‘It’s really fun – I head up the lifestyle and culture section; we’ve got so many amazing writers. I love writing the stories and features, scrolling through social media is sort of part of the job these days too, but I kind of hate that bit. Maybe I’m getting old.’

‘You’re not that old. Dad’s quite a lot older than you,’ Sally says, cracking open a pistachio nut.

‘All right, all right,’ Marcus says.

We order food, and everyone goes for a cheeseburger, except Caitlin who orders a vegan burger. It arrives quickly. Too quickly, if you ask me. Pub life.

‘I like your name,’ Sally says as she squeezes some ketchup onto her plate.

‘Thank you.’

‘Is it short for Olivia?’

‘Yep, but only my mum calls me that when she’s angry with me, which is most of the time, to be honest.’

Sally flinches slightly at the word ‘mum’. I hope I haven’t made a big faux pas.

I look over at Caitlin and she’s moved her two pieces of burger bread to one side, nibbling only on the salad.

‘And how’s school going, Sal?’ Marcus asks.

‘It’s OK. Writing an essay currently in my English class on why Disney films are incredibly sexist. I mean, Ariel from The Little Mermaid – she literally loses her voice, for a man, and is also at the beck and call of her weird controlling bearded father,’ Sally responds.

‘Nothing wrong with a bearded controlling father!’ Marcus says jokingly, in a deep booming voice.

‘You’re the opposite of that, thank god.’ Sal laughs and nudges him lightly on the arm. ‘Mr Totally Laid-Back.’

‘Shall we go back to ours for another drink after this? The wine is a bit of a rip-off here, I’ve got better ones at home,’ Marcus says.

‘Sounds perfect,’ I say.

Seeing just how much Marcus’s daughters adore him has made me like him even more. We finish our drinks and I feel so warm and loved up, knowing that I get to go back to their family home with them, and that I’ve been accepted. I feel welcome. I feel relieved; I was expecting the worst.

We hop into the car and listen to The Greatest Showman soundtrack on the drive. Sally starts belting out ‘This is Me’. She is very out of tune, but I can’t help but take it as a compliment that she is comfortable enough around me already to sing so loudly (and badly). Caitlin is resting her arm on the car door and daydreaming out of the window. I get out of the car and the girls walk ahead towards the front door. Marcus kisses me. His jumper smells cosy, of bonfires and aftershave.

When people say ‘You will meet the right person when you least expect it’, I want to rip one of their arms off and beat them with it. It’s the most fucking annoying phrase in the world. But. It is kind of true. That is what makes it even more annoying.