And it’s tonight. In five hours and thirty-six minutes.

I have no idea why I said yes.

‘You are shitting me.’ Laura looks up from sprinkling way too much salt over her pre-shift brunch. ‘That is the best news, Gem. Who? No, don’t tell me, it’s Lycra Puzzle Teacher Boy, isn’t it?’

We’ve both seen Jed in his cycling gear. The thought of his genitals squished under neon-green cycling shorts and his nipples wrinkled like the currants in my teacake dials down my excitement levels.

Until I picture Dan again, and my personal heatwave returns. ‘Never. No. No. It’s someone I met by total chance.’

Is it, though? Andrew always insisted that nothing is random: there’s always a pattern or a reason why things happen, if you search hard enough.

‘Tell me more! But quickly,’ she orders me, between mouthfuls. ‘I’m on duty at two.’

‘OK, I know this is going to sound weird but I was on my way back from a clinic appointment when I saw this guy.’ This guy. The oily smell and soft-rock soundtrack of the cafe fade away.

‘So what was he like?’

‘Cute. But also . . . familiar. Have you ever had that? Where you’re like: hello, I know you? Even though you don’t.’

Laura looks thoughtful as she squeezes more ketchup onto her plate. ‘Nope. I fancied Mel more than I’ve ever fancied anyone, but it was a hell of a lot less spiritual than what you’re describing. You’ve got it bad.’

I laugh awkwardly. It doesn’t feel natural to have this kind of conversation with my sister. There are four years between us, but she was always so grown-up and sure of herself that it seems like a much bigger gap. Over the years I’ve taken her advice on career and money and DIY. Even on IVF.

But never love.

Love? Get over yourself, Gemma. You mean lust.

‘Quite bad. Yes. Which is why I’ve been thinking it must be the hormones.’

‘You’re only on the pills, though, right?’

‘I’ve started my injections now, but I hadn’t when I met Dan.’

‘Dan. Hmm. Solid name. Tell me more.’

‘It turns out – and this isn’t a huge coincidence, when you think of where I saw him – that he was on his way to Oncology to be with his daughter. Who I’d already met, when I took Bear to the hospital school.’

‘Whoa! He’s got a kid? Is he divorced? Widowed?’ She’s straight into interrogation mode.

‘No. He and his ex were never really together.’

‘You’ve got his entire life story now?’

I’d been planning to tell Laura everything, including the bad bits, and ask for a hefty dose of sisterly common sense. But now I’m not sure if I want my bubble bursting quite yet. ‘Some of it.’

‘Must be the oestrogen, because this is not your normal MO. You’ve never been one for grand love affairs.’

I give her a dark stare: Andrew and I definitely count – counted – as a grand love affair, though our attraction developed slowly. There’s nothing slow about this.