‘What’s going on?’ I asked, crushing a stack of Pringles that would have to pass for lunch into my mouth. ‘Since when are you such a smitten kitten?’

‘Since I met Eva,’ he replied.

‘And who’s Eva?’

‘The CrossFit instructor,’ he answered, proud as Punch. ‘You’ll meet her at la bebe fiesta on Saturday, she’s amazing.’

It was almost enough to make me fall off my chair.

‘You’re bringing a girl to a friend thing? A girl you actually like?’

‘A girl I really like,’ he confirmed, eyes as big as saucers. He kicked his legs up behind him, swinging them back and forth like a teenage girl in the movies. ‘I asked her for coffee after class on Sunday morning, we went out for dinner on Monday, we were texting all last night and tonight we’re going for dinner. If things carry on this way, we’ll be engaged by the weekend.’

‘Adrian, this is amazing and terrifying and I can’t see out a window down here so could you be a doll and look outside and check for flying pigs?’ I asked, still in a state of shock.

‘Ros, she’s so beautiful,’ he sighed, eyes skyward. ‘But it’s not just that. She’s so funny. She’s the funniest woman I’ve ever met. And she’s got amazing stories about everything, I could listen to her talk about anything for hours.’

‘Wow.’

I didn’t know what else to say. I’d known Adrian for my entire life and I’d never, ever known him talk this way about a woman. Or a man. Or any living thing. ‘So, what I’m hearing is, the sex is amazing?’

‘Maybe tonight.’ I watched him pick at a loose thread on what looked like a fresh-out-the-packet duvet cover. ‘Or do you think I should wait longer? It’s too soon, isn’t it? I don’t want to rush things.’

‘Adrian Anderson,’ I said with a gasp. ‘You are blushing. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were in love.’

‘Whatever, who cares, so what?’ he mumbled, his face beetroot red. ‘What’s going on with you? How come you want to hang out with me when you could be balls deep in Patrick Parker?’

‘Wouldn’t he be balls deep in … never mind,’ I replied, frowning at the sex maths. ‘He’s got a meeting with his publisher. I’m seeing him later.’

‘What about Lucy?’ Ade suggested.

‘She said something about dinner with the antenatal girls tonight,’ I replied, screwing up my face.

‘Sumi?’

‘She said she’d try but she’d probably be working late.’

‘She’s cancelled on me loads lately, work must be chaos,’ he acknowledged with a nod. ‘Question. Do you think roller skating would be a good date? Show Eva I’m fun?’