‘Joanna, do you want a hand, dear?’ he asks, all innocent. I bet he’s really thinking of Mum without much on, though. She probably wore that sheer teddy she stuffs in her bottom drawer especially for him when they had their thing. She’s got a whole load more like that since she met Simon.

One Saturday, Rob comes in.

‘Have you got Melody Maker?’ he asks, leaning a grey leather elbow on the counter, flashing his gold chain. ‘It’s a music magazine.’

‘I know what it is,’ I say, half-closing my eyelids in a Bet Lynch style. I don’t read magazines like that. They’re for boys who’ve got no girlfriends.

Rob says nothing. There’s something about his mouth, the way his upper lip bows, that I like. So I open my eyes wider. ‘Is it good, then? Melody Maker?’

He looks over my shoulder at the cigarettes on the shelf and considers, then licks his curving upper lip. ‘Yes.’ He starts a little smile. ‘You’d like it.’

Outside it’s raining. Water’s streaking down the shop windows, leaking onto the lino whenever anyone comes in. Pools of mud begin to creep around the doormat. It won’t be long before Buggery’s handing me the mop.

Then Shane comes in the door.

It’s the first time he’s been in since I started working here. The first time I’ve seen him for months.

He stands by the magazines, staring at me. His parka’s dripping wet. He looks like a big shining bulk of green. I think of the Green Cross Code Man. The Jolly Green Giant. The Incredible Hulk.

Rob leans on the counter. ‘I think you’d really like it,’ he says.

But all I can do is look at Shane. He’s had his hair cut but it still hangs in his eyes. His face is framed by patches of new half-fluffy, half-spiky stubble. It makes his lips seem fuller, his eyes darker.

He gives Rob a quick glance, then turns towards the chiller cabinet.

I take a breath. ‘Do you want me to order it in for you, this Melody Maker?’ I brush Rob’s elbow aside to make room for the order pad. I chew on the end of one of those chubby pens. It’s got glitter inside, and I imagine chewing a hole in it so the glitter falls out all over my mouth and down my chest.

By now Rob’s noticed the presence of Shane and we’re both looking over at his back. Water dribbles down his parka and onto the floor. He sniffs a huge sniff, runs the back of his hand under his nose.

‘That’s disgusting.’ Rob is speaking to me but his voice is loud enough for Shane to hear.