‘No, I don’t,’ I reply as firmly as I can, given that I’m shaking with nerves suddenly. In an effort to seem nonchalant, I take a bite out of my sandwich, but Mike’s normally delicious home-baked bread suddenly tastes like dust in my mouth. ‘I have nothing to say to you, Luke.’

‘Are you for real?’ To my amazement he actually sounds angry with me. ‘I’ve just left my fucking wife for you, and you suddenly decide you have “nothing to say” to me? I’ve given up everything for you, like you said you wanted. You don’t get to back out now.’

I put the sandwich back in the box and turn to face him.

‘You haven’t left anyone for me, Luke,’ I tell him. ‘I was there, remember? You know, when you accused me of being a fantasist and making everything up.’

‘I was only trying to protect Cindy. She’s pregnant.’

‘With your child. A fact you conveniently forgot to mention when you were sleeping with me. Were you ever going to tell me the truth? Of course you weren’t. You were just using me for sex while your wife was out of action, another thing you mentioned, or have you forgotten?’

‘Again, I only said that to spare Cindy’s feelings. What you and I have is the real deal, Tilly. Yes, I admit I hid the fact I was married from you at the start, but that’s because I never expected to fall for you the way that I did. I wanted to find a way to tell you but there never seemed to be the right moment. I would always have left her for you. You’re the one that I’ve wanted for ages. I was just waiting for the right time to break it to Cindy, but you spared me the effort. I love you, Tilly.’

‘Bullshit. The only person you love is yourself. Anyway, what you want is irrelevant because I would have dumped you like a hot brick the moment I found out you were married. You’ve made me a homewrecker, Luke, and I’ll never forgive you for that.’

‘You’re not a homewrecker. Cindy and I were over ages ago. Sure, we were going through the motions of trying again, but we both knew we were becoming more like brother and sister than husband and wife. You didn’t wreck anything, Tilly. You brought me back to life and showed me what I wanted. I want you. Nothing else and nobody else.’