‘Umm, thanks. Yeah, Dylan’s the best and don’t worry about the babe thing, I don’t care. Nice to meet you.’ I was surprised by the strength in both her grip and her gaze when she unexpectedly flipped the fringe back.

‘That’s a big old squeeze you’ve got there.’ I looked pointedly at George. ‘Wolfie.’

As soon as the words left my mouth, she dropped my hand like a hot potato and looked away, embarrassed. Damn. That could have sounded worse than the babe thing.

‘Shit, I didn’t mean . . . Sorry about that, too. And sorry for saying shit again.’ I reached for the edge of the bench, but missed, and Dom and Wolfie both had to grab an arm to steady me, so then it was my turn to be embarrassed.

‘Danny, listen mate, Wolfie’s . . . Actually, hang on, come and sit down.’

Dom steered me towards the nearest chair and lowered me into it. His half-amused, half-annoyed smile was so tender it made me want to cry and I felt a huge rush of drunken love. I cleared my throat.

‘Dom, mate. Maaate. I . . .’

Some version of the drunken I love you chestnut got wheeled out at least once a month for my oldest and dearest friend, who’d given me a home when things hadn’t worked out with my last flat-share. (Who knew two twenty-something solicitors would be so concerned about getting their five a day and eight a night? Seriously, it was like living in a retirement village.) When the end came, which it was always going to, because it always did, Dom was there without judgement or recrimination, both of which I’d heartily deserved. And even though he’d had one of four very comfortable spare bedrooms and not his damp garden shed in mind, my gratitude for the roof over my head was so real it was always just there, under the surface, waiting to be expressed.

I managed to rein myself in though, because I realised a passionate declaration of love might be a bit much in front of a guest. Ah, but it’s true. I love him. I adore him. He’s totally loveable, Dom is. A diamond.

‘Bloody diamond you are, mate,’ I muttered under my breath.

Dom squeezed my shoulder gently. ‘OK, fella.’ My resolve made a U-turn and headed for the window.

‘Dom, you know I bloody love—’

‘Yes, yes, you love me. I know. I love you too, mate. George loves you, the dog loves you, the ladies love you. We all love you. Listen now, I’ve got to tell you something.’ He sat on the edge of the table and faced me, so I had nowhere else to look but straight at him. ‘About Wolfie. She’s—’ I saw the two of them exchange a quick look and another wave of giddiness washed over me. ‘Look, there isn’t really a non-dramatic way of saying this, so I think the best thing is probably just to say it.’