‘Hi, mate,’ Ben said, deciding to give Jack a hug, which was more of a tap on the shoulder than a hug, but surely marked the closest they’d ever been to each other.

‘Shall we?’ Ellen said, gesturing towards the table.

‘Wait, does anyone want a drink?’ Ben asked.

‘All good, thanks,’ Ellen replied. She tipped her small glass into the rest of her large glass of wine.

‘I’m good too, mate,’ Jack said. He lifted his pint aloft for Ben to see.

‘I’d love a glass of red, please?’ Alexa asked.

Briefly, it was just the three of them. Alexa had taken a seat next to Ellen on the padded banquette, and Jack sat on one of the wooden chairs.

‘I haven’t been to this place in for ever,’ Alexa said, arranging her jacket beside her.

‘Not since Soph moved out, I think,’ Ellen said, watching Ben at the bar.

‘We should come all the time when we’re back,’ Jack said, hopefully. He was yet to take a sip from his pint.

‘Yeah, for sure,’ Alexa said, after a pause. ‘It’s really nice sitting outside here in the summer.’

Just then, Ben returned with their drinks. He placed them carefully on the table in front of him and lowered himself into the other wooden chair, next to Jack. He slapped Jack on the back again.

Jack had just taken the first sip of his pint and choked slightly.

‘Oh, sorry!’

‘No worries,’ Jack managed, weakly, examining how much beer he’d dribbled down his front.

There was a pause as they all took a sip or two of their drinks, doing an exaggerated lipsmack of a noise to indicate that they were having a good time. Someone was going to have to talk. Ellen decided it wouldn’t be her, at the same time that Ben decided it would be him.

‘So, um,’ Ben started, flashing a glance at Alexa, ‘well, this is a bit weird, isn’t it?’

Alexa smiled, encouragingly.

Ellen felt a little left out. ‘It’s less weird than the time we were all in an attic together,’ she pointed out. She stared straight at Ben, a slight challenge in her glance.

‘Well, yes. Agreed.’ Ben swallowed. ‘OK, well, I guess since I gathered us all here, it’s sort of my’ – he looked at Alexa – ‘well, it’s sort of my job to tell you why.’

Jack was staring at Ben, holding his pint halfway between his chin and the table.

‘OK, well,’ Ben started again. He looked at Ellen. ‘Firstly, I owe you an apology.’

It was as solemn as she’d feared it would be. Ellen felt herself flush immediately. She could feel everyone watching her. She was about to say something, but Ben was still going.

‘But it’s not quite the apology you … it’s not quite what you’d expect, you see.’

Ellen felt her stomach contract.