We walked towards the car park. Mum had wanted to meet me but Logan and a few of his classmates had won the regional heats in a school science project and there was a presentation to which parents were invited. Since Dad died three years ago, Mum had gone out of her way to try to be there for Logan at anything like this, trying to make up for him only having one parent. I didn’t like to point out that Logan was used to only having one parent around given Dad’s lack of interest when he’d been alive.

‘I’m looking forward to meeting the elusive Scott,’ Karen said. ‘I was beginning to think you’d created a fake boyfriend.’

‘A fake boyfriend? Do people do that?’

‘You’d be amazed. One of my clients told me she wanted to lose weight and get fit for her wedding in four months’ time. The big day came and went and, when I asked about photos, she started crying and admitted that she didn’t have any because she hadn’t got married. I felt terrible. Thought she’d been jilted. Turns out she didn’t even have a boyfriend. Her sole reason for getting in shape was that she wanted to find one, but she’d been too embarrassed to admit that, so this whole wedding lie just spilled out.’

‘No!’

Karen nodded. ‘I know. It’s sad, isn’t it? We talked about how she should get into shape for her and not because she thinks a person she’s never met will like her that way. She did meet someone who liked her for being her, lumps and bumps and everything, and they got married last month. I saw the pictures this time.’

I smiled. ‘Aw, I like a happy ending. Well, Scott is definitely real and he’s definitely coming but he’s stuck in Manchester so he won’t make it until after we’ve eaten.’

‘Bummer.’

‘I know. Leah, Tiff and Drew are all still coming up though.’ My three flatmates had insisted on catching the train up from London to celebrate. They said it was the perfect excuse for a trip to the seaside.

‘Excellent. Any chance that the gorgeous Drew Short for Andrew has renounced his love of men?’

I shook my head. ‘Sorry. Drew Short for Andrew is still very gorgeous and still very gay. And you’re still very engaged, are you not?’

She glanced at her ring. ‘I am and disgustingly happy with it. A girl just likes to know what her options are in case a freak wave wipes out her fiancé in the middle of a beach bootcamp and she needs to find a man with an equally amazing six-pack to immediately take his place.’

We reached Karen’s car and loaded my case and the giant balloon into the boot.