She sighed and I waited for a lecture but she looped her arm through mine instead and slowly pulled me along the promenade. ‘I suppose you have a good excuse but I wish you’d waited until you got here before drowning your sorrows.’

‘Sorry. It helped.’

‘Good. Fortunately, Hailey and Zack are well-oiled too so hopefully they won’t notice the state of you.’

‘Where’s Dad?’

‘Roped into barbeque duty.’

‘There’s a barbeque? In November?’ I sniffed the air and realised I could smell sausages and burgers.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Five of them. It’s all got a bit out of hand if you ask me but she was their daughter so it’s up to them how they recognise the year’s anniversary.’

There must have been about sixty or seventy people milling round in front of the beach huts, on the promenade, and on the beach. Small gathering my arse.

‘I need a beer,’ I said.

‘I could do with one myself but I agreed to drive. Being drunk is probably the best way to get through these shenanigans.’

Hailey spotted us and made a beeline for me, arms outstretched. ‘He’s here!’ she cried. ‘Everyone! Sam’s here!’

Cue sympathetic looks from every direction. Nudging. Whispering. Arse!

‘Would you like a drink?’ she asked, releasing me.

‘Yes. Definitely.’

A woman I’ve never seen before thrust a lager into my hand, then Hailey grabbed my arm and proceeded to parade me around, introducing me with the same cringeworthy statement: ‘This is Sam, Nikki’s fiancé. He was so grief-stricken, he had to leave Whitsborough Bay.’ Cocked heads, sympathetic smiles, watery eyes. I couldn’t bear it. Out of respect to Nikki, though, I let the charade continue and repeated to stranger after stranger, ‘It’s been a difficult year.’

Someone pressed a plastic cup into my hand. I turned round. ‘Dad?’

‘Vodka and coke,’ he said. ‘Thought you might need something stronger to get through this.’

I nodded then knocked it back in one. Thanks to the long walk, the beer buzz had faded and I needed something else to take the edge off.

‘She’s introduced you to the world and his wife now,’ he said. ‘I think you’re safe.’

‘It’s hideous,’ I whispered.

‘I know. Another?’

‘Hell yeah!’

He returned with another and I knocked it back in one, coughing. ‘What was that? Paint stripper?’

Dad laughed. ‘I might have been a bit generous with the vodka but not the coke.’ He winced when Zack shouted his name. ‘Barbeque duty calls. Yippee! Drinks are on a table outside their beach hut if you want another.’

‘I’m good for now. Can you take this?’ I handed him my empty cup. ‘Do you think they’d notice if I left?’

He shrugged. ‘I think Hailey’s done her bit with you but I reckon you should stick it out for a bit longer. If you can cope with it.’