She was so annoyed with herself that when she found his keys, caught in the folds of her wallet, she grabbed them and handed them to him. ‘Here. I’m giving you back your keys,’ she said brusquely.

‘What are you giving me these for? We’re not moving yet.’ He looked at them in surprise. ‘Did you know I’ve put a deposit on a two-bed condo?’

‘You did what?’ Was she hearing right?

‘This is part of the surprise.’ He handed her a glossy brochure. ‘I want you to move in with me. But we have to move fast. It’s five floors up from mine. It’s fantastic. Wait until you see—’

‘Hold on a second and let me get this straight: you’ve put a deposit on a condo that you want me to move into with you, without me even seeing it?’ How typical of Marc, she thought, to make a unilateral decision like that.

‘I told you, Marie-Claire, I had to move fast. Half of Toronto wants one of those condos. And I know your rent is due for renewal the first of January, so you won’t lose any money by not renewing. It’s perfect timing,’ he grinned impishly.

‘Actually, it’s not, Marc,’ she said slowly. ‘I’m leaving Canada. I’m going home to Ireland. Here are your keys. I’ve already moved my stuff out of your place. And I can’t take your present. It wouldn’t be fair.’ She handed him back the Tiffany box.

‘What? What do you mean, you’ve moved your stuff? And you’re going back to Ireland? When? For how long? What about New York? What about us? What the hell is going on here, Marie-Claire? He was flabbergasted, staring at her as though she’d lost her marbles.

Us? she wanted to shout, but she remembered her vow to herself not to play the victim. He would go to his end wondering why his ‘Irish colleen’ had dumped him.

‘Hmmm, well, I’ve been thinking, especially with my rent coming up for renewal, that it was time to make a decision about what to do with my life. And while Canada’s been great, and being with you has been really good, it’s time for me to move on and try out something new, and—’

‘Marie-Claire, are you for real?’ His face darkened. His voice had an angry edge. ‘We’ve made plans to build up the company in New York. You’ve a meeting there next week. I’m asking you to move in with me. What are you talking about, leaving Canada?’

She noted sourly that his first priority was the meeting in New York.

‘I’m sorry about the meeting in New York, but it’s the same date as my great-aunt’s eightieth birthday party, and I’d really like to be there—’