I rolled my eyes and tutted at her.

“So, you’re going to see him, right?” I re-read James’s message on my phone, even though I’d already read it enough times to have it memorised.

Hello, beautiful. Please say I can steal you away from your sister tomorrow evening. I promise I’ll have you back first thing on Saturday morning. I want to say goodbye properly. Jx

I looked at Cat, who was staring at me expectantly. “Oh, fuck it,” I said. I sent this reply:

I’d love that.

Short, simple, and to the point.

Perfect. I’ll pick you up at 7. Looking forward to it. I missed you next to me last night. X

I sighed, half in resignation at saying goodbye, and half in anticipation of the “properly” part of his text. James may have used that word a lot, but he never threw it away. He always meant it.

Cat looked smug. “You can stop that right now,” I said in my big-sisterly voice.

She replied with a grin and waggled her eyebrows at me.

“Oh, crap.” I realised I had no idea where we were going or what to wear. So many wardrobe considerations in one week!

“What?”

“Dress code.”

“Ahh, yes, very important.”

I shot off another text—so much for short, simple, and to the point.

Hi—me again—just wondering what the plan is for tomorrow night—and the dress code.

The reply zinged back in almost an instant.

The plan is a secret, but dress code is casual.

Casual? Did that mean the same thing to him as it did to me?

Jeans okay?

Perfect. See you then. And bring your toothbrush. X

I laughed out loud. “What? What did he say?” My sister—so nosy!

“Never you mind.”

“Hey! No fair.”

“He told me to bring my toothbrush.”

She nodded in approval. “I like his style.”

“Oh, and I get to wear jeans.”

“Jeans? Really? How intriguing.” I completely agreed.

*

Cat and I spent Thursday and Friday doing touristy London things from Cat’s list of “Things I Never Do Unless Sarah is Visiting”. She always makes out like I drag her along, but she has as much fun as I do. Besides, Madame Tussaud’s really is amazing, even the third time, and who would pass up last-minute twenty-pound tickets to see Benedict Cumberbatch and David Tennant onstage? Yes, really! Although, it was Waiting for Godot and I don’t really like that play—absurdism was never my favourite—but again, Cumberbatch, Tennant, and twenty-pound tickets.

And even though I was soaking up as many moments with my sister as I could, Friday evening rolled around before I knew it.

I was in Cat’s room and she watched while I put the finishing touches on my “natural looking but actually took me twenty-five minutes to apply” makeup. “You look great,” she said as I smoothed on some coral-coloured lipstick.

I turned to her and smiled. “Thanks!”

“So, because there’s no pretence and you’re definitely staying over, you can take an actual overnight bag, right?”