The wine waiter nodded and left. Quinn started to feel hot and pulled at his collar uncomfortably. He should have ended things earlier; this was never supposed to be long-term. How had he let it get to this point? His usual relationship cap was six months; no one got hurt if you kept it below six months. Now he had to endure a treacly romance-by-numbers evening, with a pink polyester bow attached to his chair, knowing she was waiting for a small box that was definitely not on the menu.

His eyes darted down the beach and he saw a scrawny-looking dog trotting up the shoreline towards them. It was a scruffy white and grey mutt with a stump for a tail and a slight limp in its hind leg.

‘Oh, look at that cute dog,’ he said, his voice coming out higher than he’d ever heard it before. Jaya turned to look.

‘Quinn, no! It’s a filthy stray. Don’t pay it any attention or it won’t leave us alone,’ she scowled.

‘Poor thing looks hungry,’ said Quinn, clicking his fingers to get the dog’s attention.

‘Quinn,’ Jaya was kicking his shin under the table. ‘Don’t!’

Quinn held out some naan bread for the dog. It bounded towards them, gently taking the bread, then licking Quinn’s palm with gratitude.

‘Poor little fella,’ said Quinn, giving the dog an affectionate rub behind the ear. ‘When did you last have a meal, buddy?’

‘The hotel won’t be able to get rid of it now,’ Jaya said sharply. ‘You aren’t helping it in the long run.’

Spurred on by Jaya’s anger and grateful to the dog for appearing, Quinn fed him another piece of bread. Though the dog was scruffy and underfed, he had a friendly face and he nuzzled affectionately into Quinn’s arm.

‘He must belong to someone – he’s so tame,’ said Quinn.

‘He just knows a sucker when he sees one. Honestly, Quinn I’m serious, I don’t want that dog anywhere near our dinner or me. Call the waiter to get rid of it,’ Jaya pouted, folding her arms in front of her gold-dusted cleavage.

‘OK, I’ll take him back the way he came,’ said Quinn, jumping up and tossing his napkin onto the chair. ‘He probably lives down by those beach shacks beyond the palm trees. You relax, take in the view, I’ll be back soon.’