‘I love you too.’ She fiddles with the wrapper, so I take the chocolate back off her to open it up. We stand facing one another, both of us blinking back sudden tears. ‘It won’t change anything, all this, you know,’ she says to me. ‘We’ll still be the same.’

‘Best friends with added husband.’

‘Exactly. And he is great, so, you know, everyone wins.’

‘Indeed they do.’ I smile.

Lou goes into the bathroom and turns on the taps. She goes quiet for a moment, before sticking her head around the door. ‘All that independent stuff noted, did you ever hear from him?’ she asks.

‘Who?’

‘That consultant bloke. Mark. Did he get in touch?’

‘Yeah,’ I answer, climbing into bed with the remote control.

‘And?’

‘We talk. From time to time. I don’t know if he likes me likes me or just…’

‘Does it matter?’

I think for a moment, unwrapping another chocolate. ‘Yes,’ I answer eventually. ‘Yes, it does matter. I don’t know what the future holds. He seems nice…’ She doesn’t manage to raise an eyebrow through the newly topped-up Botox, but I’ve known her long enough to know that’s what she’s trying. ‘Okay, I liked him. I didn’t realise it with everything else that was going off, but yes, I did like him. I do… But you know something? I like me too. And I think I need to nurture that a little bit.’

‘Not too long though, eh? The good ones don’t stick around, look at my Will!’

‘They’ll stick around if they’re meant to,’ I say. I pick up my phone and read the last message he sent me. He’s coming up in a month for a long weekend, to pack away his old flat. Did I fancy meeting up? I tap out a long-overdue response: ‘I’d love to. Tell me when and where when you’re back.’ Then I click send, my heart jumping a little at the prospect of a secret meet-up. I know I’m not ready for a relationship yet. I know I want time to myself. But I also know that my future might hold one or two surprises. And finally, I feel ready to embrace them.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

RHYS

Three weeks after our ‘first date’, I wake up with her arm across my face and her taste across my lips. The bed sheet barely covers her as she stretches and I hold back the urge to reach out to her. ‘Morning,’ I say, brushing her hair from her face as she begins to stir. ‘Look, you’re here in my bed.’ I grin like the teenager she makes me feel like inside.

She turns over and lifts her arm to rest on her elbow. ‘I am. And look, so are you.’

‘Is it weird?’ I check.

‘Nope.’ She leans across to give me a lingering kiss. ‘Wasn’t quite four weeks, mind, was it?’ she says accusingly.

‘True…’ I tuck stray hair behind her ear. ‘We could pretend it didn’t happen and wait another week if you like?’ I trace my finger across her collarbone, hoping she doesn’t agree.