‘You in a hurry?’ It was Guy. He was through the door, his arm around a girl Matt had met in the first week and not seen since. She was called Trixie, and was one of the most beautiful people he had ever met. It was amazing to him that she would ever deign to be seen with anyone other than a film star, but evidently Guy was in that category.

‘Got to get a bus. If I miss it, I’ll miss my train. And then—’ he held his hands up. ‘I have to go.’

‘Oh,’ he said. ‘I can give you a lift.’

‘You have a car?’

‘Yeah. Want a ride?’

‘That would be amazing,’ Matt said. ‘You sure?’

‘Absolutely. You need to go straight away, right?’

‘Right.’

Guy smiled at Trixie. ‘You want to come?’

She shook her head. ‘I’ll wait in your room.’ She held up a sheaf of papers. ‘I can read through the script.’

Matt watched her walk up the stairs. He glanced at Guy. ‘Script?’

‘We’re in a play I wrote. That’s the script. You should be in it. I’ve got the perfect part for you.’

‘Thanks, mate,’ Matt said. ‘But I’ve got a lot going on. I have to be back home at weekends.’

‘Is that why I haven’t seen you around?’

‘Probably. I’ve been back a lot.’

‘Family trouble?’

‘You could say that.’ There was a long pause. ‘My girlfriend’s pregnant.’

‘You have a girlfriend? You and Annabelle had a thing, right?’

Annabelle. The sound of her name was like a punch in the stomach. And the fact that she had been talking about him to Guy made things even worse. There was an entirely different life he could have had, and it was in touching distance.

‘Yeah,’ Matt said. ‘We went out a few times.’

‘She seemed a little sad about you breaking up,’ Guy said. ‘But I guess if you’re going to be a dad it must be a serious relationship.’

‘It is. Kind of.’ Matt paused. ‘Do you see Annabelle much?’

‘Not all that often. But from time to time.’

He was about to ask if she had another boyfriend, but he stopped himself.

‘Say hello from me, would you?’

‘I will,’ Guy said.

‘And tell her I liked her too.’

Guy gave him an odd, pitying look. ‘Everything OK?’ he said.

‘Yes. It’s … it’s complicated.’

‘It always is,’ Guy replied. ‘Going to New Street?’

2

His dad met him at the station.

‘Back again,’ he said. ‘How’s it going?’

‘Good.’

‘You must be missing Lindsey?’

‘Yeah.’

They walked down the platform. The car was parked outside.

His dad started the engine, then turned to face him.

‘Is everything OK, Matt?’ he said.

‘Yes. Fine.’

‘Is there anything you want to talk about?’