Jessie paused. And then, ‘Do you love her?’ She’d asked him once before. Her tone was still sympathetic, as if she got that he was struggling to know how he felt.

‘I… don’t know,’ Jason answered honestly. ‘I thought I did. I loved who I thought she was.’

‘But not who she is now?’ Jessie finished.

Jason sighed. ‘Look, Jessie, I know this sounds like the biggest crap cliché ever, but it really is complicated. I don’t even know where to begin to explain.’

‘Ah,’ said Jessie, with more than a hint of scepticism.

Jason sighed again, heavily. ‘Is this where you tell me to piss off and stop wasting your time?’

‘I’m considering it,’ Jessie said sternly, causing Jason’s heart to sink. ‘But actually, no,’ she added, her voice back to the light-hearted lilt he loved. ‘I like you. You’ve been honest with me, so I’m trusting you not to mess with my emotions. I wish you’d learn to trust me a little more, though, and share this deep, dark secret about your wife’s history. I feel kind of… shut out, I suppose.’

‘Christ, Jessie, I don’t mean to do that.’ Jason immediately felt bad. ‘It’s just… it’s not something Karla would want me to share.’ He stopped, realising that now he actually did sound like he didn’t trust her.

Jessie didn’t speak for a second, then, ‘Which I guess tells me my instincts are right. You’re obviously caring, so as you’re going through shit, I’ll stick with you. We’re not doing lifelong commitment here now, after all, are we? Just being friends – with possibilities.’

Jason breathed a considerable sigh of relief.

‘We can sit down and have a good talk when you come over,’ Jessie went on. ‘Hopefully, things won’t seem so complicated then. You are still coming, aren’t you?’

‘Wild horses couldn’t keep me away,’ Jason promised. And he meant it. Whatever did or didn’t happen between them, Jessie was a tonic he desperately needed.

‘Good,’ she said, sounding pleased. ‘Are you okay for the weekend we discussed?’

‘Should be,’ Jason confirmed. Jessie was coming to the UK to see her brother, and he’d made up his mind he was going back with her for a long weekend. He would need to talk to Karla’s mother before then. Christ, that was going to be a difficult conversation if Diana didn’t know what her delightful husband had told him.

‘Brilliant,’ Jessie said. ‘You are still coming to pick me up from airport when I land, aren’t you? It’s just my navigational skills are so shite, I’m likely never to be seen again if I use public transport.’

‘I am,’ Jason promised. He couldn’t wait to see her in person. Visualising the expanse of flesh he’d just seen, a definite thrill of anticipation ran through him.