‘Look, I’m sorry if you are pissed off about the other night,’ Minnie blurted out, ‘I didn’t mean to get stuck in the toilet, did I? I tried calling you as soon as I could, and I really did feel terrible yesterday. Now I’ve got forty pies to deliver all over London and Alan got our van clamped and if we don’t get them out today, we’re going to be in serious trouble, and you’re the only person I know with a car, so please, please can I borrow it and I’ll make things up to you later?’ she paused, weighing up how much ground she needed to recover. ‘Maybe I’ll even dress up as a dental nurse again, I know how much you liked that. I could pick up some new toothbrushes and appointment cards on the way home?’ Minnie closed her eyes, willing Greg to soften.

‘Minnie?’ he said, but he didn’t sound like Greg any more.

Minnie looked down at her screen. The caller ID was displaying some random number she didn’t recognise.

‘Greg?’ she said.

‘No. It’s Quinn. Quinn Hamilton.’

Minnie froze, not knowing whether to hang up the phone or throw it across the street like a burning lump of coal that had scorched her hand. How in the name of dentistry had she managed to call Quinn Hamilton?

‘Oh god, sorry,’ she said, clutching the phone to her ear and closing her eyes. ‘I don’t know how I managed to call you, I was trying to call someone else.’

She must have somehow clicked on the Facebook message when the call dropped.

‘Clearly,’ said Quinn. He sounded amused. ‘You got my message then?’

‘Uh-huh.’ Minnie still had her eyes closed. So much for her plan to play it cool and leave it a few days before replying.

‘And you need a car?’ said Quinn.

‘No,’ said Minnie, shaking her head. ‘Well yes. Sorry, I honestly don’t know how I ended up calling you, my phone must have a mind of its own.’

‘I have a car you can borrow,’ said Quinn.

‘No honestly, I don’t need your car, I can borrow my boyfriend’s car … ’ She paused. ‘Thank you, though, it’s kind of you to offer.’

‘Well if you borrow Greg’s car, you’ll have to go and buy new toothbrushes and that sounds – ’ his deep voice cracked slightly – ‘like hard work.’

Minnie flexed out the fingers on her other hand, every fibre of her body cringing.

‘Honestly, Minnie, I’d be happy to help you out. Let me know where you are and I’ll come drop off the car. Consider it restitution for stealing your name.’

Minnie walked back into the kitchen with a dazed look on her face.

‘Is Greg bringing his car?’ Leila asked, as she folded flat-packed cardboard into pie boxes.