High on adrenaline and filled with exhilaration, we dance to one hit after another and, believe it or not, I don’t trip over once. 1-2-3-and-4-5-and-6. As the band blasts out one boppy melody after the other, we lift our knees and rock our hips, and all the while I’m trying desperately to stay in time. Rock step. Chassé to the left. Chassé to the right. Pretty soon I’m exhausted – unlike Valentine, who’s been practising for weeks with a chair in the garage. Apparently old habits die hard.

Breathlessly I make my apologies: I’m going to have to sit a few out. Though I needn’t have worried. No sooner do I find my seat than he’s swooped upon by the legion of widows who live in the village; older, spirited ladies who are perfectly happy being single and independent, with no one but themselves to cook and clean for, but who just for one evening would really like a man to dance with.

With his fancy footwork and underarm twirls, Valentine is in high demand and I watch him doing the Lindy Hop, thinking about how different he is now from when I first met him, and not only in terms of his fitness. I know how much he misses Gisele – it should have been her that he was dancing with tonight – but it gives me a swell of happiness to see how much he’s valued by everyone. People have been asking if he’ll teach some decorating classes and I think it’s a great idea, though Valentine said in that case he’ll need a new jotter pad. Which I didn’t quite understand, but anyway he looked really pleased.

‘Maya, hi – you made it!’

I spot her pink hair first, as it emerges through the crowd.

‘Yeah, uni broke up. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

It’s swept up in a high ponytail and she’s wearing a full skirt and trainers. She looks like a pink-haired Sandy from Grease.

‘Well, if it wasn’t for you starting the crowdfunder.’

‘Oh, it was nothing.’ She bats it away. ‘My parents said they’d come by later, when Mum’s finished her shift.’

‘Great! Though you might end up having to dance with your dad,’ I warn.

‘I am never dancing with my dad!’ Maya laughs and pulls a horrified expression.

‘Well, there’s not that many men here – the women seem to be outnumbering them.’

‘I’ve brought my own dance partner.’

‘You have?’

I turn then and shriek as I spot Will resembling a blond Danny Zuko.

‘What are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me!’

‘I wanted it to be a surprise.’

I jump up and Will gives me a hug and I decide that it’s official; I now love surprises, and nothing beats a really good one.

‘Where are you staying? My place is full, but I’ve got the sofa.’

‘Thanks, but I’m sorted,’ he says, slipping his arm around Maya’s waist as she giggles, and I think how ridiculously cute they are together.