The conversation continued on, punctuated with eating and passing dishes around and comments on how amazing the deep-fried cauliflower was, or suggestions that they order another plate of the meatballs. Throughout, Sage regaled them with stories of training as a dancer throughout her childhood and how she never thought she’d be able to make dancing her career.

When the evening eventually came to an end and Charlotte and Steph had left, Darren took Sage’s hand and kissed it. ‘You were bloody amazing tonight,’ he said.

‘Thanks. It was fun, actually . . . getting to be someone else . . . spend a night pretending.’

‘Yeah, it was, hey?’

‘Anyway, thanks for dinner. Good luck with the whole donation thing.’ She pulled her hand out of his and started to turn away.

‘Hang on, wait, I don’t have your number.’

‘So? This was a one-off thing, remember?’

‘Yeah, but . . . what if we wanted to . . . you know, maybe catch up again?’

Sage screwed up her face. ‘Nah, I don’t think that’s a good idea. But it was great meeting you.’ She started to move away again and then she stopped. ‘Hey, listen — before you do this whole donation thing, maybe just make sure you really do think it through, okay? Don’t do it for the wrong reasons.’

She left then before Darren could respond, climbing into an Uber that he hadn’t even noticed her order. He stayed standing in front of the restaurant, thinking about what she’d just said.

Don’t do it for the wrong reasons.

Was that what he was doing? But Sage didn’t even know him. And now he was never going to see her again. Which was fine, obviously. She was only ever meant to be a pretend girlfriend for one night.

He was glad Doggo would be waiting for him at home.

Chapter Ten

CHAPTER TEN

Sunday 13 December

Jill

Jill smiled down at the small girl next to her in the lift. The little girl grinned up at her and almost immediately, her mother yanked on her hand, pulling her in close. The girl’s face dropped and Jill was taken aback. She tried to catch the mother’s eye, hoping to let her know she wasn’t a threat and that she was only trying to be friendly, but the mother wouldn’t look her way. A moment later, the lift doors opened and the woman and her daughter stepped out and headed down the hall. Jill followed behind and then passed them to reach Tony and Andrea’s apartment.

She knocked and after a few seconds Andrea opened the door. ‘Jill! I didn’t know you were coming by. We were just . . .’

Tony appeared behind her with keys in hand and Jill realised they were heading out. How could she have been so stupid to think she could just drop by for a cup of tea and expect them to have nothing on?

‘Sorry,’ Jill began, ‘I shouldn’t have —’