Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

Camille woke early the next morning. She wasn't particularly refreshed, she had gone to bed almost as soon as she had closed her front door but hadn't slept. She had lain there thinking over the evening, replaying their conversation, the way he had allowed her to finally get close. She laughed out loud when she realised that "getting close" meant touching his hand. Is that what her love life amounted to now? The truth of the matter was that she couldn't quite believe that last night had actually happened. She looked at her phone. There was no evidence of their conversation ever having existed, no message confirming reservation details for later that day, nothing. Perhaps she had dreamt the whole thing. She thought about texting him to reconfirm, but didn't want to look needy. There was nothing for it but to wait for him to text, even if the anticipation killed her.

As the morning wore into the afternoon her anticipation turned into frustration. Time was dragging despite the growing pile of paperwork to fill in from yesterday's burglary and Richard's lack of communication only compounded her dissatisfaction with the events of the day. She looked at her phone for what felt like the millionth time and wondered again why he hadn't sent a text. When it finally came through she pounced on it almost immediately then felt annoyed with herself for giving in so easily. She hadn't read it yet. Surely she should make him wait a little? She gave in after ten seconds .

Plans changed slightly given Jamie and Jules' news. Dinner with everyone at the hotel, is that ok? R

She wasn't really sure what to think. She had spent the entire night and most of the day planning their date and now there were going to be an additional five people on it. She sighed heavily, causing Fidel to look up at her in alarm. She waved away his concern quickly weighing up the pros and cons in her head. It wasn't what she wanted. She wanted a night alone with Richard, but then even if she got that what did she honestly expect to happen? That he would profess his undying love to her in one night? The reality was that she would kiss him goodnight on her doorstep as before, or if she was really lucky he would kiss her. She was being selfish. His family had come to spend time with him and they were here for a week, graciously inviting her to celebrate Jamie's engagement with them. It would look rude and unfriendly if she said no. She reached for her phone.

That would be lovely – are you sure they really want me there? C

She got a text back almost immediately.

Yes definitely! 7.30. Apologies about my mother in advance. R

She was early. Damn. She had been panicking about being late that she had rushed everything and was now here early. She couldn't go home, there wasn't enough time. She supposed she could sit on the beach on her own, but if anyone saw her it would look like she didn't want to spend time with them. There was nothing for it but to head to the bar.

Her panic subsided a little when she saw two familiar figures. Lucie caught sight of her first.

"Camille! We didn't think you'd be early! Come and have a drink with us." She threw her arms around her, dragging her to their table and to Jules who was grinning from ear to ear before departing again towards the bar.

"Congratulations!" Camille offered a hug which Jules gratefully took.

"I'm sorry I've been grinning like this for almost 24 hours now. It's so embarrassing but I can't seem to stop!" She giggled then seemed to realise that Camille might be feeling a little uncomfortable about intruding. "You don't mind do you? About coming tonight?"

"No of course not!"

"Oh good, it's just both of us really wanted you here, and I know Richard did too." She looked over and could see that Camille was trying not to look too hopeful at her last comment. "Honestly you've no idea how he changes when he's with you! It's so lovely to see him looking happy again." Camille bit back a laugh at the fact that Richard was meant to be happy when he was with her, he was so grumpy most of the time.

Jules picked up on it immediately. "It's all just a front you know, he's trying so hard to pretend that he doesn't like you, he's not doing a very good job though, I mean he talks about you all the time on emails and it wasn't really that hard to work out why when we finally met you."

Lucie came bustling over with some champagne and glasses, "I thought I should get the first glass in, you're going to be sick of this by the time you get married, it's all anyone will ever want to give you!"

"Not complaining, fill it up!" Lucie poured enormous portions for them all.

"So what have I missed?"

"We were just talking about Richard."

Lucie's face fell. "God I'm so sorry about last night.

"Why what happened?"

"Oh I made some stupid comment about getting Richard engaged again and he got so grumpy, you know how he is. It sort of ruined the moment."

She saw Jules' face tense with embarrassment "I hadn't even thought about how this would affect Richard, God I'm so selfish." For someone who had just got engaged she actually looked pretty downcast.

Camille reached across the table, "it honestly wasn't that bad. We walked home, he wasn't grumpy at all."

Lucie caught what she thought was an enigmatic smile and nodded. "Oh no you don't get off that easily, what happened?"

Camille was amazed at how easy it was to talk to the two of them, to share her thoughts about Richard. "Oh nothing really, just, he asked me out to dinner."

Lucie squealed. "Oh my God, he never does that sort of thing! When's it for?" She stopped when she saw Camille's face, "oh no it was for tonight wasn't it?"

Camille shrugged, "it's not a big deal, we'll go out another time."

"It is a big deal Camille, this is huge, there hasn't really been anyone since Emi!"

