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“Don’t mention it,” said the man. He sniffed. “You gonna let me go now, then?”

“No,” said Tilly, picking up her mobile. “But you’ve got my thanks, if that counts for anything?”

???

“I can’t believe it’s finished,” Mila said, her eyes aglow. She turned to Max. “Did you arrange all this?”

He nodded and blushed as his wife kissed him.

“We helped with the party though,” Ag said, pushing through the little crowd in her conservatory uniform.

“That was Sophie’s idea,” said Dash, cake already smeared around his mouth.

“Thank you,” Mila said. “Um, not to be picky or anything, but I’m pretty sure I have three children now?”

Sophie laughed and nodded over to a corner where her father sat in a chair asleep, Art on his chest. “You might have found yourself a new babysitter,” she said. “He’s going to be bored now that he’s retiring. He’ll need something to do.”

“I could use the help,” said Mila. “I kept Ag and Dash under the counter at the shop, but Art hates it there. He wants to be up front and center where he can see people all the time.”

“Can’t blame him for that,” Tilly said, finally arriving.

Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Strange, given that you were picking Max and Mila up, I sort of assumed that you’d be arriving at the same time as them?”

“Give her a break,” Gio said as he walked past. “I was glad of an excuse to drive the car on the motorway.”

“Thanks,” Tilly said. Gio gave her a high five and went off in search of a beer.

“Come on,” said Max, putting an arm around his wife. “Let’s go and get something to eat.”

“I’m sorry,” Tilly said as Max and Mila left. “I know I was supposed to pick them up. But there was a speeder, and I made an arrest and, well, it all got a bit out of hand.”

For a second, Sophie looked at her, then she smiled. “It’s fine. They got picked up, no one was injured in the process, I didn’t have to problem-solve to make up for you being stuck at work. It’s not a problem.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Sophie said. “Really.”

“That’s good,” said Tilly. She looked down at her feet. “Because, um, there’s something that I’ve been meaning to tell you.” She looked up again, face pink. “Remember before when I said that I could keep a secret?”

Sophie’s stomach dropped. “Yes.”

Tilly came closer, put her hand on Sophie’s arm. “I know you’re worried. You’re worried about taking over the garage, you’re worried that I’m commuting and we won’t have enough time together, and I just want you to know that you have nothing to worry about.”

She looked up into Tilly’s earnest blue eyes. “I don’t?”

Tilly shook her head. “Nope. You’re great at your job and you’ll be brilliant at running the business. I’ve got no worries about that at all. As for the other stuff, well…” She blushed even deeper. “I had to wait until it was all confirmed, but… I’m coming back to work in Whitebridge.”

Sophie stilled. “You are?”

“I am. The force is expanding our area and there are going to be three officers stationed here. And it’s coming with a promotion. Sergeant Ware.”

Sophie’s face split into a grin. “That’s brilliant, Till, well done.”

Tilly pulled her in close. “I know things are changing. Things will always be changing. But we’ll face the changes together, Soph. That’s what couples do. Just look at Max and Mila.”

Sophie looked over at where the couple were laughing with Paul, Max holding his new son on his shoulder as Mila ruffled Ag’s hair. Dash was playing with Gio on the floor. She smiled. “They’re a lovely family.”

“And so are we,” Tilly said. “Whatever that family ends up looking like, however big or small it becomes, as long as you and I are at the heart of it, then it will be perfect.”