Patrick did a mischievous hip wiggle as he headed over to the reading rack, turning to make sure I’d seen him and then winking coquettishly when he concluded that I had. I caught the waiter laughing at him as she delivered our next round, and when she realized I’d seen she commented, ‘Laughter is key, isn’t it? My boyfriend is just the same.’

She’d disappeared before I could find the words to explain.

12

On the plane, which quite frankly came too soon considering we didn’t even have time for one of the spa treatments we’d been told were available in the lounge, Patrick sat opposite me, the yang chair to my yin. As I was sipping on another glass of champagne, he was playing with the buttons that adjusted his chair, sliding it down so that it lay flat with his feet up on the footrest, and then moving it back up into a big cocoon. He pulled his TV out of the armrest.

‘This is bigger than my laptop screen,’ he announced. And then, ‘Annie! They have all the Marvel universe on here!’

A couple across the aisle looked at him with amusement. They had the refined and weary air of people for whom this obviously wasn’t a novelty, all polished blazers and loafers and expensive skincare with phenomenal results. But I had to admit, I was in as much awe as he was. I’d never turned left on a plane. For my thirtieth, Alexander upgraded us to Economy Plus when we went to New York, but being at the front with seats that reclined all the way back so we might actually sleep, and nice cabin staff waving about more champagne and hot towels to freshen up, was really, really special. I couldn’t believe Fernanda and Charles would be this lavish. I also couldn’t believe I almost wasn’t going to accept. This was truly already the most memorable trip of my life. What an adventure! My tummy bubbled elatedly. God, it felt good to feel good.

I pulled out my tiny toiletry bag from my hand luggage and produced a wet wipe.

‘Taking no chances I see,’ Patrick noted, rifling through the reading materials in front of him.

‘Even fancy people have germs,’ I replied, handing him one.

His eyes widened. ‘Annie, it’s a seven-course meal they serve up here,’ he muttered, absent-mindedly taking the wipe but not looking up. ‘And it also says there’s a business-class bar?’ He moved to look around the cabin. The older man of the couple who had been staring at us piped up, ‘It’s up there, son. Open after take-off.’

His partner – the younger, blonder man – said, ‘Just remember the golden rule: every one drink in the air is worth three on the ground.’

The older man chuckled. ‘Martin learned that the hard way, didn’t you, darling?’

Martin grinned sheepishly, and we all laughed in understanding.