Camille's curiosity was now piqued. "Whose Emi?

"Oh his last girlfriend, well the one he got engaged to."

"Lucie..." Jules was trying to rein her back in, she didn't want Camille to think that she was being used by Richard as a rebound date, no matter how much time had elapsed between his last relationship and now.

"What?"

"Don't you think Richard should tell Camille when he's ready?" Lucie had quietened down a little, she seemed to realise that Richard wouldn't take kindly to having his personal life gossiped about.

Camille shot Jules a look which said I can't see Richard ever sharing that sort of information with me, can you? and got a resigned shrug by way of a reply.

"So they split up?"

She could see the two women sharing a look between them debating how much to share and to her surprise it was Jules that caved first. "Kind of. She erm, sort of ran off with someone, well actually she ran off with someone Richard had introduced her to. Pretty much destroyed his self confidence.

Camille thought about this. "He must have really loved her."

"I think at the time he did, I mean I wasn't really around so this is stuff Jamie's told me." She could see that Camille was already looking slightly deflated, there was no way she could compete with an ex girlfriend if Richard was still in love with her. Jules continued quickly. "He's definitely over her Camille. I think part of the reason he hasn't tried since is because he was so embarrassed about being used by her. You know what he's like, he's so sweet and kind underneath all that bluster, and I think once she realised that, she just totally took advantage of him. He worked every hour he could to give her everything she wanted and when she left he just kind of shut down. I think he blamed himself to start with and then realised how ridiculous the whole situation was, probably thought that everyone was talking about him behind his back. Which we weren't, obviously." She stopped to take a breath. "Anyway, it basically just ruined his trust in people. So he started using work as a way to stop seeing anyone, and pretty much has done until now. You do see glimpses of the old him when he's with you though. He's coming back."

She nodded without really thinking about the last statement. Camille was beginning to understand a little more about Richard's social awkwardness, his reticence to have drinks with the team, his complete inability to let any of them in. Her poor, sweet, gentle, pedantic and sometimes very annoying Richard. It angered her that someone had used him so badly.

Both of her drinking partners caught her look and smiled, they could see that if anything, Jules' little speech had made Camille more determined to break Richard out of the cocoon he had built for himself. Camille was suddenly aware that she had hijacked the evening. She turned her attention back to Jules.

"How long have you been with Jamie anyway?"

"Three years." She became embarrassed. "We were friends before we got together, he told me afterwards he'd been trying to get the courage up to ask me out for a while."

"You must be glad he did?"

She nodded shyly.

Camille felt her phone vibrate in her bag. She apologised and rooted around until she found it.

Let me know when you're downstairs and I'll come and get you.

She replied quickly

Here already...

"Richard?" She nodded. "I give it two minutes before he's here trying to rescue you from us." Camille giggled.

Sure enough 90 seconds later Richard appeared in the bar looking a little wary. He spotted them and came over.

"Sorry, I didn't realise you were early."

"It's fine." Richard was looking at Camille with an expression of diffidence which quickly faded when he realised that he was being studied by the three women at the table. "Um, shall we go to the table? I don't know if mum and dad are there yet, but probably best if we don't keep them waiting."

Jules and Lucie sauntered out giggling and clutching bottles and glasses. Camille and Richard followed at a slightly more sedate pace.

He looked bashful. "I'm sorry about tonight. It's not exactly what I wanted."

"What did you want Richard?"

"Something a little more intimate."

"Intimate?"

"Oh God I didn't mean, you know like that."

"Why not? What's wrong with me?"

"I...nothing. I just meant that I wasn't expecting anything..., you know that dinner's fine...on its own."

She giggled and took his arm. "Relax Richard. We'll see how dinner goes first." He blushed fiercely as they came out on to the terrace. He was saved further embarrassment from her by a new voice. One that Camille hadn't heard before.

"Hello darling, ohhhhh and you must be Camille!" A new voice joined in the ever growing throng. A woman wearing the most hideous pair of shorts covered in various exotic fruits was making her way over to them. She caught sight of Richard's blush. "Oh dear, have I come at a bad time?" She turned to Camille. "He was always constantly embarrassed by everything when he was small too...you haven't been whispering sweet nothings into his ear have you?" Richard blushed even more fiercely debated for a moment about whether it would be better to contest her last statement or let it go, then managed to recover some composure. He looked pained and swallowed hard before making the introduction.

"This is my mother."

"And he's probably told you all sorts of dreadful lies about how dotty I am."

"No, I hadn't quite got round to that yet, but you seem to have done a pretty good job anyway."

"Don't be rude darling, it doesn't suit you. Come along!" She walked back to the table, shouting over the throng of the other diners who all stopped to look at her much to Richard's further dismay. Camille tried to hold back a laugh, failing miserably.

Richard caught her eye and glared at her. "Not one word."