From across the counter, Chance handed Simi a brimming shot glass. ‘I’m so glad you’re up for this. I love a girl who appreciates a quality spirit.’

‘That’s me!’ she said, sweat beading on her forehead. ‘Down the bottom! I mean up the hatch!’

‘I think I’m allergic to tequila,’ Simi slurred as spittle bubbled in the corner of her mouth.

‘Maybe,’ said Chance as he readjusted his grip of her.

Simi’s head flopped forward onto his shoulder as he ascended the hallway stairs to Jemima’s flat. Thank God he was strong enough to give her a piggyback. In these shoes and this state, she wouldn’t have made it to the station let alone back here.

‘You’re amazing,’ she hiccupped into his ear.

‘Thanks. Is this the one?’ he whispered, stopping outside Jemima’s door.

Simi peeled her head off his shoulder.

‘Yep!’ she said before thumping it back down.

‘Keys?’

‘Yesssss! Keys, keys, keys. Shhhhhhh!’ Simi said shushing herself.

She rummaged in her bag. Finally she found them and jabbed in the general direction of the lock.

‘I’ll do it,’ said Chance, taking them from her.

‘Chance, I think you should do it,’ Simi said as she slid down his back onto the floor.

Chance pushed the door open and hoisted Simi up as best he could. He tucked an arm around her waist and led her through to the living room where she flopped onto the sofa. After removing her coat and shoes, Chance dragged the duvet over her.

‘Okay, mate,’ he said. ‘I’m gonna shoot.’

‘Can you get me some water pleeeease?’

Chance took a deep breath and smiled before going through to the kitchen, quickly returning with a glass. Simi tried to drink but nausea threatened like the growl of an approaching train.

‘You okay?’ said Chance feeling her brow. ‘You’re hot.’

‘Thanks, babes, so are you.’ She winked, stroking his face.

‘No, I mean, you’re sweltering. In fact, this flat is like an oven. I’ll turn the heating down or you’ll get dehydrated and make your hangover even worse.’

‘Thanks, Doc. It’s by the door,’ said Simi gulping down another nauseous ebb.

Chance went over, keeping half an eye on her as he adjusted the thermostat.

‘Would you stay, just until I’m asleep?’ Simi whimpered.

Chance lingered, throwing a furtive look down the hall then back at Simi.

‘Pleeeeease?’

‘Sure.’ He nodded, shaking off his jacket.

Simi listened as the boiler grumbled to stillness and Chance wedged himself on the edge of the sofa on top of the duvet. As she nestled into the crook of his arm, she quickly drifted to sleep.

Simi opened her eyes. Outside it was light but still early. Chance had fallen asleep, arm still around her. He really was lovely. She could see why Jemima liked him. In the cold light of day she could deny that no longer. Equally, only a dunce could fail to see, he liked Jemima too – a lot. As always, however, Simi had fought for a different truth that gave her what she wanted. She gulped as she remembered what Chance had said about Joy, she just decides, it’s you and that’s it. Wasn’t that what she did? In every relationship she ignored the signs – the real signs, because it wasn’t what she wanted. She’d come a long way since cowering in Oscar’s basement yet that deep desperation not to be alone still haunted her. Just days before, she’d been talking about abstaining from men but just like that, she was planning an imaginary wedding. She thought of her cosmic ordering book and the many married name signatures she’d scrawled in it and then crossed out. That was not normal. She thought of the pets and the parties and photos she’d pinned to her vision-board before she’d even had a first date. She was trying to quench a thirst that could never be satisfied. Would she ever find a relationship that would leave her feeling complete?