‘Just,’ said Penny, walking from the door she’d let him in from back up to her flat, peeling off her layers as she did so. ‘Don’t say you’ll do something and then not do it. Don’t agree in the first place. Like, have some self-respect, you know?’ It came out harsher than she’d meant, but it was too late. She’d said it.

‘Self-respect?’ Thomas said, pausing on the stairs.

‘Yeah,’ said Penny, changing her tone. ‘Just be a man of your word.’

‘Hey,’ Thomas said, making her stop and turn around. ‘Are you okay?’

Penny nodded. She shouldn’t be picking a fight. She knew why she was doing it – because an argument was easier than a mature discussion about no longer sleeping together. ‘I’m fine. I’m just saying, it’s not cool to have your actions mismatch your words.’ She walked up ahead and flopped down onto the sofa. It took Thomas a minute to come and join her.

‘Well this is a side of you I’ve never seen before,’ he said. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’

‘I just told you – you’ve annoyed me.’

‘Okay, well that doesn’t make me feel great.’

‘It doesn’t feel great to me, either.’

Thomas stood there, scowling. ‘This is going to be a fun hike then, isn’t it?’

Penny picked up a magazine and began flicking through it. ‘I don’t think I want to hike today,’ she said. ‘I’ve changed my mind.’

‘You’ve changed your mind.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to go. You go without me.’

Thomas came to sit beside her. ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Come on. I’m only off for a few days before I go again. Let’s go walking, Pen.’

‘I said I don’t want to,’ Penny snapped. ‘Stop pushing it.’

‘But you love the hikes!’ Thomas said. ‘It’s like you’re mad at me or something!’

Penny sighed. ‘I’m not mad at you, Thomas. I’m tired. Really, really tired. So instead of walking ten miles I’m going to rest, because that is what my body is asking for. Okay?’ It wasn’t really a question.

‘I was really looking forward to spending the day with you.’

‘I know. But I just need one day to be in my own company. That’s not a rejection of you. That’s me taking care of myself.’

‘Hmmmm,’ said Thomas, not at all happy. ‘I think you’re mad at me.’

‘I will be if you keep saying that. Text me later. Just … I don’t want to go.’

Thomas nodded. ‘Fine,’ he said. ‘But you’re going to have to text me. See you later.’

She felt terrible once he’d gone.

‘Shit,’ she said to herself. She pulled on her shoes to see if she could catch him at his house before he left.