‘Yup.’

‘My abs are aching in sympathy. Can you stop for a minute, you’re making me dizzy? And I just want to get hold of Zo.’

The growl Malie emitted from the phone reached Lily’s ears and she turned to reach for her own phone. She’d join Victoria on hers for the call, but she wanted to send them the wedding breakfast menu she’d finalized the day before.

‘Stop growling and take a look at this while I get Zo in on the call.’

Lily turned to find Victoria pointing the camera on her phone at her and she was surprised the excited squeal from Malie didn’t blow the poor phone’s speakers.

‘Oh my God, oh my God, Lils! You look amazing!’

‘Ouch, what the hell?’ Zoe’s voice came from the phone.

‘Look, just look at her,’ commanded Malie. ‘Oh, you look so beautiful!’

Lily smiled again, coming to perch beside Victoria, who was sitting in the armchair by the small fireplace. No way was she sitting in this dress, she didn’t want to ruin it. In fact, she should change. But peering at the screen …

‘Zo, are you in a bathroom?’ she asked, squinting at the phone.

‘Er, yeah?’ Zoe replied, looking slightly worriedly at Malie and Victoria.

‘Why? And … where are you?’ Lily asked.

‘Undercover assignment,’ Malie rushed in.

‘What?’ Lily replied, half laughing.

‘Yeah, what she said,’ replied Zo. ‘Is that the bridesmaid’s dress? Is that what we’re wearing, Victoria?’ The conversation quickly descended into fits of giggles and laughter, giving Lily no chance to ask any more questions.

Giving up on her line of enquiry, she pressed send on the email that had the wedding breakfast menu and heard the satisfying ping of it arriving on the others’ phones.

‘What did you just send, Lils?’ Zoe asked.

‘The wedding breakfast menu.’

‘Ohhhhh yeah. OK, spill.’

‘You can read it.’

‘But not while I’m doing crunches and on the phone to you guys. I can multitask but I’m not omnipotent.’

‘Well,’ Lily started, a mischievous light in her eyes. ‘For the first course, we’re starting with recycled mushroom consommé.’

‘Oh … wait, what?’ Victoria started in shock.

‘You knew about that?’ all the girls demanded at the same time.

‘I think at this point, it’s probably best to assume that I know everything,’ Lily said, laughing.

‘Not everything,’ Zoe muttered cryptically.

Lily frowned, but Malie pressed on, ‘What are we really having, Lils?’

She passed Victoria her own phone to read off the screen.

‘Oh wow!’ she cried. ‘Gin-cured gravadlax and crab, goats’ cheese and squash … what is a compression of game?’ she asked Lily over the top of her phone.

‘It’s delicious. I promise.’

‘Lils, this is incredible,’ Victoria exclaimed.

‘There’s a meat, vegetarian and fish option for all courses—’

‘And wine pairings—’

‘Of course,’ Lily replied in mock outrage; anything less would have been unthinkable.