‘It was a lovely evening, thank you,’ she said as they stood outside her flat in the freezing night air. She pulled her coat up closer around her, glad now of its insulating warmth.

‘It was,’ Finn agreed. ‘Maybe we’ll do it again?’

‘I…’ she began. She should say no. Just say no. Because it was all too obvious that Finn O’Connell was still in love with his ex-wife. Wasn’t that what the awkwardness was all about? Wasn’t that who the expensive present was for? M for Mena. God, she’d been such a fool. She’d almost fallen for him; actually, maybe she had fallen for him, just a bit. ‘I think I need a bit of time.’

‘Right?’ He stepped back from her and he looked as if those were the last words he’d expected. ‘But we had a good time, didn’t we? I mean, I thought we really connected. I thought that there was something special here…’

‘Maybe, but…’ How could she put it into words without recreating that awkwardness between them again?

‘Well then…’ He smiled, as if some penny had finally dropped. ‘Ah, I see, you’re still not over Eddie. Is that it? You’re still in love with him. It’s okay, I get it.’ His voice was so tender, but she couldn’t miss what sounded like genuine sadness there.

‘No, God, no, far from it.’ She threw her head back and laughed. It sounded almost hysterical; perhaps she was nervous. ‘No, I only wish I had ended things with him sooner. No, how is it they put it? It’s not me it’s you?’

‘Isn’t that the wrong way round?’ In spite of the gravity of things, they both started to laugh.

‘Not in this case.’ She took a deep breath; might as well plunge in with complete honesty. ‘It’s just I think you’re still in love with your ex-wife.’

‘With Mena?’ He looked incredulous. ‘Seriously, you think Mena and I…’ He shook his head. ‘Oh no, there’s no way. We’re friends now, just friends. That’s all we’ll ever be.’

‘But?’ She thought about the woman she knew only from the screen. She was drop-dead gorgeous. How could anyone not be in love with her? How could anyone, particularly someone like Liv, ever compete with that sort of high-octane glamour?

‘Look, when you were fifteen, I bet there was one boy in school you were mad about?’

‘Well, yeah, but…’ She rolled her eyes, but he was waiting for her to say something. ‘Okay, Derek Evans. He’s a forensic accountant with the tax office now.’ She shivered even remembering that one kiss at a youth disco. It turned out, he had horrible breath and sweaty hands.

‘Same with me and Mena, only we were stupid enough to run away and get married before we had any sense. Seriously, it’s as over as it can be…’