‘For God’s sake! You’re as bad as each other, you two. First I have your dad warning me about you, and now you’re getting all overprotective of him. He’ll meet this Audrey, they’ll have a chat, she’ll go back to Australia and maybe they’ll keep in touch. I don’t think your dad is interested in any more than that. Look at it this way: he’s just starting to emerge from his shell after a really tough time. It’s a good thing, isn’t it?’

‘What do you mean, Dad warned you about me?’

‘Did you hear the rest of what I just said?’

‘He’s got no business⁠—’

‘And neither have you. That’s my point. Let it go. You’re protective of each other, which is nice, but don’t stifle each other in the process, hmm?’

He stares at me for so long without speaking that I’m starting to wonder if I’ve said too much. Just as I’m about to break the silence by backing down, he opens his mouth.

‘I guess we have become a little bit enmeshed.’

‘I think enmeshed is too strong. You’ve both been through a lot and you’ve pulled together amazingly well. I love how you look out for each other.’

‘But it’s time to step back. That’s what you’re saying, isn’t it?’

‘I’m just saying give him room. He’ll be OK.’

‘And what about you and me?’

I’m unprepared for the question, even though it’s been hanging in the air since we came out here.

‘What do you want?’ I ask him after a pause.

He sighs. ‘I wish that were an easy question to answer. What if I’m not enough for you? What if I’m too much? I don’t exactly have a rich tapestry of relationship experience to draw on and the little I have was hardly positive, as you know. I don’t want to ruin our friendship.’

‘Who says you’re going to ruin anything? You say you’re scared you might be too much, or not enough, but that’s not what I see. I see a man who stepped up when his father needed him. I see a man who has worked his socks off to overcome a significant obstacle. I see a man who my nephew idolises and my sister, I kid you not, instructed me to marry immediately having only met you once.’

‘She didn’t!’

‘I think she was joking, but I wouldn’t be completely sure. The point, Will, is that the more I find out about you, the more there is to like. Maybe you need to trust that you’re enough as you are and have more faith in yourself. And me, actually.’