I’m bracing myself for Luke to explode, or frown, or maybe bang his fist on the bar and say, ‘Of all the movie stars in all the towns …’ and stare murderously into the middle distance. But instead he looks puzzled.

‘So?’

I feel a little indignant. How can he look so calm when I’m tying myself up in knots?

‘So! Sage will be livid! I’ll be on Team Lois and you’ll be on Team Sage and it’ll all kick off and—’

‘It will not kick off.’ Finally, Luke does sound angry. ‘I’m not having this any more! The so-called feud is over. Sage is a grown woman and she needs to start acting with a little dignity and maturity.’ He glowers at me, as though it’s my fault.

‘It’s not just her,’ I say, to be fair. ‘It’s both of them. Lois wore the same dress as Sage to an event, and then Sage bailed out of this charity thing—’

‘Whatever.’ Luke cuts me off. ‘It’s over. And as for your career, you are an independent woman, and if Sage has any problem at all with you working for Lois Kellerton, she can answer to me. OK?’

He sounds so forthright I feel a glow of pleasure. I knew all along he’d support me. (Well, I kind of knew.) Our drinks arrive, and Luke lifts his up to clink mine.

‘To you, Becky. First client in Hollywood. Bravo. I hope for your sake she’s not as nutty as my client.’

I can’t help giggling. It’s so unlike Luke to diss his clients – he’s usually far too discreet.

‘So, is Sage difficult to work with?’

Luke closes his eyes briefly, and takes a swig of his drink. As he opens them, he’s smiling wryly.

‘Trapped inside that gorgeous, curvaceous body is a spoiled teenage girl with arrested development and the biggest sense of entitlement I’ve ever come across. And I’ve worked with bankers,’ he adds, rolling his eyes.

‘She’s worse than bankers?’ I say, playing along.

‘She thinks she should be able to do exactly as she likes. All the time.’

‘Can’t movie stars do what they like?’

‘Some can. When they reach a certain level.’ Luke takes another gulp. ‘Sage thinks she’s Hollywood royalty. But she’s not. Not yet. Her trouble is, she had very easy, very early success and nothing since has quite matched up to it.’

‘So how can she get that success again?’

‘That’s what we’re working on. But it’s a work in progress.’ Luke gives that wry smile again. ‘Believe me, even the most obnoxious hedge-fund types in London are less of a pain in the butt than Sage Seymour. When I speak to boards of directors, they listen. We agree an action plan. We put it in motion. When I speak to Sage … who knows if she’s even listening?’

‘Well, Aran thinks you’re brilliant,’ I say. ‘He told me so the other day.’

‘Aran’s great.’ Luke nods. ‘We see eye to eye, at any rate.’ He lifts his glass up again. ‘And that’s why, my darling, I hope for your sake that your client is less nutty than mine.’