So now she was out at a bar with a group of teachers from school for what they liked to call ‘the unofficial Christmas party’. This was the one without the principal and department heads. It meant they could let their hair down even more than usual. Not that anyone especially had any issues with the heads of the school, it was more that it was hard to completely relax with your bosses around.

She was up at the bar, ordering a round of drinks when she spotted a familiar face across the room. Her brother-in-law, Darren, sitting in a booth with a gorgeous blonde woman.

Andrea smiled, they were looking very cosy and she was glad for him. He hadn’t seemed to have had much luck with women since Charlotte. Usually Andrea would have gone over to say hello, but she didn’t want to interrupt.

She collected the tray of drinks and headed back to her friends.

‘Who was that you were checking out?’ Kelly asked as she reached the table.

‘What are you talking about? I wasn’t checking anyone out.’

‘I saw you looking over at some cute guy.’

‘What? No! That’s my brother-in-law!’

‘Seriously? He’s hot. You sure you picked the right brother?’

‘Hey!’

Kelly laughed. ‘I’m kidding. Tony’s great. I’m just saying . . . man, that brother.’

Andrea laughed despite herself. ‘Yeah, all right, calm down. Looks like he’s hitting it off with someone over there anyway.’

‘Okay, but if it doesn’t work out, introduce me.’

‘No way. You’d chew him up and spit him out. And he’s already had his heart broken.’ Andrea knew that Kelly had dated a slew of men since breaking up with her husband and while there was absolutely nothing wrong with that, she still didn’t want Darren to be one of the men left in her wake.

‘Pfft,’ said Kelly. ‘Any other cute brothers then?’

‘The other one’s taken.’

Drama teacher, Greg, sat down next to Kelly. ‘Who’s taken?’ he asked.

‘Andrea’s being mean with her brothers-in-law,’ said Kelly.

‘I’m not being mean! Pete has four children, including twin babies!’

Greg took a large sip of his wine and then waggled his finger at Andrea’s stomach, while giving her an over-exaggerated wink. ‘Is that a little secret something of your own starting to brew in there that I can see?’

Andrea felt her whole body tighten at the same time as Kelly made a loud choking noise. ‘Are you fucking joking, Greg? You don’t ask a woman that!’

Andrea gave a tight smile. ‘Mmm,’ she said. ‘Super appropriate, Greg.’

‘What?’ he said, letting his wine slosh around in his glass and some splash over the side. ‘Why can’t I ask? A few of us were thinking it.’ It was clear he was more than a little tipsy.