‘Very lucky,’ agreed Nelson.

‘So how do they organize it, then? The hours, I mean?’

‘Well, when you finish at the … you know … the police academy, you fill in a form saying the hours you’re available and basically … well, they just work around you.’

‘Really?’ asked Shane, turning around with an incredulous expression on his face. ‘That seems very accommodating of them.’

‘They need all the police they can get, you see.’

‘That makes having a social life easy. Anyone would think there’s no crime after 5 p.m.’

‘There isn’t, really,’ said Nelson. ‘Most criminals go home to their families at the end of the day, just like everyone else. Or down the local pub to catch up with friends. Maybe out to a show in the West End.’

‘Right,’ said Shane. ‘Back in Ireland, there’s rotas, I think. My cousin is a garda in Newbridge and he’s run ragged half the time.’

‘Perhaps the Irish have more criminal tendencies?’ suggested Nelson.

‘Hmm,’ said Shane, returning to the books and deciding not to pull at this particular thread. ‘Anyway, my point is that we’d find it a lot more difficult to get to know each other if you were working twelve-hour days at unsociable times.’

‘I definitely chose the right uniform,’ agreed Nelson, checking the emails on his phone to see whether he’d received any more information from the Met. He’d got confirmation of his application and was now just waiting for a date for the interview. It might be a tricky year ahead, he reasoned, keeping his training secret from Shane. He was glad that he hadn’t shown up to the speed-dating night in his scrubs or he’d now have seven years of medical school ahead of him.

‘Oh, I forgot to tell you,’ said Shane, turning around and bouncing over to the bed. ‘My sister messaged earlier. She’s in London for the day and suggested meeting for lunch.’

‘That’s nice,’ said Nelson. ‘You should go.’

‘I meant we could go together. I could introduce you to her.’

‘Ah,’ said Nelson, who wasn’t quite ready to meet his boyfriend’s family yet. ‘I can’t today. It’s one of those rare Fridays when I have to go in.’

‘Oh no!’ said Shane. ‘Can’t you get out of it?’

‘No, sorry. We’re going after some …’ He racked his brain. ‘Some bad drugs people. Supplying half the schools in the city. We’re going in hard. It’s a 747.’

‘What’s a 747?’ asked Shane.

‘I can’t tell you. It’s top-secret police talk.’

Shane grinned. ‘That’s such a turn-on,’ he said. ‘Tell me another one.’

‘Um …’ Nelson thought about it. ‘An A-380.’

‘Jesus, that’s hot.’

‘A 777-300.’

‘Okay, stop it, sexy, or I’ll never be able to finish these books. What time do you have to be in at?’

‘Two o’clock,’ said Nelson.

‘Oh, that’s fine, then,’ said Shane. ‘I told Susan I’d meet her at one. Why don’t you just stop by and say hello first? You’d probably have time for a quick sandwich.’