‘But then, after hearing nothing from her for months, she suddenly got in touch again, about three months ago. She said that she knew that I’d been texting you and that I was seeing someone – I’m not, by the way,’ he added.

‘I really, really don’t care whether you are or not,’ I said, still leaning on the table and feeling as if its support was the only thing preventing me from collapsing to the floor, curling into the foetal position and relying on the kindness of strangers to roll me into taxi. ‘Just, for God’s sake, finish your story.’

‘Edie…’ he reached across the table towards me.

I sat upright and glared at him. ‘Just finish it,’ I snapped.

He slowly withdrew his hand.

‘I replied to her, confirming that I wasn’t seeing anyone. I had hoped that would be it, especially when she told me that she was moving to Bath, but her texts and calls just kept coming. Again, at first, she was telling me not to hurt you any more than I had already, and about how much she cared for you, and that I had to stop contacting you. But then the tone changed and she wanted to meet up again and said that she thought maybe we’d missed an opportunity. In the end, I knew I needed to put a stop to it and I agreed to see her. We met for a drink – here – last night.’

I looked steadily at him, but said nothing.

‘When you walked in,’ he continued quietly, ‘I wanted her to be early – to walk in too. At that moment, I didn’t care about the consequences of that, I just realised that, one way or another, I wanted you to know everything.’

He paused and I picked up my wine glass – ignoring the shaking of my hand – and took a gulp. ‘Yay for your epiphany. But don’t stop now,’ I said, ‘you’ve got me gripped.’

He lowered his eyes to the table. ‘When she arrived, I apologised for treating her badly. I told her again that I knew I had a problem and that I was dealing with it and that I couldn’t see any kind of relationship working with her, either now or in the future. She asked if I still loved you and whether I wanted a relationship with anyone else, but I told her that I didn’t think it would be helpful to discuss that. Then she accused me of using her and of being a misogynist and various other things, and I left.’ He looked around the pub. ‘Suffice to say that it wasn’t great and I’m slightly surprised they’ve let me in here again tonight.’

He picked up his lager, indicating that his account was at an end.