I shrugged and swerved around the question. “I might not even get in. It’s all conditional on getting enough points in the exams.”

That was the thing I kept telling people, that I might not get in. Because you can’t say I don’t want to go. Although it answered the question of whether she was still at school, I then wondered why Ruby was taking a gap year. Probably going to travel the world or some other exciting bohemian thing only rich people do. Did she think I was boring for not doing something more fun?

She shifted slightly and let her knee fall against mine in way that felt deliberate. Not boring, then.

“What about your summer?” Harry rubbed his hands together. “Any exciting plans?”

“I suppose I’m looking for a job, but I haven’t heard anything yet.”

“See, Oliver,” Harry said, pointing at his son, who looked around innocently, as though there might be another Oliver in the room. “You need to be looking for a summer job too.”

“Father dearest, we’ve been through this. . . . I’m busy.”

Jane laughed. “I’ll busy you. What do you think, Saoirse? Should Oliver have to get off his arse and actually do something?”

“What about a nice volunteer job? Give back to the community,” I said with wide-eyed innocence.

Oliver looked stricken. Presumably, the only thing worse to him than working would be working for free.

Ruby had just taken a sip of her drink, so when she snorted with laughter at Oliver’s expression she choked on it. I put my hand on her knee when I asked her if she was OK and then took it off quickly when I remembered the friend thing. I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea.

“Oh, Saoirse, we haven’t even got you a drink, what will you have?”

“I’m fine, really, thanks.”

“Shush now, you’ll need some Dutch courage if you’re going to step up to the mike,” Harry said, laughing.

“That’s right, I said I’d get you the list of songs we have,” Jane said, standing up. “Are you more of a pop girl or a rock star?”

“Uh . . .”

“Saoirse is obviously perfect for a power ballad.” Oliver grinned, getting me back for my volunteer job comment.

I nudged Ruby with my knee and she caught my eye. I tried to send her panic signals, but I didn’t know if we were quite at the level of unspoken eyeball communication.

“Jane, I think Saoirse is maybe a little too shy to sing right now.”

It was Oliver’s turn to snort.

“Maybe later when you’ve seen the rest of us embarrass ourselves,” Harry said, and held the mike out to Oliver. “Son, weren’t you going to do ‘Kiss from a Rose’ next?”