‘Charlie Taylor, what on earth did you expect from me?’ he asks me, spreading his arms out wide for effect. ‘I loved you way back then, you know I did! Every word of that song is true. It’s how I felt for you and it’s one of the proudest things I’ve ever done, but I was wrong to try and get you to follow me into all of this when you were on track to follow your own dreams. You deserve so much better than what I could ever have given you. I mean, look at you! You’re way out of my league! You’re smart, you’re beautiful, you would hate what I do when you see what it’s like behind the scenes and when the lights go down. I hate it sometimes too.’

He’s right, I do deserve better, and it’s true, this was always his dream. It was never really mine. There’s no way I’d want to be hanging around like Ana and Eva, waiting on my turn for his attention like a doe-eyed puppy. I’m much, much better than that.

‘But you could change me in a heartbeat if you wanted to,’ he whispers, leaning into me, almost catching me out again. ‘I mean it, Charlie. I’d give all of this, every single bit of this, up for you.’

For a split second I believe him, but he’s drunk and sentimental, I remind myself. And regardless, I wouldn’t want him to give it all up for me. Ever. It’s who he is and it’s what he was destined to do, plus he’s got names of women plastered all over his arms and he treats the one he’s getting married to like dirt.

‘You’re the one, I always said it,’ he says, holding my arm now. ‘Kiss me just once more, Charlotte. Kiss me.’

I could choose to believe this. I could fall into his arms right now and believe every word he says, but there’s no way on earth I want any of this lifestyle. I want Jack, my funny, sensitive, caring husband who knows me inside out. I want our home in Ardara with the deck outside where I plan to paint and sing again. I want our nights out with Harry and Sophie and my days strolling through the village saying hello to Peter and Mary, even if it’s about nothing more than the fine weather we’re having.

I even want my mother to keep telling me how hard I work for everything only to ruin it all. If it weren’t for her constant reminders, I’d be tempted to throw my whole life away right now by being caught up in moments like this.

‘That girl, Eva?’ I say to Tom. ‘It’s absolutely none of my business, but is she your friend or Ana’s?’