I smiled back at him.

He looked me right in the eyes.

“I will always worship the knees, no matter what anyone else says. Give me a flash to show me you forgive me a bit.”

I pulled my coat up so he could see my knees in the tights.

He went, “Cor.” Then he said, “Look, let me tell you about my girlfriend. We’ve known each other since we were kids. She’s lovely.”

I couldn’t help myself, I said, “Oh, that’s good,” but not in an “Oh, that’s good” way.

He said, “Shhhhh. Let me finish.”

And then he said, “But you’re lovely, too.”

I said, “Huh.”

And he looked at me and said, “And I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was all wrong.”

Oh great, I knew we would get to this bit.

I blurted out. “I told you, it’s not my fault that I don’t know how to kiss properly. I’ve only just learned how to do it. Well, not even now really, but I’ve been practicing on legs and maybe, if I went on to balloons like Ruby said, I …”

Charlie was staring at me.

“You’ve been practicing on legs?”

I nodded.

“Because you thought I didn’t want to kiss you because you were so bad at it?”

I nodded again. And my face felt really hot.

Then he sighed and came over and got hold of me and hugged me to him.

“Oh, Lullah, I’m so sorry. It’s nothing to do with that, you crazy Irish person. I just have to sort things out. I have to see how I feel and then be honest with everyone. I thought about you when I went home. A lot.”

I said, “But you’re with your girlfriend?”

He looked down at his feet.

“She likes me. She’s known me for ages. We got our first bikes together. But, well now, I don’t, I mean I’m here … Look, I feel all mixed up. And I hope you’ll forgive me and will be my friend.”

I looked up at him. He had the dreamiest eyes. I wanted to be an icicle, but I was sort of in a daze like in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Although hopefully I hadn’t suddenly grown a donkey’s head.

I thought I heard a creak somewhere. But then Charlie put both of his hands on the sides of my face. He said, “Lullah, I like everything about you. I like the way you look and your beautiful eyes. You make me laugh, which is bloody nice in a girl. And, by the way, you are a naturally cracking kisser.”

Wow, this was it. A naturally cracking kisser! We have liftoff!!!

I said, “Am I? Really?”

He said, “Yep, really.”

Ooooohhhh.

And I knew he was going to kiss me again.

But then he turned my head down and kissed me on my hair.

He breathed deeply and said, “I have to get back, the dogs will be sent out and I’ll be on hopping punishment until Christmas. Don’t forget me. Be my friend.”