My conversation with Andriu ends abruptly when Emily pulls her stool over beside him. They both seem very familiar with one another. I want to join in and laugh and pretend I’m enjoying myself, but what Andriu said about Faye is worrying the hell out of me. I really hope I get a chance to tell her I did not sleep with her boyfriend. I would never do anything to hurt her. I pull my seat back to make room, because Emily is almost sitting on Andriu’s knee. If Faye thought I had betrayed her, it would explain why she left so abruptly and never returned any of my calls. But why didn’t she confront me? I know she never bought into forgiveness. Faye was a ‘one strike and you’re out’ kind of girl but this was me. Tara. Her best friend. Why was she so quick to believe it without even giving me my chance in the dock?

Pushing her blonde hair off her face, Emily leans forward, smiling, and tells Andriu it’s lovely to meet him again. She asks him all the right questions, about his job, how long he is in Dublin for, whether his hotel is nice… All the questions I should have asked him but the truth is, I wasn’t interested in the answers to those questions.

The only thing I’m interested in finding out from Andriu is what he knows about the Avril Ryan investigation. What did the police say to him and has he any idea what Avril Ryan was doing in Huntley Lodge? Everything else he has to say seems surplus to my curiosity. He made light of what the detectives asked him which leads me to believe he isn’t worried about them. Not like me. I’m worried sick. I think I’m the one they’re focusing on.

We’ve been here for hours now and everyone is at their loudest, vying to be heard over the laughter and music. Lucas is looking at me from the far end of the table. His eyes are glossed over from too much beer. He mimes a kiss in my direction and I send him one back. He’s the only thing keeping me sane at the moment.

Amy is currently tapping her fingers on Ryan’s leg for some reason. He seems to be as interested in her as she is in him. Maybe they’ll become an item and Amy won’t want to move to Australia next year. I was delighted when she suggested she might come over but now I’m not as fearful of being on my own over there. I might even prefer it.