She melts away into the crowd, and I gleefully turn to Suze.

‘Did you see that? Lois liked the bag! She wants to talk terms!’

‘Of course she liked the bag!’ says Suze, giving me a hug. ‘Well done, Bex! Lois seems really nice,’ she adds consideringly. ‘I thought she was supposed to be horrible.’

I’m about to say that that’s exactly what I was just thinking too, when Luke’s voice hails me.

‘Darling, are you all right?’ I turn to see him with Aran and two women I don’t recognize, and Sage, who is wearing a silver dress and matching shoes and her hair in a sixties beehive.

‘If that bitch gets it,’ she’s saying furiously. ‘If that crazy bitch gets it …’

‘Sage, calm down,’ Aran murmurs.

‘Having fun?’ says Luke.

‘Yes!’ I say, still glowing. ‘We’re having a great time! Hi, Aran; hi, Sage …’

While I’m introduced to the two women, Sage flops down on a chair, furiously tapping at her phone.

‘What’s up?’ I say quietly to Luke.

‘Lois Kellerton,’ he murmurs back. ‘Florence Nightingale. I have a feeling Lois’s going to get the role. Just don’t mention it, OK?’

‘Oh.’ I feel an uncomfortable twinge. ‘All right.’

I can feel Suze’s eyes burning into me, and I know what she’s trying to say: I should tell Luke that I’m going to start working with Lois Kellerton. She’s right. I should. Only I’m not quite sure how to do it in front of Sage.

Could I text him?

I get out my phone, open a text and start typing:

Luke. I have a new client. It’s Lois Kellerton.

No. Too blunt. I delete the whole thing and try again:

Luke, I have an amazing new opportunity which I don’t want to mention out loud. And I hope you’ll be pleased for me. I THINK you’ll be pleased for me. There may be a very slight conflict of interest, but we can always build Chinese walls, and

Damn. I’ve run out of room. I’m just backspacing again, when Sage looks up from her own phone.

‘Cute purse,’ she says, spying the Art Deco bag and pulling it towards her. ‘Is that yours, Becky?’

Shit. Shit.

‘Oh. Um …’ As I’m working out how to answer, Luke plunges in.

‘That’s one of Becky’s work purchases,’ he says. ‘You know she’s a stylist, Sage? She’s worked at Barneys and at a major store in London. Remember, I was telling you about her work yesterday.’

‘I do,’ says Aran, looking up from his phone. ‘We couldn’t get you to shut up about it.’ He winks at me, then resumes tapping at his phone.

I can’t help feeling touched. I had no idea Luke was bigging up my work.

Sage’s brow has wrinkled as though she’s recalling a distant memory from a past life.

‘Sure,’ she says vaguely. ‘You told me. So who is this purse for?’

‘I think it might, in fact, be for you!’ Luke’s eyes twinkle. ‘Am I right, Becky?’