‘Unless any of you brought a flask?’

John held out empty hands and Patrick groaned.

‘Then it’s carrot juice smoothies or baby bunny punch, pick your poison,’ I told them. ‘The carrot juice smoothie isn’t bad but I’m pretty sure the punch is just loads of Um Bongo.’

‘Fuck yeah,’ Adrian cheered, disappearing to the drinks table.

‘Are you going to tell me all about this incredible party I missed last night?’ Patrick asked. I wasn’t sure if he was speaking to me or John but, since John didn’t look especially chatty, I took the baton.

‘Sumi had a spare ticket so I went with her,’ I explained, rushing over my words. ‘And John was there. Only we didn’t know until the end because it’s in the dark. That’s why it’s a dark disco, you dance in the dark. Anyway, it ends at nine so I was home really early which was really great and we should go together next month, you’d love it.’

Patrick took a moment to let my word vomit settle.

‘What kind of music is it?’

‘They play everything,’ I answered. ‘Pop, disco, dance, everything.’

‘Might not be my kind of thing,’ he replied. ‘But I’m glad the two of you,’ his eyes flicked between us, ‘had fun while I was slaving away over my edits.’

‘We weren’t there together, I mean, we were both there but we weren’t there together,’ I insisted before realizing I was probably insisting a little too much. ‘But maybe we can all go together next time.’

‘I’m going to get a drink,’ John announced, walking away without asking if anyone else wanted anything.

‘I’m sorry, I know he’s part of the gang now and everything but I do not like him at all,’ Patrick said quietly, curling an arm around my waist. ‘Does he think all that brooding passes for a personality? He’s hardly Heathcliff, is he?’

‘Brooding was very sexy when I was a teenager but really, it is a textbook abusive relationship,’ I babbled, happy to pull the conversation in another direction. ‘Heathcliff is an absolute monster. We had a psychiatrist on The Book Report, reappraising Wuthering Heights as a romantic novel. It was fascinating. Heartbreaking if you love the book, but totally fascinating.’

‘Sounds interesting,’ he replied. ‘What’s The Book Report?’

I blinked and smiled. ‘The radio show I worked on in DC?’

‘Of course, I’d forgotten the name,’ Patrick said, pretending to choke back a sob. ‘You’ll have to send me the link to that one.’

Closing my eyes, I leaned into a kiss that quieted my concerns. All those nights I’d lain awake dreaming about him kissing me, why ruin it over a few forgetful moments?

‘Thank you for coming today,’ I said, wiping my lipstick from the corner of his mouth. ‘It means a lot to me.’