‘That definitely sounds like Felix. I’m glad you’ve found yourself now.’

‘Me too.’

‘So when are you going to go and see your parents?’

‘I think I’ve put it off as long as I can. I’m going to have to bite the bullet and just go.’ He quickly finished his drink in a gulp before replacing the glass on the coaster. Splaying his hands out on the table, he studied them for a moment before looking back at me. ‘I don’t suppose you’d consider coming with me, would you?’

‘Me? Why would you want me with you?’

‘Moral support?’

‘I’m not sure I’d know what to say to them.’

‘That makes two of us. It’s OK if you don’t want to. Believe me, I really do understand!’ he chuckled.

I lifted my glass, thinking, as I took a sip of the cool amber liquid, the bubbles tickling my nose. Jack had agreed to come with me to the premiere, assuming I decided to go, with little protestation, and that was a much bigger deal than just going to a house. All right, it was a bloody big house, but it was still someone’s home rather than the circus of a major film premiere. As usual, the thought of leaving the security of my four walls wrapped itself around me and slowly knotted itself in my stomach. But he was asking me a favour, and I didn’t feel I could turn it down.

‘OK, I’ll come.’

Jack had been studying his long fingers, still resting on the table. At my words, his head snapped up and the intense green eyes, wide with surprise, met mine.

‘You don’t have to look quite so shocked.’ I laughed. ‘I’m not that bad.’ OK, I was that bad, but that didn’t mean I had to admit it outright.

‘No! I’m just… fine, I am shocked. But in a good way. In a really good way.’

‘Nice save.’ I tilted my glass towards him in a gesture of acknowledgement.

‘You really don’t have to do it, you know?’

‘I know.’ I pushed my chair away from the table and got up, taking the plates with me over towards the dishwasher. As I began to stack, Jack came to stand beside me, resting his hands for a moment on mine. A buzz of electricity rushed through me at the touch, and I stepped away in what I hoped was a subtle manner.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you jump.’

Apparently not subtle enough – but if Jack was going to take that as the reason for my movements, then that worked too.

‘I was just going to say I’ll do that. You’ve done enough today.’

‘It’s fine, I’ll just finish this—’

Jack took the plate out of my hands, placed it on the worktop, then, with his own hands resting gently on my upper arms, he steered me over to the other end of the kitchen-diner where I had a cosy sofa, stacked with cushions and a blanket.