Page 75 of Not Just for Christmas

Once he had gone, I leaned forward. ‘So what about everyone else? What have I missed?’

Caroline’s eyes sparkled. ‘Ed and I have decided to take the whole of January off. We’re taking Tilly out of school and travelling around Southeast Asia.’

My eyes must have been like saucers. This was the first I’d heard of it. ‘That is huge news. And amazing.’

‘Make the most of life while you can,’ said Tina quietly.

Caroline nodded. ‘We work so hard and haven’t had a holiday this year, and you never know what’s round the corner.’

‘So true,’ said Sophie, tilting her glass to Caroline’s.

The conversation drifted from one revelation to another, and I felt a growing sense of disorientation as Sophie talked about losing her job, Tina spoke of losing both her parents within weeks of each other, and Polly admitted that her marriage had ended after she discovered her husband’s gambling addiction.

‘I feel dreadful,’ I said eventually. ‘I’ve been so wrapped up in my own grief that I didn’t realise how much everyone else was dealing with too.’

‘No one expects you to,’ Sophie said gently. ‘We know how tough things have been for you.’

‘We all get through life in our own way,’ Dee added, pulling me into a hug. ‘And maybe now you’re ready to come back into the world.’

‘I’m really bringing the festive cheer today,’ I said, sniffling and laughing at the same time.

‘We haven’t even pulled our crackers yet,’ Sophie said brightly. ‘Come on, that will help.’

Paper hats were donned, jokes groaned at, and for a few minutes the heaviness lifted, replaced by laughter and the familiar comfort of shared silliness.

By the time our food arrived, the mood had softened again.

‘Talking of pulling crackers,’ Tina said with a wink, ‘I hear you’ve got a rather handsome man staying with you.’

‘Dylan?’ I cut into my chicken, willing my cheeks not to burn. I’d successfully managed not to think too much about him since leaving the house. It had taken fifteen minutes of the journey over here for my heart to stop racing.

Caroline snorted. ‘I admire how casual you make that sound.’

‘Come on,’ said Jen, her eyes sparkling. ‘Tell all, what’s it, like living with a celebrity?’

‘I knew him before he was famous,’ I said with a shrug. ‘He’s just Dylan to me.’

I had a sudden flashback to the day we first met, when I’d watched him stagger out of the sea clutching his surfboard, his legs all wobbly with fatigue. He’d looked so alive, so pleased with himself that I hadn’t been able to resist striking up a conversation.

‘So what’s he doing now, do you think?’ Em asked eagerly.

I shrugged. ‘Babysitting Sam, hopefully. This morning he thought of some lyrics for a new song while he was doing my hair.’

‘Oh. My. God,’ Polly gasped.

Caroline’s lips twitched. ‘Your hair does look amazing.’

‘Turns out he’s very multi-talented,’ I said, smoothing a hand over my bun. ‘Last night he even helped me deliver twin calves.’

‘Wow,’ said Sophie. ‘Send him round to me next, please.’

I laughed. ‘He’s already in demand; he’s off to London tomorrow for some media interviews.’

‘Interviews,’ Emma repeated; she and Jen looked at each other and laughed. ‘It’s another world.’

‘Then he’s flying back to America to record his new album,’ I said.

I felt a hollow sensation deep inside. I was aware how fickle this made me; I hadn’t wanted him to come and now I was dreading him leaving.