I don’t know what that is but agree anyway – partly because I don’t want to admit to my ignorance yet again, but also because now that I know Will isn’t going to be here, I feel my day has been ruined and I no longer care what I eat.

‘Sounds great,’ I say. ‘And a bottle of red to go with it?’ I want to ask if Will is going to turn up later but don’t want to sound too needy.

Adam looks up at me and smiles. ‘My kind of girl. Bottle of red it is.’

It turns out a pierrade is a hot stone that you cook strips of beef on at the table. It arrives with a massive salad, a huge plate of chips and four bowls of dips, all of which are delicious. Adam orders the wine – I’ve no idea how much it cost and I’m hoping he’s not expecting us to split the bill because I’m guessing it’s going to be expensive.

This is the first time I’ve been with Adam on my own and it turns out he’s much better company than I would have expected. When he and Will are together, there’s constant sniping – they always seem to be competing, looking for any excuse to put each other down. Without Will here, Adam seems somehow softer.

We talk about his job in the City. Adam says that while he enjoys the money and the lifestyle that comes with it, he doesn’t like the job much and doesn’t see himself doing it forever.

‘Thing is, though,’ he adds, dipping an almost-raw piece of meat into the most garlicky sauce and chewing it thoughtfully, ‘I don’t know what else I could do. Plus it would be hard to give up the money. You get on a treadmill, big mortgage, high-maintenance girlfriend …’

‘Nell’s high maintenance?’ I ask innocently as if I hadn’t noticed. ‘How long have you been together?’

He snorts. ‘Couple of years. And yeah, she’s high maintenance, but that’s OK. She loves the City-boy lifestyle and all that comes with it.’ He sighs. ‘But if I’m honest, it goes two ways.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘Well, she’s really fit, so … we both benefit. Just in different ways.’

I laugh. ‘So she’s not “the one”?’ I must be a bit drunk. What sort of question is that?

He turns to wave the waitress over again. ‘She’s more the one for now, I think. No harm in being together for a bit of fun, is there?’ There’s an awkward pause, broken by the arrival of the waitress. ‘Only young once and all that. Dessert?’ he asks.

I shake my head.