I put down my spoon. ‘I’m so confused, Mia. It’s been going round and round my head, driving me bananas. With everything that’s going on, I can’t think properly.’ I picked up the cushion I’d embroidered with a picture of our previous dog, Pickle, and gave it a squeeze. ‘That’s why I thought a proper date with him might help confirm my decision.’

‘Which is a yes or a no?’

‘I don’t know…’

‘I think deep down you’ve already decided.’ She took a deliberate mouthful of ice cream.

‘It’s been twelve years, Mia. Twelve years of loving him, waiting, and hoping that one day he’d choose me over his stupid music. My dream came true.’

‘But he might not be your dream any more.’

‘It seems wrong to walk away without being sure.’

‘And to make things even more complicated,’ she drawled, scraping out the last of her bowl, ‘enter Henry Fairfax.’

‘Um, what?’ I pressed my spoon against one cheek, hoping the cold metal might prevent my skin from melting.

‘You said it was Henry and Adam… ooh!’ She leant forwards, eyes lighting up as the pieces slotted together. ‘Henry read the text and thinks you’re engaged to Adam!’

‘Possibly…’

She sat back, settling in for another story. ‘What did he say?’

‘Nothing. He just went quiet.’

‘You know by Henry standards this means he’s probably in love with you?’

‘We’ve become sort of… really good friends over the past week. He hates Adam and it’s more likely that he doesn’t want his friend to get hurt again.’

‘You’re right. The man’s an enigma. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got a wife and kids somewhere he’s not mentioned yet. What I’m really interested in is that, for the first time ever, you care what Henry thinks.’

I’d invited Mia up here to get her honest opinion, but discussing Henry in this context still made me want to crawl inside my duvet cover.

‘Like I said, we’ve become friends…’ I said slowly.

‘And you want to be more?’

I hesitated. That was the big question.

‘I don’t know.’ I rested my forehead against the pillow. ‘I’ve only ever had feelings for one man. I always knew who’d be in my happy ending. As flawed as Adam and I were, I know him. The thought of being attracted to someone else is terrifying enough. But Henry? I spent my whole life loathing him, and now I find out he’s nothing like I thought. And on top of this awkward history there’s our parents, his job at Charis House… it’s a lot to think about, even without a marriage proposal peering over my shoulder.’

‘Then don’t think about it.’ She shrugged. ‘Go with your gut. Or your heart. Whichever one says you should be with Henry, listen to that one.’