Kore’s voice calls her back to the present.

‘Wow, you’re in a foul mood.’

Karen flashes him a smile and accepts the bottle.

‘Not at all,’ she says and takes a sip. ‘Congratulations, by the way. The final week was hectic, I take it. But you’re done now, right?’

Kore puffs up his cheeks and exhales loudly.

‘The recording session’s done, yeah. Assuming I can fight off everyone’s idiotic ideas about last-minute changes, that is,’ he adds.

Karen takes a closer look at his weary face and opens her mouth to ask what he means but then stops herself. Their work is none of her business and she wants to get out of there.

‘Well, I guess all that’s left to do is to cross our fingers it’s well-received once it’s out,’ she says. ‘Did I hear that’s not until after the summer?’

She knows every step of their plan. First the announcement: Luna is back after ten years of silence. A single this summer and then the rest of the songs and a tour in the autumn. Probably, Leo had said. If everything comes together.

She had only half listened. Luna’s music hadn’t interested her much even back when she was at peak popularity; bubblegum pop and lavish stage shows. Easily dismissed, easily forgotten among countless other, bigger artists. But for some reason, Luna always played well with the critics, and she has developed something of a cult following in the past decade. Probably in no small part because she abruptly quit the business when she was at the height of her fame.

Kore nods.

‘Yes, that’s the plan,’ he replies. ‘Hopefully it’ll blow up.’

I wasn’t interested then, and I’m even less interested now, Karen thinks to herself and looks over at the stage where something Leo has just said is making Luna tilt her head back and laugh.

Karen can’t see her perfect white teeth from where she’s standing. But she knows they’re there.

What the fuck am I doing here anyway?

‘Would you mind giving Leo the keys?’ she says. ‘I’m in a bit of a hurry and he looks busy.’

‘Oh, come on, it’s a party. There may not be a lot of us, but we’re going to have it large. Eirik’s coming, too. Should be here any minute, actually.’

Kore glances down at his watch and then up at the door, as though that might make his boyfriend materialise.

‘No time. I promised Marike I’d stop by the studio to check out something she’s working on.’

‘Come on, stay for a bit at least? If you’re really good, I’ll let you say hi to . . .’