Karen ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. ‘Sorry, Jem, but I’m going to have to say this. If I word it badly, I’m sorry. You’re better with stuff like this.’

‘Do I need another drink?’

‘Yes. I think so. I wish I wasn’t driving so I could have one too.’

‘You’re making me nervous,’ I said.

I returned from the bar with another round of drinks. ‘Hit me with it.’

‘Please don’t get mad at me, but the Jemma I know and love would not have let her fiancé abandon his wife and babies to be with her, no matter how much she loved him. Come on, Jem, you know I’m right. I know you loved Scott and I know how devastated you were when you found out about his other life but you said yourself that you couldn’t be with a liar and a cheat. I get why you wanted to talk about giving him a second chance. As I said at the time, I’d have struggled not to do the same for Ryan. But if Scott hadn’t died that night, I’m not sure you would have agreed to try again because of the kids. If you had gone for it, I don’t think your relationship would have lasted. You couldn’t have done it to them or to yourself. You’re not like that. The guilt would have eaten away at you and destroyed your love for Scott.’ She grimaced. ‘Sorry. I wouldn’t be your best friend if I didn’t say that.’

I sipped on my drink, thinking about what she’d said. ‘Oh my God,’ I muttered.

‘“Oh my God’’, you’re a genius and you know me better than I know myself, or “oh my God’’, you’re a bitch for bringing this up when I’ve just found out he’s dead.’

I had to laugh at that. ‘The former.’

‘Really?’ Karen visibly relaxed. ‘Thank God for that.’

We had no way of knowing what the future would really have held for Scott and me, but Karen knew me well. It would have eaten away at me to the point where I’d have pushed him back to Fiona, even if he hadn’t wanted to go, because I couldn’t live with the guilt.