Now I knew who he was, I noticed how many people stared wherever he went.

Well, let them look. They could find out who he really was.

“Work. Yeah, totally.” I flashed the quickest fake smile. “Come to think of it, that’s what all my photos with my friends look like too.” I rolled my eyes. “Sorry, not friend. ‘Better Half’.” I was not going to hold back. I couldn’t. “Oh, and nice work on sharing the photos with whoever. Nice touch. Really private.” Joseph took a deep breath in, like he was composing himself. “In fact, why are you even here? Haven’t you got some famous friends to hang out with? Not ‘fans’ like me.” He was leaving the country in a few days; couldn’t he just leave me alone?

“I’m here because I wanted to talk to you.” He paused, his voice serious. “There’s nothing going on with me and Maeve. Never has been.”

“I was wrong about the acting, by the way. You’re actually quite good.”

I was done with this. Time to go. I pressed the lift button.

“Honestly, Mol.”

I tried not to snort. Honest and him did not go together.

“Sure. I heard you tell the interviewer that.” I hated that my voice was wobbling. I hated that I could picture his grin when he’d said it. “Heard you laughing at the ‘just a fan’ you’d been hanging out with.”

“Mols.” Joseph grabbed my arm. I shook his hand straight off me. I wasn’t his to touch. I jabbed the lift button on repeat. “It’s not like that. That photo wasn’t us kissing, it was Maeve and me goofing around. When I said I liked you, I meant it.”

Liked me? Was he really so full of himself he thought I’d believe any of this?!

“And the whole ‘fan’ thing was just to keep you out of it, like I thought you wanted?”

Keep me out of it? Why had he shared our photos them?!

“Fine. Let’s pretend for a second you didn’t kiss Maeve despite the photo of the two of you basically kissing. For someone who really wanted to keep me out of it, sharing our photo was kind of an odd thing to do, right?”

“I didn’t give anyone that photo!” He looked exasperated. Where was this lift? “Molly, please don’t be like this. This is all a mix-up.” He dug his hands in his pockets and looked down. “I really like you. Not Maeve. And I thought you liked me. For me. Even when you thought I was a no one.”

And that’s when I snapped … faster than a Christmas cracker. But with no joke, or hat, or even tiny pencil sharpener.

“A no one, huh?” DING. The lift arrived. “Nice to know that’s what you think of people like me.” I stepped in. “Have a nice life with your famous friends and all your adoring ‘fans’.”

The quicker I could get out of here, get back home, never see him again, the better.

I waited for the doors to close, but Joseph didn’t leave. He didn’t even budge as people pushed past him, getting in next to me. He just kept on looking at me.

“I promise, Mol. I promise I’m telling the truth.” The lift went silent everyone loving being caught up in this drama. “This can’t be how we leave things…”

But the lift doors shut. Just in time. Because my eyes were prickling with tears.

And I had no time left to waste on him. I had to use every second to fix things with Grace.

Grace – miserable back home. Her home without even a single piece of tinsel.

And even though I was in a lift full of strangers, I burst into tears.

CHAPTER

24

I’d been a terrible friend, so the least I could do was be a better big sister. I stuck out Hamleys, and even pretended to be excited about the furry knee-high horse that did fake furry poos.

But the second we were done, I raced down to the river to say goodbye to Harry and Jack before we headed home. Despite everything that had happened, I wanted to say thanks for all their help – especially the prizes for the fundraiser, even if I’d made one big mess of things.

I spotted Harry first. As usual he was goofing around but when he saw me, his smile broke. Guess he’d spoken to Grace. He left his friends and walked over. Had I ruined things with him too? I couldn’t blame him. I’d even blown his last chance of seeing her yesterday.

“Harry. I’m an idiot. I’m going to make it up to her, I promise. And to you. In fact, that’s kind of why I’m here, I’ve got an idea… Well, that and to say goodbye.”

Harry’s face looked all wrong when it wasn’t happy.

“OK.” Phew, he was still talking to me. “I’m not taking sides but … this better be good.” He paused. “As in the idea, not the goodbye. That can be anywhere from average up.”

He smiled. And so did I, relieved to have not lost another friend too.

“Well, the goodbye will be adequate and the idea is the best one I have.” I had no clue how he’d react, but with Grace not talking to me, it was the only thing I’d come up with so far to try and start putting things right. Instead of just sending her apologies or baking guilt cookies, I was going to raise more money for Grampy G’s fundraiser, more money than Grace could ever have dreamt of. “What would you say if I asked you if you knew of a way of getting the login for the official Sleigh Another Day social accounts.” I paused. I knew Harry had helped Elijah out with them the other day, so had access, but I also knew Elijah had sworn him to secrecy.

“Oooooh.” Harry took a sharp breath. “I’d say the only way I can think of right now would very much end in Elijah knowing full well where you’d got it from and promptly telling my mum that I had actually gone to all the secret cast and crew parties I promised her I hadn’t, and me being grounded till summer.”

Yup. I had a feeling he’d say that. Oh well, it was worth a try. “OK. Well, that sounds awful. Definitely don’t do that.” I was done with causing problems for people. “I was just thinking of how I could raise shed loads of money for Grampy G and some unauthorized posts on the official accounts was the best plan I had.” My idea had been to talk (well, beg) Elijah into letting me put up all the movie stuff Joseph had given us online, making one big public raffle, and promoting it on their social. Guess I’d just have to think of another idea.

“Gotcha.” Harry nodded. “If I can think of a way to help, I will.”

And, unlike Joseph, I believed him. Harry really was not a Simon. I gave him the biggest hug and said bye. It was weird, all this time I’d been looking forward to putting everything to do with the film behind me, I hadn’t stopped to realize it would mean saying bye to some good things too. And it was time to do another. I headed up the steps to the make-up trailer, ignoring a picture of Joseph and Maeve taped up on the wall.

“There are some things concealer can fix.” Jack looked up from his laptop, opening his arms up for a hug. “And there are some things that…”

But I’d already run over for a cuddle and stayed there for at least a minute. Jack made me feel like there was no pressure to explain or speak. I could just be sad. And I was really, really sad.

“For what it’s worth, I really did think – do think – Joseph likes you.” Jack leant forward, wiped under my eye and plonked me down into one of his spinny chairs. “Although, let’s change the subject as that mascara does not look waterproof.”

“It’s fine.” He didn’t even know about Grace. “I just came to say bye.”

“Already? I thought you coming to the big crew party tonight?” Everyone was having one big blowout before they finished up on the film or headed to Lapland for the final screening event.

“Change of plans. I need to get back ASAP. Sort something out.” I sighed. “I kind of messed up with Grace.”

Jack raised an eyebrow. “You wanna talk about it?”

I shook my head. “Nope.”

He rubbed my arm. “Well, hang in there, Little Elf. Cos cute boys and girls and enbys, well … they come and go. But friends like you two? Sure, you can have bumps but you can also figure it out.” He paused. I wanted so hard to believe him, but right now it felt patching things up would take a Christmas miracle.

“You really think so?”

“Course,” he said softly. “We all make mistakes; we’re human. I mean … I don’t even want to show you the spotty trousers I wore to my first red carpet.” Jack laughed. I was really going to miss him. “But you two will be OK. I saw those pictures of you posing it up in Edinburgh, and don’t even try and tell me they weren’t the cutest.”

I laughed. He made me feel like maybe it could be OK.