In that moment, Lucy just wanted to go home.

Somehow, she managed to keep it together, helping clear away the detritus of present unwrapping and playing a lengthy game of Trivial Pursuit in which she came second to Briony, who was, it turned out, something of a trivia savant.

She even put on that ridiculous snowsuit so she could build a snowman in the front garden, like she’d promised herself. Bridget joined her, and they chatted companionably about their favourite novels while they rolled three large balls of snow and hoisted them into place. After putting the finishing touches on their “snowperson”, as Bridget called it, Lucy pushed aside her sense of ill ease and smiled broadly for a photo.

But in the early afternoon, as Nate’s phone was passed around and she could hear Jules’s voice, Lucy realised with a jolt that she’d practically slept-walked through the day—Christmas Day—the white Christmas she’d been excited about for months. She’d also spent the morning steering clear of Will, not wanting to encourage him, or pursue whatever was budding between them—lovely, lovely Will, who’d done nothing wrong.

So, even though Lucy knew it would upset Jules that she didn’t want to talk to her, she didn’t care. What had started out as concern that something between her and Will could affect her friendship with Jules, had morphed into something else since their Christmas morning video call.

Lucy was furious with her BFF.

At times, she’d wondered if this day would ever come. Twenty-two years of friendship and the three of them had never really quarrelled—she didn’t count the sisterly bickering that Jules and Chloe seemed to relish. What surprised Lucy most, however, was that it was Jules who had tipped the scales. Surely, if anyone was going to enrage her at some point, it would be Chloe, but Chloe had been the empathetic one.

As Will got up from the sofa and left the room to talk to Jules, Steph caught Lucy’s eye. Lucy looked away quickly, suddenly riveted by the pilling of her jumper.

“Lucy, come with me,” said Steph from behind her. It was practically a whisper—not a command as such, but a warm summoning. Lucy stood and followed Steph into a little room off the foyer, a study. Lucy had known it was there but had never been inside. Steph closed the door behind them, then sat on the office chair next to the desk, swinging it around to face the centre of the room, and Lucy curled up in the comfy armchair opposite.

“This is my little sanctuary when I need to get away from … well, from all that.” She waved her hand in the direction of the front room.

“It’s nice. Quiet.”

Steph smiled. “Nate got his kitchen. I got this. Anyway, that’s not why I asked you to come in. Although, I should say, that you’re welcome to escape here any time you like—to read, or … whatever.” Lucy looked out the narrow floor-to-ceiling window and marvelled at how the sunlight made the snow clinging to the trees twinkle like fairy lights. She breathed out a long, slow breath.