Connie hung up in a better mood than she’d been in for a while. Her vision, since Jared had moved into the village, had become so restricted, she’d barely had another thought in her head. But Caitlin’s call reminded her that she had so many good things in her life. She had a sudden burst of hope. Jared would surely give up and leave, now she wasn’t giving their connection any oxygen. Or he wouldn’t. And maybe she could gradually come to terms with that. Get used to him being around and ignore the threat that he might let the cat out of the bag. What had happened between them had been so unrelated to any sort of reality. Maybe, she thought, it can stay in its own secret bubble for ever.

She noticed she’d missed a WhatsApp from Neil. Coffee at Angie’s? 12? x

See you there. DON’T ask Jed xxx she messaged back, remembering Neil’s suggestion at the bonfire party that they all get together to bond over Fiona Raven.

??? Wasn’t going to x Neil wrote.

They were ensconced at their favourite table by the glass doors leading to the wide green expanse of the recreation ground, Angie’s delicious coffee hot and fragrant in their cups. There was a noisy table of hikers in the corner, but no one else. Connie always wondered how the place stayed open.

Neil looked preoccupied, Connie thought, as she sipped the unfamiliar Ethiopian/Brazilian blend.

‘Why didn’t you want Jed to join us?’ he asked, after they’d caught up. He was looking at her closely and she began to squirm.

‘Preferred just us,’ she said.

He nodded but raised a questioning eyebrow. ‘Right. It’s just …’ he hesitated, looking uneasy ‘… there’s something you should know, Con. Jed and Brooks got tanked on margaritas the other night. I was in Cardiff on a shoot, and Jed asked himself over.’

Connie stifled a groan, keeping her face as neutral as she was able.

Neil took a deep breath. She noticed the small frown of concern. ‘Thing is, darlin’, when Jed was half-cut, Brooks said he got all confidential … sort of implied he’d known you in the past, sort of implied it was a little bit more than just “knowing”.’

The blood drained from Connie’s cheeks. The moment she had been dreading for what seemed like a lifetime had arrived. There was no way on this earth she could dissimulate. Not with Neil. ‘What exactly did he say?’

Neil’s eyes were wide with amazement. ‘Seriously, Connie?’

‘Tell me.’

He shrugged. ‘It’s all a bit unclear, because Brooks was pretty wasted too. But Jed apparently said something about an Italian tour and a hotel room in Warsaw? And …’ Neil seemed to wince ‘… he also implied he was really into you.’

Connie closed her eyes.

‘So it’s true,’ she heard Neil say.

She nodded.