‘So, what did you do?’ Hope asked, going straight for the heart of the matter, rather than trying to fill in the details.

‘Well,’ Joe smiled. ‘Sam here had the biggest crush on Tess back then, but he was beyond shy and couldn’t even bring himself to talk to her. He used to disappear whenever she turned up on the beach.’

Poor Sam was puce. I’d had absolutely no idea, but then if he’d always ducked out of the way, it was hardly surprising that I hadn’t remembered him.

‘Jesus, Joe,’ he cursed, pushing his hands into his hair and dropping his gaze to the table.

‘So,’ Joe carried on in spite of Sam’s discomfiture, ‘we swapped places.’

‘You did what?’ Hope gasped.

I didn’t need to ask the question, because courtesy of the solstice snog, I’d already worked out that Sam was my first blistering kiss, but at least now, I knew why they’d traded.

‘It was late,’ Sam said, huskily, still staring at the table, ‘and it was dark, so Tess didn’t realize and I can’t begin to tell you how guilty I’ve always felt about doing it. It was a disgraceful thing to do, inexcusable, but it was also—’

‘The best kiss of your life,’ I cut in, unable to stop the words. ‘The one kiss you’ve never been able to forget.’

‘Yes,’ Sam said, finally looking up, ‘the very best kiss of my life and certainly one I’ve never been able to forget.’

‘Well,’ said Hope, ‘it was the best one until the night of the party on the beach.’

My eyes snapped back to her.

‘You know about that?’

‘Of course,’ she grinned, ‘Sam’s not stopped going on about it.’

Oh my god! There was no way Sam would have mentioned it if he and Hope were a couple. I had got it wrong! They were just friends.

‘Hope,’ Sam squirmed, and Joe began to laugh.

‘Apparently,’ Hope added with relish, ‘it was even better than the first one.’

‘So, you recognized me too?’ I asked Sam as multiple cogs in my head began to shift and settle my memories of the last few weeks into a brand-new pattern.

‘Of course I did,’ he said, ‘as soon as you walked in here, but as you didn’t seem to know me, I thought I’d save myself the embarrassment and awkward explanation and not say anything. I had no idea why you wanted to keep it a secret that you’d visited Wynmouth before but when that letter turned up, I thought I’d worked it out. It hasn’t stopped me fancying you though. Where you’re concerned, Tess, I just can’t seem to help myself.’