Mia is uncomfortably competitive, a trait I’m quite glad I don’t possess, so when she comes charging over having lost, my main focus is on trying to calm her down and make her realize that it’s only a game. She might have lost tonight, but she’s still very much winning at life.

She takes an unusually large sip of wine and cuts right to the chase.

‘Distract me. Tell me something funny.’

I look up and right, searching for a funny anecdote to distract her with. I could talk to her about my dating life, but that’s more sad-funny than funny-funny, so I opt for something else instead.

‘We’re bringing out a range of edible vitamins, mainly aimed at kids, but they taste a little too good, and some kids are eating far more than they should and are actually changing colour.’ I shrug. ‘Apparently orange is the most vivid.’

Mia looks genuinely aghast. ‘Really? I thought there would be controls on that sort of thing.’

‘Well, there are, and they should only be having one a day, but a lot of the kids in the test group are having to eat the vitamins because their diets aren’t great anyway, so they’re used to eating quite a few sweets and can’t tell the difference.’ I rephrase. ‘Well, they couldn’t tell the difference until they started changing colour.’

‘This is like a real-life chocolate factory situation.’

‘I know, I’m trying to stay out of it.’

‘And dating? How is dating going?’

This will make her feel better about herself. ‘Terribly. The last guy kept making me cheers after every sentence.’

‘That doesn’t sound too bad.’ She’s happily married, so I forgive her lack of understanding. ‘What else did he do? Was he nice?’

‘He was really nice.’ And that was part of the problem.

‘So are you going to see him again?’

I go back to the washing-up so I can avoid looking at her, knowing that my answer is going to disappoint.

‘Oh no. I’ve actually blocked him. He was too nice. And I know I should have messaged him instead of wimping out and going silent, but I couldn’t face turning him down.’ I risk a peek at Mia.

She just sighs.

‘You’re looking for the perfect person, but I don’t think that person exists.’

I have to disagree.

‘I don’t think that’s it. I’m not seduced by the idea of the potentially perfect person who exists just around the corner if only I could be the one to find them, but I’m not interested in dating someone I can’t bear to be around. I want to want to be with them.’ Like Tilly wants to be with Jeroen. Like Mia wants to be with Mark.

Peter’s laugh cuts through the general din, and I look through to the games. He’s playing Scrabble with Isla, who in turn is smiling, no doubt amused by his word choice.

‘Well, sometimes you have to give these things time.’ She starts to help with the washing-up by grabbing a tea towel and drying. ‘When I first started going out with Mark I was so apathetic. It took me about four dates to realize that he was actually OK and then another year to realize he’s actually great.’