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‘No, no, not at all. It’s just… you know how tax is. I don’t suppose you’ll be able to drive Hope across with you? Or I can drop her off and pick her up again. Or Ben can. She might want to stay with Ben. I’ll check with Ben. That’s the best thing to do.’

‘You’re babbling,’ Jamie said as a large crease formed between her eyebrows. ‘Something going on.’

‘No, nothing is going on at all. I just said that I’ve got the tax stuff to do.’

Holly simultaneously shuffled and shook her head, resulting in an action that looked like a jellyfish trying to shimmy.

For a second longer, Jamie stayed exactly where she was, before a wide grin broke on her face.

‘Oh my God,’ she said. ‘I know what it is.’

Holly’s muscles tightened. ‘No, you don’t. There’s nothing to know. What do you think you know?’

‘You’ve had enough of Sienna?’ she said. ‘You’re pretending that everything was great, but one whole weekend and you’re needing some respite from her. You’re worried she’s going to go all “best buddies” on you.’

Holly let out a nervous chuckle that was tight and high-pitched and strained in her throat.

‘Yes, yes, that’s exactly what it is. I just… I need a little bit of a break – you understand, don’t you? It was quite a full-on weekend.’ It wasn’t a lie. Not exactly. She had no desire to see Sienna again, but definitely not with Giles at her side.

‘Sure, no worries. We’ll probably take both cars anyway, as Fin’s going to come out later, so he can drive Hope back. If you’re all right with that?’

‘Thank you,’ Holly said, letting out a sigh of relief.

But Jamie continued to stare at her.

‘You know you’re not going to be able to avoid Sienna forever, don’t you?’ she said.

Holly’s smile tightened. ‘Of course, of course,’ she said. ‘Honestly, everything’ll be fine. Completely fine.’

And yet, even as she spoke, she had no idea how that could possibly be true.

44

Holly was aware that not everybody saw their friends as much as she did. After all, she worked with Caroline, lived next door to Jamie, and shared a daughter with Ben. It was understandable that they would spend a fair amount of time together, but for the next two weeks, she did everything within her power to avoid seeing them. As well as missing Ben’s first barbecue of the year, she also skipped out on the picnic Caroline arranged at the Slaughters, the group family cycle ride Michael was in charge of, which ended with them all going to a pub and having a very wobbly ride home, and a foraging trip arranged by Fin. Her excuses were getting weaker and weaker; she knew that. And more than once, Jamie had tried to question her.

‘Something obviously happened with Sienna,’ Jamie pressed. ‘I don’t know why you won’t tell me what it is. You know I’d take your side on it. That’s what best friends do.’

‘I’ve just got a lot going on. It’s nothing,’ Holly lied. She didn’t even want to tell Jamie the truth about how Sienna had commented about not actually wanting children, or lying to Giles about Holly forcing them all to the pub. If she did that, she would find herself in an even deeper conversation, and then the truth of what happened between her and Giles might come out and she couldn’t let that happen.

But despite what Jamie said, she knew there was no way she could take Holly’s side when it came to the kiss. Holly was very, very definitely in the wrong there.

‘Okay, you’re still doing the baking for Sunday, aren’t you?’ Jamie said as she came round and sat in Holly’s kitchen two weeks after the event.

‘Baking for Sunday?’ Holly asked.

‘It’s the twins’ naming day, remember? Honestly, where have you been the last couple of weeks? You know all this. That’s why Fin’s picking up his mum from the airport tomorrow.’

‘Oh God, yes, of course. The twins’ naming day. Right. You wanted cakes, right? Cupcakes?’

‘Yes, but you were going to do biscuits and things too. I thought you were going to do as much as you can – at least, that’s what you did for Randall’s, right?’

‘Yes, of course I did. Of course, I’ll do the same, yes, absolutely. No problem at all.’

Holly wrote a large note, which she stuck on the fridge. It wasn’t like her to need reminders for things as big and important as Jamie’s children’s naming days, but currently, her mind was stuck and was only able to focus on one specific incident. An incident that had happened in this very kitchen.

‘It’s a man, isn’t it?’ Jamie suddenly burst out with.

Holly spun around. ‘What? What do you mean?’