I started to explain that he was the third child—well, possibly—of a prominent local businessman, that he was married years ago but didn’t have kids, that he was a very good cook.

‘Not those kinds of details,’ she said, waving her hand in dismissal. ‘I don’t care how good he is in the kitchen, I want to know about his prowess in the bedroom. Is he better than my brother?’

‘Hayley!’ One topic we’d always managed to steer clear of was mine and Adrian’s sex life. She shared plenty with me about her sexual escapades, but I listened (and if I’m honest sometimes felt a twinge of jealousy) rather than participated.

‘What?’

‘Have you noticed where we are?’ I gestured to the kids running around madly on the field. ‘Besides, I don’t kiss and tell.’

‘Spoilsport.’ Hayley poked out her tongue.

‘Okay, I will tell you that being with Dan is … amazing. I thought it would be awkward sleeping with someone else—Adrian and I had been together so long we knew what each other liked and didn’t like, or so I thought. But it wasn’t clumsy or embarrassing at all. Dan is a very generous lover and he makes me want to be generous right back. I feel alive in a way I now realise I hadn’t for years.’

‘I’m so happy for you,’ she said, grinning. ‘When can Wei and I meet him?’

‘Meet him?’ I gulped. Meeting the family would feel like serious business and I wasn’t sure Dan and I were at that point yet. We were having fantastic sex and a lot of fun, but neither of us had mentioned commitment or thought about the future. Yet at the same time, I’d love Hayley and Wei to come up to Ragged Point again and see how the shack was taking shape. I’d love her and Jedda to have the chance to get to know each other. If they happened to meet Dan as well, so be it.

‘Come whenever you want.’ Then a thought struck. ‘Why don’t you guys come up for the island ball?’

‘A ball doesn’t sound much fun when I won’t be able to drink. By then I’ll be almost ready to pop.’

I glanced down at her still flat stomach. Hayley had always had a gorgeous figure and you could just tell pregnancy was going to make her look even better. Wei had been over the moon when she told him she was carrying his baby, but due to Hayley’s age—the doctor called her a ‘geriatric’ mum; I know!—they hadn’t announced their news yet.

Hayley liked to party and usually for her that included a drink, but I knew how to twist her arm. ‘But just think of the opportunity for a new frock?’