It took her half a second to decide.

She looked to her right.

Her mouth was level with his.

They kissed.

‘Do you have any idea how gorgeous you are?’ he said to her, as they pulled apart. ‘I wanted this even before I met you. Do you think that’s possible? Your food, it made me feel things.’

‘I think a table leg could make you feel things.’

‘Hey!’ said Thomas. ‘Come on.’

Penny took a step back. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘That came out wrong. I should have just said thank you. I’m trying to be more gracious. I can be … prickly.’

‘I’d noticed.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Can I kiss you again?’

‘Yes, please.’

Penny followed him up the road and over two more gates, culminating in the steepest part of their walk so far. She didn’t complain out loud, but she was very tired, now, and ready for a rest. It was almost too much. They must have done almost six miles.

‘Okay, make it as far as that post there, and then look out over the valley,’ Thomas instructed.

Penny plodded on. ‘Gotcha,’ she said, breathlessly.

Penny put one foot in front of the other through the sheep-poo-dotted field. She thought about Francesco – Thomas was the first man she’d kissed since him. She didn’t need it to be ‘everything’ – if she thought about it, she was just glad to be moving on. She wasn’t holding her breath for Francesco to text her back, but she was half-aware that it had been twenty-four hours and he hadn’t. But, Thomas was here, and he felt exciting, and needed. She deserved a little light-heartedness, a little romance. Thomas was amusing, and carefree, and she enjoyed spending time with him. She’d heard the phrase ‘monoga-normative’ before, about how it was wrong to assume the right way to be in love was with just one person. She hoped she wasn’t being monoga-normative about Thomas and his choices. Anyway, he went back out on the road at the beginning of December, which was only two more weeks. For two more weeks he could continue to make her laugh, and show her the area, and that was enjoyable for both of them. As long as they were both having a good time, who cared?

‘Now look,’ Thomas instructed, and Penny stood alongside him and looked out to where he was pointing.

‘Holy shit,’ she said, genuinely marvelling at the sprawling valley below them. To one side the river wound over several small drops, covered by trees in every colour of copper and gold and bronze either side. Further down was hill after hill and tree after tree, stretching as far as she could see until the earth hit the sky. ‘This is remarkable. I’ve never seen anything like this,’ she said in awe.

‘Feel reset?’ Thomas said.