‘You look amazing, Parcell. Take a belly breath for me, lemme hear you.’ I sucked in a greedy mouthful of air and pushed it out in a slow stream. ‘Yeah, that’s the shit. It sounded like a good one. Can I get another? I’ll do it with you.’ She matched my inhale and exhale down the phone. ‘Now, shit hits the fan, and you send me literally any emoji at all, and I will call you and cry about my period. Deal?’

I laughed. ‘Deal.’

‘Knock her dead.’

Inside the restaurant I found Fred laughing with a waiter who looked like he might have fallen in love with her. She stood to meet me when she saw me, though, and when she pressed a kiss against my cheek the young man’s face fell in disappointment.

‘Can I get you a drink?’ he asked me, his tone flat.

‘What are you having?’ I looked to Fred.

She made a questioning face. ‘Edi, drink whatever you fancy.’

I tried to make a show of thinking it over when really, I had my response ready and waiting: my go-to drink for stressful situations. ‘White wine, please, medium-dry, large glass.’ When the waiter was out of earshot, I said, ‘You look beautiful.’

She smiled. ‘Thank you, you gorgeous woman, you don’t look so bad yourself.’

Gorgeous. Christ, she thinks I’m gorgeous. I ignored the compliment. ‘You’ve been here before?’

‘Once or twice. How about you?’

‘Nope, first time,’ I admitted, ‘first time for everything tonight.’

She narrowed her eyes. ‘I don’t think I follow … Oh, oh.’ Her eyes spread and she cupped a hand over her mouth. Faith had told me not to tell Fred that this was my first time dating a woman, but the honesty had slipped out, as though the confession had been stuck in my teeth this whole time. When she moved her hand away, though, I was showered with relief to see she was smiling. ‘Well, let me tell you, Edi, you are in for a treat.’ She winked and handed me a menu. ‘We’re going to have an amazing time …’

And it turned out Fred wasn’t a liar.

*