‘Wow, that’s got a kick.’ she said as the hit of chilli reached the back of her throat. ‘But it’s delicious.’

He leaned forward and wiped a tiny piece of fish from the corner of her mouth, his hand pausing to gently rub under her lip. The touch reignited the simmering warmth dancing in the pit of her stomach and she couldn’t help herself touching his salty skin with the tip of her tongue.

He shot her a lopsided, knowing smile, devilment flashing in his blue eyes. This blatant flirtation reminded her of the night they’d first met and a little frisson ran through her. Something had changed between them and they both knew it, even if neither of them had acknowledged it out loud.

With its simple wooden tables and metal chairs, plastic squeezy bottles of tomato ketchup and little glass bottles of malt vinegar and containers of cutlery, The Fish Box might not have offered elegant dining but it made up for it with simple, genuine friendliness and homeliness. There were lots of rosy-cheeked people tucking into huge portions with evident enjoyment while others sat, slightly windblown, with happy faces full of expectation.

As well they might; the menu looked amazing. Hannah had been spoiled for choice before finally opting for a prawn, honey, and chilli stir fry which smelled heavenly. The first bite of juicy prawn and the hot, sweet sauce confirmed that the dish tasted every bit as good as it looked and had her issuing a heartfelt groan of enjoyment. ‘That is so good.’

‘You don’t get better fish than here. It’s a family concern – the Flannerys. Patrick, one of the brothers, skippers the family boat, the Cú Na Mara and they catch the fish. It comes fresh to the table. They can tell you when it was caught, where it was caught, and even who caught it!’

‘Wow, that is impressive.’

‘They use locally sourced ingredients and use compostable packaging and even bring sea litter home with them. Deirdre Flannery does all the cooking while her husband and brother-in-law prepare all the fish. Eimear is their daughter and their son runs the place.’

‘How brilliant,’ said Hannah, looking around the small, packed restaurant. ‘Thank you for bringing me here today.’

‘Even though I didn’t tell you about the big, scary dolphin?’

She scrunched her mouth up. She’d been thinking about that ever since they’d beached the kayaks, buoyed by the thrill of seeing the dolphin at such close quarters in its natural environment. Those twists of its body as it flew through the air, the dynamic movement… It was a rare privilege and one that she’d have missed if she’d known. Shame nipped at her.

‘You do know that if you’d told me, I wouldn’t have gone in.’