‘She definitely looks a lot younger,’ said Gabe. ‘But I guess being fifty isn’t her real problem.’

‘I feel so sorry for her to be kept away from her daughter and her baby granddaughter. I know what it’s like to be separated from someone you love. With Ryan, I mean,’ she added hastily, in case Gabe thought she meant him, although she probably did mean him too, by accident.

‘You still miss him a lot,’ Gabe said.

It was a statement as much as a question.

Sam sobered instantly. ‘Of course, I do. Even when I hated him for what he’d done, I missed him. At least I know he’s alive. Or he was a few months ago. I had a birthday card from him, saying not to worry. No contact details though.’

‘I thought Chloe seemed to enjoy herself,’ he said, moving the subject onto safer ground. ‘It seemed to help that she’d told us about her family.’

‘Yeah. I knew there was something not quite right, but she’s good at putting on a front.’

‘So are you.’

‘I’ve had no choice. Zennor needed me. Ryan too in the early days.’

‘I know. Zennor gave me a few looks but I expected that. It can’t have been easy for her to meet me again tonight and I don’t blame her for being pissed off with me for my part in what’s happened to your family.’

Sam had also been worried about Zennor’s reaction at meeting Gabe again but considered things had gone as well as she could expect. ‘It was difficult for her but I asked her to be civil for Chloe’s sake. She worries about me – she needn’t – and she probably hasn’t realised what you and your parents did for us after Mum died, bringing us food and keeping an eye out for her while I worked late. You were a big help until … until it all went wrong with Ryan.’ She stopped talking, realising that she was getting too close to dangerous ground in terms of the past. It had been a lovely evening and she didn’t want to ruin it.

‘I’m—’ Gabe began.

‘Don’t say you’re sorry again.’

‘I was going to say I’m cold,’ said Gabe.

After the warmth of the flat, Sam also shivered. Gabe put his arm around her back but didn’t pull her too close. Sam flinched in surprise, but she didn’t move away. Instead, she left it there, testing herself to see how she might react … was she playing a dangerous game? Did she care? That was the booze talking, she thought dimly, but still didn’t pull away from him.