'After my breakup I moved in with my best friend. Within days, I realised she was hiding something.'

As told to Ann DeGrey.

When my relationship ended after five years, I was heartbroken but also homeless. My ex kept the house (we'd bought it together, but his name was on everything), and even though he paid me out, the money wasn't enough to buy again, especially in the city.

I was suddenly single and staring down the nightmare of the rental market with nothing lined up. That's when my best friend Marie* offered me her spare room.

Marie and I have been friends for about seven years. She'd also just come out of a long-term relationship and said it was perfect timing as we could help each other through it.

She was great to be around as she had a warm, calming energy about her. She made me cups of tea, hugged me when I needed it and she even also left a bunch of fresh towels on the bed when I moved in.

I remember thinking, "I'm going to be okay."

Marie had told me over dinner the first night that she'd "just started dating again."

She'd joined Tinder a few weeks earlier and said it had been a confidence boost. I thought that was great. After all, she'd been with her ex a long time, and she deserved to have fun.

What I didn't realise was that "dating" meant an actual different man in the house nearly every night of the week.

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The first guy, Lachie*, was very friendly. He arrived around 9pm and stayed until the next morning. I bumped into him briefly in the hallway as I was heading to the bathroom.

He gave me a little wave, I gave him an awkward smile, and we both moved on our way. I figured it was a one-off.

But then the next night there was a new guy. And the night after that. And the night after that. Within the first five days of living there, I'd unintentionally met five different men.

None of them seemed particularly weird or awful, just very present. There was always loud laughter floating down the hallway. There were thudding footsteps, thumps on walls, and a lot of "see you around" goodbyes in the mornings.

Okay, let me be clear, I wasn't judging Marie. She was single and clearly enjoying herself. But it was more the frequency that shocked me. I'd just gotten out of a relationship where we argued over putting the bins out, and suddenly I was living in a revolving door of gorgeous-looking men.

Things got properly weird when one of the guys, probably no older than 25, sat down at the breakfast table while Marie was still in the shower.

I was sitting there quietly drinking my coffee in my pyjamas when he casually looked over and said, "Hey, do you want to get a drink sometime?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I felt like asking, "Didn't you just sleep with my friend?" Instead, I just said, "Sorry? You're Marie's date." He grinned like it was no big deal.

"I know, but you seem cool too," he said.

That was the moment I realised I needed to start viewing real estate listings more seriously.

Later that day, I gently brought it up with Marie. I told her I totally supported her having fun, but I was starting to feel like an intruder in my own borrowed space. She laughed and said she hadn't realised it was bothering me.

"I've just been saying yes to everyone. It feels nice to be wanted again," she said.

I understood that completely. I wanted to feel wanted again too, but not by a 25-year-old who'd just slept in the room next to mine.

We agreed on some ground rules from that point. I needed some notice if someone was staying over, and she promised to rein it in a little.

"I didn't realise I was turning the house into The Bachelorette," she joked.

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To be fair, Marie was a fantastic friend through the hardest part of my breakup. She let me cry on her shoulder and reminded me that life goes on. So, I'll always be grateful for that.

Eventually, I found a small rental I could afford and moved out. I now have my own space, and Marie is still one of my closest friends, though I have a feeling she's still swiping right most nights.

In some ways, that slightly chaotic month helped me more than I expected. It showed me I wasn't the only one trying to patch myself together again and everyone copes differently.

Some people cry into their wine glasses, others turn to online dating and seven back-to-back dates.

As for me, I'm just happy to have a quiet night's sleep again.

Feature Image: Getty. (Stock image used for illustrative purposes only).