How much did Anna tell you? I asked.

Everything.

Define ‘everything’. I knew it was possible Anna had just given Max the bare bones, and when he related the story back to me I was right – she’d told him I had a manipulative ex who had now cropped up in one of my cases, and had turned up on the doorstep a couple of times to bother me. For the second time in two days, I told the full story of what had happened between me and Mike. It was a story I hadn’t ever intended sharing with anyone, and now I’d shared it with two people in a short space of time. I really hoped that Anna hadn’t told Max that Singh knew about Mike before he did, though. The last thing I needed was extra jealousy piled on top of how he was feeling.

Once I’d finished, he sat back and shook his head. I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me any of this, Paige. I mean, I understand now why you were so reluctant to get into a relationship in the first place. Maybe if you’d told me, I wouldn’t have struggled to understand you so much.

If I’d told you, you would have seen me as someone with too many issues, I replied, sitting forward as I attempted to explain it from my point of view. Either you would have decided you didn’t want to risk having those issues come back to bite you on the arse, or else you would have tried too hard to fix me. As it was, we went into our relationship with a clean slate, without any preconceptions of who the other person was and what they’d experienced. And it’s been good, hasn’t it?

He nodded and gave me a small smile. It has, but I feel like you’ve been closed off, as if you don’t trust me.

I felt tears prick my eyes and blinked rapidly. I really didn’t want to let myself get emotional.

I do trust you, I told him. I know that I have to trust you if this is going to work, and I’ve pushed myself not to close myself off from you since we’ve been together. I just didn’t want to have to go into all of this about Mike, to rake it up and go over it again. I didn’t want your sympathy, or your judgement.

Why would I judge you? He looked irritated and I threw my hands up again.