He nodded, and I nodded back. When I turned to the whiskies Nic was right next to me. ‘You sneaky little brat,’ he whispered, while turning all the bottles the right way.

I tried to be annoyed but I couldn’t suppress a laugh.

‘Wow,’ he said.

I found the Glenmorangie and lifted it up, checking how much we had left. ‘We need more of this.’

‘It’s about fucking time.’

‘Is it?’ I asked blankly.

‘Ha!’ he exclaimed, much too loudly. ‘It will be once you’ve finished cleaning up.’

I grinned.

‘Well done,’ he said, his voice softer. ‘I’m so happy for you.’

‘Thanks.’

‘I guess you did have time after all.’

I was thrown for a second. ‘I guess.’

I turned back to Tom. I assumed at some point the sight of him would stop shocking me right into the base of my spine, but it seemed a long way away.

‘How was work?’ I asked, setting down a glass and pouring a little bit too much into it.

He shrugged. ‘Quiet. Long. Or maybe it just felt that way because I was thinking about other things.’

I poured a finger of water into another glass, balanced it over his. ‘Like what?’

‘You.’

My hand shook, and the water jumped out, too much of it. ‘Shit,’ I swore. ‘Sorry.’

‘Everything okay?’ he asked. ‘You seem nervous.’

I caught his eye. ‘Distracted.’

‘By what?’

I didn’t answer, pushed the glass towards him, and he reached for it before I let it go, his fingers locking around mine. For a second I forgot where I was.

‘Caitlin,’ he said, tugging on my fingers again. He was looking at me, so intently I couldn’t move. Then he blinked and his whole face broke open into a laugh, and I laughed too, almost relieved. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘This is weird. You’re working and I just keep thinking about …’

I smiled. ‘Me too.’

I glanced around. Nic was back at the register. There was only one table left and Emma was clearing their dessert plates. I’d barely noticed her all night.

‘Cute elephant.’

‘It’s a present for this woman I know.’ He picked up his whisky. ‘But she has to finish work first.’

I looked at him for a minute longer, memorising his face, and then went back to my stock list.

We went to his place after I finished. He jokingly suggested the pub but I shook my head and I could tell from the look in his eyes he was thinking the same thing I was, the thing I hadn’t been able to stop thinking all day.