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‘She is,’ he replies. ‘When I got my first proper contract, I bought her a car. Nothing special, just something reliable. She couldn’t stop crying, she was so proud.’

‘That’s incredible, Jamie.’

‘I’ve always just wanted to be able to take care of her, like she took care of me,’ he explains. ‘This stuff still feels strange. I like it, obviously. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. But being able to look after her is what matters to me the most. Everything else could disappear tomorrow, so long as I know I’ve done that.’

I look into his eyes for a moment. This isn’t the Jamie Royle I know, the Prince of rugby league; this is a man who loves his mum more than anything in the world, and he wants to give her a good life. That’s admirable.

‘You’re not what people think you are,’ I muse.

He smiles back at me.

‘What do people think I am?’ he asks.

‘Honestly? That you’re arrogant.’

‘I am arrogant.’

‘You’re also thoughtful.’

‘Don’t tell anyone that. You’ll ruin my image.’

‘Who am I going to tell?’ I say with a laugh.

‘Hood,’ he replies.

I shake my head.

‘He’d never believe me,’ I say. ‘I’ve told him plenty of good things about you.’

‘You have?’

‘Of course – honestly, you have more in common than you realise. I think the two of you could get along really well, if you put this silly rivalry aside,’ I say.

He wipes his mouth with his napkin.

‘I don’t think so,’ he replies. ‘I think it might be getting worse.’

‘Why?’ I blurt.

‘You,’ he says simply.

Shit. Double shit, because Eddy isn’t my boyfriend, is he? Sure, he puts on a good show, when people are around, but when it’s just the two of us, it’s not like that.

Eddy is quieter than Jamie, gentler, harder to read. He’s like a cryptic crossword; it takes time to figure him out, to uncover information – like the fact his family has a bakery, or that he listens to the Beach Boys. When you figure him out, it’s always fascinating. It’s getting there that’s the hard part.

Jamie is different. He’s open, honest, he lets me in and he shows me what’s in every closet. I feel like he wants me to see him, he wants to get to know me, he wants to have dinner with me. Not because it’s good for his career – look at this evening. No one knows we’re here.

The openness appeals to me, especially after Ron. Ron kept me hidden, then used that secrecy to cheat on me. And with Eddy, well, it’s all for show. Everything is easy, when you’re faking it. But Jamie, he’s choosing me…

But it’s all such a mess, I don’t know what to say – I don’t even know what to think. So I leave the word – you – hanging in the air.

By the time dessert arrives, I have stopped pretending this meal is work. I’m just happy to have a nice time. We still talk about work occasionally, but only circumstantially.

‘You should wear suits more often, you looked great at the awards,’ I tell him as we chat.

‘Oh, really?’ he says, with a grin.

‘Yeah, you scrub up well.’