That‘s nice for you both, I‘m sure.‘ She poured wine into a plastic cup. So if she‘s not your girlfriend, what do I call her?‘

I don‘t know. ―Lover‖?‘

Doesn‘t that imply affection?‘

How about ―conquest‖?‘ he grinned. Can I say ―conquest‖ these days?‘

Or  ―victim‖.  I  like  ―victim‖.‘  Emma  lay  back  suddenly  and  squeezed  her  fingers awkwardly into the pockets of her jeans. You can have that back ‘n‘ all.‘ She tossed a tightly wadded ten-pound note onto his chest.

No way.‘

Yes way.‘

That‘s yours!‘

Dexter, listen to me. You don‘t tip friends.‘

It‘s not a tip, it‘s a gift.‘

And cash is not a gift. If you want to buy me something, that‘s very nice, but not cash. It‘s embarrassing.‘

He sighed, and stuffed the money back into his pocket. I apologise. Again.‘

Fine,‘ she said, and lay down beside him. Go on then. Tell me all about it.‘

Grinning, he raised himself up on his elbows. So we were having this wrap party at the weekend—‘

Wrap party, she thought. He has become someone who goes to wrap parties.

—and I‘d seen her around at the office so I went over to say hi, hello, welcome to the team, very formal, hand outstretched, and she smiled up at me, winked, put her hand on the back of my head and pulled me towards her and she—‘ He lowered his voice to a thrilled whisper. —kissed me, right?

Kissed you, right?‘ said Emma, as another tennis ball struck home.

—and slipped something into my mouth with her tongue. ―What was that?‖ I said and she just winked and said, ―You‘ll find out‖.‘

A silence followed before Emma said Was it a peanut?‘ 

No—‘

Little dry-roasted peanut—‘

No, it was a pill—‘

What, like a tic-tac or something? For your bad breath?‘

I don‘t have bad—‘

Haven‘t you told me this story before anyway?‘

No, that was another girl.‘

The tennis balls were coming thick and fast now, the odd cricket ball mixed in there too. Emma stretched and concentrated on the sky.