‘Does that mean you’ve been dating other women?’

‘No. One at a time is more than enough for me.’

I’m so relieved to hear this, I almost forget I’ve left out the most important part of the conversation.

‘So, are you going to tell me whether I’m in or out?’

‘Yes. Sorry, I…’ My stomach lurches uncomfortably, as if giving me a telling-off for not being totally honest, but I just can’t do it right now. ‘It’s you, Matt. I want to see where this can go too. I told Dom – my ex – that I didn’t want to get back together. He didn’t take it so well.’

‘I bet he didn’t. Look, I’m sorry you had to work your way through that, and I feel bad for your ex, but I’m so glad you’ve chosen me.’

He reaches for my hand and threads his fingers through mine, his brown eyes clearly conveying the feelings he’s described having for me.

‘I am too.’ I firmly shut out my nagging conscience.

‘Does that mean we’re a proper couple then?’

‘I guess it does.’

‘Well, in that case…’ Matt leaps to his feet and scoops me up, grinning like a kid who’s won the biggest teddy at the fair ‘…it’s definitely time for round two. If that’s OK with you?’ he adds, and I laugh as he kisses my nose and heads straight for the bedroom.

‘You didn’t tell him?’ Sasha squeaks in disbelief. ‘But, Lex, why? That was your big opportunity.’

It’s three in the afternoon after a lazy morning in bed with Matt. He’s now away scaling a ‘small’ hill (apparently racing against the sunset), while I’m in Grand Central with Sasha hearing about her fruitless apartment viewings. We’re also enjoying a late lunch together before she takes the train back to Glasgow.

‘I know that, Sash. I missed it. No. I totally avoided it. Couldn’t bear for his view of me to change. And it would, there’s no “maybe” in that.’

Sasha looks genuinely pained as she grabs at her noodles with her chopsticks, letting out a huff of frustration as all but one slither back onto her plate.

‘You want a fork?’ I ask.

‘No. I’m going to learn. I’m not taking the easy way out of anything any more.’

‘That’s good, Sash, but you’ve been at it for ages and you’ve barely eaten any. If you don’t admit defeat, you’ll be making a choice between your new approach to life and your train home.’

‘OK, fine. But I’m going to practise.’

‘You do that.’ I hand her a fork from the cutlery holder on our table.

‘Anyway, we were talking about you. I know you don’t want Matt to see you differently, but you can’t hold this back for ever. The longer you leave it, the more you risk the relationship.’

‘You think I don’t know all this?’ I sink the last of my coconut water. ‘I was shaking and I went onto autopilot. I literally couldn’t tell him. One of the biggest problems between Dom and me was that he mollycoddled me, he couldn’t see past my condition. With Dom, I’m the girl with MS; with Matt, I’m me.’