Liv felt something rumble inside her that wasn’t just hunger from the tiny sandwiches. “Actually, Katrina, I do much more than that. I’m Essie’s personal assistant these days. She trusts me with her work and her greatest secrets.”

“Wow,” Marcie said.

“Yeah, like what?” Katrina muttered.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Liv said, enjoying a rare feeling of superiority over her sister-in-law. “If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

Katrina fidgeted on her bed.

“Ooh, exciting,” Marcie said. “How’s things at work, Kat?”

Katrina sighed dramatically. “I can’t wait for Mum and Dad to leave the business. Things need a reboot. I met some marketing guys who said we should switch up our branding, print glossy coffee table books and celeb biographies.”

“That sounds amazing,” Marcie said. “You could start with Essie.”

Liv’s body went rigid.

“Hmm, perhaps,” Katrina said, thinking. “We need new equipment to increase output, too.” She spewed forth with more scattergun ideas.

The more Liv listened, the more her head ached. Perhaps Jake was trying to protect her from hearing this stuff after all. Her sister-in-law seemed to think Paperpress would soon be printing Vogue.

“Why not build up relationships with small independent publishers, to print their books?” Liv said. “It’s less risky and grows the business more gradually. If you fancy doing something creative, you could hold bookbinding workshops. I bet lots of people would love to try it.”

The room fell eerily quiet apart from the sound of whale music.

“Nice ideas,” Marcie piped up.

“Pardon me, Liv. What do you know about business?” Katrina snapped. “Or creativity?”

Liv blinked hard against the cotton wool pads covering her eyes. “Probably more than you think,” she said.

“It’s like me telling you how to mop floors, or clean a sink.”

“I’m only trying to help...”

“Perhaps leave Paperpress to the people who know it best.”

“I’d love to bind a book,” Marcie said. “That’s so cute.”

Katrina let out a huff. “Oh, shut up, Marcie.”

The music went off and the lights came on in the room.

“All done now, ladies,” the therapist said, her arms hanging by her sides. “I hope you’re all nice and relaxed.”

Liv, Katrina and Marcie briskly got dressed and headed toward the changing area for the swimming pool. They stood in individual cubicles where they squeezed into their swimsuits and didn’t talk. Liv scolded herself for even bothering to try and talk sense into Katrina.

When she was ready, she stood on the side of the pool on her own. At least wearing her expensive new swimwear gave her mood a small boost.

Katrina approached her. She ran her eyes over Liv’s swimsuit. “That’s a very nice costume,” she said sweetly.

Liv wondered if she regretted her hostility. “Thanks.”

“Join me in the sauna?”