As the waiter held up each one, Hannah directed him to put it in front of a specific person. When they were all in place, she raised hers and proposed a toast.

‘To my new girlfriends. No matter what else happens in this world, no matter who screws us over, we can always count on our girls.’ Boy, her ex had done the dirty on her. Talk about a backhanded toast.

‘To my new girlfriends,’ I said. We all raised our glasses, clinked them against the rims of the others, and took a sip of our drinks. Mine was delicious. I could see from the looks on Marie and Gerry’s faces that theirs were too. Hannah looked proud of herself.

‘How did you know, Hannah? That I like tangy drinks?’ I asked, taking another sip of my citrusy cocktail.

‘I pay attention. You like gin and tonic – you like the tang, and the aromatics, but nothing too sweet.’ She was right. The girl was good.

‘Gerry, you love your sweet treats, so lychee for you.’

‘I love it!’

‘And, Marie, something tropical for you – you’ve mentioned how much you’ve loved your travels to Hawaii and Mexico – I figured you’d like it.’

Marie laughed. ‘I’m impressed, Hannah. If only it was the type of skill you could market.’

‘Well, it is, isn’t it? Attention to detail, empathy, listening skills.’

We all laughed. ‘Hannah, you’re absolutely right. I’ll drink to that.’ Marie raised her glass, and we all clinked again.

‘So,’ said Gerry, turning her full attention to me. Uh oh. ‘I have waited all day to ask this, and now here we are away from the boat – and the men.’ Double uh oh. ‘What is happening with you and your two suitors?’ Seriously, where did she learn that word?

I sighed. I bought some more time by taking another sip of my drink. The eyes looked on, unblinking. ‘To be honest, I don’t know.’ Three pairs of eyes rolled at the same time. ‘I don’t!’ I insisted.

Marie put her hand on mine. ‘Maybe it will help to talk it through.’ She was probably right. I mean, I had talked it through a little with each of them, but that was before I’d had the evening with the silver fox.

But where to start?