She hadn’t tried to make contact with her friend since seeing the photo of her and Miles on Facebook, but whenever she thought about her own wedding, she couldn’t help but want Jane by her side. Maybe this was the olive branch they needed.

Her hands shook as she pulled out her phone.

‘Jane, I think …’

Delete.

‘Hey, Jane, just thought …’

Delete.

Argh. The right words were not easy to find. Maybe there were no right words. Maybe there were just honest words.

‘Jane. I miss you. If I upset you, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Mark and I have set a date and I really want you to be part of my wedding. Please respond.’

With the text sent, Nicky felt a sense of relief.

The words flowed more easily then and by the afternoon she felt she had a handle on the beginning of her new manuscript. She made a cuppa and sat on the balcony of the apartment looking out to the street below. A fire engine screamed past, people rushed along the footpath with their heads down, taxis beeped their horns.

Mark would be pleased with her writing progress today. Every morning as he left for work he’d say it was a great day to write. Every night he’d come home and ask how she did. When she moaned she had writer’s block he’d say, ‘If you didn’t dwell so much on the block, you might be able to shake it off.’ When she scowled at him in response he’d embrace her. ‘I just know how talented you are and I can’t wait to read your next book.’

She really needed to think of a way to thank him. He believed in her. Her writing. It was only a month till his birthday and she wanted to get him something wonderful.

After an hour searching the net for unique gifts, everything seemed just a little bit naff. Then it hit her. A holiday. A mini weekend getaway somewhere romantic, somewhere exclusive.

She researched locations and hotels and in the end decided on the stunning mountain lodge overlooking a valley in the Blue Mountains. It was a lot more than she would normally be comfortable spending, but she had to make this birthday special. It wouldn’t hurt to dip into their savings a little.

Her phone beeped with a text and her heart soared with the hope it might be Jane.

But it was Mark. His late meeting tonight had been cancelled. He was going to grab a quick drink at the office and be home earlier than expected.

Well, at least that was something.

She turned back to the computer screen and clicked the ‘book’ button for the hotel. Yes, this was just what they both needed.

At the checkout page her debit card was declined. Strange. There should be more than enough to cover it. She tried again. Nope.