‘Yeah,’ he nodded. ‘That makes sense. He did have a disturbed night, so it might be good for him to have a settled, relaxed day today before I take him away again.’

I tried not to focus on the last part of his sentence and instead kept focused on all the reasons getting a dog wouldn’t be a good idea. There was no denying Clive was a lovely dog and would make someone a wonderful pet. It was just that that someone wasn’t me.

‘I was wondering if you’d decided what to wear to the premiere yet,’ Poppy said, sensing a change of subject might be a good idea right about now.

‘Oh God, no. I haven’t. I’m thinking about going back to my agent and—’

‘No.’

‘No what?’

‘You’re going. You agreed.’

‘I know, but—’

‘You’re going. I need all the gossip on what the stars are like in real life and all the dresses, and stuff.’

‘Can’t you just buy a copy of Hello?’

‘You’re going,’ Poppy said. She was barely five foot and looked like a china doll, but I knew from all the years she’d been married to my brother that beneath that fragile exterior lay a will of iron. It appeared I was going to the premiere.

‘That’s it!’ Poppy clapped her hands at what felt like the eleventy-seventh dress I’d tried on today.

‘You said that about the one before last as well,’ I said, facing away from the mirror and craning my neck to look at the back of the dress. ‘It’s kind of low,’ I added, seeing the amount of bare skin exposed back there.

‘I know I did but no, it’s this one. Definitely. This is it. It’s stunning and, oh my God, it looks amazing on you. Very sexy!’ She waggled her eyebrows.

‘I’m not sure I’m particularly interested in looking sexy.’

‘Too bad, because you do. Jack’s going to melt when he sees you in this.’

‘Hardly. Besides, he’d better not. Knowing I’m going to have someone to talk to there is the only reason I’m actually going at all.’

‘And it doesn’t help that that someone looks better than most of the movie stars?’

‘I hadn’t really thought about that aspect.’

Poppy laughed. ‘If your nose grows any more, we’re going to have difficulty getting you out of this changing room.’

‘Oh, very funny. OK, yes, I admit he’s good-looking. And I actually think he’s got better with age.’

‘Like a fine wine.’

‘I wouldn’t go that far, and definitely don’t tell him I said that.’

‘Would I?’

‘Yes. Besides, neither of you looked that thrilled at the possibility we might have got together the other day.’

‘That was just surprise.’

‘Felix looked like the thunder from the night before.’

‘Yeah, well,’ said Poppy. ‘You know what he’s like.’

‘Yes. Always telling me I need to move on. And then, when it actually looks like I might have, he looks like he wants to bury the man in question under my patio.’