Still, maybe a distraction was something Ash needed. She clocked the wistful look on Ash’s face. “So, you’re into him?”

“Maybe. But what are you not saying?”

Ash knew her tells too well, but there was no way Chloe was going to spill about what she was actually thinking. “Uh, nothing, it’s just … maybe it’s the name—Carl,” she said, going with something that was partly true; she didn’t like the name.

“Oh, come on. What’s wrong with ‘Carl’?”

Good, she bought it, Chloe thought. “Eh, it’s like Kevin, or Bruce—just …” She mimed shivers running up her spine.

“Carl in Love, Actually is the hottest guy in the movie,” countered Ash.

Chloe chuckled to herself. “Yeah, true. Oh, wait, there was Andrew Lincoln too—”

“But he played the shitty best friend who was all stalkery with Keira Knightley.”

“Also true. Anyway, I’ll concede that sometimes ‘Carl’ is the hot guy.”

“So, do you think he was acting weird?” asked Ash.

“I really don’t know … maybe?” Ash looked crestfallen. “Look, I promise to pay more attention to the ‘Carl’ situation and, if needed, I’ll be your wingman.”

“Wingwoman.”

“Yes, that,” she said, succumbing to another yawn. “Sorry, Ash, I’ve got to go to bed.” Chloe stood and stretched her hands above her head. A full day of work, then an evening event—even though Ash had been on point and she’d only played a supporting role—had left her exhausted. Ash must have been shattered too, only she had picked up the remote and was scrolling through Netflix, so maybe not.

“Night, Ash.”

“Night. And thanks again for all your help tonight.”

“For sure. It was a great event.”

Just as Chloe loaded up her toothbrush with toothpaste, she heard her phone ring from her room. Toothbrush in hand, she raced in, grabbed the phone and tapped the green button just before it went to voicemail. “Hello?” she said.

“Chloe, it’s Mum and Dad.”

“Oh, hi, what’s up?” It was a little unusual for her to get a call from her parents at 10:30pm on a weeknight.

“We have some news, love,” said her dad. Well, that sounds ominous, she thought as she plonked down on the end of her bed.

“O-kay,” she said, her stomach tightening.

“It’s about Christmas …”

Chapter 4

The May Ladies

“Chloe, your camera is turned off.” Lucy frowned at the screen.

“It isn’t. It’s just the middle of the night.”

“It’s 6:00am there. It’s hardly the middle of the night,” said Jules.

“Is it too early? Should we call back in an hour?” asked Lucy.

“She called us, Lucy. Chloe, turn on a light.”

Chloe was abruptly illuminated and blinked into the camera. “Happy?”

“Ecstatic. So, bad morning?” Jules knew her tone was borderline snippy, but she’d had a particularly shitty day.

“Yes. It’s a sucky morning, actually,” Chloe whined.

“What’s wrong?” Lucy’s confused frown morphed into her concerned one.

Chloe sighed dramatically for effect. “It’s my parents …” She wiped sleep from her eyes, oblivious to the horror on her friends’ faces.