‘No. He will. At first I thought he was being a gentleman, but now I think he just wants to know where I’m going to be. He’s called eight times today. And sent four texts asking if I’ll be home tonight and if he can come to talk. I will be home, but I feel like going out so he can’t find me.’

‘Not taking it well, then?’

‘You could say that.’

‘Well,’ James said. ‘At least you did it.’

‘Yeah. It feels good. I feel good. I’m sorry for him, but better now than later.’

‘For you. He’d probably have preferred to postpone the inevitable.’

She lifted the burrito and took a bite. It left a smear of chilli sauce on her bottom lip. James brushed his own lip with his forefinger to indicate where.

‘You’ve got some chilli on your mouth.’

She dabbed it with a tissue. ‘Thanks. Bryn would have wiped it away for me. You know, I feel really good about breaking up with him. Guilty and weird, but good. I’m so glad it’s done. It’s strange – I thought about breaking up with him for ages, but I kept coming up with reasons why not. He wasn’t that bad, we had a lot of history that it was a shame to throw away, but now – now I can’t believe I waited this long. I have no regrets at all. It’s like I came out of a long, dark tunnel and I have no intention of going back. You know what I mean?’

He knew the feeling of being in a long, dark tunnel. It had been like that since Maggie disappeared. He didn’t think he would ever come out.

‘I’ve never been in that situation. Not with a relationship.’

‘I hope you never are,’ Penny said. ‘Anyway, I learned my lesson. I’m not going to waste my time any more. If I want to do something, I’m going to do it.’ She caught his eye and looked at him. ‘So, how about a date this weekend? Saturday? Or tonight? Give me somewhere to be?’

He looked away. He felt a mounting panic. He liked Penny; more than liked, he was very attracted to her, but that was the problem. He’d get attached, and then lose her in some way. She’d dump him or fall for someone else. It didn’t matter how it happened, only that it would. Or might. Even the risk was too much. He couldn’t risk losing someone else he cared about.