‘You’ll be fine,’ he whispers. ‘You’ll get home and forget all about me.’

‘You’re absolutely right,’ I say flippantly. ‘By tomorrow it will be Dean who?’

He gives me a rueful smile.

I wonder will that be the same for him. Will he forget me so easily? When he’s back in his normal life in the village, will he still think of me? Will there be another, more attractive trekker running away from her life next time round to take my place in his bed? Will he whirl and twirl her until she forgets which way up she’s supposed to be? Will he wash her hair and bathe her and love her all night? I sigh out loud.

‘A penny for them,’ Dean says.

‘They’re worth a whole lot more than that.’ I force a smile. ‘I don’t want to be miserable and maudlin on our last night together.’ I cast my eyes over the food. ‘This looks wonderful,’ I say.

Dean looks deep into my eyes then looks away, busying himself by dishing out some of the wonderfully aromatic meat. As he spoons it onto my plate, I realise that a knot of tension has grabbed my stomach and is gripping it like two tight fists. How I wish I had a crystal ball to see into the future.

‘Thanks,’ I say to Dean. Everyone else is tucking into their food with relish. ‘I’m starving.’ But, in truth, I have absolutely no appetite whatsoever.

‘Me too,’ Dean says.

And we both aimlessly push our food around with our forks.

Chapter sixty-three

Chapter sixty-three

‘Hot, sweet tea,’ Pip said as he handed over the cup.

‘Just what the doctor ordered.’ Jake tried to push himself upwards, but the soft contours of Pip’s sofa were just too comforting.

‘Feeling better?’ Pip sat on the chair opposite and swigged from a bottle of beer.

‘Quantify better.’ His friend had managed to catch him as he fainted, but he’d still got a bruise on his head from somewhere, although his bruised feelings were infinitely worse. He didn’t remember much about it, but apparently Pip had bundled him into a taxi and brought him straight back to his place.

‘Simon’s away in New York,’ Pip said. ‘I’ve purloined his bed for you. I’ll put some clean sheets on. You can stay here overnight, or for as long as you like.’

‘How ironic that I’m staying here now, when not too long ago I was saying that I was staying here when I wasn’t. Am I making any sense?’

‘If you are, it will be a first,’ Pip said. ‘How hard was that bang on your head?’

Jake laughed and it made all of him ache. ‘I feel like a prat.’

‘I’m sorry, mate,’ Pip said. ‘I’d no idea the lovely Neve would be there.’