The suite was outrageous, but the novelty of such continued luxury hadn’t worn off and so we both spent a good fifteen minutes walking around exclaiming about the size of the beds, the depth of the bath, the TVs in every room, the view – all of it. It was all modern, angled furniture and floor-to-ceiling glass, even in the bathroom. I’d be showering suspended in the Sydney sky, and beyond grateful for it. I didn’t think I’d ever go on such an extravagant holiday for the rest of my life. In fact, I knew I wouldn’t.

‘Would it be acceptable if I took your almost-in-laws out to dinner when we get home, so I can thank them?’ Patrick asked. ‘Or maybe I could offer to mow their lawn for a year, or kneel on all fours in their living room to be used as a footrest?’

‘Oh,’ I said, suddenly remembering. ‘They say hi, actually. I’ve been trying to let them know what we’ve been doing every day, and Fernanda specifically asked if you were having fun. I hope you don’t mind, but I sent her the photo of you after you’d lost the water fight.’

‘Not my finest hour,’ he conceded. ‘But of course, send her whatever you want. That’s nice, that you’re chatting.’

‘It’s the least I can do – keep her up to date with our activities.’

We were stood at the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the harbour, late-afternoon sun making the water look like it contained hidden diamonds that sparkled just below the surface. There were the white sails of fifty or so boats scattered about, and high-rise buildings on the other side, which I presumed was the downtown area or the business district. It was everything a person could want from a city all in one eyeline: water, culture, business, the promise of good restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. I knew this part of the trip would be a totally different taste of the country, and I tingled with anticipation of what was in store.

‘And yes, to answer your question: definitely offer the footrest thing.’ I giggled as I pressed my nose against the glass and looked down. We were very high up. ‘No talking though. Footrests can’t talk.’

‘I think I’d struggle with that,’ he retorted. ‘I don’t know if you’ve noticed but—’

‘Oh, I’ve noticed,’ I replied, and instinctively I reached out a hand to his arm. As we touched it was like gripping live electricity wires and I withdrew as quickly as I’d reached out. What the hell? That was super strange. I’d only meant to emphasize my point, not set us both on fire.

We were interrupted by FaceTime trilling on my iPad.

‘How is that even connected to the Wi-Fi?’ I mused aloud, as I dived into my hand luggage for it.