Page 84 of Moonlight Kisses at Willow Tree Hall

‘I’m not so sure.’

‘Grandad might have to get himself a new shed though,’ said Lily.

Annie giggled. ‘He and Arthur are in so much trouble with everyone. Illegal alcohol! Whatever next?’

Lily took a deep breath. ‘Look—’

But Annie interrupted her. ‘So, how are you? And your grandad? I missed all the drama.’

‘We’re much better, thanks. Grandad’s back at home.’ Lily tried again. ‘Listen, Annie, I know that it’s not working out…’

But Annie was yawning and wasn’t really listening.

Lily tried to start again, but Annie blinked back to life and said, ‘Sorry. Complete baby brain. I’m so tired I can’t think straight. What do you need?’

‘I need to hand my notice in,’ said Lily.

Annie’s face dropped. ‘What are you talking about? Have you got another job?’

Lily shook her head. ‘No. There’s nothing else lined up.’

‘Is it the moonshine thing? Because Sam and Will have had a word with Arthur and it won’t happen again, despite what he says.’

‘No, it’s not that either.’ Lily gave her a sad smile. ‘But you must know that it wasn’t working out having me here. We’re friends and I want to keep it that way. But everything went wrong.’

Annie frowned. ‘No, it didn’t.’

Lily laughed without humour. ‘You almost went into early labour because you were so upset about the album launch.’

‘Oh, that!’ Annie waved her hand as if it were irrelevant. ‘That doesn’t matter. We’ll get something sorted. I overreacted.’

‘No, you didn’t,’ Lily told her. ‘You had every right to be upset. I’m too bossy. I took over everything.’

‘Yes, well maybe just a little,’ said Annie. ‘But if you hadn’t got hold of the ambulance and Sam so quickly, I’m not sure what would have happened to me.’

‘You would have been fine.’

Annie bit her lip. ‘I’m not so sure.’

‘I’m so sorry.’ Lily felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

‘Oh, God!’ said Annie softly, reaching out with her hand so that Lily had no choice but to take it. ‘Don’t get me going. My hormones are still all over the place.’

‘I don’t want to lose you as a friend,’ Lily told her.

‘You won’t!’ said Annie, a tear rolling down her cheek. ‘But please don’t go. We need you more than ever.’

Lily sniffed her own tears away. ‘But what if I upset everyone again?’

‘You won’t,’ Annie told her. ‘We’ll muddle through somehow. Please stay.’

‘What on earth is going on?’ said Rose, standing in the doorway and looking horrified at their upset faces. ‘What’s happened now?’

‘Lily thinks she should leave,’ said Annie, the tears now streaming down her face. ‘She mustn’t go. Tell her, Rose!’

‘Of course she mustn’t.’ Rose strode over, whipping out a handkerchief to pass to Annie as she sat next to her on the sofa. ‘Now what’s all this about?’

‘I was too bossy,’ said Lily, wiping away her own tears. ‘I upset everyone by taking over. I know that now.’