Joel runs through a quick briefing, which makes paddle boarding sound very straightforward.

‘OK, so we’re going to take this slow. To start off, we’re just going to go on our knees.’ Joel’s slipped into full instructor mode. ‘Ready?’

‘On my knees,’ I repeat, cursing past Edie and how she’s got me into this mess.

I look at the water that appears so calm and still. Maybe it won’t be so bad after all.

Verity’s already drifting away from the shore. She’s up on her board in no time, making it look effortless.

‘It’s all about balance, right?’ says Miles, pushing off on his knees. He’s drifting out towards Verity and she starts to give him tips on how to stand up. Joel looks out at them like he’s itching to join them, and he climbs on his knees, about to push away, when he turns back to me. I still haven’t even put my board in the water.

‘Don’t forget to fix your strap around your ankle in case you fall in,’ he says, pointing down at it.

‘Thanks for the vote of confidence.’

‘Just best to be prepared. You’ve got nothing to fear falling in anyway, with your wetsuit on. At least you managed to get it on the right way round today.’ He laughs a little before he catches himself and stops.

I instantly know what he’s referring to: the very first time I put on a wetsuit when he took me for a windsurfing lesson.

‘How was I supposed to know the zip went at the back? I’m sure it’s a mistake that anyone could have made.’

‘Uh-huh, do you know how many people I taught that summer and how many people put their wetsuit on backwards?’

‘Maybe I was starting a trend.’

‘One that didn’t catch on.’

‘You know, you tease me about that, but I still remember when you ate a pomegranate and started picking out the individual seeds.’

‘Touché,’ he says, finally laughing, and for the first time he looks at me with warmth.

It’s the longest conversation we’ve had this weekend and it makes my heart ache for what we once had.

‘Right, it’s all about finding your balance,’ he says, pushing his hair off his face before demonstrating. He stands up from his knees, and, holding his paddle in his hand, he pushes away from the edge. ‘See, nothing to it.’

Miles is already standing on the board and, despite his raging hangover, he’s making it look effortless as he paddles away with Verity. I’m worried Joel’s going to paddle away with the others, and whilst I don’t particularly want to be stuck with him, I don’t want to be alone either. He gets a little way out but he turns back to shore. Climbing off his board, he holds mine steady.