‘Everything okay in there?’ Yells Bea. ‘I’ve got you a coffee!’

‘Out in a sec.’ Dad thinks I’m too loud, too boring, and now apparently too staid and unsexy. I’m also going to get the sack if I don’t actually start work soon.

My phone rings. Despite myself, I can’t ignore it. Maybe he’s going to apologise, tell me I am okay as I am after all.

‘Rosie? Everything okay? You didn’t text back.’ Noah. ‘Did I say the wrong thing?’ I can hear the smile in his voice, and it makes me want to cry. ‘Overstep the mark?’

‘Apparently,’ my voice is slightly shaky, ‘what I think I need isn’t important. I need to be somebody different altogether. I need to find myself like Robbie did, haha.’

‘Rosie, what’s happened? Where’s the bubbly Rosie I know and love?’

‘Being bubbly is half the problem, the other half is my appearance.’

There is quiet and for a moment I think he has rung off. ‘Your dad again?’

‘How did you guess?’ I sigh. How can he be so perceptive? How can he just know? ‘He messaged with a few home truths.’

‘Oh.’ There’s a whole lot of ‘knowing’ in that one syllable. ‘And?’ His voice has an edge I haven’t heard before.

‘He asked if I’d thought about a makeover to make myself look more attractive, sexier …’

‘Rosie,’ his tone is gentle. My eyes well up. I mustn’t cry, I really must not. I have customers to deal with, and I’m being silly. ‘I think you’re totally fine, more than fine, perfect, exactly as you are. You just need to see the girl I see and believe in her. Listen to me, I’m your resident expert, remember?’

He’s trying to make me feel better, to smile. It works.

‘It’s what makes you feel good, Rosie. Not what I think, not your dad. You! Yeah?’

‘Yeah.’ I repeat in a small voice.

‘You just kicked off your list saying you wanted somebody who liked you as you are. So, do you?’

‘Do I what?’

‘Do you like yourself as you are? Do you feel good about yourself?’

‘Well yeah, well no, well I don’t bloody know!’

‘Maybe that’s what we need to talk about, who you are, not who you want this ideal man to be.’

‘Sounds complicated to me.’ I sigh. I’m tired. This whole relationship is hard work, even when I’ve not really started. ‘Look, sorry, I need to go. I’m supposed to be working. It’s not fair on Bea.’

‘Sure.’ His voice is soft, the nearest thing to a hug I can imagine. It’s making me feel sorry for myself again, so I bite down on my lip hard. ‘I’ll catch up with you later then, okay? You are okay?’

‘I’m fine. Don’t worry, I am, really. He’s always like that, he doesn’t mean to upset me, it’s my fault.’

‘Rosie, it is not your fault!’ In my head I can practically see him rolling his eyes. ‘You’re lovely, you really should be proud of who you are,’ there’s another pause, ‘and so should he.’