Page 72 of Five Things I Love About You

‘Fair enough,’ he says eventually. ‘It’s a pretty nice city. Small, but friendly.’

‘Have you lived here all your life?’

He nods, twirling the wine glass between his finger and thumb so vigorously that it’s in danger of splashing over the edge. ‘I planned to move to London but then I met my wife and that was it. She was never going to move away from her precious family, so any plans to leave the north-east were soon forgotten.’ There’s a trace of bitterness in his voice and I wonder whether he feels regret about his decision, even now. I’m about to ask him when he adds, ‘I suppose the world is my oyster now, especially with my parents not being around any longer and my kids not talking to me.’

‘Oh I’m sorry.’

He shakes his head. ‘It’s fine. Mum died when I was twenty, and Dad went about ten years ago. I miss them but it’s like a vague, empty feeling rather than a physical pain that affects me every day.’ He looks up at me. ‘Anyway, enough about that. What about you? Family, kids, terrible ex-husbands?’

‘Well, I only have one ex-husband, and he’s not terrible. In fact he’s a lovely man and a great dad.’

‘And you’re not with him because…?’

I feel a prickle of irritation, even though it’s unfair. Not everyone has to be terrible, in the end. ‘We just sort of… drifted apart. We met quite young, had the kids, then realised, when our youngest was ten, that we were just living together as friends rather than husband and wife.’ I shrug. ‘So we decided to separate. But we’ve always brought the kids up together, and we still get on.’

Jay’s staring at me and I can’t read the expression on his face. ‘Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who genuinely still likes their ex. People pretend they do, but you really do seem to mean it.’

‘I do.’ I hold my hands out. ‘He was a nice guy when we met, and he’s still a nice guy. We just don’t love each other.’

‘I’m impressed.’

‘I assume things aren’t so amicable between you and your ex?’

‘Amy?’ He splutters. ‘You could say that.’

‘That’s a shame.’

‘Not really.’ His face has darkened and I wonder what on earth happened between them to make him react like that just at the mention of her name. I’m not sure I should ask. Luckily, I don’t have to. ‘She came from quite a wealthy family and they never thought I was good enough for her. Even she didn’t, to be honest. I think she only really wanted to marry me to piss her dad off.’

‘I’m sure that’s not true.’

He looks up sharply. ‘How would you know?’

‘I…’ I stutter. ‘Sorry. You’re right.’

He shakes his head. ‘No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap. I just… Well, she had an affair a few years ago and I’ve never been able to forgive her, to be quite frank, and I’m still pretty angry about it.’ He dips his head. ‘As you can probably tell.’

I don’t say anything, and soon he’s rallied. ‘Anyway, the kids are now with her in Sunderland – although my eldest, Seb, actually has his own flat nearby – and they’ve always sided with their mother which is why we don’t have a great relationship right now.’

I can hear a tremor in his voice and I want to give him a hug and tell him everything will be okay, that things have a tendency to work themselves out in the end. But the truth is I know nothing about this man or his life, and I don’t want to say something else to upset him.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say, although it’s woefully inadequate.

He gives a sad smile and is about to say something else when the waiter appears with the first of our dishes. We wait while he places a tortilla, garlic mushrooms and the octopus down on the table, then when he leaves, Jay clears his throat.

‘Sorry about that. I’m not normally one for being morose. I think it’s the accident, knocked me for six a bit.’

‘It’s fine, honestly. We’ve all got things going on, there’s no point pretending everything’s perfect.’

‘You’re a very patient woman.’

‘You haven’t seen me when I’m queuing in the supermarket.’ I grin, and he grins back. He has a little dimple in his cheek on the side without the bruise, and it makes him look younger.

‘So, I know you’re not an adrenaline-junkie like me. But what are you into?’ he says, spooning some mushrooms onto his plate as the rest of the food arrives. We’ve hugely over-ordered but I’m ravenous so I tuck in too.

‘I like to keep fit – at least I do when I’m at home, I haven’t done so much since I’ve been here.’

‘Oh? How come?’

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