I laugh. ‘Is that part of the oncology training?’

‘No, but my sister’s a beautician, so I know a few tricks.’

I look at her suspiciously.

‘Trust me. If you don’t like it, we can always take it off, OK?’

‘Does this mean we’re actually admitting to being interested in this guy?’ Mike asks.

‘Tilly’s testing the water,’ Sarah says before I have a chance to shut him down. ‘Like her mum said, give the guy a glimpse of the prize and see if he takes the bait.’

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake!’ he exclaims. ‘Apart from the fact that you’ve mangled your metaphors beyond recognition, what does that even mean?’

‘It means that Tilly is going to carefully test whether Will is interested without revealing her hand,’ Sarah tells him archly. ‘If he is then great, but she doesn’t make a fool of herself if he isn’t.’

‘It’s not for Will,’ I repeat strenuously.

‘Of course it isn’t,’ Mike soothes unconvincingly before turning back to Sarah. ‘Does it really have to be this hard though? I’m pretty sure I just told you I fancied you from the outset.’

‘Yes, but the context was different and subtlety has never been your strong point, has it?’ she replies. ‘This is more like a game of poker. We slowly up the stakes until he either reveals his hand or folds.’

‘What if he doesn’t notice?’

‘He will.’

* * *

By the time Sarah has finished with me, I’m on the verge of being late when I pull up outside Jonathan’s house, but I have to admit she’s done a great job. We stuck with the checked shirt, which is tied in a knot at the base, but I’m wearing fitted blue jeans and, having discovered that we have the same shoe size, some brown leather boots that she’s lent me. I have no idea what they cost, but the leather is idiotically soft and comfortable, and I’ve already resolved to try to find a similar pair when I get time. I was initially worried by how much make-up she applied to my face, but the end result is every bit as subtle as she described. My eyes are just a little more defined, without the dark circles underneath that I normally have for a couple of days after night shifts, my lips look a fraction fuller, and my normally slightly sallow skin has a healthy glow. I can’t help taking a look in the rear-view mirror and smiling as I unfasten my seat belt; I have to admit that I do like this version of me. I’ll ask Sarah to show me how to do it myself, I decide as I ring the doorbell.