‘Yeah, The Fisherman's Arms was buzzing, wasn’t it? We were at a party before that, at my mate Laura’s house.’

‘Was Tom there?’

Tom had been Holly’s crush for years and she’d spilled out all her romantic hopes and dreams to Emma. The pair had been school friends for years but, for Holly, something had changed at around sixteen. She felt they could be more than friends. As yet, Tom had been slow to catch up, or lately even notice her.

‘Ye-es.’ Her answer was noncommittal. ‘He was there, but I might as well have not been, for all the time he spent chatting and canoodling with bloody Kirsty Chase. Okay, so she is the best netball player in the school. And she’s tall and leggy, with silky, long blonde hair. But she can be a bit dim, sometimes.’

‘Ah, I see. Sorry, petal. Doesn’t sound like it was your night.’

‘Not really. But hey-ho … Did you have a nice night? I thought it might have been just you and Alfie and a night in before I saw you?’ Holly looked at her in horror, though that didn’t sound a bad option to Emma really.

‘No, I do have some friends, you know,’ Emma laughed.

‘Oh, I didn’t mean it like that!’

‘I know. Well, I had an early supper with Bev and Pete, and then we met Joanne and a few others for drinks out in the village and then ended up in the Fisherman’s like you lot, of course. It was nice.’

Fine, pleasant, amusing. It didn’t make your toes curl.

‘Yeah, it was a pretty good night. Didn’t feel so hot the next day, mind.’

‘Hah, no, I bet.’

‘So, I’ll come in next Saturday then. What time?’

‘About one-ish.’ Emma pulled a sorry face; frustrated that she couldn’t give Holly more hours. ‘Say one till three. We can sort out the window display if it’s quiet, think of something bright to cheer January up a bit.’

‘Oh yes, I’ll have a think on it. I like being creative.’

‘Fancy a chocolate-orange truffle, Hols? They’re like a posh version of the Terry’s.’

‘Ooh, don’t mind if I do.’

‘We have to check for quality control, naturally,’ Em grinned.

‘Of course.’

One became three each, just to triple-check the product. They ended up with chocolate-smeared lips, grinning like loons.

‘That definitely passes the taste test. Wow!’ Holly was beaming.

Oh, yes. This was one of the best parts of the job – the chocolate tasting!

6

‘January’s doing my head in.’

‘Hello, Bev,’ Emma recognised the voice of her best friend. ‘What’s up?’

‘It’s just so dull and grey. Christmas is over and I have no money left, and no parties to look forward to.’

‘Ah, and we’re only a week in to it, too.’

‘I know, and that’s even more depressing.’