‘No, it was good,’ Dan reassures him. ‘In the end.’

I nod. ‘In the end. You told us we would have another sixty-eight years of marriage and it kind of kick-started … Well, we didn’t react brilliantly …’

‘We freaked out,’ says Dan honestly. ‘I mean, sixty-eight years. That’s a lot of box sets.’ He laughs at his own joke, but Dr Bamford doesn’t seem to hear. He’s peering thoughtfully at Dan. He transfers his gaze to me, then back to Dan.

‘Sixty-eight years?’ he says at last. ‘Dear me. Hmm. I may possibly have overestimated a tad. I tend to do that. My colleague Alan McKenzie is forever chiding me on the matter.’

Overestimated?

‘What do you mean, “overestimated”?’ I say, staring at him.

‘What do you mean, “overestimated”?’ Dan echoes, only half a second behind me.

‘Dr McKenzie recently advised me to shave a good half per cent off my calculations. Which would mean you have closer to, let’s say … sixty-four years.’ He beams cheerfully, then notices a tray of canapés passing by. ‘Ah, smoked salmon! Excuse me a moment …’

As Dr Bamford pursues the canapés, Dan and I stare at each other, stricken. I feel cheated. I had sixty-eight years and now I only have sixty-four.

‘Sixty-four years?’ I gulp at last. ‘Sixty-four? That’s no time!’

Dan looks equally traumatized. He seizes me to him as though we’re counting every second, crushing me against him. ‘OK, so we only have sixty-four years,’ he says. ‘Let’s make them count.’

‘No more wasting time,’ I agree fervently.

‘No more petty arguments.’

‘Live every moment.’

‘Set the alarm earlier,’ says Dan urgently. ‘Ten minutes a day. We can claw back some time that way.’ And he looks so worked up that something inside me says, Wait a minute. We’re overreacting again.

‘Dan …’ I say more gently. ‘No one actually knows. We could have seventy-two more years together. Or two. Or two days.’

My gaze travels around the room, suddenly seeing everyone here in a different light. There’s Mummy with her brittle smile, who thought she would be with Daddy for a lot longer. John, facing a future without Owen, his eyes sad even as he talks to Tilda – who herself had to cope with a life that didn’t pan out the way she hoped. Dan’s parents, still dancing, faces determined, making it work. Mary and Robert, chatting closely with shy smiles, maybe at the start of something? And my girls, dancing joyously in their Chelsea top and Gruffalo costume. Out of all of us, they’ve got the right idea.

‘Come on.’ I put a hand on his arm and squeeze it fondly. ‘Come on, Dan. Let’s just get on with life.’

And I lead him on to the dance floor, where everyone breaks off to applaud us. Dan throws some shapes and Tilda whoops and the girls spin round and round with me, laughing.

And we get on with life.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

While writing this book, I reflected a lot on longevity, loyalty and partnership.

I am lucky enough to have been writing books for many years, for which I’m endlessly grateful to my wonderful and loyal readers. Writers don’t really have the facility to ‘renew their vows’ with their readers – but I’m lifting a glass to you all, anyway. Thank you so much for reading.

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank my publishers around the world. I am, again, lucky enough to be published in many countries, from the UK, US and Canada, throughout Europe, to South America, Asia and Australasia. I have worked closely with many of my publishers and have built up fantastic long-term relationships with them. Other countries I’m yet to visit – but I’m still very aware of how much energy and enthusiasm goes into publishing my books. I will be forever grateful.

I would like to thank in particular my agenting team – a group of very talented and supportive people, who could only ever surprise me in a good way. (This is not a challenge!) Araminta Whitley, Marina de Pass, Kim Witherspoon, Jessica Mileo, Maria Whelan, Nicki Kennedy, Sam Edenborough, Katherine West, Jenny Robson, Simone Smith and Florence Dodd: thank you.

Thanks also to The Board, which has been in my life nearly as long as I have been writing. Can’t imagine doing it without you.

Jenny Colgan, thank you for being my Doctor Who expert.

And finally, as this is a book about marriage, I would like to credit my constantly amazing husband Henry and our children Freddy, Hugo, Oscar, Rex and Sissy, for supporting me, cheering me on, making me laugh and teaching me what long-term love looks like.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sophie Kinsella is an international bestselling writer. She is the author of many number-one bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series. She has also written seven bestselling novels as Madeleine Wickham.

She lives between London and the country with her husband and family.

Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk and find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SophieKinsellaOfficial. You can also follow her on Twitter @KinsellaSophie and Instagram @sophiekinsellawriter.

OTHER BOOKS

Sophie Kinsella’s hilarious, heart-warming

standalone novels

Certain she’s going to die in a plane crash, Emma blurts out her deepest, darkest secrets to the sexy stranger next to her. But it’s OK, because she’ll never have to see him again … will she?