‘I know.’ Sophie sighs. ‘I can’t even get Rich to agree to a wedding date.’

Gen shoots me a sideways look. ‘You don’t mean . . .’

Sophie shakes her head. ‘He’s had this idea that he doesn’t want a big fuss.’

I can feel my eyes widening into saucer shapes. Sophie’s basically been planning her wedding since she was about nine.

‘And how do you feel about that?’

I’m surprised when she shrugs. ‘I dunno, actually. You know when you’ve always had your mind set on an idea, then someone comes along and says something and you realise that actually . . .’ She tails off, taking a sip of her drink through a straw and gazing out of the window.

Gen glances over at me and subtly raises an eyebrow.

‘Well, there’s no need to think about any of that stuff right now.’

Sophie gives a gusty sigh. ‘It’s like telling someone not to think of a pink elephant,’ she says. ‘What’s the first thing you think of?’

‘All right. So we’ll have to distract you. We just have to find you a project,’ I say.

I go to the loo and when I get back I’m pleased to see Gen and Sophie are laughing about something and Sophie looks happier than she has done in ages. I head home once I finish my drink, because I’ve got plans to hang out with Becky tomorrow morning, and we agree to meet up for lunch on Wednesday.

Back at Albany Road, the house is surprisingly quiet. There’s usually someone pootling around the kitchen making toast or curled up on the sofa watching television, but it’s completely deserted. Alex’s hoody is hanging on the end of the banister. It’s weird that I have barely seen him since the day Alice turned up. Except I have to remind myself it is completely not-weird. Alex is just a friend. A housemate. But since his finger touched the side of mine, I’ve managed to reignite the world’s biggest and most ridiculously unrequited crush. I need to get a grip. Plus he’s probably back with Alice.

Alice, who seems perfectly nice. Alice who – as his ex-almost-wife – has rather more claim to him than I do as his housemate. And even Emma seems relatively unscathed – in fact, she was off on a date with a friend of a friend last night, as she confided when we met in the hall. It’s ridiculous. I am ridiculous. This needs to stop.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Jess

Chapter Twenty-Five

Jess

1st July