“Oh, that is lovely. It’s definitely going on the list. Given all our holidays together, it’s hard to believe that we’ve never gone to Australia.”

“Right? Maybe because Chloe always wants to go somewhere new.”

“Speaking of which, I talked to my mum this morning and apparently Chloe went off to London for a few days with Alan—I mean, Archer.”

“Really? So, they’re a thing?”

“Possibly. Do you think we should call her? I’d love to hear all about it.” Lucy giggled excitedly, raising her eyebrows. Her laugh was infectious and Jules found herself grinning, relieved that they were back to being besties again.

“Well, what time is it there?”

Lucy’s eyes flicked to the bottom of her screen. “It’s 8:00am.”

“Let’s do it.” Jules tapped on her phone to bring up Chloe’s profile and connect her to the call. Two rings and Chloe’s face appeared, her eyes wide and her mouth grinning.

“What’s up, bee-arrrches?”

Lucy tutted in mock outrage and Jules grinned back at her. Chloe appeared to be bopping to unheard music, her shoulders working a groove. “Hey, Chlo, you look like you’re in a particularly good mood,” said Jules. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Well, ladies, I suppose the big news is that I’m in lurve.”

If either Lucy or Jules had been drinking something, it would have been a spit-take moment. “Sorry, what?” Lucy smiled. “You are in love?”

“Yep.”

“With Archer Tate?” asked Jules to clarify.

“Uh-huh.” Chloe was still chair dancing, her head bobbling along to a rhythm the others couldn’t hear.

“And, uh, is he also in love?” tendered Lucy. Jules silently gave Lucy props for asking. It was one thing to have a celebrity crush and call it love, but was Chloe talking about actually being in love?

“Yeah, of course.” Chloe stopped her chair dancing. “Ohhh, did you girls think I was just crushing on some poor unsuspecting famous actor?” she asked.

“Well, no, not exactly,” said Lucy.

Jules figured she might as well come clean and raised her hand. “Yeah, I did.”

“Hah! Well, no, it’s way weirder than that.” She filled them in on their jaunt to London, including her two run-ins with Madison and the exchange of “I love yous”.

Lucy and Jules hung on every word, and when Chloe wrapped up her update with, “So, yeah, it’s pretty frigging cool, right?” They both burst out laughing.

“It’s incredible, Chloe!” said Lucy, her enthusiastic voice at full volume.

“Yes, totally. That’s amazing, Chlo.” Added Jules.

There was a murmur from Lucy’s end of the call. She looked off screen and, eyes wide and lips pressed together, looked back at Chloe and Jules. “Um, someone wants to say hello.”

Her screen blurred and a sleepy looking Will replaced Lucy. “Hey, Jules. Hi Chloe.”

“William, hellooo there,” said Chloe, her voice loaded with inuendo. Jules could tell from her expression that she was chanting, “Go, Lucy,” in her head. Jules wasn’t quite that onboard with the “Lucy and Will” thing, but she smiled at her brother.