We drove. The quiet roads got busier, and the lights of the city guided us up ahead, our lighthouse out at sea.

‘I’m hardly perfect, Patrick,’ I settled on. ‘But I get what you’re saying.’

‘I don’t think you do get it. You are perfect. You’re bossy and shy and unaware of how absolutely gorgeous you are. You snore—’

‘What?’

‘On the plane. Sorry to break it to you.’

‘That doesn’t count. Even in business class your neck is at a funny angle.’

He shook his head. ‘You’re incapable of taking a compliment, which is why you’re changing the subject.’

Hmmmmm. I stared out of the window, folding my arms across my chest.

‘What I’m saying is that he was a douchebag, and you are glorious, and if you could just put yourself at the centre of your own world for one second you’d see how much you deserve to be there.’

‘Okay,’ I countered, the roads up ahead becoming familiar. We were close to the hotel, now. ‘Alexander was awful to me. But what does it say that I loved him anyway?’

‘That you search for the best in people. I don’t know. I just really need you to …’ He stopped talking, cutting himself off.

‘Go on.’

‘I don’t know!’

We pulled up outside the hotel, and I was already unclipping my seatbelt before we’d even parked. Patrick reached out to my knee and gripped it firmly so I couldn’t get out before we’d resolved the fight.

‘Just say it Patrick,’ I told him. ‘You’re pissed about something, so just say it.’

He sighed and then blurted out: ‘Alexander! I’m pissed about Alexander! I wish you’d stop focusing on him for just one afternoon. One hour!’

‘Fine,’ I said, noting where his hand was, forcing him to wrench it back. ‘I get it. You’re bored of me talking about Alexander. Objection noted.’

I was hurt by how mad he was at me, and embarrassed that I’d somehow done something wrong. But, it takes two to tango, doesn’t it. Patrick could take some responsibility too.

‘Sorry I’m not over it fast enough for you,’ I told him, letting myself be mad for maybe the first time ever. I deserved to be! I was allowed to be! ‘But I’m doing my best and in my defence, I was very clear this was a honeymoon for a marriage that never happened because I was jilted. So if you hadn’t connected the dots that maybe – just maybe! – I’d need to talk about my feelings occasionally then that’s on you, NOT ME.’