‘Oh, God, it’s Eddie, isn’t it?’ Liv wasn’t sure if she expected him to be dead, or worse. And then she mentally corrected herself, because nothing could be worse than losing someone like she’d lost Rachel.

‘Yes. He’s…’ Pete looked at the ground for a moment, considering the best way to put what he had to say next. When he met her eyes again, she knew this was excruciating for him, as hard for him as anything he’d had to tell her.

‘Just say it,’ she whispered.

‘It’s Eddie. He and Anya, they’re seeing each other. I mean, behind our backs, they’ve been…’

‘No.’ Liv put up her hand to stop him. She didn’t want to hear this. ‘There’s some mistake. I mean, I’d know, wouldn’t I?’ And then she thought about all those times when Eddie had walked out the door, how he’d never once told her he loved her, when he’d joked about never being tied down. Not so funny now. Now maybe, if she let herself, she could see it. It wasn’t what he’d done, was it? It was what he hadn’t done. Liv turned away, tried to focus on the old stone wall opposite, but she couldn’t see anything. Her eyes had filled with tears that she willed not to fall. Everything was a complete blur; every part of her was disintegrating into a maelstrom of emotion; all the pathetic feelings were rising up in her. She didn’t want this to be happening to her; she didn’t want to lose Eddie. She wanted to get married, have a family and a nice house and… She was thirty-six, for heaven’s sake. She felt too old to start over again. ‘No.’ Liv heard her own voice, coming from some resolute part of her. ‘No. I don’t believe it. He wouldn’t. There must be some mistake.’ She turned back towards Pete again.

‘I’m sorry, Liv. I know it’s awful, but… See for yourself. She’s sent me a text by accident… Look, if you don’t believe me. It’s meant to be for Eddie, but… somehow, she must have…’ He held out his phone to her.