‘Like it here, Abs?’ someone roared across the pub, and Abs knew what was expected of him. He winked and shouted back, ‘Abs, mate!’

Everyone cheered and Abs was choked with emotion. Because he looked around the pub at all these people, these strangers, who had gone out of their way to make him so welcome. They were happy to be with him, not like his mother, who couldn’t wait to be shot of him and put him into care when he was just a little lad, like she was leaving an unwanted puppy at the pound. Tonight, these people were his family, they had invited him into their lives, and Abs felt like the luckiest son of a bitch who ever lived.

But he saw Deano being loud and obnoxious at the other end of the bar – he was taking the piss out of the Welsh accents and generally being disrespectful to people – and Abs pulled Tony close.

‘Tell your mate to calm down, yeah?’ he suggested. ‘He’s being a bit of a prick.’

Tony didn’t need asking twice and went off to speak to Deano, just as someone behind him said, ‘Hey Abs.’

He turned to see a young woman. She was short and pretty, with a wide mouth and curly hair.

‘What’s your name, babes?’ he asked her.

‘Rhiannon,’ she told him with a smirk.

‘That’s a cool name.’

She didn’t take her eyes off him. ‘It’s Welsh.’

‘Yeah.’ Abs grinned. ‘Even I could work that one out. Where you from, Rhiannon?’

‘Not from around here.’ She looked around the pub with distaste. ‘I’m on holiday with my aunt and uncle.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘It’s been so boring… until now.’

Abs saw that her make-up was over-applied and the dress she wore, a knock-off of something popular in all the London stores, was a size too big for her skinny body. She looked like a little girl from the sticks trying to look older, but she had none of the style or sophistication of Kelsey; she wasn’t in the same league. The way her hazel eyes never left his made him uncomfortable.

‘How old are you?’ he asked.

‘Twenty-two.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘How old are you?’

‘I’m nineteen, but guys tell me I look older. Don’t worry…’ She slid her tongue along her top teeth, and the edges were smeared with lipstick. ‘I’m old enough to kiss.’

‘It’s nice to meet you, Rhiannon.’

Abs held out a hand for her to shake, but she made a face. ‘Is that all I get?’

‘I save all my kisses for Kelsey,’ he said, making a point of mentioning his on-screen girlfriend.

She rolled her eyes. ‘Shame.’

Abs had been in this situation many times, and he knew to be careful. He was used to women coming on to him, excited at the prospect of bedding him and then running to the tabs to tell the tale. The gutter press would eat it up if there was even a hint of infidelity.