‘That’s a nice way to greet me after all these months,’ groused Zoe when the window glided down.

‘No, it’s not that, sorry, it’s just that I could have sworn—’

‘Never mind that, V’s getting married,’ Zoe squealed excitedly.

‘Here we go again,’ grumbled Finn Doherty happily from the driver’s seat. He jumped out of the car, leaving the engine running and the hazard lights on, and came round to pull back the large side-panel door to retrieve Zoe’s wheelchair. In the meantime, Zoe opened her door and swung herself around in the seat, ready for Finn to help her into the chair. Lily batted him away for a moment and took her friend in a warm embrace.

‘It’s so good to see you,’ she said.

‘I’ve missed you!’ Zoe replied, pulling back in her arms a little. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Why does everyone keep asking me that?’ Lily laughed.

‘Because you – I don’t know. Look different?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ Lily evaded, blushing deeply.

‘Oh yes you do,’ Zoe said, her green eyes sparkling with mischief. ‘Oh my God, did you—’

‘Hi, Finn,’ Lily said overly brightly, cutting through whatever revealing insight Zoe had been about to announce to the world.

‘Hi, Lily,’ Finn exclaimed with reciprocal brightness, clearly knowing something was going on from the way his eyes swivelled between Lily and his fiancée.

‘Oh no you don’t, you can’t get away that—’

‘Lils! Zo!’

The cry from Malie was so loud and Lily spun just in time to catch the hug her friend threw around her shoulders. Her glorious curls swamped her as she felt her whole body yanked up and down by Malie’s exuberance. Lily couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Where’s Todd?’ Zoe asked, peering over Malie’s shoulder.

‘Oh, he’s on a top-secret stag-related mission,’ Malie replied.

‘Stripper?’ Zoe asked, grinning.

‘He wouldn’t dare,’ Malie replied, the growl in her voice making the girls laugh. ‘So where’s the bride then? Trust V to be late for her own hen—’

‘Hey, I’m not late! How dare you!’ Victoria called from the other side of the SUV having snuck up from the harbour.

The squeals reached an almost ear-piercing level and Finn thrust his hands over his ears as if to block out the sound. Victoria and Malie were jumping up and down, Lily was laughing and Zoe was manoeuvring herself into her wheelchair.

‘You set?’ Finn asked Zoe, with a love shining in his eyes that was clear to see.

‘Sure am,’ Zoe replied, smiling as he leaned in for a kiss that would have made Mrs Whittaker call PC Ellis and probably have them arrested for public indecency – it definitely made Lily a little jealous that she’d not been able to see Henry that morning.

‘Good. Have fun, ladies!’ he called, before jumping back into the SUV and pulling away.