Fred hadn’t told me what was happening next with them, but I knew neither of them were in any hurry for this to be the last time they saw each other.

I scooped up my bags… “Send my love to everyone!” I started to half jog, sideways-walk away. “And happy Christmas! The real one and the family one in January. THANKS FOR ONE ABSOLUTE JINGLE BELL OF A TIME.”

And as we both blew kisses, tears spilled down my face as I hurried to not miss my plane. I couldn’t figure out if the tears were sad to say bye or so happy for everything that had happened.

I sprinted for what felt like a mile, but I got through final security checks and made it to the gate in time—there were still people boarding, so I joined the back of the queue, trying not to sniff too loudly. Just hearing British accents around me suddenly made me feel nearer to home.

My stomach twisted—an excited twist. Mum had no idea what was going to happen when I landed. My final surprise that Elle had helped me pull off. Her travel contact hadn’t just changed my flight—they found one for Naomi too. And an hour after I landed in Heathrow, Naomi would be landing too. The three of us were all going to be home for Christmas after all. And thinking about my mum’s face when I told her was going to be… NOPE, ABOUT TO CRY AGAIN.

“Ma’am…” An attendant was standing in front of me. “Ma’am?”

Uh-oh.

“Yes?!” Everyone in airports had a knack of making me feel like I was going to somehow end up in prison.

“I think this gentleman is trying to get your attention.”

“Erm, I think you might have the wrong person.” But she shook her head and pointed behind me, to the barrier I’d just walked through.

“Something to do with… poop?”

I didn’t see anyone I knew. Just people dragging cases and someone in a terrible Christmas comedy hat. There was always someone who took it too far—which, coming from someone who had polar bear socks with sticky-out ears on, was a lot.

But the person in the massive, green dangly hat was waving.

Was it…

In the middle of everyone racing about, there he was—standing still in all the chaos, waving straight at me.

Nick.

What. Was. Happening?

I walked over, the edges of anything that wasn’t Nick blurring. I couldn’t actually be sure if my feet moved or if I floated there.

“W…what are you doing here?”

“I ducked out of the last few songs.” He was still trying to catch his breath. “The guys understood. I thought I’d missed you!” He bent double for a second before standing back up. “But I couldn’t not at least try.”

He’d done all that for me?! I was almost speechless.