“What? Oh, yeah, the orphans’ Christmas was great,” replied Jules.

Lucy, no longer in Jules’s crosshairs, took another big sip of water. The headache tablets were easing the throbbing into a dull ache, but now her heart was racing. Was Jules really angry about her and Will? Of course, she’d been concerned about how Jules might react, but she hadn’t anticipated that it would be so viscerally.

“Um, hello, perhaps you could elaborate?” asked Chloe.

“Sorry. I’m a little fuzzy. It’s late here.” Jules concentrated, picking back over the memories of the day to draw out the highlights for Chloe. “Okay, well, it was a super fun day and the food was incredible and everyone loved their gifts …” She grinned in self-congratulations at her excellent gift selection. “Your friends really made me feel welcome, Chlo.”

Chlo was less than impressed. “Really, Jules? Details, please.”

Jules, fatigue getting the best of her, replied snippily. “Well, okay, here’s a detail. How come you didn’t tell me that Christmas lunch was formal?”

“I told you that.”

“No, I don’t think you did.”

“I told you to pack a nice dress and heels.”

“I thought that was for going out!”

Lucy tutted to herself. How did they always end up bickering like siblings? Or, at least, what she guessed was like siblings. Still, the attention was off her for the moment, so she thought better of mediating like she usually did.

“So, let me guess, you rocked up in a T-shirt and shorts and Ash set you straight,” Chloe teased.

Jules, not wanting Chloe to know how accurate her guess was, replied, “Something like that. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, because I did have a dress, ’cause my bestie told me to bring one. Thank you, Chloe,” she sing-songed.

Chloe grinned, chalking up Jules’s pseudo concession as a win.

“Actually, Matt was wearing the same colour as my dress—pale blue—well, his shirt was anyway, so that was … And, your tree is decorated in all pale blue, so there we are, both matching the tree …” She snorted a tipsy giggle. “Anyway, it was funny.” And he looked incredibly sexy … That smile … delish! The fluttery feeling came back.

A sly smile curled the corners of Chloe’s mouth. She’d heard from Ash and knew all about the thing brewing between Matt and Jules. What she hadn’t known was Jules’s take on it, but that dreamy look on her face said everything.

Lucy watched intently, not sure what was going on. Had something happened between Jules and this Matt person? And if so, why was Jules so stroppy about her and Will? Wasn’t it practically the same thing?

“Matt’s the best,” Chloe wanted to see how Jules would respond to such a generic comment.

“He’s a good guy, yeah,” Jules replied, not wanting to give too much away. She still didn’t know if Chloe and Matt had ever hooked up. The whole “Matt” thing could be a no-go.

“And hot,” prodded Chloe.

Well, crap, thought Jules. She might as well come right with it now. “Chlo, did you and Matt ever, you know …?” She let the thought trail off, hoping it was clear what she meant.