‘Oh, Pete, I’m so sorry. I can’t leave the hospital. I have to stay with him,’ Liv said because what else could she do? This guy had saved her life. If anything happened to him when she was stuffing herself with turkey and binge-watching Christmas specials, the guilt would surely kill her.

‘There’s nothing to feel sorry for. I get it; it’s typical of you,’ Pete said, ‘last woman standing. You’d never desert your post.’ Of course, it was what they all expected of her and she knew it wasn’t necessarily a good thing for her own happiness. Liv had always been the one to wait up until morning if a sheep had looked like it might be in for a difficult night in labour when she was still at school. And even, on their school trip, she’d been the one to stay behind and sit with the awkward girl who’d broken her leg, just getting into her skis.

‘Oh God, I feel awful now. You stayed on especially to give me a lift home.’

‘Honestly, Liv, it doesn’t matter. I’d prefer to drive on the quieter road anyway.’

‘At midnight on Christmas Eve?!’ She was laughing, in spite of the fact that her breathing was ragged with shock, and she might just as easily cry.

‘Do you want me to come over there? You sound as if… Are you sure you’re all right?’

‘Ah come on, Pete, I’m in a hospital. I think someone will notice if I need to get looked at.’ They both laughed at this, but she had a feeling that she hadn’t really assuaged his worry.

‘I don’t mind staying in Dublin with you, if you feel a little… I mean, going home to an empty flat has to be a bit…’ That was typical Pete, only thinking of everyone else.

‘Don’t be daft, you have to go home and have a proper Christmas—’ She stopped, because she was still a little worried about him. It was crap breaking up with your girlfriend just before the holidays. No matter how much he told her not to worry, she couldn’t help it. He’d accused Liv of turning into an old mother hen a week ago, so she was reluctant to even mention Anya now. She promised herself she would send him lots of funny texts and memes over Christmas to keep his mind off things.