‘I mean, it will be difficult with Alicia heading off to university while Callum has to repeat sixth year.’ Her eyes flickered towards Eva. ‘You heard about his exams, I presume?’

‘Yeah. It sucks.’

‘Irene and Craig are so disappointed. After all they’d invested in him. They had such high hopes for him.’

‘Jesus, Mum. He failed a few exams, that’s all. It’s not like he’s dead.’

‘All right,’ Abi said peaceably, aware of the strident note that had entered Eva’s tone.

‘What about you?’ came the voice from the backseat.

Surprised, Abi turned and saw Corinne, her steady gaze fixed on Eva’s reflection in the rear-view mirror. ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ Corinne asked.

‘No. I don’t.’

‘Really? No one at all?’ Her voice sounded arch, disbelieving.

‘I just said “No”, didn’t I?’

Throwing her shoulders back, Eva sat a little straighter in the seat, staring intently over the steering wheel as she capably rounded the corner into Willow Park.

They pulled into the driveway and Abi, seeking to mollify her daughter and defuse the tension that had sprung up in the car, said: ‘The driving test will be a breeze. You’ve nothing at all to worry about, love.’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ Eva said, softening. She pulled the handbrake and turned off the engine.

They were about to get out of the car, when Abi looked up and said: ‘My God, would you look at them.’

The Campbells’ front door had opened, Ross and Becca emerging, the evening light catching the sequins on Becca’s dress. It was a flapper dress, and the headband around her sleek black bob shimmered, the purple bow of her lipstick drawn into a broad smile. Behind her, Ross looked rakish and handsome in a white tuxedo, his bow tie loose around the open collar of his shirt. Their babysitter stood with Jo in her arms, both his little hands flapping excitedly as he waved goodbye to his parents.

‘I thought you were their babysitter?’ Corinne remarked to Eva, a testing tone to her voice.

‘I don’t have time now, what with university.’ She tried to sound breezy, but the words came out defensive.

‘Like Hollywood royalty,’ Abi said admiringly.

Eva kept her eyes on them but said nothing. And when the others got out of the car and Abi went towards the Campbells, calling out cheerfully: ‘Look at you two! God, I wish I had your life sometimes!’ Eva didn’t follow. She just sat there, as if caught in the reflected glow of the movie screen, watching with eyes fixed, rapt, until the credits rolled.

The first time was in his car.

Eva had waited in the parking lot outside the pool, just as they’d arranged, and with the sky fading to dusky blue, the Mercedes had pulled up alongside her.