Climbing into the taxi, Ella wished she’d had Roman’s number. Now she was travelling through the streets of Glensheil, she wasn’t sure how he was going to react to her turning up unannounced, but she was just too excited to wait until tomorrow. Ella took in the view as the taxi turned off the main road and before she knew it, the river was back in sight. She could see the water taxi in the distance and knew Roman wasn’t on shift tonight. Ella smiled as she recognised the road and she was hoping Roman would be as excited as she was about the event.

‘If you could just drop me here please,’ asked Ella, feeling the taxi slow down as the driver indicated and pulled up at the side of the road. After paying, she stood for a moment and took a breath. Arriving outside his beautiful home, her feet echoed over the wooden bridge that led to the path of his garden, which Ella noticed was very well maintained. The property had such stunning views, and for a second she watched a couple of swans gliding through the water, and a mallard with its brown speckled plumage, bobbing its head under the water. It was all so very peaceful. ‘What an amazing view to wake up to each day,’ she murmured.

Walking up to the duck-egg blue wooden back door, she rapped lightly and waited. Through the panes of glass, she noticed two suitcases with a small holdall placed on top. Ella heard a door shut inside followed by footsteps, and she locked eyes with Roman through the glass as he walked through the kitchen towards her. Immediately Ella noticed his bloodshot eyes and knew he was upset.

‘What are you doing here? Is everything alright?’ he asked, staring at Ella as he turned the key and opened the door.

‘I’m just about to ask you the same thing. Are you okay? You look kind of distressed.’

‘Far from okay – end of my tether, to be honest.’ Roman sounded fraught. ‘And I just don’t know what to do anymore.’

Ella could see that Roman was nearly at breaking point. ‘It looks like I’ve arrived at the right time, a friend in need and all that.’

Roman opened the door wide and Ella immediately noticed that he was wearing a wedding ring, and that really was a shock to her system. Not once had Roman ever hinted he was married, and she’d only discovered Megan existed by accident. She felt hurt that he’d kept such an important piece of information from her, especially when she thought they had a connection and she knew that hadn’t been all one-sided. Almost immediately she felt that slumping sensation in the pit of her stomach… uncertainty about everything. A feeling she just couldn’t cope with anymore. Then her eyes veered back to the two suitcases standing in the hallway.