Page 72 of Actually Yours

“Of course, they do.” I laugh and inch away from the potentially killer Christmas elves, flopping down on the couch, happy to have escaped their beady little eyes.

Bella drops next to me, pulling a tray from the coffee table over to us. “Pick one.”

She’s arranged what looks like fifteen DVDs on a Christmas platter, like they’re a dessert that you’d bring to a dinner party. It’s confirmed: Bella is a Christmas lunatic.

“Ummm.” I peruse through her selection, each one looking sickly sweet and so not what I need today. “NoHome Alone?”

She bites her lip. “It’s the only one I don’t have, and it’s also the only one anyone ever requests to watch.” She looks aggrieved. “Back home, we don’t see this little boy being left behind by his family as a Christmas movie. We see it as child abuse.”

I hug her close, amused by her look of horror, along with her description of our cultural differences. She’s so freaking delightful.

“OK, I guess we can watchLove, Actually.” She squeals. I guess I chose well. “I’ve never actually seen it.”

She gapes at me for a full minute and I squirm under the intensity of her gaze. Had I known this was a prerequisite to be her friend, I would have brushed up on my rom-com watching.

“Right,” she starts when she’s pulled herself together. “You’re in for a treat!”

Jumping up, she puts the DVD in the DVD player (where they found one of those, I don’t even want to ask) and is chattering away excitedly about Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and “Oh, it’s so good” when her phone goes off.

“It’s my mamma,” she says before answering, immediately launching into fluent Italian. “I’ll be right back,” she tells me, leaving the room, her voice louder when she’s speaking her native language.

With Bella gone, I lean back against the couch and close my eyes. Flashes of Jake’s face closing in on mine: Jake’s lips on my freckles, Jake’s look of disappointment when I left him, have my eyes popping open.Will I ever be able to rest in peace again?

“Are you OK?” Daniel’s voice startles me. “Sorry,” he says as I press my hand to my racing heart. I hadn’t even realised he was at home.

“I’m fine,” I sigh, not even a bit close to fine.

“You don’t sound fine.” He sits down on the couch next to me, a kind look on his face. I’ve always liked Daniel, even before he gave in and fell in love with my best friend. He’s a man of few words, but he’s solid. A stand-up person you know you can depend on.

“It’s boy troubles.” I make a face, embarrassed to admit this to him.

He nods. “I figured.”

We sit in silence. I fidget, picking at my cuticles while he stares at the rows of Christmas lights hanging around his window, appearing slightly baffled by them.

“So, I’m guessing it didn’t work out with Joe?”

I leave my cuticles alone, tucking my hands under my thighs, and look at Daniel. “It did not.”

“Was that because of Jake?”

I must look startled again because he laughs, a knowing laugh.

“How do you know about Jake?”

He gives me a look.

“Bella? She’s got a big mouth.”

“She’s worried about you,” he excuses her instantly. “And she’s also sure that this Jake fellow is the one for you.”

The breakfast muffin, which I’d thought would have been digested by now, takes another spin around my stomach. “It’s not that simple.”

“He’s Robby’s brother, right?” His mouth twists in disgust.

Not a big fan of Robby, it seems.

“Yes. See? Complicated!”

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