‘Zen!’ Sam cried, but Chloe laughed. ‘I kept trying to say, but when you all assumed I was forty … well, the moment never seemed right to tell you and to be honest, forgive me, Troy and Evie, but fifty does seem old. With all the other stuff going on in my life, I don’t really think I wanted to own up to it … it is half a century after all …’ She finally had the courage to meet Drew’s eye. She smiled at him. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t honest. I truly am. I hope you can forgive me.’

Drew’s mouth twitched briefly. ‘I guess this really does call for a drink,’ he said and walked into the kitchen.

Chloe’s heart sank a little. Of all the people she should have been honest with, Drew probably deserved it the most and now she’d well and truly lost his respect.

‘Oh shit. This was meant to be a party not a wake. Cheer up, everyone!’ she said.

Her joke unleashed a torrent of relieved laughter. Chloe’s eyes were moist, but she also felt as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. No more having to pretend that everything in her life was rosy, no more putting on a show … but there would be questions, she knew that, lots of questions, some of which she couldn’t or wouldn’t want to answer.

‘I don’t know about you lot, but I think we all need another drink after that,’ said Evie. ‘And Chloe most of all.’

‘Thanks, Evie. And I know that being the lovely people you are, you’ll want to help me and ask me more. That’s fine, I need all the help I can get, but for this evening, can we forget about my problems and focus on enjoying ourselves? It’s not every day I’m going to reach my half-century so, please, everyone, let’s get the party started.’

Zennor and Ben opened the bottles and started refilling glasses, while Sam and Gabe plated the tarts and vegan fudge cake.

Drew handed Chloe a fresh glass. ‘Well done. Do you feel any better?’ he said quietly.

‘Maybe. A problem shared is a problem doubled, or octupled in this case. Or something. But I feel I’ve let you down. I wanted to say something when we were at your house.’

‘Why didn’t you?’ Drew asked.

‘I thought I’d shocked you enough for one evening.’

‘The kiss didn’t shock me. Nor your news about Hannah and neither would I have been bothered to know your real age.’

But he was bothered by her deception? Chloe didn’t blame him. ‘I’m sorry for that. I wasn’t thinking straight. That’s no excuse.’

‘We all make mistakes,’ he said.

‘Thanks,’ she said, but she was by no means sure that he’d forgiven her. ‘Where’s these puddings, then?’ Troy called from the balcony.