Ash sits by the picture window overlooking the sea, feeling the chill and scrolling on her phone. She is unsettled when she hears someone approach and sees Nick arrive in boxers and a T-shirt. Despite her discomfort, she helps Nick with the coffee machine from a distance rather than fleeing the room.

Nick returns with one of Paddy’s coffee cups, which triggers Ash’s restrained anger. He admires the coastal view, comparing it to the South of France, and Ash points out the cedar tree that gives the garden a Mediterranean feel. They discuss her lifelong residence in the house, except for university in Bristol, and the charms of their Kent seaside town.

Nick praises Nina and Paddy’s foresight in buying the house early and asks about Ash’s background. When Ash asks where Nick lives, he says he is temporarily renting in Tooting, which surprises her given his Mayfair wine bar. He teases her reaction lightly.

Nina enters wearing pajamas, cardigan, and glasses, greets Ash warmly, and kisses her head. Ash holds Nina’s hands briefly for comfort amid the awkwardness. Internally, Ash notes that while people once joked Paddy was “punching” with Nina, Nick and Nina seem well matched, which unsettles her.

As Nina sits beside Nick, their physical closeness—pressed legs and Nina’s fingers on Nick’s arm—intensifies Ash’s discomfort. Ash announces she will get ready and leaves the room, disturbed by the intimacy and her shifting place in the household.