‘I’m not criticizing you,’ says Connor, rubbing my hand. ‘Far from it. I’d hate it if you changed. It’s just I can’t function if things are chaotic. I need to know where everything is and, well, mess just sets me on edge. I should loosen up, shouldn’t I?’

‘No,’ I say, leaning forward to kiss him. ‘Don’t do that. I love you as you are.’

‘You mean that?’ he says, touching my face lightly.

‘Yes,’ I say. ‘I do. Now, I’d better go and get ready. I want to have enough time for shopping before we meet Georgie.’

‘Remind me what we’re looking for again?’

Connor has trailed after me for almost half an hour now yet I still haven’t managed to find anything.

‘Well, it’s nothing specific,’ I say, pausing outside Cos to take a closer look at the window display. ‘I’ve got a presentation next week. We’ve managed to secure a meeting with a major US manufacturer. I need to look my best but I’m not sure what I should be aiming for.’

‘Can I give you some advice?’ says Connor, taking my arm.

‘What’s that?’ I say, turning to look at him.

‘You’re not going to find the right outfit in one of these high-street shops,’ he says, guiding me away from the window. ‘This is a big presentation, right?’

‘Yes,’ I say, nodding my head.

‘And you’ve probably been working on it for, what, weeks? Months?’

‘A few months, yep.’

‘And every little detail has been perfected over those months,’ he says. ‘Every point has been scrutinized.’

‘Yes, it’s a big deal. If we secure this client it will take the company to another level.’

‘Right,’ he says. ‘So, after all that hard work, why fall at the final hurdle by turning up in a cheap, high-street dress? You need to think about your image, what kind of message you’re sending out.’

‘I know,’ I say, feeling rather awkward. ‘But for years the high street’s been my only option. My salary at Luna London just about covers bills and rent. I can’t afford expensive clothes.’

‘Look at it this way,’ he says, smiling warmly. ‘If you add up the cost of all those cheap clothes you’ve bought over the years, which you probably ended up chucking in the bin because they fell apart, you could spend the same amount on a few select pieces that will last.’

‘I guess,’ I say, thinking back, shamefully, to the number of cheap dresses and T-shirts I’ve thrown away.

‘It’s true,’ he says. ‘Now, how about you let me find something for you? If you don’t like what I choose then, fair enough, we’ll go to Zara. Agreed?’

‘Agreed,’ I say, feeling relieved that the decision has been taken out of my hands.

‘Great,’ he says, taking my hand. ‘I know just the place.’