Penny laughed. ‘Mate, if your support gorilla relieves itself on the flight from Heathrow to my imaginary holiday home on the isle of Mustique, I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to deal with that.’

Francesco conceded. ‘Okay. On the occasion of us flying to your imaginary holiday home on Mustique I hereby declare I will pick up after my imaginary support gorilla.’

‘Excellent,’ said Penny. ‘Thank you for being so understanding.’ Penny could hear something happening in Francesco’s kitchen – shouting, with some quite liberal swearing.

‘I’ve gotta go,’ he said, suddenly, in a hushed voice. ‘But have a great day, Penny.’

It was easier to enjoy a shift after she’d spoken with him. It really would be a great day now.

‘You too,’ she replied, smiling.

Penny decided to come right out and say it.

‘Francesco, are you dating anyone right now?’

She asked it because she wanted to tell him about Thomas, because not telling him was like a lie by omission, and if they were friends there was no need to lie to him, deliberately or not. Also, Sharon had called her once Penny revealed they were back in contact and made her swear she’d actually only be his friend, because, ‘He’s a prick, Penny! When somebody shows you who they are, believe them!’ Sharon insisted Penny know up front who he was seeing and how long it had been happening for. Information was power, she declared.

At the other end of the line Francesco’s voice faltered.

‘Why are you asking me that?’ he said, with trepidation.

It was almost midnight, and they were both lying in bed; Penny in her flat above the pub in Havingley, and Francesco in his flat in London.

‘Because we’re friends, and friends know who each other is sleeping with.’

‘I see,’ Francesco said. ‘Are you sleeping with somebody?’

Penny couldn’t get a read on his tone of voice.

‘Perhaps.’

‘Perhaps …’

‘Perhaps!’

‘I see. Well, thank you for your honesty.’

‘Not telling you felt like a secret, and I don’t want us to have secrets.’

Francesco didn’t say anything.

‘Well?’ Penny said. ‘Are you?’

He took a breath. ‘I hang out with one of the waitresses here, sometimes. It’s been on and off for a while now.’

Penny nodded, and then realized he couldn’t see her nodding. She couldn’t help herself from asking, ‘Does she have curly hair?’

Francesco snorted, taken aback by the strangeness of the question. ‘Um, it’s normally tied back in a ponytail,’ he said. ‘But it’s pretty straight. It gets a sort of kink in it if it’s been off her face, I guess.’

Penny felt sick that she’d even asked. ‘Okay, well,’ she said. ‘What a great bedtime story.’

‘You sound mad. I thought you wanted to know?’

‘No, I did! I asked! That’s cool! I’m pleased that you’re … happy. Or whatever.’