But before Jess had a chance to do any of that—before she had found in the gap that had opened up between them the words to tell Mia that of course she would support her, whatever she wanted to do—Mia was getting out of the car, wishing her grandmother a good trip, slamming the door, and storming off toward the exit.

Jess yanked at her seat belt, the buckle sticking. She thrust her fingers down on the release button until she’d managed to free herself, clicked open the driver’s door and scrambled out, an apology forming on her lips. But her words dissolved into the ether as Mia strode away, already halfway across the car park. Jess hesitated, contemplated following her, but then she glanced back into the car to see her mum looking at the clock on the dashboard, anxiety pinching the skin between her eyebrows. Jess looked up again and watched Mia go, watched her little girl get smaller and smaller until she had jumped through the elevator doors and disappeared altogether.

Chapter 49

Lily

There was a bleeping from Phoebe’s phone and Lily watched—her skin prickling with irritation or heat, she wasn’t sure which—as Phoebe read a message and tapped out a reply.

“For goodness’ sake, Phoebe, do you have to be glued to your phone? Gran will be here soon and then I’ll be leaving. I’m not sure why you insisted on coming if you were just going to be on your phone the whole time.”

Around them on the airport concourse, taxis fought for prime drop-off positions as the humid July heat seeped into Lily’s skin. It was early still but she could feel tiny beads of sweat gathering in the pores above her lips.

“Jesus, you can talk. You’re never off your phone. I already told you, I want to see Gran off. This is quite a big deal for her, in case you hadn’t realized. And I’m meeting Mia so we can head back into town and go to the film festival together.”

Lily locked her jaw to stop herself replying. She knew Phoebe was baiting her. Ever since the truth had emerged about her daughter’s friendship with Mia, it was as if Phoebe couldn’t stop mentioning her cousin, pointing out that she had a relationship with her extended family even if Lily didn’t.

“Phoebe, can’t we wait inside? It’s so muggy out here. I honestly don’t understand why you’ve got such a hatred of air conditioning, especially on days like this.” There was a note of unintended impatience in Lily’s voice. She didn’t know why she felt so irritable. Perhaps it wasn’t irritability so much as anxiety, or excitement even. It wasn’t every day that you got on a plane to New York where your husband had been living for more than four months to pay him a surprise visit.

She’d told Daniel nothing about the trip, nothing about her mum arranging it all without her knowledge or the mock truce between her and Jess that felt like nothing more than a box-ticking exercise. Daniel would assume she was spending the weekend at home, seeing friends or catching up on work. But Lily had it all figured out. After dropping her bags at the hotel she’d head straight for his apartment. Even allowing for delays here and there, she should be at his front door by lunchtime. They’d have the rest of the day alone together.