‘Granddaughter?’ Zennor’s eyes widened. ‘I didn’t know you were a granny.’

Zennor’s response was almost comical. Anyone would think she’d announced she was an alien who’d landed from Mars – but there was now no going back.

‘No one knows about Ruby, apart from Drew, and he only found out recently,’ Chloe went on, willing herself to get the story out and over with while she had the nerve. ‘You see, I’ve been economical with the truth and I hope you’ll forgive me. Hannah isn’t a student now. She’s twenty-two and she has a little girl, Ruby, who’s not quite one. I’ve never seen Ruby, only in a photograph that a friend found online and shared with me. Hannah and I aren’t in contact at the moment. I won’t go into why but …’ She paused for a breath, trying not to think too much about the expressions on her friends’ faces.

No one spoke, waiting for her to continue. ‘So, I haven’t been able to tell anyone before, because basically, it’s far too painful to talk about and I miss her and my granddaughter so much, it’s like a stone in my stomach that I’m carrying around all the time. I don’t want to make people miserable with my tales of woe because everyone has problems of their own. Right now, I don’t know how to fix my family, I’ve hit a brick wall, but because you are my friends, and I trust you and know you’ll be kind and discreet, I wanted to share this with you … it’s the least I can do to thank you for being amazing friends. For being like a family.’

Chloe stopped. She felt as if she’d finally unleashed a tightly coiled spring of emotions she’d held in for so long.

‘And finally, there’s something else I need to get off my chest. Something that even Drew doesn’t know. I got so used to keeping my problems with Hannah inside that I stopped telling the truth at all. I forgot that the thing I owed you most was honesty.’

Every eye was trained on her.

‘The thing is, I’m not actually forty.’

‘I knew it! I knew you were younger. Didn’t I tell you, Evie? But why are you having the party?’

‘Shh!’ Evie hissed at him.

‘Oh Troy, I love you to bits sometimes,’ Chloe said. ‘The party isn’t for my fortieth, it’s my fiftieth.’

‘What?’ said Sam. ‘No way!’

‘Yes, it’s true.’

‘Wow.’ Gabe whistled.

Zennor let out a squeak, then said, ‘I hope I look that good when I’m that old.’