If you have to hide a friendship from everyone else in your life, ask yourself why.

Secrecy about a friendship is worth examining, gently, because the reason matters. Sometimes the answer is fine: your family would be unfairly suspicious, or the person is private, or it is nobody’s business. Other times the hiding is doing a job, keeping the friendship out of reach of people who would ask a question you cannot answer. If you would be uncomfortable with your most sensible friends meeting this person, that discomfort is information.

Ask yourself what you are avoiding. If the answer is somebody’s unfair judgement, carry on. If the answer is that you already know what they would say, tell one person you trust about it this week.