I know my friends have been doing their best to stay neutral, but I’d have been blind if I hadn’t seen how much they wanted me to turn my back on the big corporate career and do something that might bring me a little joy as opposed to a great deal of stress.

“It was a no-brainer, really,” I say. “Once I got past the dent-to-my-ego part.”

“Success and intelligence aren’t tied to a fancy job title and hefty pay packet,” Emma says, not for the first time.

“I know.”

Watching Emma drive away, I breathe in the smell of freshly cut grass. The sky is a dazzling clear blue and I decide it’s far too nice an afternoon to be cleaning the house – the job I’d set myself once Rose was asleep. Instead, I settle Rose in her push chair and head for the park.

Only a few paces from home, I hear my name being called.

Scott waves and dashes across the street with his “I’m being friendly but that’s all” smile. I attempt to smile in return, but I can’t. He stops next to me, clocks my scowl and his expression turns serious.

“Mind if I join you?” he says, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I have an urge to yell, “Yes, I do mind.”

Instead, I give a brief nod and start walking, Scott matching pace beside me.

“Lovely day,” he says, his voice tight.

Here we go again, playing friends. Only I’m so tired of it and it’s too hard having to pretend.

Stopping abruptly, I face Scott. “OK, this isn’t working.”

Scott looks as if I’ve slapped him.

“What?”

“You being so nice and friendly.”

He looks so hurt I wish I’d never opened my mouth. But I have to say how I feel about him, even if it sends him packing.

“I like you, Scott. A lot. And it’s hard to be around you. It’s hard because…” I take a deep breath and stare at the ground. “Because I want more and you don’t,” I whisper.

Scott is silent for so long, I figure he’s trying to work out the nicest way to let me down.

“Remember when I came to your room at the hotel,” he says at last. “To take you to Harry’s wedding and I had that pin I put in your hair?”

I don’t reply.

“It fell out of your hair while we were dancing and I put it in my pocket. I was going to give it back to you, but I… I kept it. It’s on my bedside table and every morning, I wake and think about how this incredibly beautiful woman agreed to go to a wedding with a stranger to help him feel better.”