‘Yep. Returning them after the show will be the really fun part.’ I smile. ‘But we can hang on to some long-term, because the plan is to keep a small collection on display, once the show’s over.’

‘It’s amazing,’ Nick says, looking at me. ‘It really is. I wish we could show Mum now, don’t you?’

‘I’m nervous, Nick,’ I murmur. ‘What if she’s really not happy about all of this? If she’s annoyed because we kept it from her—’

‘Come on,’ he says firmly. ‘She’ll be overwhelmed and incredibly touched. Seeing it all now, I’m sure she will …’

‘Yes, but what if—’ I break off at the sound of raucous laughter coming from the camp. ‘They’re still awake!’ We head downstairs, and from the living room doorway I insist that they go to sleep.

‘We are asleep.’ That’s Ludo, giggling.

‘I don’t think you are, Ludo.’ I suppress a smile.

‘He is, Mum!’ Izzy insists, and there’s more laughter, and torches strobing inside the tents.

‘Can you handle this lot alone?’ Nick asks, jokingly, as he pulls on his jacket in the hallway, getting ready to leave.

‘I think so. But I’ll send up a flare if I need help.’

He smiles, and his eyes meet mine again. ‘I think you’re an amazing person,’ he says suddenly.

I look at him, not quite knowing how to respond. ‘Thanks,’ is all I can think of to say.

And then I realise he isn’t just referring to the Girl Friday project. He hasn’t stayed on after Izzy’s party because he had nothing better to do, or even to help with the publicity plans. He just wanted to be here, I decide, and I wanted him to be here too.

‘I mean it,’ he adds. I smile, catching a look in his kind eyes, and sense something stirring inside me; my heartbeat seems to quicken. It strikes me that I view Nick as a friend already, but perhaps there is more to it than that. Unless I am completely wrong, and have lost any ability to gauge these things, it feels like there is a spark of something between us.

Of course, the very thought of it is ridiculous. He doesn’t even live here – or even in the same hemisphere. He’ll be heading back to New Zealand in a few weeks’ time, to carry on with his life there, and I might never see him again. It’s not as if he comes over very often. It seems to be once a year, if that. But he seems happy to be here right now, and maybe that’s why he kisses me, quickly and lightly, on the cheek. Because he’s glad to be home.