‘She did what?!’ Lucy blanches.

‘She sort of fell on him and they both cracked up laughing and he had his arms around her. They were just being silly and were both really drunk, but… Argh! I hated it!’

‘I’m not surprised.’ Lucy looks aghast.

‘Like I say, I like that Lachie is tactile. It was one of the reasons I fell for him. But I don’t like seeing him be that way with Fliss. There’s something about her…’

‘You have to tell him,’ Lucy states firmly.

‘I have!’ I cry. ‘He thinks I’m nagging him!’

‘You’re not,’ she states firmly. ‘You have to talk to him about this! If she makes you uncomfortable, then he should stop seeing her.’

‘They work together,’ I say hopelessly. ‘She gets him most of his gigs.’

‘That’s tricky,’ Lucy replies with a grimace. ‘But at the very least he should try to wean her out of his life socially.’

‘I couldn’t make him do that.’ I shake my head.

‘Why not? Nathan doesn’t have any female friends, not any more. It’s just… not necessary.’

‘But Lachie has always had female friends.’

‘People change and grow and adapt – they have to. We can’t always stay the same.’

‘That’s just it, though. Lachie doesn’t want to change. He likes his life exactly as it is. In fact, he wants me to change. He thinks I’ve become boring. But I don’t want to stay out late and get hammered all the time. I want a more chilled life. I want a family. And he doesn’t. Not any time soon. We’re on completely different wavelengths and I can’t help but think it’s because of the age gap between us.’

Lucy appears thoughtful.

‘Did you ever have this problem with Nathan?’ I ask. He’s two years younger than she is – they got together when he was twenty-four.

‘Not really. He wanted to get engaged super-fast.’

‘You’re a catch,’ I say with a grin.

Lucy laughs. ‘And, anyway, we waited years to have kids. We wanted to be on our own for a while before bringing a family into the mix.’

I smile at her again, my eyes drifting to her bump. ‘I’m so happy for you. You’re right about Lachie. I need to speak to him about it. But let’s talk about something else, now. How’s your pregnancy been so far? And I want to know all about your trip!’

The rest of the afternoon passes by pleasantly.

I wait up for Lachie that night, hoping he’s too hungover from his birthday bash to go out drinking again. He appears at eleven.

‘You’re awake!’ he says with pleasant surprise when I get up from the sofa.

He puts his guitar case down as I step forward for a hug.

‘You okay?’ he asks softly.

‘I missed you,’ I murmur.

I miss you.

‘Aw,’ he replies with affection.

‘I thought you might go out drinking again.’

‘Nah, I’m shattered.’

‘Bed?’ I step back and take his hands in mine.