‘Oh, hell, I’m sorry.’ I want to hug him and tell him it isn’t his fault. ‘It’s like going out with your big brother watching!’ I laugh weakly. ‘Always, you, know, butting in? He’s on a date; you’d think he’d be busy doing his own stuff.’

Steve raises an eyebrow. ‘Maybe you two guys should actually get together.’

‘Who?’

‘You and your gym buddy of course.’ Steve inclines his head to indicate further up the bar.

‘Oh Noah? Oh no, what makes you say that?’

‘The way you keep watching each other.’

‘We don’t! Well, he looks out for me, he’s just a bit …’

‘Possessive?’

‘Protective,’ I say stiffly, wondering why I’m defending him. ‘Sorry about the other day. He behaved like an arse, he’s not normally like that. He’s quite friendly normally.’

‘I’m sure he is. He could lighten up a bit on the bodyguard act though.’

‘Bodyguard?’ I frown.

‘Look, I’m not being funny, but being smiled at when you’re at the urinals is kind of off-putting.’

‘He followed you to the toilets?’ I don’t know whether to be angry or laugh. ‘He came up to you at that bar, and he followed you to the toilets? You’re kidding?’

‘Well, it could have been a coincidence.’

I raise an eyebrow. ‘And he smiled?’

‘In a kind of, well not menacing, more warning, like “don’t mess with my woman” way. It made me a bit nervous if I’m honest!’

After deciding he wasn’t being controlling – like Dad – but more caring – like Mum – and not possessive – like Dad – but more protective – like Bea, I am now cross again. There’s protective, and there’s ‘this is getting downright over the top’.

Following my date into the toilets suggests the kind of quality control that is totally uninvited. Was he checking he measured up in all departments?! ‘Oh, you have to be joking me. And I’m not his woman, honest!’

‘I get that.’ Steve shrugs. ‘But maybe he wants you to be.’

It’s not the same after that. The conversation doesn’t quite flow. It’s like going out with your dad in attendance. Well worse.

Dad, when he was present, always gave my friends a bit of a once-over to see if he approved, but he was actually quite distant most of the time now I come to think about it. He kissed, cuddled, joked, called me his girl, but emotionally he was actually quite closed off.

Which is weird now I come to think of it. Because I haven’t thought about it like that before.

In fact, I’ve only realised it right now, because Noah is the exact opposite. He’s managed to get right under my skin for all kinds of different reasons.

Steve leans in and kisses my cheek. ‘Honestly, I’d give it a go. That girl he’s with is well pissed off.’

‘I hadn’t noticed.’ I have though, and I know it’s totally horrible, but I’ve been pleased that they’ve not been all over each other.