Jo raised her hand. ‘It’s okay, Erin. Honestly. I’m happy for you. Really happy for you. You deserve this. You deserve to be happy. I’ll work something out. Honestly, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine and of course I don’t hate you for it. I love you.’ She pulled Erin into a big hug and felt her friend shudder with emotion. ‘Now, deep breath. It’s okay. We’re okay. I promise.’

Internally, though, Jo knew she wasn’t okay. She’d not felt jealous of Erin and Aaron and their relationship before but now, as much as she hated herself for feeling this way, it assaulted her.

She was so not okay that, to her surprise and shame, she found herself having a little cry when Erin left. What was she going to do now? Erin was right. There was no way she would be able to afford the flat on her own. She’d either have to find somewhere else – somewhere nowhere near as nice and roomy – or get another person to share with. That was an even worse thought. While Jo was a very sociable person and was often at the certain of the craic at The Ivy Inn, she kept her circle tight. There were very few people who knew the real her and fewer still she’d want to see her in her pink fluffy onesie, eating Rice Krispies to get through a Sunday hangover.

That was before she even started unpacking the whole almost-thirty-and-single side of things. It hadn’t bothered her all that much before – she kept herself busy enough that she didn’t have time to miss having a significant other – but with Erin now on the brink of settling down with Aaron, and Noah and Libby launching into wedding plans with abandon, she started to feel as if she was being left behind.

She took in deep breaths and willed herself not to cry and she was almost, almost successful. That is until Noah walked back into the office, took one look at her and asked if she was okay.

Through a bout of very unattractive tears and snot, Jo sobbed something about being lonely and possibly homeless and then very quickly tried to compose herself again.

Noah, of course, pulled her into a big hug and told her he had a spare room and not to worry and everything would work out, and Jo felt marginally better – and more than a little bit silly.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m okay. Honest.’

‘And Erin? Because I just saw her and her eyes have that distinct just-had-a-cry look about them too?’

‘She thought I’d be mad with her for moving out. Which I’m not, but it’s still a pain in the ass. And I don’t really feel sorry for myself but… sometimes…’

‘Sometimes what?’ Noah asked.