I can almost feel the blood drain out of my face. Yeah, I admit Dad is on my mind far more than he should be, because how can I not keep comparing the carefree Noah to him? But I had been trying not to think about THE PARTY which is hanging over me like a black cloud hangs over a picnic. What on earth made me tell Mum I had a boyfriend?

‘No time like the present to get their daughter prepped and ready for action!’

‘I’m not the main course.’ It’s sweet. He’s taking this seriously, but I’m slightly sad that he obviously wants to get it all done and dusted.

‘I think you probably are!’ He grins his cheekiest smile. Dimples on full strength. ‘I said I’d teach you how to seduce, I promised I’d get you dating again, and I like to keep my promises.’

His words land like gentle thuds inside me.

Being with Noah is like being on a roller coaster: one minute I’m feeling all good about myself, and on some weird kind of high, the next I’m reminded why he’s here. And the fact that he’ll walk out of my life as casually as he walked in. ‘It’s not going to happen, is it? Me getting a date in time?’

‘Of course, it’s going to happen!’

‘I’m a challenge, aren’t I? A project and you’re one of those people that hates to fail.’ How come I feel so disappointed? I knew this was what this was all about for him.

‘Hates to? Oh no, Rosie. I don’t fail. Never fail!’ He chuckles, which softens the blow. It’s hard to dislike him. ‘I’ll do whatever it takes.’ He winks. ‘But you’re not much of a challenge, you’re far too seductive and sexy just as you are.’

I gulp down the lump in my throat. It’s just words, Rosie; he’s a flirt, he knows what to say. That’s all. He doesn’t mean anything by it. Look how he just got Rhonda to do exactly what he wanted!

‘You’re good,’ I say as brightly as I can, trying to ignore the heat of his fingers as he tucks a tendril of my hair behind my ear, sending a shiver down my back.

‘And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise!’ He grins, then walks over to look out of the window and luckily the moment has gone. Thank goodness for that. All this shivering and tingling and flushing is playing havoc with my head as well as my body. ‘Right, let’s step things up!’

‘That sounds ominous.’

‘If we run out of time, you’ll have to take me to the party remember!’

For a second I do actually think about it. I mean, he’s presentable, fun. Mum would love him. Although he seems to think my dad is public enemy number 1, so that might not go well. And even if he pretended to like him, well we’d both be pretending. And I can’t spend the rest of my life trying to kid Mum and Dad (and me), can I? For a start they’d probably wonder why we never ever snogged or even held hands, and then they’d wonder why we hadn’t moved in together, and then somebody would spot Noah out on a date, and … well it doesn’t bear thinking about. I need to get my act together.