My weight is unlikely to come back when I can’t eat because of the crushing migraines, but the lie is worth it to see her relax a little more.

“Another reason to hate you,” she says, her eyes gleaming with laughter. She eyes me appraisingly. “You do clean up well, Laurie.”

I look down at my grey suit. “I think that’s mainly because of Hugo Boss.”

“If only he dressed you all the time.”

I raise my middle finger at her. “So, who’s here?” I ask Chris as I hand him my raincoat.

“Mostly work people and a few old friends from uni who I don’t think you’ve ever met.”

“I thought I’d met all of your friends.”

“Not Magnus. He was away in Russia when we got married.”

I freeze. It can’t be him. Surely he’d be dick deep in another twink on a Friday night. “Magnus?” I say in a hopefully careless way.

He nods. “He’s my best friend from uni. You’ve heard me talk about him. He lives opposite Luke.”

I want to scream. I’d never met the man until a couple of weeks ago, and now he’s bloody everywhere.

Chris pauses. “Which means he lives opposite you at present, as you’ve been housesitting. Have you had a chance to meet?”

“Oh, we’ve met,” I say.

My sister darts a sharp glance at me, but Chris immediately grins.

“You’ll get on,” he says enthusiastically. “He’s a fantastic bloke. Very successful QC.”

“Yep,” I say grimly.

My sister starts to say something, but she’s interrupted when the man in question pops his head around the door. He doesn’t see me at first as I’m standing to the side. He’s dressed in a navy suit and looks as perfect as ever. “Are we having dinner?” he asks. “Or was the invite actually for breakfast?”

My sister shakes her head, a smile tugging at her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I forgot the memo about the world revolving around you.”

I laugh before I can help myself, and Mags turns and does a double take when he sees me. “Laurie?” he says. “What are you doing here?”

I gesture at Lennie. “My sister made me come,” I inform him.

He looks at her and chuckles. “Why didn’t I notice the family resemblance? It’s so obvious now that I know the truth.”

“We don’t look the same at all,” my sister says in a puzzled voice.

“Oh, I know,” he says. “But you each definitely got more than your fair share of the bossy gene.”