‘That I’ve fallen in love with her,’ he says, simply. ‘I’m scared I don’t deserve her and have spent years – decades – thinking I don’t deserve love at all, not unless I’m perfect, and that’s why I don’t let the mask slip … but I am done. I am so, so done. She’s seen more of me than anybody. I want to be with her, Daphne. I want her, and me, and warts and all, just to see. Just to know what it’s like to really, truly try.’

‘Well then,’ Daphne says, her face serious. ‘I’ve only got one piece of advice.’

‘What’s that?’ asks Duke, desperately.

‘GO!’ she squeals. ‘Go! Go! Go!’

It’s not until the lift opens downstairs into the lobby that Duke realises he’s not wearing any shoes. When Daphne had dropped that Diet Coke it had spilled directly onto his Nikes, which had been annoying, yes – but then as Daphne went to pick it up and it exploded all over her, all was forgiven because Duke hadn’t laughed that hard and that long in ages. The way it happened in slow motion – she dropped it, it spilled, he kicked it slightly right as she went to pick it up, and how they both saw their paperwork and both laptops at the same time, Duke registering the look of sheer terror on her face as she sacrificed herself – and her clothes – in the name of preserving what they’d been doing. She got covered. All Duke had to do was take his socks off.

He’s about to hit the button to go right back up to the top floor to get some shoes when he sees her. She doesn’t see him, and so he doesn’t move except to stick out a hand to stop the lift door closing, staying glued to the spot as she stands chatting to Magda and that guy from the service station blizzard, Markus. Markus has his arm around Magda, and everyone is laughing, and then Markus gives Magda a kiss and leaves, the two women watching him go. Magda leans into Evie, giving affection easily, like women often do, and one of them says something that makes them both laugh. She’s incredible. Her tiny, short legs and baggy jumper and her hair piled on top of her head like an afterthought. Duke racks his brains for a killer opening line, for something to really capture her attention … but nada. Nothing. Then Magda spots him.

‘Duke!’ she cries, and Evie turns, looks at him, horrified, and then whispers something with her head bowed to Magda, who looks puzzled and then pulls her waving arm down in a hurry. She looks away too.