‘For a girl,’ I finished, picking up my beer. ‘No, he’s nice. But he’s not my type.’

‘What is? Celebrity chefs? Arseholes?’

I shook my head. ‘Not doctors from the North Shore, that’s for sure.’ They never had been. ‘How was your date?’

‘Don’t change the subject.’

‘I’m not.’ I smiled. ‘This is how conversations go. You asked me a question and I answered it—’

‘Hardly.’

‘I answered it, and now I’m asking you a question. We’re talking.’

Nic looked at me like he was trying to solve an equation. ‘Right.’

‘So …’ I took a drag on my cigarette. ‘How was Alex?’

‘Alex was lovely. And even taller than advertised.’

I raised an eyebrow. ‘Go on.’

‘No.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m not telling if you’re not.’

I shrugged, taking another drag. ‘Fine. You’ll tell me eventually.’

‘So will you.’

‘Maybe later.’ My voice sounded funny. Far away. A wave of exhaustion came over me so forcefully I thought it was going to knock me over. I eased back against the bench, sipping my beer and smoking my cigarette, studying the awning hanging over the door to the courtyard, the bolts attaching it to the bricks, wondering if they’d rusted through yet.

‘Caitlin?’

I turned my head. Holly—the redhead with the tatts, almost as good as me, but nicer—was holding a second beer out to me. It was the first time she’d spoken to me since the night with the finance boys, and I caught a tiny tremor in her voice.

I looked at the beer I was holding, surprised to find it empty. ‘Thanks.’

‘We’re going up to the casino after this. Wanna come?’

I snorted. ‘The casino? Jesus.’

‘I know,’ she said, ‘but it’s open all night and Nic wants to play the pokies. He’s convinced he’s going to win this time.’

‘You know they have pokies in regular pubs too. You don’t have to go into that hellhole.’

Holly laughed. ‘Come on …’

‘I hate the casino,’ I said. ‘It’s so garish and full of tourists and every time we go there someone gets lost and everyone else gets lost looking for them.’ I turned to Nic. ‘And you never win. You have literally never won any money on the pokies.’

‘I won ten bucks the other week.’

‘How much did you put in?’

Holly laughed again and Nic just glared at me, trying not to smile.

‘Why the casino?’ I asked again. ‘Really?’

Nic gave in. ‘She likes someone.’

Holly finished off her beer. ‘Shut up,’ she said to him. To me, she said, ‘Maybe.’

‘And he works at the casino?’

‘She,’ Nic interrupted. ‘Tegan. She works in one of the cocktail bars. She’s cute too. For a girl.’

‘Right.’ I looked at him. ‘You’re a regular cupid at the moment, aren’t you?’

‘I try.’