‘Okay, actually. I nearly cried when we were looking at long division because that was Evan’s favourite type of maths problem, but I managed to keep it together.’

Johnny and Nina stared wide-eyed.

‘What?’ asked Johnny. ‘He had a favourite type of maths problem? That’s a bit … weird, isn’t it?’

‘No. It’s perfectly normal. Thank you.’

‘If you say so.’

Bella knew she’d have to tell them the story now so they didn’t think she was crazy or that their relationship had been so incredibly boring they’d ended up with favourite sums to do. Then again, perhaps that was another sign she’d missed? ‘One night I was doing some lesson planning and we had this stupid conversation about what our favourite maths problems were and we ended up talking nonsense and being silly. It was lovely.’

‘But you’ve heard nothing from him?’ asked Nina. ‘No texts or calls?’ Bella shook her head unable to say the words out loud. ‘Not even a Facebook message?’

Bella sighed. ‘It’s horrible to think he didn’t have the courage to tell me to my face and was trying to sneak out. I’m so stupid. I didn’t even know we were in trouble.’

‘You’re not stupid,’ Nina said, rubbing small circles on her back. ‘He’s clearly evil, and stupid for leaving you. But it was very nice of hunky Nick Cowley to fix your gate, wasn’t it?’

The fact that Freddie’s dad had fixed her gate while she was in London had been an unexpected surprise. He was normally a private man, and she hadn’t really known how to thank him. Dropping in a pack of beer for him and some sweets for Freddie had seemed the best option and she’d done so first thing Sunday. He’d blushed sweetly and mumbled something about it saving her a job before he shuffled away unsure why he’d done it or what else to say.

‘Very nice. He’s always been so self-contained and—’

‘Sexy,’ Nina offered quietly so none of the children could hear.

‘Is he?’ Johnny asked, his head shooting up.

‘Yeah, in a rugged, outdoorsy, muscly way that—’

‘All right, calm down.’ Johnny inconspicuously tried to look at his bicep, then shuffled his feet. Nina noticed too and giggled.

A cacophony of noise drew Bella’s eyes forwards as one of the boys from her class came running over, followed swiftly behind by Hannah and Leonie flanking a crying Freddie.

‘Miss?’ shouted Hannah, looking indignant. ‘Amias has just been really mean to Freddie.’

‘He ran into him on purpose,’ said Leonie crossly. ‘Didn’t he, Freddie?’