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Ash held Alice’s gaze for a moment, then released a breathy laugh. “We better get going if we’re to miss the traffic.”

“Yeah, of course. Let me just grab my bag.”

“I’ll take this for you.” Ash picked up Alice’s small wheelie suitcase and laughed. “Bloody hell, Alice. You know we’re only going for a night, don’t you?”

By the time they hit the motorway, the coffee Ash had made for the trip was at perfect drinking temperature.

“Mmm, thanks for thinking to bring coffee.” Alice sipped from a reusable mug with a university logo printed on it.

Ash smiled but kept her eyes on the road. “You’re welcome. I think I remembered how you like it?”

“It’s spot on.”

Ash muttered under her breath as she indicated and accelerated into the inside lane to get around a middle-lane-hog. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel.

“How are you feeling about seeing your family?”

Ash sighed. “Oh, you know. It would’ve been easier if Indi hadn’t let me down.”

Alice winced. “Perhaps I shouldn’t have come?”

Ash glanced across and flashed her a big smile. “No, sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m delighted you’re my plus one, Al.” Her grip on the steering wheel tightened. “It’s just what I was explaining before… how the weight of everyone’s expectations can be pretty heavy.”

“I get that, but hopefully having a friend on your arm will make it easier than facing everything alone.”

Ash inhaled sharply, then opened her mouth as if to speak, but she said nothing.

“So, tell me about your family, and anything else I need to know. I don’t want to come across as a total moron.”

Ash laughed and spent the rest of the journey filling Alice in on the who’s who, including all the people to avoid.

“Not that you’ll be leaving my side,” Ash said with a wide-eyed look which said,please, don’t let that happen.

After a while, the tension eased in Ash’s arms. She rolled her neck and relaxed back into the driver’s seat with the air of a woman on her way to a party rather than an inquisition. Alice listened attentively, repeating and, no doubt, mispronouncing the names Ash reeled off. She wasn’t good with names at the best of times.

Ash snickered. “Don’t worry, there won’t be a test. All you need to remember is that my brother is Nik and he’s engaged to Sukhi. They’ve been together since they were kids, so it’s about bloody time they tied the knot.”

* * *

Ash’s carcrunched to a stop at the end of a sweeping gravel driveway. Alice peered through the windscreen at the magnificent venue, its weathered facade bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun. She turned to Ash, who was already looking at her with the hint of a smile.

“You ready?” Alice asked.

Ash puffed out a laboured breath. “As ready as I can be.” A deep line appeared between her eyebrows, so Alice reached over the centre console and took her hand.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be right with you the whole time and I’ll do my best to deflect any unwanted conversations, okay?”

Ash nodded and looked up through her lashes. “I’m pleased you’re here. Plus, Indi wouldn’t have looked anywhere near as good as you do in that sparkly onesie.”

Alice gasped. “It isn’t a onesie, it’s a jumpsuit!”

“Well, whatever it is.” Ash grinned. “You look incredible. It took my breath away when I saw you this morning.” She turned Alice’s hand over and traced a finger across her palm.

Friends don’t say things like that.Heat crept from Alice’s chest to her neck as she stared back into those dark brown eyes.

“Ash, there’s something I?—”

A loud rap of knuckles on the driver’s side window caused them to jump apart.