Hannah wrinkled her nose. Chloe could tell she was in two minds about seeing Fraser. ‘I want to see him, I do love him, but I’m nervous about his reaction.’

‘Don’t be. To be honest, I feel the same … we’ll deal with him ourselves. He’s been terrified too. He … we made mistakes that made things worse between us.’

‘We’ve all made a lot of those …’ Hannah seemed to be distracted by something. Chloe stayed quiet, wondering if she needed time to compose herself, but then Hannah got up and walked to the mantelpiece.

She picked up one of her birthday cards.

Chloe laughed nervously, realising Hannah might be in for a surprise when she examined them more closely.

Hannah opened a card with a painting of the Marisco on the front. It had been given pride of place in the centre of the mantelpiece.

To Chloe, have a fantastic birthday. Hope the next year brings all you’ve been dreaming of. Lots of love, Drew xxxxxx

‘Lots of love? And five kisses.’ Hannah blew out a breath. ‘Wow.’

‘Drew and I are very good friends,’ Chloe burst out.

‘He’s the guy who drove you to Bristol?’ Hannah still had a cheeky smirk on her face.

‘Yes. He’s a good man.’

‘You’re definitely not getting back with Dad, then.’

‘Did you expect me to?’ said Chloe, unsure of what Hannah was wanting her to say. A few months ago, Chloe might have admitted that she’d consider giving things another go with Fraser, if he left his girlfriend, but she felt very differently now.

Hannah carefully placed Drew’s card back in its slot on the mantelpiece. ‘I hoped so once. I lay awake dreaming of it, but now … not now I’ve seen you here. This is you, Mum, your new life. I hope we’ll all always be together, as family, and watch Ruby grow up. You’re Mum and Dad, but I don’t expect you to be wife and husband. I want you to be happy.’

Chloe had to fight back tears.

Hannah picked up another card. ‘Mum, why do some of these cards have happy fortieth on them?’

Chloe bit her lip. ‘Um … that’s a long story …’

‘You haven’t been lying about your age, have you?’ Hannah said with a smirk.

‘Well, maybe, just a little bit.’

‘Mum!’

‘When I mentioned a special birthday, people kind of assumed I was forty and they kept joking and somehow I didn’t have the heart to tell them the truth and then it became harder and harder to confess.’

‘Would this have anything to do with Drew?’ Hannah eyed her shrewdly. ‘Because I think he must like you a lot to have left Porthmellow with this festival happening, just to drive you to Bristol.’

Chloe had no answer.

‘You didn’t want him to know you were older than him, did you?’