‘Hi,’ I murmur.

‘Hi,’ he replies. He looks apprehensive. ‘Did you mean it?’

I nod. His eyes fill with tears as he leans forward to kiss me.

‘When?’ I ask against his lips.

‘I’d marry you tomorrow,’ he whispers.

‘Can we make it Christmas Eve?’ I ask, prompting his eyes to widen. I smile at him. ‘I’m not winding you up. My mother and David are going to be here, remember?’ They’re doing a European cruise. ‘She’ll kill me if she’s this side of the world and I don’t invite her to my wedding. Not that she ever expected me to do something so out of character.’

Alex presses a hard, fast kiss to my lips. ‘I’ll start looking at venues.’

A shiver goes down my spine. Is this really happening?

‘You’re pulling my leg,’ Bridget says when I call to tell her.

‘I’m not.’

‘You are. I don’t believe you.’

‘I’m not,’ I insist, laughing. ‘Will you come or what?’

‘To London for Christmas Eve? And then back to frigging Cornwall in time for Christmas with Charlie’s family? Do you know what the traffic will be like?’

My heart sinks. I guess I wasn’t really thinking when we decided on that date.

Bridget carries on. ‘All to find out that this is some big joke and you’re not getting married after all?’

‘I am getting married. I’m marrying Alex. I need a visa.’

She falls silent. ‘Are you serious?’ she asks after a moment.

‘Oh, now you believe me,’ I say with a grin.

‘Are you serious?’ she asks again. ‘You’re marrying him? For a visa?’

‘Sort of,’ I reply. ‘I mean, he wants to marry me. And I do want to be with him for the rest of my life. It makes sense.’

‘How dreamy,’ she says drily.

I laugh. ‘Sorry, but you know what I’m like! I’m not going to change overnight.’

‘You’re really getting married? On Christmas Eve?’

‘Yes, and I would love you to be my witness. My sort of matron of honour, even though you don’t have to buy a special dress or anything. But I understand if it’s too much of a hassle to drive from Cornwall.’

She screams.

Right. In. My. Ear.

‘HolyshitfuckinghellBronteyou’regettingmarried?!’

‘Yes.’

‘You love him. You really, really love him.’

‘We’ve been trying to make babies together.’

‘Holy fuck!’ she gasps. ‘This is real. This is happening.’

‘Yes!’ I’m laughing properly now. ‘Will you come?’

‘Yes, I’ll fucking come! I wouldn’t miss it for the world!’