It was windier today, the waves crashing against the sand with a tightened ferocity that would put off even the most committed wild swimmer. The breeze whipped sand up around their calves as they walked. It was one of those days when only the locals would brave walking along here. As it was, she spotted a few walkers ahead of them, dogs running happily in and out of the water and one desperate surfer enjoying waves that were high enough to be worth chasing.

‘We could ask her to stay with us,’ Eddie shouted above the breeze.

‘Who?’ Of course she knew exactly who he meant, but she was playing for time.

‘Anya, of course, who do you think? The queen of England?’

‘Oh, no, Eddie, I don’t think that would work at all.’

‘Why not? It would only be for a week or two.’

‘She might say that now…’

‘Is that a dig at me?’

‘No, of course not, that was completely different.’ She shook her head. They’d had this out before. It annoyed Eddie that the flat belonged to Liv, her name on the deeds. She had looked into changing it because he’d pestered her so much, but her parents had been dead set against it and then, when she asked Maya, it turned out the legal costs alone were nearly as high as the national debt. ‘You and I, that’s different.’ She put her arm through his, but he shrugged it off and suddenly, she thought of the night before, the idea of that lovely ring, maybe sitting in his pocket right now. Was this a test? Was it some crude way of gauging if they could be together forever?

‘It seems a bit cold to me, owning your own flat and leaving poor Anya homeless when she could as easily bed down on the couch for a couple of nights.’

‘But, Eddie, it wouldn’t be just a couple of nights, would it? I mean, it takes time to find a place and then, there’s waiting until you can move in – I mean, if her business isn’t making enough money, can she even afford the deposit on a place?’

‘Oh, don’t be so naïve, of course she can pay for a roof over her head.’ He was sulking now – had he already promised Anya a place to stay? For some reason, this irritated Liv beyond reason.

‘And then there’s all her belongings – the flat is hardly big enough to hold our stuff – I mean, I’ve never seen Anya wear the same outfit twice. I’d say her clothes alone could fill up the whole living room.’

‘Bitchiness doesn’t suit you at all. Do you know that, Liv?’

‘Eddie, I’m not being a cow here, really. You have to see this?’