Leaning up against the terminus wall, looking out over the sparkling harbour, I thought back on the past three weeks, which had so seismically changed the lives of the Ryan sisters. Not only were we now friends, but Emerald had gone from dejected, cynical kicked cat to top-order predatory feline, and Amber had stopped being the perfect parent, started laughing at life and learnt to let her heart stop eating itself – as well as other dietary tips involving carbohydrates. And I had found love – oh, and also my G spot. Much to my own astonishment, I was now planning a romantic adventure with a man I’d only just met. I had things in my fridge that had been around longer than Doctor Brody Quinn. And yet, here I was – flying by the seat of my pants. Hell, I had frequent flier pant miles.

I knew my sisters didn’t approve, but for the first time in my life I was not going to let them dictate my destiny. As my older sisters, Emerald and Amber had always done everything before me and done it better. Compared to my confident, competent siblings, I always felt that I was a runner-up in the human race. Hell, I’d practically worn their hand-me-down clothes while they were still wearing them.

But now a Fuck it, I’m Fifty! feeling had kicked in. It was time I did something for myself. I mean, if not now, when?

I checked my watch again, scanning the dock as passengers filed ashore and wandered through the jumble of suitcases, searching for their name tags. But it was my sisters I soon saw striding purposefully towards me. I’d been hoping to escape with Brody before they had time to track me down; I’d already composed an email to them, ready in my outbox, explaining about the misdiagnosis and begging them not to worry and to please forgive me.

‘Don’t try to talk me out of this.’ I shook my head emphatically. ‘For once in my life, I’m following my instincts. So what if my behaviour raises a few brows?’

‘Ruby.’ Emerald addressed me in the calm voice she used to soothe feral dogs and grieving pet owners.

I felt as if some terrible fate was gathering, like a storm far out at sea. ‘What is it?’

‘Brody’s not coming.’

‘Yes, he is. It’s all planned.’

‘Last night, after you told us about him, well, we tracked him down and revealed your . . . situation.’

My heart was like a heavy-metal drummer in my chest. ‘What situation?’

‘Your Kev situation. It wasn’t fair to let him give up his job and make plans with you when your future is so uncertain,’ Emerald said bluntly.

I felt a spasm of nausea in the pit of my stomach.

‘Darling Rubes, you’re clearly not in your right mind, which is why you’re making such rash decisions,’ Amber added.