“I’ve never had three friends before. Not three real friends.” They all turned to look at her, and she felt suddenly awkward. “I mean friends who would put themselves out. Friends who would do something for me without getting anything in return.”

There was an emotional silence, and then Joel spoke.

“I want something in return,” he said finally. “I want you to help me make the next round of sandwiches because I’m starting to feel as if I’m running a catering company.”

“And I want you to mention my book on social media,” Brendan said, “because you have more followers than I do.”

Nicole laughed and walked with Joel to the kitchen, feeling as if she was poised on the edge of something exciting. A baby, good friends and a home in a place she’d always loved. It was a million miles from her old life, but it felt exactly right. Exactly where she wanted to be.

It was a clarity of thinking that was long overdue.

Chapter 28Milly

Milly sat in the café, hoping this wasn’t a mistake. She’d chosen somewhere that was neutral territory, halfway between Forest Nest and the city where Richard now lived with Avery.

She nursed the single black coffee she’d ordered on arrival, and to distract herself from what was to come, she thought about the evening before.

As requested, she’d made her lemon chicken, and Brendan had opened chilled champagne (Joel had provided a chilled elderflower mocktail for Nicole), and the four of them had sat in Joel’s pretty garden, eating, drinking, laughing, talking about everything and nothing, and breathing in the sweet smell of honeysuckle until the sun dipped behind the fells.

Milly had noticed that Joel had kept calling Nicole Wendy, but when she’d asked about it they’d both smiled and said it was a private joke, and Milly had suppressed her curiosity because she was just pleased to see Nicole relaxed and happy and confident enough to share a private joke with someone who wasn’t her.

Milly and Nicole had been friends forever, of course, but by the end of the evening it had felt as if the four of them were a unit. As Milly watched Joel place his arm protectively onto the back of Nicole’s chair, she’d been sure of it.

And a few hours ago Nicole had messaged her to give her the time of the doctor’s appointment she’d arranged so that Milly could meet her there. She said that Joel had offered to go with her (earning him major plus points), but she really wanted Milly, and Milly was so excited at being part of Nicole’s baby journey that she’d agreed instantly.

And then there was Brendan . . .

“Milly?” Richard’s voice made her jump, and she almost spilled her coffee.

“Sorry. I didn’t see you arrive. I was thinking about something.”