I recounted the first round of flirting – ‘Oh, it’s that woman?’ – and explained the life drawing class had been a happy accident, orchestrated by work. But that since Fred had given me her card, the closest I’d come to using it was wedging it between the pages of whatever book I happened to be reading. I’d typed messages, I admitted, but nothing I could bring myself to send.

‘Out of curiosity,’ Faith asked, when I came up for air, ‘both times you’ve seen this woman, you’ve been wearing that?’ She glanced at my engagement ring, and I nodded. She made a noise. ‘Interesting.’

‘Bad interesting?’

‘I don’t know. Not bad, I wouldn’t say. But she must have assumed you’re fair game, even though you’re obviously … Hm, interesting.’

‘Faith, what are you – you’re killing me. What kind of interesting is it? We didn’t go through this with the online dating. No one coached me; Betty just took my phone and ran with it!’

Lily tapped Faith’s arm. ‘Don’t scare her. No, Edi, not bad interesting. It is interesting, obviously, but look.’ She linked arms with me and matched my stare on the business card that sat between us all on the kitchen worktop. ‘I know you and Rowan have had a certain flavour of relationship for a little while. But there are other flavours out there, you know, babes? Some people have lots of flavours on their plate at once and that suits them. Some people have a favourite flavour that they always stick with. Are you with me?’

Faith sighed. ‘For the cheap seats at the back, she’s trying to say this woman might not give a shit that you’re engaged. Maybe she’s banking on you having an open relationship.’ She picked up her phone again and started to scroll. It was a miracle the woman didn’t have repetitive strain injuries already. In that moment, I hated the open-relationship term. I’d hated it when Gwen had used it, too, but I hated it even more now. That said, if it meant that …

‘So, I shouldn’t mention it?’

Lily deferred the question to Faith, who made a show of thinking about it. ‘No. She will.’

‘You’re certain?’

‘No, Edi, of course I’m not certain. But, if you’re wearing an engagement ring, it’s not like you’re lying to the woman’s face, is it?’

‘Isn’t it a lie by omission, though?’ I turned and looked between them. ‘Not telling someone something just because they haven’t asked, doesn’t mean you’re not lying.’

‘Christ on a cracker, Parcell.’ Faith snatched the business card. ‘Give me your phone.’