‘Instead of putting all our focus into one final Charis House Christmas, we’re going to come up with a way to save the school,’ Jed added, helpfully.

‘Right. That’s amazing. But I have to go to work.’

‘Yes, of course you do. We’ll fill you in with the plan as soon as we’ve come up with it.’

‘Unless it’s six-thirty, because then we’ll be watching the weather,’ Dad said.

I looked up, my eyes meeting his, and we both burst into tears in the exact same moment.

‘Ugh,’ Jed grumbled as Dad came and wrapped me up in a hug. ‘I’m so relieved I take after the Armstrong side of the family.’

30

I instructed the taxi to take me home for a quick change and a couple of deep breaths before heading into work. I’d just about managed to shake off my disappointment that Henry hadn’t appeared to say goodbye when he sent a message saying that he was thinking of me and he hoped it went well.

‘Well, what does that mean?’ I muttered, while yanking on a pair of patterned tights. ‘Thinking about me how? A quick, ooh, Bea goes back to work today, I hope she doesn’t get fired. Or, I think about you all of the time?’

I was prepared to be extra-early, showing that the organised, efficient, capable Bea was back, and then while waiting at the bus stop I received a notification confirming a meeting at eleven with the studio head, Mike Long, who I’d last seen one arm casually draped around Summer at the Christmas drinks do.

Even sprinting through the security barrier and up the stairs to Mike’s office while mumbling frantic prayers couldn’t prevent me tumbling through his door eight minutes late.

‘Ah. Bree. I’d decided you’d stood me up.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ I wheezed. ‘I only got the notification about the meeting twenty minutes ago. I’m not due to start work until eleven-thirty so I was still on my way in.’

‘Always pays to be prepared, Bree. One of the first lessons of broadcasting.’

What, always turn up at work half an hour early in case the boss decides to have an unscheduled meeting with you for the first time ever?

He stood up, indicating that we should move to the meeting room that adjoined his office, where I was momentarily thrown to find Summer Collins already sitting there. She’d got new glasses, which were so large they almost hid the monstrous smirk on her face.

Once I’d sat down, Mike launched straight in.

‘I hear you’re leaving us. Thought it best to discuss the handover sooner rather than later.’

‘Um, excuse me?’