‘Well, it’s been a while, since, well, since I first dated Matthew, so what if I’m reading it all wrong and Ellis isn’t being flirty at all? Just friendly. I know how casual it can all be these days, what with “swiping right” to hook up for sex.’

‘Oh, don’t be daft, Grace. You don’t just stop knowing if someone is flirting with you. Trust me, he is flirting.’

‘But he has a girlfriend, remember!’ Grace whisper-yelled right into the phone.

‘And? You don’t know her. And she’s not there. So what happens in Italy stays in Italy.’

‘Stop it. I couldn’t do that to another woman. It’s not right. You’re terrible.’

‘Am I? Or are you just virtue-signalling?’

‘Virtue-what?’ she asked, baffled.

‘Oh never mind,’ Jamie said, letting out a long puff of air. ‘Grace, you don’t know Jennifer, you don’t owe her anything.’

‘Oh, come on, what about the girl code? You know how destroyed I was when I caught Matthew—’

‘Forget about Matthew. And forget about that awful one with the horse teeth—’

‘Horse teeth?’ Grace quickly interjected.

‘Yes, that yoga one with the great big galloping horse teeth. Honestly, Grace, I don’t know why you have her on a pedestal the way you do – she really isn’t much of a looker. Not that it’s all about looks, but you know what I mean. You are a million times more beautiful than she is. Inside and out.’ Silence followed. ‘And no, I’m not just saying that because you’re my best friend. I’m saying it because it’s true. And can I tell you something else too while I’m at it?’

‘Why not? Seeing as you’re on a roll,’ she quipped, bracing herself for what was about to come.

‘Good. Can you tell that I’m feeling brave with you hundreds of miles away and not next door like you usually are?’ And he paused to take a deep breath before launching back in with, ‘If you stopped using what happened to detach yourself from life – yes, it was disgusting and shitty and heartbreaking what Matthew did – but nobody died and now you have to let it go. Move on already, Grace.’

‘You know, I had already come to that conclusion,’ she jumped in.

‘Excellent. So we are on the same page. You can do this, Grace. You can get your life back and move on. You always could. Look at you now. In gorgeous Italy. And you travelled there all by yourself by putting one foot in front of the other without counting a single step, I trust?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Well, there you go. You are strong, Grace. Now, get your backside out there, darling, and live your best life!’

‘And that told me,’ Grace thought as she ended the call …

Chapter 17