Page 97 of Snowed In with You

‘Well, I’m delighted to be third on that list.’

Lucy punched him playfully on the arm. ‘I just want you to know that, whatever happens, you will always be my best friend.’

‘Honestly, Lucy, you really don’t need to do this.’

‘Yes, I do,’ said Lucy, putting her hand on his arm. ‘I’ve been thinking about what you said on the drive up, and I’ve never thanked you for saving me over the past eleven years. I lost my brother, and found a friend. You’ve never let me down.’

‘It has been my pleasure,’ he said, glancing at her with a watery smile. ‘Genuinely.’

‘But that doesn’t change, if I move away or go travelling or whatever. Friends for life.’

‘Stop it,’ croaked Jonno. ‘You’re making me cry.’

‘Yeah,’ said Lucy, swiftly wiping the tears away with the back of her hand before the floodgates opened again. ‘Me too.’

‘You deserve this,’ said Jonno firmly, placing his hand over hers. ‘You deserve to be with someone who worships you the way I worship Marcia. You deserve to be happy and excited about the future.’

‘I know,’ said Lucy. ‘It took me ages to realise it, but I know that now.’

‘You want to crash in our spare room?’ he asked, as Lucy yawned. ‘Marcia won’t mind.’

‘No, drop me home,’ said Lucy. ‘I need a shower, a glass of wine and some quality masturbation. In that order.’

‘You and me both, babe,’ muttered Jonno.

‘Well, as long as we’re not thinking about the same thing, that’s absolutely fine.’

‘Go to sleep,’ said Jonno softly, reaching over to pat her on the arm. ‘I’ll wake you up when we’re back in Bristol.’

‘You sure?’ asked Lucy. ‘You don’t need me to keep you awake?’

‘Nope,’ said Jonno. ‘I had two Red Bulls from that free bar, I’m absolutely caffeined off my tits.’

Lucy smiled and cranked her seat back, pulling Jonno’s jacket over her to shield her from his icy air conditioning, which he’d set to ‘hypothermic’ to help him stay alert. She let her face relax as the highlights from today drifted through her mind like scenes from a silent movie. In the end it was just Nate singing, and smiling at her, and the heady feeling of being surrounded by friends who wished them nothing but happiness.

‘Lucy, wake up,’ said Jonno, pulling her out of a sleepy fug.

‘Mmm?’ she said blearily.

‘We’re home.’

‘Shit, really?’

‘Sort your face out, you’ve got a visitor.’

‘Who?’ said Lucy, cranking her seat back up.

‘Take a look.’

She sat up and peered out of the window into the murky darkness of the street. It took her a moment to process that it was gone 2 a.m. on a Saturday in July and Nate was waiting on the steps to her flat.

‘Oh God,’ she gasped, her heart pounding. ‘Can you buy me some time? And have you got any mints?’

‘In the glove box,’ said Jonno, driving slowly to the end of the road as Lucy hunted amongst the family detritus for a packet of Polos. She crunched down two and raked her fingers through her hair as Jonno performed a laborious three-point turn in the parking area.

‘Lip balm,’ said Lucy, rummaging in her pocket and unearthing a tube of Burt’s Bees caked in lint. She wiped it off on her coat and hastily applied it. ‘Will I do?’

‘You look glorious, as ever,’ said Jonno, as they pulled up next to Nate. ‘Seems like you might get the live action version of your wank fantasy, after all.’