But she and Jez both knew where they stood. They were neither ready for, nor even looking for, a relationship, especially not with one another. The night spent together was more about each offering something safe to their friend – a port in a storm, where they could shelter until the tempest beyond died away. They both knew that it had been lovely and welcome to spend a night together, but it wasn’t a solution to either of their problems.

All that said, right now she was rather enjoying the way just looking at him in his overalls and work boots made her feel. And there was nothing wrong with a little bit of physical attraction.

She rapped on the glass, waved and smiled. He looked up and grinned back, the broad open expression she had seen countless times before. Thank God for that, Pip thought. There was no awkwardness in it, nothing that suggested he might either regret what they had done, or worse, be reading more into it than was there.

She was just contemplating this when the back door swung open and he leaned into the house to call her name, holding on to the door frame for support whilst his muddy boots remained firmly outside.

‘Evening, Pipsterer. How’s the head today?’

‘Better than it was earlier,’ she said, moving towards the door so their conversation didn’t have to be bellowed. ‘Yours?’

‘I’m fine. I’ve drunk more than my fair share over the last couple of weeks. I think I’m immune,’ he said, and winked at her. ‘And also’ – he lowered his voice a little – ‘I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed myself. I assume you can remember what happened.’

Pip punched him lightly on the arm. ‘I wasn’t that bad,’ she replied indignantly.

‘Thank God for that.’ He grinned. ‘I wouldn’t want to be accused of anything inappropriate, getting my wicked way with you when you weren’t really up for it.’

In that instant, Pip’s mind flicked back to her conversation with Evelyn. Of course, this was completely different, but maybe she could see what Evelyn had been getting at after all. Things weren’t always cut and dried. Not that she agreed with Evelyn, not at all, but she conceded that they might look different from where she was sitting.

‘But Pip. . .’ Jez continued.

The grin slipped from his face and he looked hard into her eyes, making sure she was following him. She could see the dark line of chocolate brown that encircled his hazel irises and that had always fascinated her when she was young. She hadn’t really looked at him for years. She regretted that now. Jez deserved far more than she had deigned to give him. They all did: her parents, her school friends . . .