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Then that phone call first thing from Erin saying there was a problem with the schedule and that he would need to come into the office, which was not on his plan for the day, but he packed up his laptop and drove into the city, to find her – with her glossy brown hair up too – waiting at his desk to go through the plan of work.

Three hours later, he straightened in his chair and realised just how close Erin was sitting beside him.

‘I’m sorry you had to come in today. Maybe we could have done this over the phone . . .’ he said, rolling his chair a few inches away.

‘Must be good to get out of the house, though, sometimes?’ Erin asked.

‘Of course. It forces me to get dressed in the mornings.’

She laughed and it encouraged him.

‘And I don’t have to make my own lunch.’

‘Talking of which . . .’ Erin smiled and patted her tummy. ‘I’m starving.’

‘I’m going to the place at the end of the road for a sandwich, if you want me to pick you something up?’ he offered.

‘Before I started here, I thought you’d be heading to swanky restaurants every lunchtime for a steak. Now that you’re big time.’

He laughed back at that. Swanky restaurants had never really been his thing. Although it was true, he could afford them now. In fact, if he wanted to, he never needed cook again. He could eat out three times a day and not look at the bill, but he did like the roast beef on rye they did in the sandwich shop.

‘Sorry to disappoint you,’ he said, suddenly aware that he actually didn’t want to.

‘Oh, you don’t,’ she said, and then bit her lip, the blush already creeping in.

His desk phone rang and he snatched it up, hoping that it would be something he was more comfortable with. Erin flashed him a self-conscious smile and hurried out as he put the handset to his ear.

‘It’s Cal,’ his PA said and he settled back in his chair to talk to his American distributor, which in itself was a strange thought. Firstly, that he had an American distributor, and secondly, that it was a normal part of his day to talk to them.

It wasn’t so long ago that he’d been working on his game design in the evenings and weekends, discussing ideas with Meg over takeaways and beers. He had set up a desk in the spare bedroom in their first house, a tiny end of terrace with a neighbour who liked musicals. It had been hard work, but a happy time. Every spare minute taken up with pursuing his hopes and dreams: a bestselling game and a marriage with Meg. They’d gone to bed on many occasions exhausted but laughing as they listened to their neighbour belting out songs from Chicago through the walls. How things had changed.

The strange, unsettled feeling followed him home. His life surpassed his wildest dreams, so why did he feel somehow that it was less than he thought it would be? What he needed was a night with the Brothers from Another Mother. It had been the answer for years, to whatever the question was. It was always reassuring to have the guys around. As he opened the front door, he sent out the invite.

Brothers from Another Mother WhatsApp group

Fox: Anyone around tonight for a beer at mine?

Half an hour passed with no reply. He scrolled back on the group chat and noticed how quiet it had been recently. There was a time when it used to buzz all day long, with jokes and pictures and check-ins. But now, the latest chat was about wedding suits and the most recent pictures were of Walker and Gabi on Walker’s trip to Los Angeles. He tried again.

Fox: Anyone? I’m buying the beers.

Normally that would have them running. Fox watched his phone while eating, but it was a good twenty minutes later when the first, disappointing response came in.

Etienne: Sorry, Fox. Can’t tonight. Isabella and I are visiting the wedding venue.

Alex was next:

Alex: Sorry, bro. Promised Amber I’d paint her spare room now that Gabi’s moved out.

Followed a moment or two later by Walker.

Walker: I have FaceTime planned with Gabi in her lunch hour LA time . . . so staying in tonight.

Fox sighed. Times were changing, for his friends at least. Not so much for him.

Fox: No worries. See you soon.

Robyn stopped in front of him and he lowered his phone.