At one point, Lewis’s brother, Danny, the one who was with Lewis at the club that night they met, catches Yvonne’s eye and frowns, as if trying to place her. Eventually he must realise, as he covers his mouth and laughs.

‘Yvonne?’ Emma pokes her in the side to get her attention. ‘I’m talking to you and you’re—’

‘What?’

Emma wide-eyes her, ‘You’re on another planet today. Are you listening to me at all?’

‘Sorry, it’s this weather. This humidity gives me a headache.’

‘So, drink something other than wine,’ she pulls the cup from Yvonne’s hand. Emma looks across at Lewis, as he chats with his friends. ‘He’s hardly even spoken to me.’

Of course he hasn’t. It’s too awkward with Yvonne there. What was she thinking coming along?

‘I thought he was going to introduce me as his girlfriend.’

‘Really?’ Even she can hear the mild panic in her voice.

The corners of Emma’s lips are going purple from the wine. ‘No. I guess not girlfriend exactly, but you know, at least a special friend.’

Yvonne laughs. ‘Special friend?’

Emma sticks her tongue out to one side and slaps one hand with the other.

‘Stop it. That’s not funny.’

Emma looks over again at Lewis. ‘I feel like he’s ignoring me, like he’s changed his mind.’

‘About what?’

‘About me,’ Emma snaps, ‘about liking me.’

‘Why do you care so much?’

‘Because,’ Emma starts then stops to finish the contents of her cup. ‘Forget about it.’

Why is she acting like this? Yvonne’s never known a guy to hold Emma’s attention for so long. And she’s definitely never wanted to be anyone’s ‘girlfriend’, not in the three years they’ve been friends.

Yvonne shifts in the plastic chair, it’s humid and her skirt sticks to her thighs. ‘You really like him, don’t you?’

Just then Lewis turns in their direction and begins to walk over. Emma smiles as he kneels down in front of her. ‘And how are the students doing over here?’

‘Good. Except I’m worried about having to eat a bowl of coleslaw for dinner,’ Emma says as she flicks her hair over a shoulder.

He smiles and rubs his hands along Emma’s thighs. ‘It’s a strong possibility. We’re not used to having to feed your kind.’

‘Lewis, you’re joking, right? Your brothers literally sprinkled bacon on every salad over there.’

He pulls her to standing, ‘Course I am. My mum’s put some stuffed peppers in the oven. You can eat that, can’t you? My dad grows them himself up at the allotment. So they’re organic too. I know you posh girls like that.’