‘Afraid not. Angie’s not feeling very well so she’s gone to bed and sends her apologies. It’s just a cold but she’s run-down which has made it worse. Where’s Alan?’

‘Gone up to his parents for a few days: his mum had a fall. She’s fine but he wants to help.’

‘I guess it’s just you and me then, pardner.’

‘I guess it is.’

Jack drained his beer. ‘Let’s go,’ he said. Hollering goodbye to Angie and the children, they let themselves out of the front door and headed down the road. It was a brisk evening and she shivered a little bit.

‘Do you want my scarf?’ Jack offered, glancing at her.

‘No, you’re all right,’ she said.

‘Honestly, it’s fine.’ He unravelled his scarf and turned to her, wrapping it carefully around her neck. She smelt his aftershave on it and started to feel giddy. What on earth was wrong with her this evening? Perhaps it was just the anticipation of a night out.

When they arrived at the school, she gave a little gasp of pleasure. The hall had been decked out wonderfully. There was bunting and lights hanging from the ceiling and a band was setting up on the stage, which was furnished with hay and a wagon wheel. In one corner a makeshift bar had been set up and Jack went off to get them a couple of beers, while Sophie looked around, marvelling at how they had managed to make the boring old school hall look so atmospheric.

Being on the PTA committee, she knew a lot of people and it was impossible to go from one side of the hall to the other without bumping into someone who wanted to chat. It was a good forty-five minutes before she managed to break away and her eyes searched the hall, looking for Jack to make sure that he was okay. She spotted him in the corner, surrounded by a group of Year Three mums who looked like they were rounding in on him. She caught his eye, and he mouthed ‘help me’ at her.

Chuckling to herself, she made her way over to him. ‘Sorry, ladies, but this cowboy promised me a dance,’ she said, whisking him off to the dance floor.

‘Thanks, Sophie, I didn’t think I’d ever get away,’ he said. ‘Nice bunch of ladies but pretty intense. One actually asked me whether me and my wife practised swinging and I’m not entirely sure if it was a joke or not.’

Sophie roared with delight, and then switched her focus to the instructions being barked out by the line dance teacher. They were both terrible dancers and they giggled at each other as they attempted to follow the instructions and failed miserably.

‘Another beer?’ Jack suggested, when the song finally finished.

‘I definitely need one after that ordeal,’ Sophie agreed. As he disappeared through the crowds towards the bar, Sophie spotted Eve walking towards her and gave her a grin.

‘Having fun?’ she asked.