‘He’s on Facebook. Sort of. I made him open an account so I could put photos of us together on it and we could post selfies when we were apart. He’s rubbish at posting but he always likes my pictures. I think I’m the only friend he’s got on it, though.’

‘And you’ve tried to contact him on that?’

‘Several times. Facebook and Messenger. I’m worried sick, Drew. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat, I keep bursting into tears.’

Drew sighed. ‘I know you’re thinking the worst but, if he’d been in an accident, you’d have heard something by now. His phone would have been found and they’d have looked at his call logs.’

‘Assuming he had his phone with him…’ I shook my head. ‘No, I don’t think it’s an accident. They’d have contacted his parents and they’d have got in touch. Scott said he gave them my number in case of emergency. I don’t know what else to do. Why hasn’t he been in touch? Do you think he’s having second thoughts about the wedding?’

With downcast eyes, Drew fiddled with the strap on his watch.

‘Oh my God! You do, don’t you? You think he’s got cold feet?’ I felt sick.

‘No! I don’t know. There’s one possibility although I don’t know why he’d have done it. Give me a second.’ Drew stood up and disappeared into my bedroom, returning with my laptop. He handed it to me and perched on the arm of the chair. ‘Bigger screen so we can both see. Log onto Facebook.’

I frowned but did as I was told. ‘I’m in.’

‘Now find Scott’s profile.’

‘Scott Hastings,’ I muttered as I typed his name into the search bar. ‘He’s not there! Hang on.’ I typed his name in again, just in case I’d mistyped it. There was a rugby player, some bloke who arranged loans in Australia, an electrician… but not my Scott. ‘Where’s he gone? He was there yesterday.’

‘Log into your emails,’ Drew suggested, his voice calm. ‘Try sending him a short email.’

I shrugged but did as he suggested. ‘That was quick!’ I said a moment later when a reply popped up on my screen. ‘Crap! It’s an undeliverable. “Email address does not exist”. What?’ I looked up at Drew, my heart racing and my stomach churning.

Drew grimaced. ‘I hate to say it, Jem, but I think you’ve been ghosted.’

‘I’ve been what?’

‘Ghosted.’

‘What the hell’s that?’

‘When someone ends a relationship without properly ending it. They just stop communicating. They don’t text, or call, or email. They unfriend or unfollow you on all the social media. All they leave behind is their ghost.’