Penny deliberated on what to wear from her suitcase, eventually dipping into Clementine’s wardrobe to steal something she’d bought with her discount from Stella McCartney. She studied her reflection in the mirror: jeans, a short-sleeved sweater, and Veja trainers with her rain mac. It reminded her of her first date with Francesco, which felt like years ago now. She’d fussed at the mirror for a full fifteen minutes to perfect a ‘no make-up’ make-up look so she was fresh-faced without looking like she’d tried. If Francesco was meeting her to say goodbye, she wanted to look dignified and refined as she received it. But if maybe there was one final sliver of a chance that she thought he might take her back, forgive her, she wanted to look elegant, too.

‘Good morning,’ she said as he approached. He was in jeans and trainers too, but admittedly looked a little pale. ‘How are you?’

‘Tired,’ he smiled. ‘I feel nervous.’

Penny swallowed. ‘You do?’

‘Did you order?’

‘No, I was waiting for you.’

Francesco signalled to a nearby waiter and asked for a cappuccino and sparkling water. ‘What do you want, Penny?’

‘The same,’ she said. ‘But with oat milk. Thank you.’ She turned back to him. ‘Why do you feel nervous?’

He looked at her. ‘Because I don’t know what I’m doing.’ He continued: ‘I’m pleased I saw you yesterday. But, you know, I was embarrassed, too.’

‘Embarrassed?’

‘I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that. I’ve been so mad at myself. It wasn’t right.’

Penny shrugged lightly. ‘It’s okay. I think I understand now.’

‘What do you think you understand?’

‘That we weren’t ever really just friends.’

‘Yeah,’ said Francesco, and the waiter appeared with their drinks. They watched her unload them onto the table in silence.

‘Did it ever mean something to you though?’ he asked, wide-eyed and earnest. ‘You know. You and me.’

Penny’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Francesco, yes. Of course it did. If I could go back in time I would have asked you to come with me right from the start, even if it was after only three weeks of dating. Or, I should have got out of the car when I saw you with that woman and asked you what the hell was going on, in the moment. Or, I should have asked you afterwards instead of ignoring you and then holding you at arms’ length as I slept with other men and fell in love with you.’

‘You fell in love with me?’

‘Yes. I see that now. Everything is better when you are there. I know I made no secret of how taxing this past year was but the months when you were there, with me – just being in the kitchen with you after service – it was perfect. I understand the point of everything when you’re around.’