‘Not at all. It’s the least I can do. I hated thinking of you taking a bus at this hour, sober and tired when everyone else had been partying. That would be too sad for words and who wants to start the New Year off feeling utterly wretched?’

‘Are you up for getting something to eat?’ she asked, fastening her seat belt. Although, at this hour on New Year’s Eve, everywhere would be booked solid. ‘We could get fish and chips and watch the fireworks in the city!’ New Year was a time to be with the people you loved.

‘That sounds like a good plan to me.’ He was pulling out now, slowly and carefully because even if the road here had been cleared, the tarmac sparkled with dangerous ice. With that, Liv’s phone rang in her bag and she dug about to find it before she missed the call.

‘Hey, Liv.’ It was Finn. ‘I know you’re at work but I just wanted to wish you a happy New Year before the bells rang on the old one.’

‘Aww, that’s lovely, Finn, but actually, I managed to get a reprieve for good behaviour. I finished on time.’

‘That’s great. I don’t suppose you’d like to ring in the New Year with me?’ He sounded unsure, as if he was almost too shy to ask, and Liv closed her eyes for a moment, trying to reconcile the handsome guy she knew him to be with this even nicer version she was getting to know.

‘I’d love to. We’re going to get fish and chips. Fancy coming along?’

‘Why not?’ He stopped. ‘Er, who’s we?’

‘My friend Pete and I – you’ll like him, I promise.’ She was laughing. She’d have to ward off Pete’s smart comments. Already he was making faces at her, as if his ego was inflating to the size of an elephant.

‘Are you sure I won’t be in the way?’ Finn asked.

‘Not at all, mate, the more the merrier!’ Pete said and they agreed to meet along the canal and watch the fireworks together.

‘So, that’s your knight in shining armour.’ Maya had obviously told him about Finn and how they’d met. He started to hum ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ – badly.

‘Very funny.’ She laughed because he really couldn’t sing to save his life.

‘He sounds like a good egg, but I’ll be checking him out; make sure you don’t end up with another glugger.’