Jesses looks at me and laughs. “Happens every time,” he says cheerfully. “You ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” I say wryly as we climb into the car. I drive an Audi which, according to the salesman, is known for its spacious interior. He obviously hadn’t travelled with Jesse before though, because sitting next to him it’s like the space has suddenly shrunk. Like we’re in a reverse Tardis where I’m preternaturally aware of the scent of green tea that seems to cling to his skin and that sun-warmed long body.

I should probably break into conversation, but instead I turn the radio up and drive off. We travel in silence for ten or fifteen minutes while I navigate the early morning rush hour. Or at least I travel in silence. Jesse talks, but it’s an easy-going chatter that doesn’t require much beyond an occasional yes or no or a grunt.

It isn’t until we’re heading out of London on the motorway and it’s calmed down a bit that he steps up the chat. “So, tell me about the people who are going to be at this do,” he says, stretching his long legs out and sighing happily.

I shoot him a quick look and go back to staring at the road ahead. “Well, there’s Patrick. Did you ever meet him?”

“No. I’ve heard of him though.” I see him look at me from the corner of my eye. “I’ve heard a lot about him,” he says innocently.

“I’m sure,” I say dryly.

“You were together for five years. That’s a long time.”

I suppress a smile at the casual tone that doesn’t quite conceal the curiosity. “Okay, I’m not one for talking about my private life, but I suppose you deserve to know. We were together for five years and living together for two, but he never entirely settled into the relationship. His family has always had a lot of expectations of him, and settling down with a man wasn’t on that list.”

“Let me guess, settling down with a girl and popping out a few children was.”

I shake my head. “You guessed it.” I shrug. “He cheated. I found out. I expected him to be remorseful. To my surprise, he wasn’t. And that’s it.”

“That’s it?”

The patent incredulity in his voice makes me smile. “What did you expect?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. More.”

“Why? He’d cheated. There was no way back for me after something like that, and he didn’t appear to be looking for forgiveness anyway. He’d lined up my replacement before he left.” I shrug. “Patrick never wastes time. He likes his life to proceed the right way and smoothly. It was never going to be that way with me.”