beautiful children together. Hope’s siblings. They were, by all accounts, a perfect couple, which was why Holly always found it strange that Ben hadn’t yet asked her to marry him. Georgia definitely seemed like the type of woman who would want a wedding.

‘It’s a bit different, though, isn’t it?’ Jamie said.

‘Is it? Why?’ Holly asked. ‘You mean because Ben and I were in a relationship together? Does that mean I should have a more or less visceral reaction?’

Holly couldn’t help but smirk, even though she knew how childish she was being.

‘All I’m saying is I’m here to talk about things. If you want to talk about them. That’s all.’

‘Good,’ Holly replied. ‘Because I might actually need you to.’

‘You might?’ Jamie put her cup down and leaned forward on the chair. ‘I knew it.’

‘Giles has named me his best woman, which means I’m in charge of the stag do and the speeches, and whatever else he puts me in charge of.’

‘He has?’ Jamie said. ‘And you’ve agreed to do it?’

‘Of course I have. Why wouldn’t I?’ Holly wasn’t sure why she’d lied. If she wanted to talk to about feeling apprehensive, then Jamie was probably her best bet, but for some reason, she wanted to keep her doubts to herself. But now that the lie was out, she felt the need to double down. ‘I’m sure it’ll be great fun. Even if it is a lot of work.’

With a twitch tightening in her jawline, Jamie stood back up straight again, while looking Holly dead in the eye.

‘Well, I guess you know exactly what you’re doing,’ she said.

16

After half an hour of talking, the children finally ambled downstairs and Holly found herself faced with a very sleepy Hope.

‘Did someone stay up a bit too late?’ Holly said as she hoisted Hope up onto her hips. She was far too large to pick up in such a manner now and it would only be a couple of years until she was as tall as Holly, but at that point, she wouldn’t be able to pick her up at all, and Holly was determined to make the most of it. Yawning loudly, Hope nestled her head into Holly’s shoulder.

‘It was Randall’s fault,’ she said. ‘He wanted to watch the film.’

‘Is that right?’ Holly exchanged a look with Jamie. ‘Because I’m sure you said you were the one who wanted to watch something.’

‘No, it wasn’t me,’ Hope insisted, but she couldn’t even get the words out before yawning again.

Moments like this, when Hope wanted nothing more than to snuggle, were enough to make Holly’s heart swell. It was impossible to think that one day, she’d be a grown woman who didn’t need her mum for anything at all, although fingers crossed she’d still want cuddles even then.

‘Well, how about we go home, give you a bath, and snuggle Rhubarb before Mummy has to go to the shop?’

‘I want to play.’

‘Okay, you can play,’ Holly said, although she could already see the way her morning was panning out: Hope asleep on the sofa with Rhubarb curled up next to her. Still, there were worse ways to spend a day.

As it happened, after half an hour of dozing and a big, warm bubble bath, during which she created a variety of ‘potions’, Hope was raring to get outside in the garden and practise her cartwheels.