Zinnia emerged from wriggling into her own dress. It wasn’t as short as Lily’s but hugged her like a second skin. ‘You look gorgeous,’ she breathed. ‘You have to wear it. Opening night at a posh club. Get us!’ Before Lily could decide to try another outfit, Zinnia snatched up a tiny cross-body evening bag just big enough for a phone and a couple of credit cards and swung Lily around. ‘Come on, let’s go before they stop serving food at The Three Fishes. Do you think Carola might give us a lift down to the pub to save us staggering about in these heels?’

Carola took the request as an opportunity to visit the pub herself as she wasn’t seeing Owen that night, and soon the three of them were standing at the bar with glasses of wine. Carola was drawn off into a conversation with Alexia, a woman Lily knew to be connected to the village coffee shop, the Angel Community Café, where Carola worked. Vita and Isaac were serving behind the bar.

Although she felt pretty conspicuous at being dressed for a club in the work-day surroundings of The Three Fishes, Lily had to take off her coat and sling it over a bar stool or risk cooking in the warm pub interior. Isaac’s eyebrows vanished into his hair and he paused in refilling the ice bucket on the bar. ‘Glad rags tonight,’ he observed.

Flushing, she explained about the tickets to the new, upscale nightclub and wanting a meal first. ‘If you have any tables,’ she added, glancing into the dining area.

‘No prob if you can wait a few minutes. My sister’s joining the staff tonight and she’s out the back doing the formalities with Tina. I’ll get her to clear tables as soon as they come out.’

‘Great, thanks.’ Lily sipped her wine, deciding not to offer to clear a table herself as bending over in such a short dress might leave her feeling … vulnerable.

As Isaac turned away Zinnia edged closer, murmuring, ‘Any progress with His Hotness?’

‘Ssh!’ Lily hissed in alarm. But, judging Isaac to have moved out of earshot, murmured back, ‘He’s not here for long.’

‘Even better.’ Zinnia grinned into her wine glass and waggled her brows. ‘Little Christmas adventure?’

Lily gave her sister a playful nudge. ‘Behave.’ She was conscious of her heart giving a flutter but decided it was because she and Zin were having a lovely time together. Joy washed over her. If things improved between them then perhaps she wouldn’t feel the only way to preserve their relationship would be to leave the village after Switzerland. Impulsively, she gave Zinnia a hug. ‘I do love you, Zin.’

Zinnia returned the hug. ‘I know. I love you too.’

Neither of them said, ‘I’m sorry,’ or ‘I forgive you,’ but sisters didn’t always have to specify that stuff.