The two men exchanged a look of perfect understanding. Chris wanted to laugh.

He took the Pinot Grigios and the water back to their table and came back for the three Peronis.

‘You know that bird with the black hair, then?’ The taller of the two boys was looking at him again.

‘What?’ It was a moment before Chris understood that he was talking about Leah. ‘Oh, yes.’

‘She’s well fit.’

‘She’s—’ Chris said, then stopped, realising he knew almost nothing about Leah. She was beautiful, certainly, but she also seemed dull and stuck-up.

‘How old is she?’

‘I don’t know. I’ll ask her,’ Chris told him, amused.

‘We were just discussing phase two of this evening’s revels,’ Will explained when Chris returned. ‘Leah knows some chap who’s DJing at the Hoxton Pony, he can get us free entry. No queuing. You up for it?’

‘Yeah, definitely, count me in.’ Chris slurped at his pint of beer, his good mood returning. ‘Oh, by the way, Leah – you’ve got an admirer over at the bar. Tall boy with the grubby T-shirt. Don’t worry, he is legal. Just.’

For a moment, Leah looked annoyed. Then she realised Chris was joking and her face softened into a brief smile. Her top lip tucked under as the smile widened, revealing a surprising amount of pale pink gum above her teeth.

Suze touched Big Mac’s hand. ‘I’m keen for a bit of dancing,’ she said. ‘That is, if you are, babes?’

Big Mac shook his head. ‘No way. Can’t stand Shoreditch.’

‘I’m coming,’ said Tamsin, brightly. ‘I haven’t been out, as in out out, in like forever.’

Callum looked surprised. ‘But you hate clubs.’

‘Who said that?’ Tamsin frowned at him. ‘I hate some clubs, not all clubs. And I love the Hoxton Pony.’ She produced a small hand mirror from her bag and set about checking her makeup, pinching her eyelashes between thumb and forefinger to get rid of any stray clumps of mascara.

‘Sorry, guys, breaking news.’ Will was reading a text message. ‘Have to take a rain check, I’m afraid. I’ve, ah, got to go see a man about a dog.’

‘Booty call?’ asked Big Mac.

Will passed the phone to Big Mac, who read the message, snickered, and passed it back.

Chris did a round-up, ticking off the names on his fingers. ‘So that’s me, Leah, Tamsin – Callum?’

Callum glanced at Tamsin uncertainly, then turned back to Chris. ‘Yeah, sure. Why not?’

‘My friends are waiting for me.’ Leah pushed her glass of water away, untouched. ‘You lot can come if you want, but I have to get going now.’

She sounded as if she were bored by all of them; and this, somehow, commanded a certain power. Everyone, even Will, hurried to finish their drinks.