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I laugh. “I thought you knew. How come you haven’t asked me before? You must be able to guess?”

“Was it the buttercup T-shirt I had when I was younger?”

“Good guess, but no.”

“The fact that it’s one of my favourite flowers?”

I grin. “Nope.”

“My hair?”

“Nope.”

We walk in silence for a few moments, taking in the crowds milling around us. A mixture of supporters and then people limping as slowly as I am.

“You’re going to have to tell me,” she says eventually.

“You’ll work it out one day,” I wink at her. “Let’s get back. I need a long bath and a history documentary.”

“That sounds perfect,” Claire smiles. “And one day I’m going to figure out that reference.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Epilogue

Twelve years earlier

Claire

“I wonder if we’ll ever date anyone as amazing as Westley?” I ask Kath as the credits roll for the second time.

She just gives a wistful sigh and eats another handful of popcorn.

“Did you guys just watch The Princess Bride again?” Tom asks aghast as he walks back in. “You two are so lame. Twice in one afternoon? I left for football and you were watching it. I come back and you’re still watching it.”

“Shut up, Tom!” Kath throws a pillow at him. He plucks it out of the air and flings it back at her before taking a seat on the sofa and stealing some of her popcorn.

I smile over at him. His knees are covered in mud.

“Ugh,” Kath says, scooting away from him. “Don’t get mud on the sofa, Mum will be mad at you.”

“It’s dry,” he complains. “And I’m tired. If I was a handsome knight you’d forgive me.” He props his feet up on the coffee table and lets out a theatrical sigh.

Kath snorts. “If you were a knight, you’d be the one who got immediately captured because you wandered off to look for snacks.”

He throws a piece of popcorn at her. “Rude.”

I giggle again.

“So Claire,” Tom asks me. “If I was captured looking for snacks would you save me or leave me to perish?”

“Perish,” I say, and he laughs and throws a piece of popcorn at me this time.

“Fine, save,” I backtrack. “Definitely save.”

“I knew I liked you,” he tells me. I quickly grab another handful of popcorn so he can’t see my cheeks going pink.

Tom manages to demolish almost all the snacks within a matter of minutes and stands to go to the kitchen to get some more. “Do either of you guys want anything? Kath? Claire?”

“Can I have some water?” I ask him.

“As you wish, Buttercup.”