He shrugged. ‘I have a bed.’

‘We’ve got a spare jaffle-maker Josh’s mum gave us,’ Mel said.

Zac laughed. ‘I’ll bear that in mind or whatever.’

I nodded. My phone, from Sarah: Sorry? I don’t know what you mean by that

Sophie’s cough. Me and Biddy wanting, but not really wanting, to sleep with other people. I held my phone under the table, texted: Just that we’re married, Sarah. We should be talking to each other about our private lives, not other people.

Brienne was back in her seat, deep in conversation, but from time to time she looked over at our table. Maybe I should go introduce myself, maybe –

From Sarah: Well, that’s true, but you and I haven’t been talking. I wish that wasn’t the case :(

‘Everything OK, brother?’ Josh said. ‘Another drink?’

‘Nah, I’m still good.’

He got up, walked to the bar. Zac and Mel were still talking interiors.

I texted: I don’t talk to Zac in any detail about you and me, or Biddy and me. It’s not good for us to be running our marriage through a 22-year-old.

I put my phone facedown on the table, nodded as if I’d been keeping abreast of the conversation.

‘You’ve got to remember that’s monthly,’ Zac said, ‘on top of the rent. Luckily Kiki & McCall pays pretty well.’

‘You’re earning more than me,’ I said.

‘Yeah, sorry, dude,’ he said, adjusting his glasses.

‘You’re both earning way more than me,’ Mel said.

‘Yeah, sorry, Mel,’ I said.

In truth, life at Kiki & McCall wasn’t great. Zac had been given an official warning – ‘Literally for nothing, dude’ – and his trip to Switzerland had been cancelled.

Brienne was on the move, heading towards … Was she leaving? She was leaving. My love, my life.

Zac saw me looking at her. ‘Oh my god. I’ve been trying to work out where I knew her from. We went on a Tinder date.’

‘You and Brienne Halliday?’

‘Yeah, last year. It didn’t end very well. We went to that place in Flinders Lane where you can smoke cigars.’

‘Hihou,’ Mel said.

‘Yeah, that’s the one. I think we got halfway through our Romeo y Julietas before she made her excuses and left.’

‘Sounds a bit shit,’ I said. My phone screen lit up against the table.

Sarah: Fair enough! But you do also tell Zac things. And, just so you know, he tells me those things too

From me: Not important things!

Zac cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses again. ‘I’m pretty sure we’re still friends on Facebook.’

Mel looked at Zac, bit her lip, looked at me. ‘And how’s your love life going otherwise, Chris?’

‘Yeah, good. Sarah’s still studying. Biddy’s show opens on Wednesday, so I’ve been helping out a bit with that, just the scripting and stuff.’