‘I forgot, Hannah has a… thing we have to go to,’ Rosie answered quickly, before Hannah could tell him the truth.

‘A thing?’ As he glanced between the pair of them, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He seemed pleasant enough, but Hannah could hear the edge in his tone.

‘Yeah.’

‘But—’

‘So it was lovely meeting you and thank you for last night, but we need to go.’

‘I was going to make you breakfast.’

‘We can do that another time. Call me.’

Rosie was already hurrying around the car and climbing into the passenger seat.

‘You never gave me your numb—’

The door slammed shut, cutting off the end of Doug’s sentence.

‘Seriously, Rosie?’ Hannah hissed as she wound her window up. ‘I thought you were in danger.’

‘Go. I’ll explain on the way back.’

Josh had warned her, but Hannah hadn’t listened. She slammed the gearstick into reverse, knowing she only had herself to blame.

‘You’re mad at me,’ Rosie said, as Hannah backed out of the drive. Doug was standing on the front step watching them, a frown now on his face.

‘I thought you were in trouble. I nearly called the police.’

‘I never said I was in trouble. You assumed I was.’

‘Are you surprised? You let me think you were. I thought it was an emergency.’

‘Well it was.’ Rosie’s tone was turning petulant. ‘I didn’t want to be there. I should never have gone home with him.’

‘So why did you?’ Hannah asked, exasperated.

‘Last night, it seemed like a good idea, but then I woke up in his bed this morning and I panicked. You know what I’m like when I’ve had a few drinks. My judgement goes out of the window and I can’t help myself.’

‘Maybe you should give the alcohol a break then.’

‘Crikey, Hannah. You’re not my mother.’

‘I’m not trying to be.’ Hannah bit her tongue, resisting the urge to point out that she had just come and picked Rosie up at her insistence. Exactly the sort of thing a mother would do.

‘Well, can you stop laying into me please. My head is pounding.’

Serves you right. She didn’t say the words aloud, knowing what Rosie was like when she was in one of these moods. There would be no rationalising with her. Her friend could be the sweetest, kindest, and most thoughtful person, but she also had a self-destruct button.

Not good when there were a lot of people out there willing to take advantage of her.

She didn’t even bother to ask where Rosie had met Doug or why she was out drinking heavily on a Sunday night. It was a regular occurrence with Rosie and the bars in Norwich were a home away from home for her. The only thing that ever differed were the men she hooked up with.