Certainly seems that way,‘ said Emma. What was it, she wondered, this need to brandish his shiny new metropolitan life at her? As soon as she‘d met him at the arrivals gate on his return from Thailand, lithe and brown and shaven-headed, she knew that there was no chance of a relationship between them. Too much had happened to him, too little had happened to her. Even so this would be the third girlfriend, lover, whatever, that she had met in the last nine months, Dexter presenting them up to her like a dog with a fat pigeon in his mouth. Was it some kind of sick revenge for something? Because she got a better degree than him? Didn‘t he know what this was doing to her, sat at table nine with their groins jammed in each other‘s faces?

Can‘t you go, Ian? It‘s your section.‘

He asked for you.‘

She sighed, wiped her hands on her  apron, removed the baseball cap from her head to minimise the shame and pushed the swing door open.

So – do you want to hear the specials or what?‘

Dexter  stood  up  quickly,  untangling  himself  from  the  girl‘s  long  limbs,  and  threw  his arms around his old, old friend. Hey there, how are  you, Em? Big hug!‘ Since starting to work  in  the  TV  industry  he  had  developed  a  mania  for  hugging,  or  for  Big  Hugging.  The company of TV presenters had rubbed off on him, and he spoke to her now less like an old friend, more like our next very special guest.

Emma, this—‘ He placed one hand on the girl‘s bare, bony shoulder, forming a chain between them. This is Naomi, pronounced Gnome-y.‘

Hello,  Gnome-y,‘  smiled  Emma.  Naomi  smiled  back,  the  drinking  straw  nipped  tight between white teeth.

Hey, come and join us for a margarita!‘ Boozy and sentimental, he tugged on Emma‘s hand.

Can‘t, Dex, I‘m working.‘

Come on, five minutes. I want to buy you a drunk. A drink! I mean a drink.‘

Ian joined them now, his notebook poised. So shall I get you guys something to eat?‘ he asked convivially.

The girl wrinkled her nose. I don‘t think so!‘

Dexter, you‘ve met Ian, haven‘t you?‘ said Emma quickly.

No, no, I haven‘t,‘ said Dexter. Yes, several times,‘ said Ian, and there was a moment of silence as they stood there, the staff and the customers.