A waitress bursts out of the cafe. ‘That’s our chair!’

Jackson grabs his skateboard. ‘I’ll get it!’ he says, pushing himself off.

‘I’m so sorry,’ I say to the waitress, dumping Elsa on Rose’s lap. Then I run after Pongo as well.

Up ahead, I can see him causing mayhem.

The curving prom is packed with people enjoying the sun. It’s almost like a perfect scene on a postcard – complete with ice cream, chips and buckets and spades – only there’s a dog tearing through the middle of the scene, scattering holidaymakers in all directions.

‘Pongo!’ I shout, as an old lady screams and her husband makes a grab for the chair. ‘Pongo, stop!’ But he totally ignores me and I watch as he bounds along, head held high, clearly loving his run along the seafront … even if he is being slightly held back by the chair tied to his neck.

‘Stop that dog!’ Jackson calls, shooting along on his skateboard and making full use of the path Pongo’s cleared for him. ‘He’s a thief!’

Suddenly, Pongo swerves up some stairs – he seems to have forgotten about chasing the cyclist – and the chair gets wedged between a bin and the wall. I hear a yelp, and by the time Jackson and I get there, Pongo’s lying in the sun with his tongue hanging out.

Jackson leans on his skateboard, laughing and trying to get his breath back.

‘You are a bad dog!’ I say, as I untie his lead from the chair. ‘A very bad dog!’

Rose appears next to us. ‘No he’s not,’ she says ruffling his coat. ‘He’s a little cutie!’

‘Rose,’ I say, ‘he’s not a cutie, he’s a baddie … And what have you done with Elsa?’

‘Annie’s got her,’ she says, throwing her arms round Pongo’s neck like he’s some sort of hero.

We make our way back to Fusciardi’s, Jackson carrying the chair and Rose holding Jackson’s skateboard. ‘Sorry,’ I mutter, each time anyone gives me or Pongo a dirty look.

As we get near to the cafe, Rose nudges me and says, ‘Look.’ Sitting on a bench, their hands wrapped round their drinks, are Ed and Bella. It’s almost like they’re lying in wait for us.

‘We got him!’ Jackson says, holding the chair triumphantly above his head.

‘Congratulations,’ says Bella, then she turns and whispers something in Ed’s ear.

He frowns and shakes his head, but after another look from her, he calls out, ‘Glad you got your dog!’

For some reason, this makes Bella collapse with laughter. There’s something about her laugh, how helpless it is, and how she’s looking at me at the same time, that makes me wonder if Ed’s told her about yesterday.

I feel my cheeks burn and I start to walk faster, tugging Pongo along behind me, and then I hear Bella’s voice, rising loud and clear above the seagulls and the waves, saying, ‘Sooo embarrassing!’

I’m not quite sure if she’s talking about me or Pongo, and I’m not hanging around to find out. She right. That was sooo embarrassing and the only thing that can make me feel better right now is a huge glass packed full of ice cream, cake and cream.