She stopped and turned me around to face her. I thought she might kiss me, right there in the middle of the dining area, and I didn’t know how I felt about that. ‘We absolutely don’t have to talk about the fiancé stuff because it’s genuinely none of my business.’ She waited until I nodded, albeit a little reluctantly. ‘If you want to talk about it, that’s also fine, because I’m a big girl, and I clocked that ring the first time I met you. Plus, if you really need something to set your mind at ease, my last girlfriend was married.’ I opened my mouth to interject but she pressed on. ‘And no, you’re not my girlfriend, but I figured post-sex might be a good time to talk about whether you’re still planning on getting married to him now you know how good gay sex is.’

I could tell from her tone that she was joking again, and a laugh escaped. ‘Thank you.’

‘Jesus, for what? Compassion is free. Pick a table, would you?’

Mid-laugh still, I set myself back on track to find a free table at the back of the room. I was so focused, though, that it caught me completely off-guard when someone said—

‘Edi?’

I jerked around. ‘Monty.’ Fuck. He stood to hug me and I leaned into him.

‘Look at you.’ He pulled away and looked me up and down. ‘You look amazing.’

‘Doesn’t she just?’ Fred cut in. ‘Nice to meet you.’ She held out a hand and Monty looked startled; by her good looks, by her confidence, maybe by both. But he still took her hand and introduced himself. ‘Monty, nice name. I’m Fred.’

His eyes stretched wider then. ‘Fred Fred?’

‘I mean—’ she sounded amused ‘—you can just say it the one time but sure.’

Monty laughed, too. There was a soft pink blush creeping up his face. ‘Sorry, ah, Rowan has mentioned you.’ He glanced at me, then, and I wondered what reaction he was searching for.

‘Oh, he has, has he?’ Fred seemed genuinely pleased with herself – as though she’d shattered the glass ceiling by gaining notoriety. She looked at me, too, and winked before turning back to Monty. ‘What is it that Rowan knows exactly?’

Monty rubbed at the back of his neck. My gut reaction was to leap in and save him from the awkwardness of it all. But something about Fred’s wicked humour must have rubbed off because I also wanted to know what Rowan thought he knew about Fred. ‘He hasn’t said too much. Just, you know, that Edi was having dinner with you, and sort of seeing someone called Fred. Only didn’t mention you were so—’

‘Female,’ Fred interrupted him and laughter spluttered out of me. ‘I get that a lot.’

Monty soon joined in the humour. I saw him physically relax. ‘Sure, that makes sense.’