Lucy scrunched up her nose, as though she’d smelled something bad, but Chloe just laughed. “Actually, a tiny part of my brain has considered that. And I am not proud of this—and I’ll only ever tell you two—but how cool would it be for Gia DeLorenzo to open up a copy of Women’s Monthly and see photos of me and Archer all dressed up at some premiere?”
“Who the hell is Gia DeLorenzo?” asked Jules.
“High school bully, remember?” replied Chloe. “The one that sat behind me in Maths class and put gum in my hair.”
“Oh, that’s right, Chloe, how horrible,” cried Lucy.
“Eh, I got over it … mostly.” Chloe grinned at her besties, and Lucy returned the smile with a slightly sad version. Jules fixated on Lucy’s face, again feeling a pang of guilt for being such a shit.
“Hey, Luce, have you looked outside yet?” Jules asked. She decided she’d be extra sweet to Lucy for the rest of the call. It was a start.
Lucy’s mouth popped open and she shook her head. How had she forgotten? She pushed aside the duvet and ran to the window, pulling the curtains aside. “Oh,” she sighed, clutching both hands to her chest and her phone along with them.
“Luce?” she heard Jules’s muffled voice and looked into screen.
“It’s beautiful, look.” She swivelled the camera so Chloe and Jules could see. The ground was blanketed by snow, fondant covered mounds peppered across the landscape. A range of snow-dusted mountains stood proudly in the distance, and the brilliant blue of a cloudless sky contrasted starkly against the white of the snow and the deep, dusty green of the conifers.
Tears prickled Lucy’s eyes, which was silly, really. She’d had this exact view since she’d arrived. But now it’s Christmas and that makes it even more special.
“I’m going to make a snowman!” she declared, climbing back into the snuggly bed. She swivelled the camera back to catch her friends laughing, possibly at her. “Not right at this minute, of course, sillies, but today. In honour of my first proper white Christmas in, well, practically forever.”
“Well, take lots of pics. As you predicted, it is grey and wet here. It hasn’t stopped raining all day. But at least it didn’t rain during the fair yesterday. Maybe that was our Christmas miracle,” said Chloe.
“I knew you’d love the fair, but I didn’t think you’d end up running it. Sorry about that, lovely.”
Chloe waved off the apology. “I had a ball, to be honest, and I got to know Archer’s mother a little. Cecily.”
“Oh, she’s scary.”
“Archer’s mom is?” asked Jules.
Lucy nodded slowly, eyes wide, and Chloe laughed. “She’s okay. I kind of like her.”
“Maybe it’s because you can be scary, Chlo,” teased Jules.
“Moi?”
“Oh, yes, that will be why. Two peas in a pod,” added Lucy, giggling.
“Hey, Lucy, I just remembered, your mum said something about your new boss, that things have been kinda shitty for you at work lately.” Lucy’s elated expression dissolved, and Chloe knew that with one thoughtless comment, she’d put a dampener on Lucy’s day.
“Sorry, Lucy. We’ll talk about the work thing another time, okay?”
Lucy nodded numbly, a tiny frown between her brows. Chloe willed Jules to step in and, thankfully, she picked up on it.
“Sure, Luce, don’t worry about all that now. You’re gonna have a great day with my family. Tell them I’ll call them tomorrow, okay? I mean, my tomorrow.” Lucy’s mouth pulled into a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes, and Jules knew that it was her fault. She’d have to fix things with Lucy, but not right now. She could barely stay awake. “Okay, well I’m gonna sign off now, girls.” She stifled a yawn. “Have a very merry Christmas. I love you.” She waved into the phone and ended the call.
“Lucy?” Chloe was hellbent on making amends. How had she been so insensitive as to bring up the work thing today of all days? What was wrong with her?
“I’m fine.”
“O-kay.” Chloe wasn’t convinced.
“You don’t have to treat me like I’m this fragile little thing, Chloe.” Lucy saw Chloe bite her lip. “Sorry, that was a bit rude.” She blew out a short, sharp sigh, and Chloe waited. Clearly, Lucy wanted to say something else. “Why was Jules such a cow about me and Will?”
“Is that what’s bothering you? Or is it the work thing?”
“It’s, well, it’s both, but I don’t want to think about my job right now. Besides, the more pressing thing is Will. I have to go downstairs this morning … and it’s Christmas … and he’s so lovely and so scrummy. And now I feel like I’ve totally stepped in it.” She knew she was whining, but she didn’t care.
“Oh, Luce. Maybe Jules is just being a big sister, you know?” Lucy’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t buying it. “Look, do you want me to talk to her?”
“No. I’m a big girl.”
“I know that, Lucy.”
“I just … Jules is one of my best friends, and even she doesn’t think I’m good enough for her brother.”
“I’m sure that’s not true. There’s something else going on.”
“It doesn’t matter, anyway. It really is just a bit of fun.” Hearing the lie out loud made Lucy feel even worse.
Chloe wished more than anything she could give Lucy a hug. “Luce?” Lucy blinked back tears—again. Why was she so emotional? Maybe it was the hangover. “Lucy, tell me.”
It wasn’t the hangover.
“I like him, Chloe. A lot. And what if something actually does happen between us? And what if that messes up my friendship with Jules?”
“Look, if something more serious happens, then Jules will just have to get over it. Okay?” Lucy, unconvinced, said nothing. “I love you, Luce. It will be okay.”
“I love you, too. And thank you.”
“Do you want to talk to your mum and dad now?” she asked brightly. Relieved, she saw Lucy perk up a little. “Hang on, two secs.”
A smile broke across Lucy’s face as her mum
