‘Oh, mate,’ he says with a soft chuckle, putting his unopened bottle back into the fridge before striding over, standing beside me and putting his arms around my waist, holding me close. ‘I promise I won’t be sitting around the pool doing nothing all day. You know I’m just going to be wishing I was back here with you guys.’

‘Hardly,’ I laugh.

‘It’ll fly by,’ he insists, not denying it.

There’s no point telling him he’s talking utter bollocks and pointing out that I’m going to spend the whole time he’s gone pulling my hair out, not without causing a fight. So I pout my lips in the way I’ve seen Chloe do a million times instead.

Nick studies my lips, the look in his blue eyes changing as he leans forward to kiss them. It’s not the quick peck I’ve become accustomed to – the swift in and out, non-committal, functional hello or goodbye, good morning or goodnight. It carries intent.

His hand reaches up to my face, guiding my chin to one side as his mouth parts from mine and starts working towards my neck. His breath on my earlobe, the suction on my skin – it causes a groan to escape as my body melts with the action and begins to stir.

My head snaps me out of it, collecting my wanton body as it forces me to stop. I raise my shoulder, shrugging Nick off.

‘You OK?’ he asks, his eyes meeting mine. His voice is breathy, his lips plumper, his face full of sexual longing as he hangs over me.

‘Not tonight,’ I mutter.

‘Why not?’

‘I’m not in the mood.’

‘You never are.’ He manages to deliver his words without resentment or malice, more as an observation. A statement. It cuts deeper.

‘We have two kids. The evidence suggests otherwise,’ I say, unable to look him in the eye, knowing that he’s staring at me.

‘They’re five and three,’ he says, rising to his feet and taking a couple of steps back.

Wanting to break the atmosphere that’s been created, feeling stupid and unhappy, I shift in my seat. My attention returning to the contents of the cardboard box, slowly tearing off another piece before taking a bite. Chew. Chew. Chew. Everything feels so laboured now I know I’m being watched.

Nick sighs. ‘I’m going up.’

‘OK. Won’t be a minute,’ I sing to my pizza.

His mouth opens to speak again but nothing comes out.

‘Night,’ he says, leaning towards me to give me a quick kiss on the head, one of the pecks I’m accustomed to.

‘Night, night,’ I reply through a mouthful of cheesy dough.

He leaves, shutting the door behind him.

I clench my jaw and screw my eyes shut.