‘Eh?’ said Chance.

‘Nothing.’

‘I could barely get through my speech,’ he continued, smiling at the memory. ‘Pete was determined to walk down the aisle despite everyone telling him he wasn’t ready. Even I had my doubts. The whole chapel held their breath as he got out of his wheelchair and onto his crutches. But with each step, the applause and cheers got louder and louder. I swear people in the street must have thought we were watching the footie.’

Chance paused, as though struck by an idea. He reached into his carry-on bag, pulled out a hardback book and passed it to Jemima. Pete Dasos: A Walk on The Mild Side, the cover read. Jemima turned it over in her hands. She had seen it before. She flipped the book over to see who the publisher was. Shit. Hudson Hicks Books – the same publisher as her! She hurriedly handed it back.

‘No, no. Have it,’ he said pushing the book towards her. ‘He decided to write his life story and what do you know, he got published. Look inside.’

Jemima opened the well-thumbed book and Chance leaned across, leafing through to the foreword.

‘He wrote me a frigging dedication. I mean, in my top ten best things ever it’s like number five, four, three, two and one. When I saw it, I cried like a… like a little boy,’ said Chance winking.

But despite his delight, Jemima could see he was welling up. She went back to the book to give him some space. As her hand glided over its glossy sleeve she couldn’t help feel a twinge of jealousy. Hudson Hicks Books often sent her new releases. Jemima always loved a freebie, however, she didn’t appreciate how often Eve Lim, her passively pushy editor would enclose notes pointedly detailing how well each book was doing and how much romance said books contained. It irritated Jemima specifically because romantic storylines had been the source of an ongoing battle between her and Eve since Jemima’s second book a year ago.

And that’s where she recognised Pete’s story and his book from. Eve had sent his autobiography with a note declaring it a veritable love fest which only the stone-hearted would be able to resist. The book had sat unread somewhere in Jemima’s flat since she’d received it. She pushed Chance’s copy into her bag.

‘Honestly, you read that and I promise, you will fall in love.’ said Chance.

Jemima looked up at him, her cheeks suddenly burning.

‘With Pete and Lula…’ said Chance. ‘Anyway, enough about all that. What do you do to keep the wolf from the door?’

Oh brilliant, thought Jemima, her least favourite question. Writer was one of those professions, like actor, where if people hadn’t heard of you they’d silently categorise you a pointless failure and a glassy-eyed indifference would descend. Jemima had even tried lying but that hadn’t worked out.

‘A goat herder? Wow and what do you produce?’

‘Yoghurt and… cheese. Yoghurt cheese.’